Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, despite many severe misgivings I have with the legislation.

Last night the President gave us a frank and candid assessment of the dire situation of our economy, and I remain committed to ensuring that appropriations bills reflect an appropriate federal response. This bill will strengthen the social safety net so that individuals and families that have been affected by the recession can meet their daily needs. This bill includes substantial and badly needed increases in funding for food assistance to combat starvation and malnutrition in the elderly and those of modest income.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has been inundated by a surge in unemployment claims. Constituents have called my office to tell me that they cannot even get through on the phone to speak to someone about their claim. Facing such an extraordinary increase in demand, I am glad that the states will get some help. The bill increases funding by 10% for state offices to process this surge in unemployment claims.

Cleveland, unfortunately, has been at the epicenter of the subprime mortgage and foreclosure crisis. The number of foreclosures continues to increase; some neighborhoods still average two foreclosures per day. Up to 6,000 voucher holders have yet to find affordable housing in Cuyahoga County--and this does not include the estimated 19,000 people who qualify for vouchers but are forced to endure a years-long waiting list.

The bill increases overall funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development by 10%. This includes increases in funding for the Public Housing Operating Fund to keep the doors open in our existing public housing, the Public Housing Capital Fund to build new public housing, and tenant- and project-based voucher programs. The bill also increases funding for homeless assistance grants.

The bill provides several other funding increases in areas of particular need for Northeast Ohio. There is $187 million dedicated to making emergency communication more reliable through interoperability funding. There is a $385 million increase in funding for NASA, an economic anchor for the region and the state. There is $273 million for research on more fuel-efficient vehicles, which will help our ailing auto industry and the other industries on which it relies. There is $40.7 billion in infrastructure funding, a $484 million increase over FY08 levels and an integral part of Northeast Ohio's economic recovery.

However, I am deeply saddened and frustrated by sections of the State and Foreign Operations portion of this bill that continue counterproductive policies regarding the Middle East and drug policy. I am hopeful that with the leadership of President Obama a new U.S. policy on the Middle East will emerge. It is time for the U.S. to move beyond the biased policy contained in this portion of the bill.

The surest way for this body to ensure the safety and security of Israel while encouraging peace in the Middle East is to craft a policy that encourages Israel to end the blockade of Gaza and the occupation of Palestinian lands. The U.S. must also call on Israel to implement a freeze on settlement building.

Instead this bill undermines any effort to position the U.S. as an honest broker for peace in the region. The bill gives $75 million in funding for aid to be shared between Gaza and the West Bank while giving $2.4 billion in grants for Israel including $670 million for procurement of military equipment alone. Adding to this extreme imbalance, the bill also places far more restrictions on the humanitarian aid to Gaza than on the arms funding for Israel. If the U.S. was an honest broker of peace, the reverse would be true. The United Nations has declared in no uncertain terms that peace in the Middle East, which is the best way for Israel to achieve security, cannot be achieved militarily. By favoring arms over aid, this bill takes us in the wrong direction during a time when relations between Gaza and Israel are particularly strained.

This bill also includes funding for counternarcotics initiatives in Afghanistan, Mexico, Colombia, and other regions in Latin America, continuing supply-side interdiction efforts that have done nothing to disturb the flow of illicit drugs into our country. Research clearly demonstrates that money directed to domestic demand-reduction efforts-- drug treatment, drug abuse prevention, youth intervention programs, and the like--is more effective at reducing drug consumption and curtailing the flow of illicit drugs into the country. Moreover, such efforts usually increase the price of drugs in circulation, which only leads to increased violence and crime in communities. So long as the demand for a product exists, enterprising drug dealers will find a way to get the drugs to those addicted to them.

I support this bill because the needs of my district come first, and the money in this bill will go far toward alleviating the stress on my constituents and my district caused by the economic downturn. However, I find it reprehensible that I am also forced to support these other provisions, and I look forward to working with leadership and the Administration to support policies that engage all parties and encourage peace rather than aggression.

