Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, on April 19, 1948, an American hero was born. His name was Juan Alonso Covarrubias. He was raised in Waco, Texas, but moved to Dallas, where he was drafted in 1968 into the United States Army. At the age of 20, he served courageously in Vietnam as an airborne paratrooper. It was there on April 24, 1969, in the Thua Thien Province, where he tragically lost his life while defending his country.

Army Private First Class Covarrubias was buried with full military honors on April 4, 1969. Among his awards and decorations for his remarkable achievements are the Bronze Star Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Expert Badge and Rifle Bar, Marksman Badge with Auto Rifle Bar, Sharpshooter Badge and Machine Gun Bar.

His service has also been acknowledged at the Waco Vietnam Veterans Memorial and on the veterans wall in Washington, DC.

Madam Speaker, let us recognize the courageous service and ultimate sacrifice of Army Private First Class Juan Alonso Covarrubias by renaming the post office located at 424 Clay Avenue in Waco, Texas, in his honor.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of H. Con. Res. 198 which expresses the sense of Congress that we have a moral responsibility as a Nation to meet the needs of those persons, groups and communities that are impoverished, disadvantaged or otherwise in poverty.

Madam Speaker, it is fitting that a day after the celebration of the life and achievement of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., we are taking up a resolution that addresses our obligation to help many of those that Dr. King had particular concern for, the downtrodden, the underserved and the impoverished.

I believe we all seek, as Dr. King did, to create a just society and to alleviate poverty and its attendant suffering. We may differ on methods, we may differ on who and how and how many, but broad prosperity for all is, I believe, the goal of virtually everyone who graces this Chamber.

This resolution seeks to bring attention to poverty and the responsibility we have as citizens of this Nation and this world to help relieve the suffering of others. This responsibility does not fall only to the Federal Government, but it will be solved only through the collective efforts of not just governments at every level, but charities, businesses and individuals.

We are told the poor will always be among us, but that does not relieve us of the challenge of trying to alleviate the suffering, tend to their needs, and improve to the extent we can their lot in life.

I commend our colleague, Representative Lee, for reminding us of this, and I, too, think it is a wonderful coincidence, that we are taking this resolution on the day we have all come back from celebrations recognizing that the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. didn't lead a rebellion, which is a failed revolution, he led a revolution. And he spoke to this young person, me, in the 1950s when I saw Little Rock with military forces and I wondered as a child what was happening to my country. Reverend King helped guide all of us in a direction that has done so much to address many of the concerns he championed. His dream is not dead, it is still alive and it is a dream that we need to carry into the future.

It wasn't a mindless dream, it was a dream based on the promise of America. He spoke to our better nature and lifted all of us. He spoke to the oppressor and to the oppressed, those with much and those with very little, and those with nothing.

Reverend King belongs to all of us. We have a duty, as I think my colleague Representative Lee will point out. We have a duty and obligation and a wonderful opportunity to heed his call to action.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

I had already yielded back my time.

I wonder if the gracious lady would yield me a minute.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time, and I want to agree with everything I have heard to the point of the need to have a stimulus package that recognizes those who have the least resources.

But I do want to say that we also need to recognize that we need to stimulate investment in plants, machinery, and we need to make sure that whatever goods consumers buy are likely to be American products and that we are just not transferring that benefit overseas. So there is going to be a lot that happens, but I agree with my colleagues, we will be able to work together on this issue.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge passage of this bill honoring the late Honorable Judge Richard B. Allsbrook with the naming of the Judge Richard B. Allsbrook Post Office located at 725 Roanoke Avenue, in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Described as a ``meticulous, fair and compassionate'' jurist, Allsbrook served as the Superior Court Judge for the Sixth Judicial District in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, for 22 years before retiring in 2000.

A native of Halifax, and son of the late State Senator Julian Allsbrook, Judge Allsbrook earned his undergraduate degree and his juris doctorate from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

After spending 4 years as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, Allsbrook spent 20 years practicing law with his father in the practice of Allsbrook, Benton and Knott.

Judge Allsbrook was also an active member of the community, serving as the president of the Roanoke Rapids Kiwanis Club and the president of the Roanoke Rapids Chamber of Commerce. He also received awards for his service to the community, including the Boy Scouts of America's Distinguished Citizen Award.

