Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, to ensure our nation's competitiveness in the global arena and spur business development and expansion, it is clearly in our nation's interest to ensure robust federal funding for global health research. We are an innovation economy, and the basic research that federal funding makes possible sews the seeds for the later stage and private sector discoveries that attract philanthropic and venture capital dollars. And global health research is a priority for the American people. According to a May 2011 poll commissioned by Research!America, 74% of Georgians say that global health research is important to the economy.

As we consider federal funding for medical research, it is important to keep in mind that investment in global health research brings a rich return to the United States.

Throughout the United States, investment in global health leads to industry. In my home state of Georgia, successful start-ups like Geovax are breaking new ground in global HIV/AIDS research. Funding from the National Institutes of Health helped Geovax get off the ground, and now it is an employer that contributes to Georgia's economy and to improving global health. With global health powerhouses including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Task Force for Global Health, The Carter Center, and CARE all based in Georgia, along with the world class scientists within our university system, Georgia is positioned to become a world leader for global health.

In this age of globalization, when intercontinental travel is a daily occurrence for thousands of people worldwide, treating communicable diseases in other countries is a must for preventing their widespread occurrence here in the United States. We have witnessed several times this past decade how easily diseases travel, as evidenced by the quick spread of SARS, avian flu and pandemic H1N1 flu from other countries to the western world. The spread of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) is also of great concern, as infected individuals can be asymptomatic for years and still transmit the disease. Currently, infectious diseases cost the U.S. $120 billion a year. By funding global health research programs dedicated to the prevention and eradication of communicable diseases in emerging economies, the United States is investing in its own immediate and long-term health, and saving on health care costs for treatment.

The landmark government initiative PEPFAR (U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), is showing strong returns. Publicly funded researchers have identified and designed a multitude of preventive measures that reduce the risk of HIV transmission. Recent clinical trials demonstrated that combination antiretroviral treatments (developed by U.S. based pharmaceutical companies) can reduce the risk of HIV transmission by up to 96%. Deploying preventive measures in some of the highest risk countries around the world will certainly help reduce the spread of HIV. These measures will also help reduce the spread of HIV in the United States, where approximately 40,000 people per year are diagnosed, costing the U.S. a projected $12.1 billion in lifetime medical expenses.

Investment in global health research and development today will help produce a healthy, competitive and innovative economy tomorrow. At the same time, such research helps to protect Americans, reduce health care costs and meet our nation's foreign policy goals. And investing in global research is a means of saving lives and preventing disability in impoverished nations--it is an immensely powerful form of humanitarianism that can help millions of people throughout the world now and in the future. As we map out strategies for promoting the U.S. economy, we must not falter in our investment in medical research that surely includes research devoted to combating global illnesses. We must capitalize on opportunities for NIH, CDC, FDA, USAID and DOD to support global health research--for the benefit of Americans and the global community of which we are a part.

Mr. Speaker, Monica Pearson is a familiar face to metro Atlanta's residents, though most know her by her former name--Monica Kaufman. For the past 37 years, Monica has anchored WSB TV's Channel 2 Action News. The character and amount of trust she has built as Channel 2's nightly newscaster is laudable, but perhaps more important are the barriers she broke as she developed that reputation. Born and brought up in the Civil Rights era, Monica became not only the first African-American, but also the first woman to anchor a daily evening newscast on WSB in 1975.

Throughout her long career, Monica has accumulated an even longer list of awards and achievements. All in all, she has won thirty Local and Southern Regional Emmy awards. When she saw injustice or a story that needed to be heard, she was there reporting on it--first at the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. segments, and later at 4 p.m. Her hard-hitting investigative journalism cuts at all different issues. In 1992 she spoke out on behalf of women and girls in Georgia when she found out that the Georgia High School Association's all-male executive committee did not have a state-wide competition for girls' soccer or cheerleading. She was awarded the Women's Sports Journalism Award for Local Television Reporting from the Women's Sports Foundation and Miller Lite for her report.

Monica has been honored for bringing attention to a wide range of issues--from the ``HOT FLASH! The Truth about Menopause'' documentary that won local and national awards in 1994 to the ``Prejudice and Hate: Georgians and the Holocaust'' documentary that led her to win the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust's Humanitarian Award in 1977. Her sense of civic duty, compassion and curiosity has distinguished her from her peers, winning an Emmy Award for Best Feature Program-- ``Monica Kaufman Closeups,'' the National Foundation for Women Legislators' ``Media Excellence Award'' and the Georgia Commission of Women's ``2004 Georgia Woman of the Year.''

