Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes is credited with saying that taxation is the price that we pay for a civilized society. And today we need the money.

As a matter of fact, I was in a meeting 2 days ago at CEDA--that's the organization in Chicago and Cook County that services low-income families--trying to figure out how to help some of my constituents get their homes heated, because it might be snowing in Washington, but it's cold in Chicago.

The telephone rang. Somebody said, Could you take a call from the President? I said, Which President? They said, Well, the President of the United States. And I said, Of course, I'll take it.

I got on the phone and the President said to me, Danny, we need to pass this

bill, and we need to pass it because even though it's cold, it's going to get colder; and there are going to be people who don't have any unemployment compensation benefits, and they can't pay their heating bill. There are going to be people who want to send their kids to college, and without the tax credits for college tuition, they won't be able to pay the tuition.

And I said, Yeah, but, Mr. President, what about those people way up at the top that are getting all of this money?

He said, Well, there might be an opportunity to reduce that.

And I'm looking forward to voting on the Pomeroy amendment so that we can reduce some of that money that they're going to keep in their pockets, put it into the Treasury so that we can help the poor people in Chicago who are cold and don't have any heat.

Madam Speaker, I wish to take a moment to recognize the growing number of those living in poverty in the United States. As we approach the holiday season, a time of giving and reflection, it is important to remember those who are less fortunate. Poverty is a part of daily life for far too many individuals across America. According to the U.S. Census report, the wealthiest 20 percent of Americans received 49.4 percent of all income, compared to 3.4 percent combined for all Americans living in poverty, marking the greatest level of disparity since the U.S. Census Bureau began tracking household income in 1967. This most recent Census Bureau information also indicates that the overall poverty rate climbed to 14.3 percent, or 43.6 million people. This marks the largest number of people counted as living below the poverty line last since the Census Bureau began keeping records in the 1950s. The concentration of poverty in urban centers--such as my home of Chicago hinders all those who seek to access all the opportunities that a great city offers. As of 2009, in Cook County alone, there were 825,870 people living in poverty, a dramatic increase from the 713,040 people living in poverty in 1999. The recession has pushed the Nation's poverty rate to levels not seen in more than a decade, destroying gains made in the long-running War on Poverty and adding more financial instability to the lives of millions of Americans.

This increase in poverty unfairly and disproportionately affects young children. Indeed 20.7 percent of our nation's children were living in poverty as of 2009, a 2.7 percent increase from 2007. In Cook County, 22.6 percent of children live in poverty which is higher than the national average. This percentage accounts for 286,312 children who struggle everyday just to get by. Families living in poverty often cannot provide the necessary resources

in order to ensure healthy physical and emotional development of their children. Living in poverty also greatly hinders a child's access to quality education, health care, and living conditions. This is unacceptable. Children are a public good, and it is imperative that our country invests in and ensures the prosperity of its youngest citizens.

The unemployment rate in my home state of Illinois, which was higher than the national average, was 10.1 percent this past August up 4.6 percentage points from December 2007. This represents 671,000 Illinois residents who lost more than just earnings--this represents hundreds of thousands of families whose entire means of financial support is gone. This massive unemployment rate has contributed greatly to the high foreclosure rate in Illinois. In Illinois as of the second quarter of 2010, 6.0 percent of all mortgages, including 18.1 percent of subprime mortgages, were in foreclosure.

Alarming as well is the way that this economic downturn has hit some communities much harder than others. According to the most recent congressional Joint Economic Committee findings, the poverty rate for African Americans and Hispanics increased significantly from 2007 to 2009. In 2009, the poverty rate was 25.8 percent for African Americans and 25.3 percent for Hispanics, compared to 24.5 percent for African Americans and 21.5 percent for Hispanics in 2007. Important to notice as well is the disparity in the number of minorities currently insured. The percentages of Hispanics and African Americans without health insurance are higher than that of whites and other racial or ethnic groups. Nearly one-third of Hispanics and over one-fifth of African Americans were uninsured in 2009, compared with about one-tenth of whites.