A dedicated father and grandfather, distinguished public servant, and valuable member of the community, Judge Allsbrook touched many lives and, fittingly, his life deserves to be recognized with the naming of the Judge Richard B. Allsbrook Post Office in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, in his honor.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for bringing out this legislation and for their willingness to work on a bipartisan basis to get a good bill. And thank you for that.

I am a strong believer in the HOPE VI program because I've seen its unbelievable benefit to my district. We had Southfield Village public housing. We converted it into Southwood Square, with a $26 million Federal grant, leveraging $79 million to reach $105 million. It has 330 units, 160 of low-income and 85 of market rental, but the unique thing is the 160 and the 85 are all the same units. They are really nice units, market rate units.

So, you may have someone paying market rate, and when they leave, the new person may be low-income. There's a guaranteed of the 330 units, 160 are low-income. It has actually a pool. It has a workout area, and it has some wealthy people staying there. They work at successful businesses in the greater Stamford community.

So young kids who have very little income when they see someone getting into a BMW, it's not for a drug deal; it's to go to work where they are paid well. When young children go to work out, what they hear discussed is how someone can make money legitimately.

It is not a place warehousing the poor, but having all our fellow Americans live together, black, white, Hispanic, minorities from all areas of the world, with people who have income, minorities as well who have income and those who don't. It is an incredible thing to see our country come together under a HOPE VI program.

And besides the 85 units of market rental, you have 15 of affordable home ownership. These are townhouses, four-story buildings. And then we have Fairfield Court, $19 million of Federal funds leveraging $80 million, 272 units, 141 of low-income and 131 of affordable rental, market rental and affordable home ownership.

What I see in the HOPE VI grant is a transformation not just of the physical outlay of a community and the upgrading of neighborhoods, but I'm seeing Americans come together, living like we think we should live, together, not separate.

I rise today in strong support of the reauthorization of the HOPE VI program. HOPE VI has transformed rundown housing projects into vibrant communities and changed the face of affordable housing throughout the country.

I am grateful to have worked on this reauthorization and am grateful for all of the hard work and collaboration of this Committee. Specifically, I would like to thank Chairwoman Waters and Ranking Member Capito and their staff for their leadership on this important program.

The mixed income communities created through HOPE VI grants epitomize the power of public-private partnerships. This reauthorization represents a renewed commitment by the Federal Government to revitalize our Nation's most distressed public housing.

Since the creation of HOPE VI, public-private partnerships have leveraged significant commitments from private sector resources. For every dollar the Government commits to this revitalization effort, HOPE VI projects yield three to four in private funding.

In light of a serious shortage of affordable housing in Connecticut's Fourth District and throughout the Nation, it is imperative we encourage the utilization of all available resources to provide quality, safe, and affordable housing for our Nation's neediest citizens.

I have experienced first hand the transformation that HOPE VI grants are capable of making. We have two incredible HOPE VI sites in Stamford, and I wish Members and the administration could see that transformation. If they did, I doubt they would ever dream of eliminating this program.

Southfield Village received a $26 million HOPE VI grant, which leveraged $79 million in funds to create Southwood Square. The development features 330 units, 160 of which are low-income public housing units, 85 are market rate units, and 15 are affordable homeownership units.

In 2004, Fairfield Court received a HOPE VI grant of $19 million that will leverage $80 million. This project will house 141 low-income

units and 131 affordable rental, market rate rental, and affordable homeownership units.

At these mixed-income communities, low-income families and those paying market rent live side-by-side, and have the opportunity to learn and grow from one another. They are safe places to live where children can grow and play together and where residents are involved in the planning and growth of their community.

When the Federal Government demonstrates its interest in improving the housing needs of low income families, the community responds. I call my colleagues today to reaffirm our commitment to this program, which has significantly expanded upon affordable housing options for families throughout the country.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. As an original co-sponsor of this legislation, I am grateful for all of the hard work that went into bringing this bill to the floor today.

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, many businesses were no longer able to purchase insurance to protect against property losses that might occur in any future terrorist attacks and most reinsurers have yet to return to the marketplace because of the difficulty of being able to predict the frequency, size and scope of future terrorist attacks.

The backstop TRIA providesprotects those who buy insurance, and allows our economy to continue functioning normally in the face of the terrorist threat.

