Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Joel M. Carp who will soon retire from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago after 28 years of service to that organization. Through the Jewish Federation, Mr. Carp has supported the organization's goals of supporting local, national and international services in regards to human welfare.

Mr. Carp is an advocate for sound public social policy and has written over 30 articles pertaining to social work, social planning and refugee resettlement. Throughout his career, Mr. Carp has collaborated with the City of Chicago Mayor's Task Force on issues from hunger to homelessness. Additionally, Mr. Carp was appointed to work with the City of Chicago on welfare reform.

Previous to his work with the Jewish Federation, Mr. Carp devoted 20 years to the Jewish Community Field Center. Mr. Carp has worked in partnership with various organizations such as HIAS, NYANA and OMB Watch to champion for societal improvements. Moreover, Mr. Carp taught as a social work field-Professor at various universities in their graduate programs.

Mr. Carp is a man of integrity who keeps his word. At the request of my Chief of Staff Richard Boykin and Craig Roberts, Chief of Staff for Representative John Shimkus, Mr. Carp organized an Illinois Chiefs of Staff delegation to visit Israel. During the visit, the Illinois Chiefs of Staff learned many interesting things about Israel and had the good fortune of meeting with the current Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Mr. Carp is highly esteemed for his social policy work and was recently presented with the Melvin A. Block Award for Professional Distinction. Mr. Carp is a pride to the Chicago community and his many years of work are incredibly appreciated. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, please join with me and the residents of the Seventh Congressional District in saluting Mr. Carp for his achievements in the Jewish community, the Chicago-land area and the United States.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Congressional Black Caucus budget.

The problem of successfully reintegrating ex-offenders back into normal life is one of the major issues facing low income and minority communities throughout the Nation. This problem continues to fester throughout the United States of America. It is indeed a social as well as a public safety issue.

Nearly 650,000 people are being released from federal and state prisons this year. There are over 3,200 jails throughout the United States, the vast majority of which are operated by county governments. Each year, these jails will release in excess of 10,000,000 people back into the community. We will continue to have these massive releases over the next several years. The massive increase in incarceration in the United States that occurred during the past 25 years must now turn public attention toward the consequences of incarceration without providing meaningful rehabilitation measures and access to reentry programs and opportunities.

As we know, these large numbers of ex-offenders being released from prison will cause enormous public safety problems for many communities, especially where large numbers of ex-offenders will return and live in the same neighborhoods. The Justice Department reported that the cost of crime to victims is approximately $450 billion. Therefore, these communities will absorb the high cost of further victimization as a result of the presence of such a high number of ex-offenders.

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is concerned about the Administration not requesting or adequately funding the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program, Gang Prevention, Juvenile Accountability Block Grant, Juvenile Delinquency Block Grants and other programs.

The Congressional Black Caucus recommends increasing the funding level up to $3.1 billion for justice programs and to expand the reentry programs for nonviolent ex-offenders to facilitate their transition from prison to normal community life. The CBC wants to ensure that specific programs are receiving adequate funding to prevent crime, increase public safety and reduce recidivism.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con Res. 392, recognizing the 58th anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel.

The State of Israel was established as a sovereign and independent nation on May 14, 1948. Israel provided a democratic refuge to Jews who survived the horrors of the Holocaust and the evils committed by the Nazis.

Israel is home to many religious sites which are sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This multicultural society serves as a shining model of democratic values by regularly holding free and fair elections, promoting the free exchange of ideas, and vigorously exercising its Parliament, the Knesset. Israel is a democratic government that is fully representative of its citizens and has worked to build peaceful and bilateral relations with her neighbors, including Egypt and Jordan.

The United States and Israel both share a common vision of democratic values, friendship and respect. Both the United States and Israel are committed to a democratic and stable Mid-East region.

Today we honor Israel's legacy and, by doing so, commit ourselves once again to building a lasting peace in this still volatile region.

Yes, there was a tremendous amount of demonstrating on yesterday, and people concerned about immigration were marching. But then also there were those of us marching who were concerned about genocide in the region of Darfur: Genocide that should never be allowed in a civilized society; genocide that this country and other nations throughout the world have stood idly by while hundreds of thousands of individuals are being killed, murdered, raped. It is the shame of the century. Our Nation can do better, and the world can do better. We must stop the genocide in Darfur.

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

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 5107, legislation naming the postal facility in Pensacola, Florida, after Earl D. Hutto.

This measure, sponsored by Mr. Jeff Miller of Florida, has been cosponsored by the entire Florida delegation.

Earl Hutto was born in Alabama on May 12, 1926. He attended Dale County public schools and graduated from Troy State University. He did graduate work in broadcasting and served in World War II in the United States Navy. Prior to serving in the Florida legislature, Earl Hutto worked as a sports director and president of radio stations. He was elected to the Florida legislature in 1972 and reelected in 1974 and 1976.