While devoting her life to journalism, she has also deeply involved herself in the community. She remains a passionate supporter of the Metropolitan United Way, the organization that helped her move beyond her poor background to become an award-winning newscaster. Since then, she has served as Chair of Atlanta's United Way board, the first African-American and only the second woman. Her dedication to the organization might be due in no small part to the fact that her daughter was adopted through a United Way agency. In her own words, ``United Way literally unites people.''

United Way is not the only organization that has touched Monica's heart. For many years, Monica ran in the Susan G. Komen's Race for the Cure. She continued to run in the race and volunteer for the organization until the year she herself was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her reaction to this cancer is a story that truly touched my heart. A very religious woman, Monica did not let fear cripple her-- instead she left everything to God. She prayed, ``Thy will be done, O Lord, not mine.'' ``If you are really strong in your faith, then you don't worry about the outcome,'' she said. The outcome is obvious-- Monica remains to this day a strong, dedicated woman. She is both an inspiration and a role model. Monica will be retiring in July, but I know her character, personality and spirit will not let her keep still. I wish her the very best in her future endeavors, and may we continue to hear of her excellent work for her community. God Bless.

Madam Speaker, ladies and gentlemen of the Congress, Monica Pearson, with WSB Television in Atlanta, Georgia, is indeed a true pioneer and a trailblazer in television news. She broke barriers as an African American and as a woman news anchor for WSB Television starting in 1975.

The year 1975 was an important turning point, especially in the South. So it is very important for us to understand the significance of Monica often appearing as a nightly anchor, as the first African American and first woman in the South at WSB Television in 1975. Now, 38 years later, Monica is retiring.

Monica Pearson brought a special talent, a sparkling personality, hard work, and a high nobility of purpose that appealed to everybody, to people of all races, and she became endeared to everybody from every walk of life. What a great American story is Monica Pearson.

She paved the way for other African Americans and women to become news anchors and to become television journalists throughout the South. So it is most fitting as she announces her retirement that we gather here today on the part of the United States Congress to give her this special commendation. We also give a special commendation to WSB Television and Cox Enterprises management for making that critical decision at that important time in the history of the United States. Because of her talent, because of her hard work, we in the Congress of the United States recognize with high distinction an outstanding American: Monica Pearson, an outstanding American.

Madam Speaker, Monica Pearson is a familiar face to metro Atlanta's residents, though most know her by her former name--Monica Kaufman. For the past 37 years, Monica has anchored WSB TV's Channel 2 Action News. The character and amount of trust she has built as Channel 2's nightly newscaster is laudable, but perhaps more important are the barriers she broke as she developed that reputation. Born and brought up in the Civil Rights era, Monica became not only the first African-American, but also the first woman to anchor a daily evening newscast on WSB in 1975.

Throughout her long career, Monica has accumulated an even longer list of awards and achievements. All in all, she has won thirty Local and Southern Regional Emmy awards. When she saw injustice or a story that needed to be heard, she was there reporting on it--first at the 6 pm and 11 pm segments, and later at 4 pm. Her hard-hitting investigative journalism cuts at all different issues. In 1992 she spoke out on behalf of women and girls in Georgia when she found out that the Georgia High School Association's all-male executive committee did not have a state-wide competition for girls' soccer or cheerleading. She was awarded the Women's Sports Journalism Award for Local Television Reporting from the Women's Sports Foundation and Miller Lite for her report.

Monica has been honored for bringing attention to a wide range of issues--from the ``HOT FLASH! The Truth about Menopause'' documentary that won local and national awards in 1994 to the ``Prejudice and Hate: Georgians and the Holocaust'' documentary that lead to win the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust's Humanitarian Award in 1977. Her sense of civic duty, compassion and curiosity has distinguished her from her peers, winning an Emmy Award for Best Feature Program--``Monica Kaufman Closeups'', the National Foundation for Women Legislators' ``Media Excellence Award'' and the Georgia Commission of Women's ``2004 Georgia Woman of the Year''.

While devoting her life to journalism, she has also deeply involved herself in the community. She remains a passionate supporter of the Metropolitan United Way, the organization that helped her move beyond her poor background to become an award-winning newscaster. Since then, she has served as Chair of Atlanta's United Way board, the first African-American and only the second woman. Her dedication to the organization might be due in no small part to the fact that her daughter was adopted through a United Way agency. In her own words, ``United Way literally unites people.''