In my view, the bill's coverage of acts of domestic terrorism is a prudent step. However, I am disappointed we did not take this opportunity to make further reforms to the program such as the inclusion of reinsurance for group life insurers, who face the same challenges as property, casualty or other insurers. Failure to include I group life has placed these insurers in a difficult position of exiting from the market or choosing to remain in the marketplace without reinsurance.

The bottom line is, this is a good bill worthy of our support. It will bring some certainty to the insurance markets and help protect our economy. We need to pass this bill.

Will the gentleman yield?

I have a request for 5 minutes, so I can't use the time twice.

But I just want to say, on behalf of the Republican side of the aisle, I don't know a Member who didn't appreciate Julia Carson's fine work, who didn't enjoy talking with her. She always had a great response to anything you had to say. She was insightful, she was right to the point, and had a tremendous sense of humor. And it's hard to think that she will not be with us because she was a presence here. Julia often sat on this side of the aisle, so a lot of us got to know her, not just speaking on the floor, but talking with her personally, and to love her a great deal.

I thank the gentleman for giving me this opportunity.

Earlier this month, I returned from a congressional delegation trip to Turkey, Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait. As part of that trip, my staff member, a retired colonel in the Army, Dr. Nick Palarino, and I spent 4 days in Turkey traveling to the southeastern region, not a place Members of Congress usually go.

I would like to share my impressions with my colleagues about our strong ally in the Middle East, Turkey.

My staff and I pursued a different itinerary than other codels in Turkey. First, we visited Ankara and met with the U.S. Ambassador and the Country Team, members of Parliament, and Turkish military officials to get a better understanding of the problems faced by Turkey battling the terrorist group, the Kurdistan Worker's Party, known as the PKK.

We then traveled to Diyarbakur, a city and region where a large number of Turkish citizens of Kurdish descent reside, and met with the governor of the province and local officials, many of them Kurds.

We also traveled to Habur Gate on the border with Iraq and met with the commercial truck drivers who wait in line for days, often more than a week, trying to get their products into Iraq. We even had the opportunity to cross the bridge into Iraq and meet with U.S. forces, members of the 571st Movement Control Team and Logistical Task Force Bravo, who escort commercial trucks into Iraq.

Before going to Istanbul, we met with the chamber of commerce representatives and stopped overnight in Mardin and met with the governor and local Kurdish officials. In Istanbul we met with businessmen doing work in Iraq and a very precious family that lost their son, brother to their PKK terrorists. This is just one of thousands and thousands of families that have lost loved ones to the

Madam Speaker, on December 17, 2007, my flight to Washington from New York was delayed and I inadvertently missed 1 recorded vote. I take my voting responsibility very seriously. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on recorded vote No. 1163.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, 10 bills into one omnibus bill divided into two parts: fund the government, nonmilitary; fund Afghanistan.

What about Iraq?

2007 has been a remarkably positive year for our troops in Iraq, for the Iraqi Government, for the Iraqi people. But too many in this Congress are reluctant to acknowledge the success. The training of Iraqi military, police, border patrol is finally beginning to pay off. The surge is working. The tribal leaders are siding with us, not al Qaeda. So what about Iraq? And what about our troops in Iraq? We can fund our troops in Afghanistan but we can't fund our troops in Iraq?

Our troops in Iraq deserve better. They have overcome one obstacle after another. Unlike last year, we are winning in Iraq. We need to draw down our troops month by month, but our troops in Iraq deserve to be fully funded until then.

I look forward to the Senate's acting more responsibly than this House and giving us a bill that will fund Iraq as well.

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 6 and am excited Congress is considering legislation that finally recognizes the energy demand course we are on is simply unsustainable if we do not take control of our over-consumption.

The fact is, with only 3 percent of the world's oil but 25 percent of its use, the U.S. can never drill our way to energy security. I am glad to be supporting policy that reduces the demand for oil by emphasizing conservation. Only by creating a forward-looking energy policy that reduces demand for energy, and in particular oil, will we be able to lower gas prices.

I am pleased this bill requires a fleetwide corporate average fuel economy standards for cars, sport utility vehicles, work trucks, and medium and heavy duty trucks of 35 miles per gallon for cars and SUVs by 2020. In my view, this is the least we can do. While I would prefer to attain a higher standard sooner, I am pleased we are taking the first congressionally mandated increase since 1975.

I believe raising CAFE standards is one of the most significant steps we can take as a nation to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, improve our national security, and protect our environment and economy. Even a modest increase in CAFE standards would save more oil than would be produced by drilling in the Arctic National Refuge.