In 1979, Earl Hutto was elected to represent the First Congressional District of Florida in the U.S. Congress where he served until 1995 when he did not seek reelection. Since then, former Representative Hutto has retired and remains active in his Pensacola community. It is my understanding that Representative Hutto will be celebrating his 80th birthday on May 12. I am sure my colleagues join me in wishing him a great day and many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the political legacy of Earl Hutto and urge the swift passage of this legislation.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 4811, legislation naming a postal facility in Harrison, Arkansas, after John Paul Hammerschmidt. This measure was sponsored by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Boozman) on February 28, 2006, and unanimously reported by our committee on March 30, 2006. The bill has the support and cosponsorship of the entire Arkansas delegation and 112 Members of Congress.

A native of Arkansas, John Hammerschmidt was born in Harrison in 1922.

He graduated from Harrison High School and attended the Citadel, University of Arkansas and Oklahoma State University. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1945, the U.S. Air Force Reserves from 1945 to 1960, and the District of Columbia Army Reserves from 1970 to 1981.

After holding senior positions in the lumber and construction industry, John was elected to represent the 3rd Congressional District of Arkansas. He was subsequently elected to 13 terms, serving in Congress from 1967 until 1993.

Mr. Speaker, I urge swift passage of H.R. 4811, which seeks to honor the broad legacy of former Representative Hammerschmidt.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he might consume to the distinguished gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder).

Mr. Speaker, I rise to actually close, and I have no further requests for time.

But, in closing, let me just say, first of all, that I appreciate the kind comments and remarks made by my colleagues from Arkansas. As you can see, there is a tremendous amount of affinity for those of us who grew up in the land of opportunity.

But, also, I note that Representative Boozman's wife came from the town where my family lived, and her uncle was actually the postmaster, and my father used to visit in the post office, along with many other people, and that was kind of like a neighborhood gathering place. That is one of the reasons that we hope that many of the small post offices will be able to remain intact, because they are more than just letter- dispensing areas in many of these communities.

So I commend Representative Boozman for seeking to honor this outstanding American.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he might consume to the sponsor of this legislation, Representative Dennis Moore from Kansas.

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

As a member of the Government Reform Committee, I am pleased to join my colleague in the consideration of H.R. 4674, legislation naming the postal facility in Olathe, Kansas, after Governor John Anderson, Jr. This measure was sponsored by my colleague, Representative Dennis Moore, on January 31, 2006, and unanimously reported by our committee on March 9, 2006. The bill has the support and cosponsorship of the entire Kansas delegation.

Born and educated in Kansas, John Anderson became involved in local politics by winning an election for county attorney for Johnson County. He served three terms and then ran successfully for a seat in the Kansas Senate. John served as a State senator until his appointment as a attorney general, a position he held until he decided to run for Governor of Kansas.

In 1960 John was elected Governor of Kansas and served until 1964. His tenure was marked by a number of achievements, including the restructuring of the State's public school system, expansion of vocational-technical schools, and advancements in highway construction.

After serving as Governor, Mr. Anderson went back to practicing law. He remained involved in public service and is currently retired in Olathe, Kansas.

And so, Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity actually to see this post office, and Olathe, Kansas, is a beautiful small town, and I would urge passage of this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as she may consume to the distinguished gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to improve upon such an eloquent statement.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop), the sponsor of this legislation.

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

As a member of the Government Reform Committee, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of H.R. 4101, legislation naming the postal facility in Patchogue, New York, after LT Michael P. Murphy.

This measure was sponsored by Representative Timothy Bishop of New York on October 20, 2005, and unanimously reported by our committee on November 16, 2005. The bill, of course, has the support and cosponsorship of the entire New York delegation.

Michael Murphy of Patchogue, New York, was a 29-year-old lieutenant serving with a four-man SEAL reconnaissance team that called for help when his SEAL team was ambushed by Taliban fighters in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, on June 28, 2005. His remains were found during a combat search and rescue operation on July 4, 2005. Lieutenant Murphy was assigned to SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One, Pearl Harbor, I Hawaii.

Michael Murphy was a graduate of Patchogue-Medford High School in New York and Penn State university. He chose to defer law school until he had completed his tour of duty.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the ultimate sacrifice of this war hero by dedicating the Patchogue Post Office in his honor. I urge swift passage of this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 370 expressing the sense of Congress that Saudi Arabia should fully live up to its World Trade Organization commitments and end all aspects of any boycott on Israel.

I take this position because I believe that as we continue to move towards resolution of problems and towards peaceful resolution of difficulty, we have to begin someplace. I am often reminded of something that John Kennedy supposedly said, and that is that peace is not found only in treaties, covenants and charters, but in the hearts of men, and I imagine if he was around today he would say men and women.