United Way is not the only organization that has touched Monica's heart. For many years, Monica ran in the Susan G. Komen's Race for the Cure. She continued to run in the race and volunteer for the organization until the year she herself was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her reaction to this cancer is a story that truly touched my heart. A very religious woman, Monica did not let fear cripple her-- instead she left everything to God. She prayed, ``Thy will be done, O Lord, not mine.'' ``If you are really strong in your faith, then you don't worry about the outcome'', she said. The outcome is obvious-- Monica remains to this day a strong, dedicated woman. She is both an inspiration and a role model. Monica will be retiring in July, but I know her character, personality and spirit will not let her keep still. I wish her the very best in her future endeavors, and may we continue to hear of her excellent work for her community. God Bless.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today in recognition of our nation's veterans. The brave men and women of the United States Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reserves deserve our support, gratitude and prayers. We owe a great debt to these Americans for their service, for their courage, and for the sacrifice of their families.

I would also like to thank the organizations that support these veterans and their families when they come home. In particular, the American Legion will be celebrating its 93rd birthday this Friday, March 9, 2012. The local American Legion posts in my district, and around the country, play a vital role in bringing our community together. The American Legion supports not only our service members, but also our youth, with programs such as an amateur baseball league, scholarships for college-bound students and more.

One of the American Legion posts within my district, Post #145 in Douglasville, will be honoring a very special veteran this Friday-- Pearl Harbor survivor Leonard Santangelo, who is one of only 17 survivors from Georgia. Leonard is a retired Army Corporal, and, at 92, is almost as old as the American Legion itself. He began his military service in 1941, just a few months prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Throughout his military career Leonard has received the American Defense Medal with one Bronze Star, the Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. He served his country through the end of World War II and continues even today by sharing his story with his community--adults and school children alike.

It gives me great honor and pleasure to recognize American Legion Post #145 and Ret. Army Corporal Leonard Santangelo for their great service to our nation.

Thank you very much, Ms. Lee.

This is indeed a very sad and, at the same time, a very precious time because we're here to talk about a life.

A life is so precious. Donald Payne was indeed a very special human being. I served with Donald Payne on the Foreign Affairs Committee; and through his work on the Foreign Affairs Committee, I got to know him.

Let me just say to the people of New Jersey, to his family, you've lost a friend, you've lost a husband, a father, a public servant for the Newark area of New Jersey.

But I want you to know that Donald Payne's life and his legacy go far beyond there.

There was a friend of mine who said, I don't want to hang around the shores with the little boats. I want to go way out where the big ships go. Donald Payne went way out where the big ships go. Nowhere was his impact more meaningful than in the continent of Africa. It was Africa that just pulled his heart, pulled his whole being. Donald Payne became the champion and the foremost advocate for the people of Africa in the Congress of the United States.

What courage.

I remember the time I was over in Africa going to the Congo, going to the real heart of the matter, going into Kenya, and going into Somalia into Yemen. But there was Donald Payne with the courage at a very difficult time, at a challenging time when al-Shabab was in control of the situation in Somalia. You hear on the news that there is a Congressman who's in harm's way trying to get on an airplane to get out of Somalia at a very hot moment. But he was there in the toughest, meanest, most difficult part of Africa bringing some reason.

So all over this world, we can all say that we thank God for sending Donald Payne our way.

Mr. Speaker, my fellow colleagues, I come before you today to recognize the dedicated work of the Azalea City Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, a national service organization dedicated to enriching the lives of African Americans and their descendents. In working towards their goal of honoring the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, the Azalea City Chapter has put together an exhibit honoring past and present legislators.

Men and women of all stripes had a role to play in improving the lives of African Americans after Reconstruction. This detailed exhibit shines a spotlight on those trailblazers who carved a path for lawmakers like myself and others. Included among these inspirational figures is Senator Leroy Johnson, who was the first African American to be elected to a political office in the Southeast. Through his commitment and hard work, he became so powerful that he was the first to be named Chairman of a standing committee in the General Assembly. Let us not discount Representative Grace Towns Hamilton, who was the first African American woman to be elected to the Georgia Legislature. These legislators and others who are featured in the exhibit continue to serve as role models to aspiring young politicians today.

Please join me in commending the Azalea City Chapter not only on their exceptional hard work, but also for choosing the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus as the focus of their work.

Thank you very much, my distinguished colleague, John Lewis, for inviting me to be a part of this resolution presentation.

I think it is very important as we commemorate this event that we realize those were some dark and dangerous days and that there were both black and white people who gave their lives so that black people could have the right to vote.

There was Ms. Viola Gregg Liuzzo from Detroit, Michigan, a white lady who came down to Selma to help African Americans get the right to vote. She was shot and killed on Highway 80 in Selma, Alabama. We need not forget Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, along with James Chaney, two young white men and one black man, who were shot and killed.

When we tell this story about the civil rights movement, it is important that we tell this story right so that this is a true story of the greatness of America. It is not just a black story. It is America's story. White and black people lost their lives, gave their lives for us to have the right to vote. This is the greatness of this.