I am also very grateful that the legislation will build a market for renewable energy and alternative fuels. Requiring at least 15 percent of electricity be produced from clean, renewable sources of energy like wind and solar by 2020 seems common-sense to me, and the 36 billion gallons of biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, to be blended with gasoline by 2022 should make us less dependent on the Middle East for oil.

I also believe the extension of important tax credits for renewable energy production including wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass technologies will continue advances being made in these fields.

Thank you for yielding me time.

There is no doubt in my mind that intimidation by using a noose is a horrible, and must be considered a criminal act. I want to thank Congressman Al Green of Texas for offering this resolution because it is critical that the victims who have been targeted, all African Americans, know that the U.S. Congress and all the people of America strongly condemn this outrageous behavior and encourage its vigorous prosecution.

In Jena, Louisiana, we have all seen the case of six black men who were initially charged with attempted murder after a fight that was, in part, prompted by the hanging of nooses by three white students, none of whom were prosecuted.

This blatant form of racism has become more and more common, as the resolution notes, with nooses being found in a North Carolina high school, a Home Depot in New Jersey, a Louisiana school playground, the campus of the University of Maryland, a Columbia University professor's office, a factory in Houston, Texas, and in a police department parking lot in Bridgeport, Connecticut. In my own hometown of Bridgeport, police sergeant Joanne Meekins recently found a noose under her police car.

As the local NAACP Chairman Craig Kelly rightly said in discussing this outrageous incident targeting Sergeant Meekins, ``The noose has become the new swastika or the new burning cross in this country and, unfortunately, people seek to relive that horror.''

Conduct like this must never be tolerated, which is why I am glad that Congress is passing a bipartisan resolution against these actions and urging swift prosecution and full penalties for those who perpetrate these senseless acts.

Our brothers and sisters throughout the country need to know that all Americans stand with them in condemning the act of hanging nooses as an attempt to intimidate and terrorize and that it must not be just condemned but prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 888, the Genocide Accountability Act of 2007. I cosponsored the House version of this legislation because I totally agree, U.S. law should not provide safe haven to those who are committing genocide.

As a result of this bill, prosecutors will be able to target individuals living lawfully in the U.S. who have committed genocide or aided those who have committed these crimes against humanity. I have tremendous respect for all those who have worked to raise awareness of this important issue. Student groups and faith-based organizations, especially from the African American, Jewish and Armenian communities, have done a terrific job of educating their fellow citizens and lawmakers about the crisis and the need to respond.

The world collectively agreed to ``never again'' allow genocide after the Holocaust and again after the mass murders in Cambodia and Rwanda, and again in Bosnia. Tragically, genocide is again taking place, and the United States must take all reasonable steps to end the killing and ensure the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice.

The United States has made a tremendous commitment to the people of Darfur in the form of humanitarian aid and is working hard on diplomatic efforts to end the genocide. But more must be done. We need to stop the killings.

Current U.S. law only makes genocide a crime if it is committed by a U.S. citizen or within the United States. According to the Justice Department, there are individuals who participated in the Rwandan and Bosnian genocides who are living in the United States today that it will be able to prosecute with this legislation.

We will also ensure those who are committing genocide in Sudan today will not be able to look to the United States as their safe haven in the future.

Mr. Chairman, H.R. 3915, the Mortgage Reform and Anti- Predatory Lending Act is a measure response to the ongoing subprime mortgage crisis that sets some minimum Federal standards for home loans and reasonable accountability standards for lenders.

Setting restrictive standards on borrowers with weak credit profiles and higher risk of default could be counterproductive and limit access to credit to individuals who, without the subprime market, would be unable to get loans and have a part of the American Dream.

Recent increases in subprime borrower foreclosures and lender bankruptcies, however, have prompted concerns that some lenders' underwriting guidelines are too loose and that some borrowers have not fully understood the risks of the mortgage products they chose.

To remedy this problem, the bill would require lenders to first document that prospective borrowers can repay both during any discounted introductory period and after the rate rises to market levels. In language that would directly expose lenders to liability, the loans would be required to have a ``net tangible benefit'' for the borrowers.

While I agree with the bill's approach, I am concerned about some provisions. For example, I am not certain that prohibiting mortgage brokers from earning yield spread premiums on loans they make to individuals in the subprime market will prevent a great deal of fraud and abuse, and it could lead to mortgage brokers being locked out of this market.