Fifty million Americans without any health insurance, another 50 million underinsured. There has never been a more significant moment where this country has the opportunity to turn crisis into opportunity by making it possible for all Americans for the first time to have a plan of national health care, a universal, single- payer, not-for-profit health care system, where all $2.2 trillion that is spent for health care will be spent for health care for people and not for profit for insurance companies. Insurance companies make money not providing health care.

With so many Americans without health care today, it is urgent that we recognize the value of H.R. 676 to provide Americans with the coverage they need, plus we stop this system which is excluding people from being able to get the care they need because of the cost of premiums and copays.

This is a moment that we need to seize. H.R. 676, universal, single- payer, not-for-profit health care. Let's move from bank care to health care.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the NAACP, which was founded on February 12th, 1909. For the past century, the NAACP has served as the driving force behind the American civil rights movement, as its founders, leaders and members risked everything to tear down the walls of ignorance and racism, demanding freedom, empowerment, opportunity and justice for all.

With a membership of a half-million strong, the NAACP membership represents communities across the country. The organization was formed partly in reaction to the unconscionable practice of lynching and also in response to the 1908 race riot in Springfield, Illinois. Horrified at the violence aimed at African Americans, a small group of concerned citizens met to discuss and find ways to address racial injustice and the NAACP was formed. Founding members included Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, Dr. Henry Moscovitz, Jane Addams and Charles Darrow. The stated goals included securing the rights of all people as guaranteed in the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments of the United States Constitution.

The NAACP was the principle legal advocate for numerous groundbreaking civil rights advancements, including the 1930 anti- lynching bill, the Dyer Bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives but not the U.S. Senate. Shortly thereafter, the NAACP published a report entitled, ``Thirty Years of Lynching in the United States,'' which drastically decreased the incidence of lynching after its release. The impact of the NAACP's support of the civil rights movement is evidenced in numerous landmark court decisions, most notably, in Brown v. Board of Education, wherein the brilliant attorney, Thurgood Marshall, who later served as the NAACP's Chief Counsel and also as a United States Supreme Court Justice, argued his case against school segregation, and won.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of the members, past and present, of the NAACP, as they celebrate 100 years of service and sacrifice focused on protecting the rights of minority citizens, thereby raising our nation upon a platform where human rights and civil rights are protected for all.

Madam Speaker, we learned today that more Americans are applying for jobless benefits. We also learned that, according to Moody's Economy.com, that the measure that is before us may not create as many jobs as we had hoped, perhaps only 2.2 million jobs by the end of 2010, leaving unemployment hovering around 10 percent.

Look, I understand the limitations of this bill, but we have to recognize something: Government spending is stimulative. We have to stimulate our economy. We have to do everything we can right now to try to lift America up.

Now we can debate the details of this bill, and they should be debated, but one thing for sure, we need to pass this stimulus. And we are probably going to have to come back here and pass another stimulus, which I hope will focus on putting millions of people back to work, rebuilding America, rebuilding and building a new energy infrastructure, and making massive investments and moving our health care system in a new direction. Vote for the stimulus.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Conference Report to H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks.

American families, increasingly out of work and burdened by debt, are spending less, and businesses have drastically reduced their spending as a result.

That leaves only the federal government as the spender of last resort.

This bill is not perfect: it is not nearly large enough to replace the losses in Gross Domestic Product that characterize the current recession. But it lays a foundation of targeted government spending that will create millions of jobs.

It will also strengthen the social safety net so that families who have been hit hard by the economic downturn have the basic levels of resources they need.

The bill also addresses a component crisis of this recession: the spillover effects of large concentrations of foreclosed vacant and abandoned houses on our communities. Neighborhoods are the innocent bystanders in the foreclosure crisis.

As foreclosures and the vacant houses they can create continue at a record pace, the bill provides an additional $2 billion to help our neighborhoods prevent the increased crime and deflated property values that come along with abandoned foreclosed properties.