I just want to say what a privilege it is for us to have a man like John Lewis to serve with. Let us not even begin to underestimate the significant contribution of this young man--and I call him a young man--whom I serve with and you serve with. I, personally, appreciate John Lewis for taking me with him when I was a student, traveling through the South, and I saw firsthand with him what we had to go for.

John, I want to say to you, thank you for taking me through that baptism of fire for it has truly made me the man I am today. I want to thank you for that, and the entire Nation thanks you and all of those.

As I said, I want everybody to remember Ms. Viola Gregg Liuzzo from Detroit, who came down, and Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, these people who gave their lives.

I want to also thank Ms. Terri Sewell, who represents the area in Alabama where so much of this sacrifice took place.

This is an extraordinary pilgrimage. I was on it, have been on it, and I encourage everybody that can to go on this pilgrimage and see and experience what I call the greatness of America.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I stand before you today to recognize the passing of an inspirational leader. Reverend Dwight C. Graves was a compassionate, charismatic and considerate soul, who devoted his life to service. Born and raised in Freeman, West Virginia, the good Reverend served in the United States Air Force for over thirty years, worked as a postal worker and union steward, and acted as a friend to both delinquents and school children.

Reverend Graves felt a calling to the church and devoted much of his life to spreading the Lord's word. Before settling in Georgia, Rev. Graves pastored a church in Belgium and Illinois. He was an Associate Minister of Zion Baptist Church in Marietta and the Pastor of the Emmanuel Tabernacle Christian Church until his death.

The Reverend was a leader among leaders. He co-founded the Georgia State Unit of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, served on the National SCLC board and was President of the Cobb County SCLC.

As I look back on Reverend Graves' life, I find myself honored to have known him. It is my sincerest hope that those of us whose lives he has touched will go on and pass on his influence to others in need. Reverend Dwight C. Graves was a strong man. He is survived by his wife, Rev. Dr. Cheryl D. Graves and their daughter, Diana Lynette. Mr. Speaker, my fellow colleagues, I hope you will join me today in extending my condolences to them during this difficult time.

Thank you very much, and I appreciate the opportunity to come down and to say a few words on this.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm so glad that the people of this country are tuning into what's happening on the floor of this House of Representatives. What we are seeing is a great dysfunction in the Republican Party in the House of Representatives.

Here is this situation: the American people are hurting, and 160 million American people do not need their taxes to go up. There are 2.2 million American people who are without unemployment benefits who will have those unemployment benefits not extended. And there are seniors, 48 million of them, who will not be able to go and visit their doctors. America is hurting, and what does the Republican Party in the House of Representatives want to do? They want to hurt them some more by not even allowing a vote on a compromise bill that was passed by the Senate with 89 votes, 39 of them members of the Senate Republican Party.

Ladies and gentlemen, what's at stake here is a failure to compromise.

That is the key. When Hamilton and Jefferson failed to compromise, it was John Adams that brought them together. Where would this country be if that had not happened? Ladies and gentlemen of America, wake up and realize that this is not a party just of Tea Party people, or Republicans or Democrats, it's a party of all of us.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Let me just address one point that our friends on the other side keep making about this 1 year. All of a sudden they want 1 year. All of a sudden they

want to do what President Obama wants to do.

You talk about certainty. You talk about uncertainty. Nothing could be more uncertain than not giving the American people the secure knowledge and the confidence at the end of the day that their taxes are not going up the first of January, that 2.2 million Americans will get their unemployment. We can do that today.

The Senate has already given us that certainty. We're not talking about just a 2-month extension. We're simply talking about putting into place a compromise that we could get that would get us into next year when we come back to finish the job and continue to get a 1-year extension.

So this facade of you using this 1 year is nothing but a charade. You know it. It doesn't matter what the time is. You don't want anything--2 months, 1 year, 10 years.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to honor a hard-working and talented educator in my district, Ms. Shekema Silveri.

Ms. Silveri teaches Language Arts at Mount Zion High School in Jonesboro, Georgia, and she received the Milken Educator Award on Friday, October 21, 2011 at a surprise ceremony held at the school. This award is one of the most prestigious national honors an educator can receive. The Milken Educator Award recognizes extraordinary educational talent, models of excellence, and great potential for professional and policy leadership.

Ms. Silveri is an outstanding example of excellence in teaching. She continues to innovate and strives to motivate her students to become visionaries. At a school with a large at-risk student population, Ms. Silveri's students are doing exceptionally well--all of her students passed the Georgia American Literature End of Course Test. She is also a leader outside the classroom, mentoring fellow teachers and leading the implementation of a remediation program for seniors.