There is wide agreement, however, that the bill's licensing standards for lenders are needed, and these standards are a primary factor in my support for the legislation. Licensing will lead to more educated lenders, which will in turn lead to borrowers who end up with the most suitable mortgage.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Sikorsky Fallen Heroes Committee who supports the families of Connecticut soldiers killed in the line of duty. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to see the work of this committee first hand. They have given so much to the families of our fallen service members who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

When families learn of their service member's death, they enter a very painful and sad period of their lives. The Sikorsky Fallen Heroes Committee has supported these families, acting as a pillar of strength for them when they needed support the most. Their dedication to these wives, mothers, fathers, daughters and sons has been truly remarkable and has been a testament to their patriotism and love of humanity.

In addition to supporting the family of fallen service members, the Sikorsky Fallen Heroes Committee has reached out to members of the community through events they hold. In June of this year, the Committee held their fourth annual softball tribute game to honor Jordan Pierson, Philip Alexander Johnson and Nicholas Madaras, three courageous young men who gave their lives in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Next June, they plan to honor six more fallen soldiers. Their commitment and dedication to the fallen is truly remarkable and is an inspiration to all of us.

The Sikorsky Fallen Heroes Committee are heroes in their own right. They are courageous people reaching out to those in need. We are honored and privileged to have people like them in the community. The unwavering dedication and support they show the families of fallen service members will always be remembered for making a difference in so many lives.

It is my hope we can all learn from the example of the Sikorsky Fallen Heroes Committee to support the families of the fallen who have also sacrificed in honor of our nation's freedom.

Madam Speaker, intercultural understanding is a fundamental part of peace in the global system. The understanding of intercultural and international diversities minimizes the outbreak of serious conflicts on a fundamental level. Through teaching tolerance, and through building societies that promote unity, we can work towards creating a peaceful world.

On November 2, 2007, Under-Secretary General of the United Nations, Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed addressed the Beijing Forum at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing regarding the promotion of building tolerant civilizations. I have submitted the text to be entered into the Record.

The Harmony of Civilizations and Prosperity for All

I send warm greetings to all participants in the 2007

Beijing Forum who have come together to study and promote

harmony between peoples and civilizations.

In the ten months that I have served as Secretary-General,

I have traveled to all corners of the United Nations, from

Kinshasa to Kabul, from Brussels to Beirut. Everywhere I have

visited, and among all the different people I have met, I

have encountered one common sentiment--a universal longing

for peace and an aspiration to prosperity.

But, all too often, I have discovered that people who

aspire to the same things also suffer from the same

prejudices. They all fear that which is different from them:

the other ethnicity, the other skin colour, the other

cultural or linguistic tradition and, above all, the other

religion.

And yet, in today's era of global travel and instant

satellite transmissions, people everywhere are encountering

less of the familiar, and more of ``the other''. This reality

has fed rising intercultural and inter-religious tensions, as

well as growing alienation among vast segments of the

world population.

Today, there is an urgent need to address this worrying

trend. We need to rebuild bridges and engage in a sustained

and constructive intercultural dialogue, one that stresses

shared values and shared aspirations.

It is time to promote the idea that diversity is a virtue,

not a threat. It is time to explain that different religions,

belief systems and cultural backgrounds are essential to the

richness of the human experience. And it is time to stress

that our common humanity is greater--far greater--than our

outward differences.

The Beijing Forum is ideally placed to contribute to this

process. By bringing together scholars from across the globe,

your discussion can become a source of new ideas and

innovative approaches to promote understanding and tolerance.

Your exchange can also contribute to the UN's own

initiative for an Alliance of Civilizations, which responds

to the clear need for action by the international community

to bridge divides and promote understanding. The Alliance has

identified several priority areas for action, and is

developing a strategy to promote better understanding between

the world of politics and religion. Meetings such as yours

can help guide this important work, and ensure the Alliance's

ultimate success.

Together, we must seek to further the basic ideals of all

the world's major religions. We must build societies that

respect individual beliefs and practices. And we must nurture

communities where people of all faiths and nationalities

coexist in peace.

In that spirit, let me express my hope that this Forum will

help foster harmony and understanding, and thereby advance

our wider efforts for a peaceful and prosperous world.