While the number of people living in poverty remains much too high, we must recognize that this number was not as high as originally expected given the severity of the recession and the massive job losses last year. I am proud of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress this past year that expanded unemployment benefits and Social Security payments. This act also helped to create and save approximately 3.5 million jobs, gave tax cuts to small business and 95 percent of American workers, and began to rebuild America's road, rail, and water infrastructure. Access to the job market is one of the first steps in helping individuals rise out of poverty, and this legislation increased jobs for the unemployed as well as the underemployed.

This past year we have begun to reform our current healthcare system and passed legislation that enables 11 million children to finally be able to access and maintain cost-effective quality healthcare. Signed into law as well was the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act, which guarantees access to lifesaving medical services, primary care, and medications for low-income patients with AIDS and HIV. Both of these legislative acts will greatly enhance the well being of individuals with limited financial resources.

While there remains much to be done to improve access to quality education, healthcare, and job opportunities in the United States, I am proud of the progress that has been made by this Congress. It is imperative that in this current economic crisis, the Federal government assists state governments in addressing the needs of individuals and their families. Our communities cannot afford to allow poverty to take hold of so many hard working individuals and families. Therefore, I recognize all of those living in poverty in the United States, and, in the spirit of this season, I promise to continue to promote programs to reduce poverty and support those in need.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 1751, the America DREAM Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4783, Claims Resolution Act, as amended by the Senate to resolve claims against the United States government

related to the Pigford class action lawsuit, and the Cobell class action lawsuit. The Claims Resolution Act included several provisions addressing a long-delayed justice for tens of thousands of African- Americans and hundreds of thousands of Native Americans.

In 1999, a federal judge approved a settlement agreement in a class action lawsuit (Pigford v. Glickman) filed by African-Americans farmers against the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, for denying them federal loans, disaster assistance, and other services. Under this agreement, black farmers, who were eligible and filed a complaint against the USDA by July 1, 1997, were to receive compensation resulting from discrimination practices. However, tens of thousands of black farmers filed after the cutoff date because they reported not receiving or being notified of any information regarding a filing deadline. Therefore, they were not included in this class action to receive compensation. As a result, black farmers and the federal government have been fighting over this issue for years.

H.R. 4783 is a bill that contained a provision to provide some relief to those that were left out of the original class action. This legislative measure provides an estimated $1.15 billion to resolve the longstanding Pigford case. In addition, other legislative language was included in H.R. 4783 to address an injustice against the Native Americans regarding a long-running class action lawsuit (Cobell v. Salazar).

The Cobell class action lawsuit alleged that the Interior Department mismanaged billions of dollars in grazing land, gas, oil and other royalties owed to hundreds of thousands of American Indians. H.R. 4783 resolves claims against the government regarding the government's management and accounting for over 500,000 individual Indians' trust accounts. This provision is estimated to cost $3.412 billion.

H.R. 4783 is a bill that is long overdue to address past failures and misjudgments of the United States Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior toward African-American farmers and Native Americans. Moving forward as a Nation, we hope that we can build on the existence of our past to learn from our failures and to move forward without any racial, gender, and religious malice.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4853, the Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010. During these times of economic difficulty, middle class and working families need all of the help that they can get. Extension of the alternative minimum tax for 2 years and extending the 2001-2003 tax cuts for marginal individual income will protect more than 25 million families from the alternative minimum tax.