I think that resolution of this boycott would move positively in the direction of peace in the Middle East, and so I strongly support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Government Reform Committee, I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 4688, legislation naming a postal facility in Badin, North Carolina after the late John Thompson Garrison. This measure, which was introduced by Representative Robin Hayes on February 1, 2006 and unanimously reported by our committee on March 9, 2006, enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire North Carolina delegation.

Tom Garrison was born and raised in Badin. He served in the U.S. Army in World War II and returned to his hometown to settle into the insurance and real estate business. Active in his church, community and numerous local civic organizations, Tom served as mayor of Badin from 1990 until his death last year at the age of 80.

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague for seeking to recognize Mayor Tom Garrison and honor his memory in this manner.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he might consume to the principal cosponsor of this resolution, Representative Ruben Hinojosa.

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

I want to commend my colleagues, Representatives Biggert and Hinojosa, for the outstanding work that they continue to do in this important area.

The importance of financial and fiscal responsibility cannot be overstated. Personal financial literacy is essential to ensure that individuals are prepared to manage money, credit, and debt and become responsible workers, heads of households, investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and citizens. And that is why I am pleased to support H. Res. 737, introduced by Representative Biggert of our great State, that is, the State of Illinois.

Personal savings as a percentage of personal income decreased from 7.5 percent in the early 1980s to a negative 0.2 percent in the last quarter of 2005. As the resolution notes, 92 percent of college students acquire at least one credit card by their second year in college; yet only 26 percent of people between the ages of 13 and 21 reported that their parents actively taught them how to manage money.

The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy seeks to improve the personal financial literacy of young adults. Jump$tart's purpose is to evaluate the financial literacy of young adults; develop, disseminate, and encourage the use of financial education standards for grades K-12; and promote the teaching of personal finance.

To that end, Jump$tart has established 12 must-know personal finance principles for young people to improve their financial future. It would not hurt if adults also followed these 12 steps as well.

The 12 financial principles stressed during Financial Literacy Month for Youth are map your financial future; do not expect something for nothing; high returns equal high risk; know your take-home pay; compare interest rates; pay yourself first, money doubles by the rule of 72, to determine how long it would take your money to double, divide the interest into 72; your credit past is your credit future; start saving young; stay insured; budget your money; do not borrow what you cannot repay; and let me add one more, especially since the 15th is not too far away, pay all of your taxes.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support this resolution supporting the goals of financial literacy month, and urge all of my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Loretta Sanchez).

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as she may consume to the author of this resolution, the Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson from Texas.

(Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, just to close, I strongly rise in support of this postal facility naming for Mr. Frances Pancho Medrano, who was an outstanding community activist. I think it is the kind of people that he

was who really make America and have made America what it ought to be, and so I strongly support this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman), the author of this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Government Reform Committee, I am pleased to join with my colleagues in consideration of H.R. 4646, legislation naming a postal facility in Reseda, California after Coach Wooden. This measure which was introduced by Representative Sherman on December 18, 2005, and unanimously reported by our committee on March 30, 2006, enjoys the support and co-sponsorship of the entire California delegation.

John Wooden, a native of Indiana, actually began his love of the game by playing basketball at Martinsville High School in Martinsville, Indiana. He was an All-State selection in high school and an All- American guard at Purdue University.

After graduating from Purdue, he became a high school teacher and coach, gaining a record of 218 to 42 as a high school coach. After serving in World War II, John Wooden took a coaching position at Indiana State University prior to becoming the head coach at the University of California at Los Angeles.

Well, we have heard all the things that he did in California, but those of us who were not from California were actual admirers of John Wooden through the whole period of watching him direct his teams, knowing that in all likelihood they were going to win, that it was virtually impossible to defeat them. So I can understand the kind of feeling that Representative Sherman and all of the people of that great area where he lived and spent the last days of his life, and still is there, and he is, indeed, an icon.

So I join with you, Mr. Sherman, in urging passage of this resolution, and I commend you for bringing it before us and putting it before the House.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird), the author of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Drug Policy and the former Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have left?

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Salazar).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird).

Mr. Speaker, I will use the rest of my time to close.

Mr. Speaker, let me commend all those who have spoken on this issue, and I commend Mr. Baird for bringing it before us.

Drug use and abuse is one of the major problems facing our country today, not in any one part of the country but all over America. I happen to live in a county where there are 800,000 drug users, where there are 300,000 who admit to using drugs on a regular basis.

I admit it is a large county. It is the second largest county in the Nation. But even with it being the second largest county in the Nation, 800,000 people, that is an awful lot. Much of the crime that exists in our country is associated with drug use and abuse. We have to make sure that we provide the resources for prevention. We also have to make sure that we provide the resources for treatment. I am an advocate for something called treatment on demand where we try and make sure when people who are addicted are ready for treatment, resources are available for them. I commend the gentleman from Washington for introducing this legislation, and I urge its passage.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.