It will also create jobs, and those jobs will be located in some of the hardest hit areas of the country. Fortunately, those funds are there, after being taken out by the Senate. I would like to thank Speaker Pelosi and conferees for including $2 billion for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

According to today's Wall Street Journal, moodyseconomy.com claims that nearly 5 million families could lose their homes to foreclosure between 2009 and 2011. Now is the time for our government to take a controlling interest in mortgage-backed securities, and then direct loan modification, lowering principal and interest rates, extending terms of payment, keeping people in their homes.

Banks are not lending money; they are hoarding money, because they fear their own balance sheets understate their losses. Instead of giving the banks more of taxpayers' money in the hopes that banks will loan the money to keep people in their homes, the government must take charge to save the homes of so many American families, again, take a controlling interest in mortgage-backed securities and direct loan modification. Keep people in their homes. The banks will get their money as well. It is time to stand up for the dream of American home ownership by saving the homes that are in jeopardy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Congressman John D. Dingell and in recognition of his outstanding service to our country as the Representative for the 15th District of Michigan. On February 11, 2009, Congressman Dingell will become the longest serving Member in the House of Representatives.

Congressman Dingell was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado on July 18, 1926 and followed in the footsteps of his father when he succeeded him as a Representative in Congress for Michigan's 15th Congressional District. He joined the U.S. Army at the age of 18 and at one of the defining moments in modern world history, during World War Two. He served as a Second Lieutenant in the Army and completed his military service in 1946. Congressman Dingell attended Georgetown University for both his undergraduate and graduate degrees, earning his bachelors degree in Chemistry and J.D. from the Law School, completing his studies in 1952. Prior to obtaining his seat in Congress, Representative Dingell opened his own private law firm and served as both a forest ranger and attorney in Wayne County, Michigan. He became a Member of the House of Representatives in 1955 at the age of 29, following the death of his father, who was the incumbent Member of Congress.

Congressman Dingell's accomplishments in the House of Representatives include writing groundbreaking legislation on the environment such as the Clean Air Act of 1990 as well as working to pass vital animal welfare laws such as the Endangered Species Act. As Chairman Emeritus of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Representative Dingell has addressed some of the most significant issues facing our Nation today, such as health care and national energy policy. He continues his father's legacy in Congress by introducing the same national health care legislation his father fought for during his tenure in Congress. Congressman Dingell's leadership has served as an undeniable example and source of inspiration to our colleagues and to all those working toward national health care legislation and issues of environmental justice.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in honor of Congressman John D. Dingell and in recognition of his exceptional accomplishments during his tenure as the longest serving Member in the House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker and Colleagues, I rise today in honor and recognition of Dennis Pehotsky, upon the occasion of his retirement from NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Dennis Pehotsky is retiring after nearly thirty years of dedicated service to the NASA Glenn Research Center.

Throughout his tenure, Mr. Pehotsky reflected dedication not only to the mission of NASA, but also to his union, serving as the Vice President of the LESA's IFPTE, Local 28. His commitment to safety issues, ranging from cancer concerns in buildings to his contributions to NASA's ``Safe Return to Flight'' has served to place the welfare of all NASA employees as the top priority.

Mr. Pehotsky began his tenure in 1982 as a Voucher Examiner Purchasing Agent. Over the years, he was entrusted with thousands of the most complex orders and purchases. His outstanding performance on the job, innovative techniques and community outreach led to his appointment to the NASA Safety Committee and also led to outstanding performance ratings and several professional awards. Mr. Pehotsky was honored with the Silver Snoopy Award, NASA's most coveted award. This award, presented by NASA astronauts, honors an individual for enhancing the safety of space flight.

Madam Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and celebration of Dennis Pehotsky, whose commitment to NASA, to his union and to the rights and safety of all workers is reflected throughout his professional career. His exceptional work ethic, ability to bring people together and his leadership in championing the cause of worker protection--from the electrician on the ground to the flight commander poised for take-off--has raised the bar of safety, excellence and innovation throughout NASA.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Reda Benda, devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend, whose spirit, positive attitude and service to others has left an indelible imprint upon our Cleveland community.

Mrs. Benda married Elmer Benda at Holy Name church in 1941, where she remained an active parishioner her entire adult life. Together they raised five children: James, Elmer, Kathleen, William and Rosemary. Mrs. Benda was the center of her family--always surrounded by the support and strength of her children, sixteen grandchildren and twenty great grandchildren.