This legislation will make permanent the temporarily reduced taxes on capital gains and dividend income for taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of $200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married couples. The bill will maintain the current 15 percent rate for middle class taxpayers. Paying for higher education is becoming increasingly difficult. This bill makes permanent certain modifications to the suite of education tax incentives included in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act. Student loans are in serious need of retention. This bill will provide the opportunity for individuals to deduct. There has been never a time greater when the middle class needed a tax break. That time is now. Let's do it today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4783, the Claims Resolution Act of 2010.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring awareness to the disease of diabetes. This month has been set aside to increase awareness of diabetes, its prevention and ways to manage its impact. According to the Centers for Disease Control nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and costs $174 billion in health care expenses. Diabetes disproportionately impacts the African American and Hispanic communities. It is estimated that nearly 3.7 million African Americans aged 20 years or older have

diabetes. African Americans are 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites.

If diabetes is left untreated it often results in blindness, kidney disease, amputations, nerve damage, heart disease, stroke and ultimately, death. However, diabetes can be managed and prevented. A balanced diet and regular exercise could keep our citizens healthy. I am pleased to have the headquarters for the American Dietetic Association (ADA) in my Congressional District. The ADA is the foremost authority in providing nutrition counseling throughout the country. In fact, the more than 71,000 registered dietitians and nutrition professionals who are members support the ``eat right'' campaign targeted toward young people and older Americans. The work that they are doing is making a difference in the fight against childhood obesity and diabetes and is improving the health of our nation.

We must work to get Medical Nutrition Therapy covered by Medicare for beneficiaries diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Nutrition therapy provided by registered dietitians has a proven track record of preventing diabetes through lifestyle changes than simply cannot be made without this assistance for the majority of those who suffer. There are more than 57 million people diagnosed with pre-diabetes--meaning they are on their way to developing full diabetes. By helping people with pre- diabetes, Medicare will avoid having to pay for the much more expensive treatment of diabetes and its debilitating side effects. It seems prudent to assist our citizens with sound nutrition information and to help them make lifestyle changes at a cost minimal to that of amputations and other treatments.

The real world impact of covering Medical Nutrition Therapy is that we will shift from health insurance to ``health assurance'' in our efforts. Consider that the total cost of diabetes in 2007 was determined to be $218 billion--yes, billion with a ``b''.

I want to commend Jewel-Osco stores for providing free nutrition education from registered dietitians to individuals who shop at the stores in Chicago and throughout the nation. These types of programs which pair pharmacists and registered dietitians with consumers will help in our awareness and education campaign.

Finally, I applaud those churches that have a focus on nutrition and exercise as a part of the well-being of their congregation.

Madam Speaker, I want to first of all thank Chairman Lynch for yielding time. I also want to commend Mr. Sarbanes for the continuous work that he has done to bring this legislation before us today. I also want to commend Mr. Wolf because for a long time he has been the champion of this legislation, and all of us appreciate his work.

I'm pleased to be a cosponsor of this bill which provides opportunities to do a number of things. First of all, it saves money. All of us have talked about saving, trying to make sure that we are as efficient and as effective as a Federal Government, as any workforce, as we can possibly be. I don't think that there is any doubt in anyone's mind that we can save money.

It also provides an opportunity to deal with another issue, and that's the issue of the environment. How do we reduce the smog emissions? How do we help clean up and clear up the environment? Well if you could imagine, reducing not only in the Washington, D.C., area, but in other large metropolitan areas, the large number of vehicles that we have moving to and from, and especially in instances where we know the work can be done. And I think the U.S. Patent Office has proven without a doubt that you can, in fact, be effective, you can be efficient, you can do a good job, and you can get the job done.

So I commend all of those who are in support of this legislation. Again, I want to thank Chairman Lynch for giving me time to participate.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I believe that the American people want to work. Those who are unemployed want a job. Those who are out of work want employment benefits. I don't think that there is any excuse that can be given. There is no reason that one can conjure up that would say to a person who's unemployed, out of work, has no food, can't pay their mortgage, can't enjoy the holidays, that there is a reason, especially since they have worked, that they can't have benefits to get them through this situation on an emergency basis.

I am amazed, I am dumbfounded, I can't believe that I'm hearing what I'm hearing, that somehow or another the Democrats, in a technical sense, are keeping individuals from getting unemployment benefits. I would hope that we could change our minds, change our position, and know that when we do this for the least of these, then we're doing the work that we ought to be doing.