Ms. Shekema Silveri is an inspirational role model not only to her students, but also to her fellow teachers. Mr. Speaker, honorable colleagues, I invite you to join me today in recognizing this exemplary educator for all of her achievements. I look forward to hearing news of her future success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Arts Clayton's 25th Anniversary. Since its opening in 1986, Arts Clayton has provided access to art and art education for my constituents in the 13th District of Georgia.

In 1999 Arts Clayton used funding from a HUD Community Development Block Grant to create a Mobile ArtVan to bring art directly to children from low-income families. This initiative is especially important in today's economic climate as school budgets continue to tighten.

In 2000 Arts Clayton extended their reach into the community by opening the Arts Clayton Gallery. This Gallery places a high premium on local art--accepting only Georgia artists. Those desiring to display their art must first meet with the Curators Committee to prove the quality and uniqueness of their work.

In addition to the artwork that is displayed year-round, the Arts Clayton Gallery also hosts various showcases throughout the year including a juried Fine Arts show in February and a juried Photography show in October. I am particularly thankful that the Gallery hosts the annual Congressional Art Competition for my district, the winners of which are displayed here in Washington, D.C.

I would also like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication Arts Clayton displayed when assisting my wife find art and jewelry for the First Lady's Luncheon. With their help, Alfredia found and selected a local Georgian artist to custom design jewelry for attendees and another artist who donated a beautiful quilt to then First Lady Laura Bush.

It is my greatest hope that Arts Clayton will continue to serve our community for many more years to come. Art is vital to a strong, vibrant society, and Arts Clayton has played a pivotal role bringing art into Clayton County, my Congressional District and the Greater Metro Atlanta area.

Mr. Speaker, this is a challenging day. It's a difficult day, but it's a day that we're making a decision, a big decision, an important decision that the United States of America will not default on its obligations. This sends stability to the financial markets all around the world, and it really embellishes our stature as the gold standard. And that is very important.

It also gives us until 2013 for us to be able to revisit this again, as the President of the United States asked. And I think another important thing that it does is it helps us to hurry up and get this all-consuming issue of the debt and the deficit and the raising of the debt ceiling off the front burner so we can immediately put jobs back on the front burner.

So, ladies and gentlemen, we must focus our attention now on jobs. That's what the American people want us to do. On this Friday, we're going to have a jobs report. And I want us to carefully look at that jobs report, and especially look at that side of the jobs report that shows the number of jobs we're losing in the public sector.

So as we are here engaging, and some of my friends are celebrating, the whole issue of us cutting $2.5 trillion out of our budget over the 10-year period, it is important to know that there is a cost for this, my friends, and that cost is a loss of public jobs.

So as we set this new commission up, this new committee, we have got to make sure that as these cuts go forward that we understand the sensitivity of trying to make these cuts away from putting more of our people on the jobless rolls. Right now, the greatest contribution that the Federal Government is making to jobs is putting more people out of jobs.

So I ask that we take time now, now that we are going to put this issue behind us, to focus like a laser beam on jobs.

Ladies and gentlemen of the House of Representatives, this, of course, is a very important day, a momentous decision, a difficult decision for all of us. I am going to vote for this in the best interest of our country and putting us in the stature where we need to be.

But I do want to point out one area of weakness that we're going to have to look at carefully as we go forward, and that is in the application of this 12-member committee, and especially as it relates to the areas of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

My understanding is, and I think this is understanding that we certainly need to make clear, that Social Security and Medicaid, veterans, Pell Grants, are all protected fully under this bill. But when it comes to Medicare, my understanding is that there will be an opportunity in here where they will look at Medicare on the provider side. The question becomes how can you basically separate benefits of Medicare patients when you have the patient, the doctors, and the hospital, and you can't adequately separate that. So I say, we must be very mindful of the Medicare apparatus here.

Ladies and gentlemen of the House of Representatives, this is not a Nation of Tea Party people. It is not a Nation of Democrats or Republicans. It is a Nation of all of us.

And what the Reid plan presents, it represents the Tea Party, the Republicans and the Democrats and the President of the United States. This is what the American people expect us to do. That is what has made this country great. At critical times, we've come together and we have compromised. We're protecting Medicare. We're protecting Social Security. We're protecting Medicaid, as the people of this country want.

And yet, as the Republicans and the Tea Party want, there are no tax increases in this. And as the President of the United States has asked us, there will be a second task in the year 2013.

Ladies and gentlemen of this House, the time is present. It is time for us to do the American thing: Stand up for the American people and let us compromise in the best interests of all of us so this Nation will not go into default.