Her devotion to her family extended into the community, throughout the North Broadway neighborhood where her leadership and concern for others lifted the lives of countless neighbors. Mrs. Benda was a founding member of the Jones Road Town Club, a member of the Orchard Civic Club and she logged nearly 7,000 hours as a volunteer at St. Alexis Hospital. She was active in several neighborhood senior organizations, including Holy Name, St. Stan's and St. Therese Senior Citizen Groups. Additionally, Mrs. Benda was a passionate participant in the democratic process. She was an active member of the Ward 12 Democratic Club and the Cleveland Women's Democratic Club. Moreover, Mrs. Benda was a Democratic Precinct Committeewoman for nearly twenty years.

Madam Speaker and Colleagues, join me in honor and remembrance of Reda Benda, whose joyous life is one to celebrate and emulate. I offer my heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Benda's children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, extended family and many friends. Although she will be greatly missed, her unwavering devotion to faith, family, friends and to the people of the North Broadway neighborhood has touched the lives of everyone who knew her, and she will never be forgotten.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Judge Larry A. Jones, Sr., who was recently sworn-in to serve as Judge with the Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth Appellate District, where he will hear cases on appeal in Cuyahoga County.

Judge Jones, a lifelong resident of the Cleveland area, has a multifaceted and rich history of public service, which began at Glenville High School, where he was elected President of the Student Council. Following High School, Judge Jones realized the importance of a solid educational foundation. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wooster College, then went on to earn a Juris Doctorate degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

Judge Jones served as the Assistant County Prosecutor for Cuyahoga County from 1978 to 1981, when he was elected to the Cleveland City Council, where he represented the residents of Ward 10 for five years. In 1987, Judge Jones was elected Judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court, and was re-elected every six years thereafter. Throughout his tenure, Judge Jones created an atmosphere of teamwork among the judges, uniting to develop programs to pave the way for offenders to renew their lives, thereby reducing recidivism. In 1998, Judge Jones was selected by judicial leaders to preside as the Judge for the Greater Cleveland Drug Court, a multi-tiered program involving city and county agencies that focuses on drug offenders in two main ways: Accountability and treatment resources. This vital program continues to turn lives around and provides hope for individuals and families caught in the devastating web of drug abuse, providing them with the tools to break free and reclaim their lives.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in celebrating the work of Judge Larry A.

Jones, Sr. as he begins his service as Judge with the Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth Appellate District. His unwavering dedication, professionalism, integrity and sense of compassion will continue to empower, uplift and strengthen the lives of every person who may find herself or himself seated before him. His tenure as the Judge of the Greater Cleveland Drug Court has made an immeasurable impact on the lives of countless individuals throughout our community, and he will continue to do so as Judge with the Eighth Appellate District of Ohio.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of those who lost their

lives on what would become known as ``The Day the Music Died.'' Fifty years ago today, on February 3, 1959, a plane crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa, killing Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. ``The Big Bopper'' Richardson, and the pilot of the plane Roger Peterson. These musicians individually and collectively influenced a generation.

Charles Hardin Holley, the singer known as Buddy Holly was born on September 7, 1936 and was a pioneer in rock-'n'-roll. He was raised in a musical family and found his calling in rock-'n'-roll in 1955. Buddy Holly shared the stage with many of the artists who were influenced by his work, such as Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, The Beatles, and the Rolling Stones, prior to his untimely death at the age of 22.

Ritchie Valens, born Richard Stevens Valenzeula, was equally influential in his brief musical career. Born of Mexican decent, Valens was raised on mariachi and flamenco guitar music. He later used this influence to develop the unique Spanish language rock so many grew to love, such as in his hit ``La Bamba,'' which was originally a Mexican Folk song.

Jiles Perry Richardson, Jr., known as ``The Big Bopper'', was a disk jockey, singer and songwriter who thrilled fans with classic recordings such as ``Chantilly Lace,'' and wrote such as ``White Lightnin'' for George Jones and ``Running Bear'' for Johnny Preston. Fifty years later after their death, their songs continue to grace the airways and influence many musicians today.