Let's pass this measure. Provide benefits to the unemployed.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Madam Speaker, it is with strong conviction that I urge my colleagues to support this short-term extension of

critical unemployment benefits for our citizens. As our Nation and my state continue to struggle out of this recession, this bill will provide vital assistance to almost 400,000 Illinoisans as we enter December. Failure to extend unemployment will directly affect approximately two million Americans, including 125,000 citizens from Illinois. If policymakers vote to block this critical lifeline, these 125,000 Illinoisans living in a state with a 10.8 percent unemployment rate will experience incredible hardship. Their time in unemployment has been difficult, trying to find work when the jobs are few and far between, trying to cover food, housing, and transportation for the families on an average of $290 a week, which typically replaces only half of the average family's expenses.

A government is supposed to help its people in times of need. Failure to extend these benefits would be the first time since the unemployment program's inception that Congress allowed such critical aid to lapse when unemployment remained high for extended periods of time. It is not only these families who will suffer, it is our businesses. The retail sector has been hard hit by this recession. Cutting unemployment benefits for two million people will take a tremendous toll on these businesses as well.

In addition to this short-term extension, I strongly support determining ways to help those who remain unemployed beyond the 99 weeks currently covered. Long-term unemployment is an unfortunate reality for Chicago and for my constituents. Further, we should extend the TANF Emergency funds as well. This program directly helped over 26,000 individuals and close to 5,000 employers in Illinois by creating subsidized jobs program, a much-needed boost to the economy in the midst of the worst recession in decades. This program put $9 million dollars into the pockets of hard working Illinoisans until Congress allowed it to lapse at the end of September.

Passing this bill today tells our citizens that we are working for them. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote for its passage.

Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on the following legislative measures on November 15, 2010. If I were present for rollcall votes, I would have voted ``yea'' on each of the following:

Roll 566, November 15, 2010: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended: S. 3689, To clarify, improve, and correct the laws relating to copyrights.

Roll 567, November 15, 2010: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree: H. Res. 1713, Recognizing the 50th anniversary of Ruby Bridges desegregating a previously all-White public elementary school.

Roll 568, November 15, 2010: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree: H. Con. Res. 328, Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the successful and substantial contributions of the amendments to the patent and trademark laws that were initially enacted in 1980 by Public Law 96-517 (commonly referred to as the Bayh-Dole Act) on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its enactment.

Madam Speaker, today I wish to congratulate Walter Payton College Prep from Chicago on its success wtihin the Intel Schools of Distinction competition. Walter Payton prevailed over 149 other schools to win both the School of Distinction for Mathematics Excellence as well as the overall competition grand prize, the Star Innovator Award. Together, these two awards convey over $175,000 in monetary grants as well as materials--including hardware and software, professional development materials, and curriculum resources. I celebrate the hard work of the students and faculty of the school and applaud their success.

Walter Payton College Prep High School is a magnet school whose curriculum emphasizes mathematics, science and world languages. The Intel award highlighted Walter Payton's mathematics program. Impressively, over a quarter of the students at Walter Payton take five or more math courses before graduation. In addition to this rigorous set of core classes, many of the students at Walter Payton fill their electives with advanced placement statistics and/or university-level math courses. Over 99 percent of the student population scores as ``Meeting or Exceeding'' state math standards on the Prairie State Achievement Examination. Walter Payton also has an impressive 98 percent graduation rate and an outstanding record of students who both qualify for advanced placement courses and pass advanced placement tests.

Through its focus on math and science, Walter Payton College Prep is helping America become more competitive globally. Multiple reports and experts have sounded the alarm that our nation must quickly accelerate and enhance its training of students in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math in order to meet the growing demand for U.S. workers with these skills and to improve our ability to compete in a global economy. Further, these experts agree that we need to broaden the participation of individuals who are underrepresented in these fields, such as racial/ethnic minorities and women. According to the Census Bureau, 39 percent of the population under the age of 18 is a racial or ethnic minority. However, in 2003, only 4.4 percent of U.S. science and engineering jobs were held by African Americans and only 3.4 percent by Hispanics. In 2008, the American Community Survey reported that 10.3% of the total U.S. population were in the professional, scientific, management and administrative services industry; however only 7.7% of Cambodians, 6.8% of Hmongs, and 5.2% of Laotians actually held these types of jobs. Given that over half of the students attending Walter Payton represent racial/ethnic minorities, the school is helping decrease this gap in science and math fields. State, local and federal officials must do more to offer the high- caliber programming offered at Walter Payton to all students so that we can strengthen our citizens and our nation.

As we start the 2010-2011 school year, I am pleased to congratulate Walter Payton College Prep in the Seventh Congressional District of Illinois for its achievements and commitment to the mathematics and science fields. Well done!

Mr. Speaker, I wish to take a moment to state my strong support for H.R. 3470, the Nationally Enhancing the Wellbeing of Babies through Outreach and Research Now--or the NEWBORN Act. This bill authorizes grants to create, implement, and oversee infant mortality pilot programs. These grants could support a number of important activities to reduce our national infant mortality rate, including: educational outreach to at-risk mothers; development and implementation of standardized systems for improved access and services; and regional public education campaigns.

In order to fully understand the importance of this act, I believe our country needs to take a moment to reflect upon our infant mortality rate of 6.7 per thousand live births. The United States currently has one of the highest infant mortality rates among industrialized nations--higher than Cuba or Japan. Although the infant mortality rate has declined over time, this rate is unacceptably high and tragic because many of these infant deaths are preventable when mothers receive adequate care and education. Access to quality prenatal healthcare and parenting education greatly reduces many of the risk factors that contribute to infant mortality, such as low birth weight and short gestational age births.

It is of serious concern that great disparity exists in infant mortality rates across our country based on geographic location and racial/ethnic minority status. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the infant mortality rate is much higher in the Southeastern and Midwestern regions of our Nation. In my home State of Illinois in 2006 is 7.29 per thousand live births, well above the national average. For African Americans, the infant mortality rate is 13.35, almost double the national average and almost triple the national average for Latino and White children. We cannot allow these disparities to continue. We cannot continue to allow particular groups of our citizens to lose their children at higher rates than others. We must work to dramatically reduce these deaths for all Americans.

These numbers reflect the need for federal legislation to increase access to quality prenatal care. I am proud to have played an active role in creating a dedicated funding stream for the home visiting to support families with or expecting young children. Authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Law, the new Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program will provide grants to States to provide evidence-based home visitation services to improve outcomes for children and families who reside in at-risk communities. Research shows that these programs are effective at improving the health and well-being of children and families.

It is federal investments in home visiting and in the NEWBORN Act that will help improve children's well-being and lower the infant mortality rate. I stand in strong support of the NEWBORN Act and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I support H. Res. 1663, a bill supporting the goals and ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. In 1983, Congress first recognized September as the month to nationally commemorate sickle cell disease awareness. And it is in that same vein today that I ask for support of H. Res. 1663.

More than 2.5 million Americans have the sickle cell trait. The sickle cell trait is found in 1 of 12 African Americans. There is a 1 in 4 chance that a child born to parents who both have the Sickle Cell Trait will develop the sickle cell disease. The average life span for an adult with the sickle cell disease is 45 years.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder characterized by affected red blood cells that mutate into the shape of a crescent or sickle, and as such are unable to pass through small blood vessels. It is a recessive genetic condition that occurs when a child inherits two sickle cell genes- or traits- from each parent. The horrific outcomes of this condition include considerable pain in one's arms, chest, legs and abdomen, anemia, gallstone, strokes, as well as damaging tissue in the liver, spleen, kidney, and death. The sickle cell disease primarily affects African-Americans and other ethnic groups.