Madam Speaker and colleagues, please join me in celebrating the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. ``The Big Bopper'' Richardson for their lives were cut tragically short but whose music will continue to live on.

Madam Speaker and Colleagues, I rise today in honor and recognition of United States Veteran Richard T. Borkowski as he receives the 2008 Veteran of the Year Award by the Joint Veterans' Commission of Cuyahoga County.

Mr. Borkowski began his service in the United States Army Infantry Division in 1950, the first year of the Korean War. Following the war, he married Evelyn, and together they raised two children--a daughter and son. He worked for nearly thirty years at the Standard Oil Company. Though his military tenure had ended years earlier, Mr. Borkowski never forgot the soldiers who served with him, and he always felt a kinship with the men and women who would serve after him.

For the past sixteen years, Mr. Borkowski has dedicated more than 5,000 volunteer hours at the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center. Mr. Borkowski helps disabled veterans get to religious services on Sundays, delivers snacks and treats to bed-bound veterans, and compassionately listens and talks to veterans about past military service and life experiences that form common bonds of friendship and understanding. Mr. Borkowski is a life member of the Parma Veterans Center, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Korean War Veterans.

Madam Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor of Richard T. Borkowski, upon his selection as the 2008 Veteran of the Year by the Joint Veterans' Commission of Cuyahoga County. Mr. Borkowski's commitment to the welfare of the veterans of our community brings an element of hope, light and friendship to the lives of those he serves-- thereby strengthening the foundation of our entire community.

There's talk now that the banks will receive an additional $1 to $2 trillion in bailout funds. That would bring the total amount to $2.7 trillion, which equates to about a little bit more or less than $9,000 per person. I want you to think about that in terms of the fact that there are 50 million Americans without any health insurance and another 50 million who are underinsured. Health care for the American people should be a defining purpose of our government. And yet, we are giving money to these corporations and these banks who won't create jobs, who won't save homes and who will hoard the money.

It's time that we had a universal health care system such as is provided in H.R. 676, the bill that I'm cosponsoring with John Conyers, that once and for all says that the health of the

American people is a defining purpose of government.

We have to start thinking about the American people. They need a bailout. They need to be bailed out of their difficulties with insurance companies. They need to have a job. They need pension security. It is time to stand up for the people and stop these bailouts.

A 93-year-old man freezes to death in his home because he can't pay the electric bill. A family of seven perishes in a murder- suicide over financial- and job-related matters. A 90-year-old woman tries to kill herself when the sheriff arrives to take her house. And a 75-year-old woman is buried today after predatory lenders drove her to suicide.

More and more Americans are being driven to desperation over losing their jobs and their homes. This economy is literally killing people. The banks get a $700 billion bailout as they continue to kick people out of their homes. We must get help directly to the American people.

There are good reasons to question the $825 billion stimulus, but there's no good reason to oppose it. Not when every crooked interest in this country has been in a long parade at the public trough while factories are shut, jobs are lost, and homes are foreclosed. Congress must act today for the people. We must come back again and again with more comprehensive jobs programs to rebuild infrastructure, fund education including preschool, and create universal health care. We must gain control of our money system and stop taxpayers from being robbed by the banks. The banks already have $700 billion and are looking for another trillion.

It's time we started to look out for number one, the American people, and pass H.R. 1 for the American people and get the American people back some of their money.

Mr. Chairman, this debate should not be about Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, Blue Dogs, yellow dogs, or deficit hawks. Our economy is failing. Millions of jobs have been lost. We need to act now. H.R. 1 is only a first step, but it is an important first step.

What about the stimulus. What we are doing here is like using battery cables to jump start a car with a dead battery. We are not buying a new battery or buying a new car, we are simply jump starting the battery of a dead economy. We are still going to have to buy a new battery; and eventually, we are going to have to buy a new fuel-efficient car.

Right now if we want to move forward, we better get out those jumper cables and put them on the battery.

Vote for the stimulus, H.R. 1.