Mr. Speaker, I would also just note that the devastation of this disease on those who are affected by it is, indeed, tremendous. I have had firsthand experience with it by virtue of having run a sickle cell community education project for the University of Illinois in Chicago and came in contact with many of the patients and their families; saw the pain and suffering firsthand.

I would urge all my colleagues to support the passage of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to offer my strong support for H.R. 6156, the Renewing Authority for State Child Welfare Demonstration Programs. This bill would permit the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allow up to 10 demonstration projects a year to test innovative approaches to improving the child welfare system.

I am an ardent supporter of the waiver program. My home State of Illinois has been a leader in developing and demonstrating the effectiveness of pioneering child welfare reforms using these waivers. Most notably, Illinois's subsidized guardian waiver was critical to documenting the success of this permanency option in preserving families, improving child well-being, and reducing the number of children in care. I am proud that the Illinois waiver helped lay the ground work for the statutory change in 2008 via The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act that allowed states to use Federal funds to support family caregivers raising relatives who were in the foster care system.

More recently, Illinois has received a waiver to provide innovative services for caregivers with substance use disorders. Illinois's demonstration project showed positive outcomes children and families as well as substantial cost savings--approximately $6.6 million over the lifetime of the waiver. Further, the research related to the program reveals important information for improving these programs, especially related to the complexity of problems faced by families experiencing substance abuse and the types of interventions needed to improve reunification and reduce out-of-home placements.

Although waivers are helpful in strengthening our child welfare policy, policymakers must work to implement comprehensive changes to the child welfare system--especially with regard to financing and emphasizing prevention. I am glad that this legislation includes some improvements to the waiver program, including increased reporting on the nature of funding used for a demonstration project and prioritizing early intervention and crisis intervention to safely reduce the number of children removed from their homes. I promise to continue to work actively with my colleagues to push for comprehensive reform for the child welfare system so that we can improve the well-being of children and families.

Mr. Speaker, I offer my strong support for the Training and Research for Autism Improvements Nationwide Act--a bill that promotes much-needed training and research advancements related to Autism. This bill expands federal support for understanding and treating the Autism Spectrum Disorders which affect as many as 1 in 110 children born in the United States.

Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that is typically diagnosed around the age of 3 years old and lasts throughout a person's lifetime. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified Autism as one of the nation's leading public health crises. An Autism- related diagnosis is more common than the diagnosis of pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. Autism-related disorders occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups at similar rates; however, they are four times more common in boys than they are in girls. Recently, scientists have made advances in understanding Autistic symptomatology; yet there remains limited understanding about its causes and course. These disorders have a tremendous affect on the lives of the children and families who experience them, including challenges with education, communication, and employment possible.

The Training and Research for Autism Improvements Nationwide Act will improve federal support for research and treatment related to Autism disorders. The bill establishes Centers of Excellence to train and provide services to children and families affected by Autism. I am well aware of the benefits of such comprehensive, targeted Centers of Excellence. I am proud that Chicago is home to the Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research run by the Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago. This Center is a national leader in providing care and advancing research related to Autism Spectrum Disorders. Within one site, state-of-the-art education, research, training, early intervention, school-to-work transition training, and independent living training occur. It is a true resource to the children and families in Illinois and the nation. This Center reflects a strong public-private partnership in which the State of Illinois, the city of Chicago, the University of Illinois, and multiple for-profit and non- profit businesses came together to make this Center a reality. The success of this Center demonstrates the need and potential benefits of creating additional national Centers of Excellence, as authorized by this bill.

In Chicago and across the country, it is clear that Autism significantly affects the lives of children and families. Additional federal efforts are needed to advance our understanding and response to Autism Spectrum Disorders. I strongly urge my colleagues to support the Training and Research for Autism Improvements Nationwide Act.