Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize June as Gun Violence Awareness Month and to ask my colleagues across the aisle: How many lives must we sacrifice at the altar of the gun lobby before Congress says enough is enough?

I saw in the news today that David Hogg, one of the Parkland survivors, wore a price tag instead of his tassel to his graduation. It is said that he is worth about $1.05. That is how much David calculated the NRA spent per student to help elect an NRA-aligned United States Senator in Florida.

Mr. Speaker, our children deserve more.

Mr. Speaker, our children are worth more.

The NRA spends millions of dollars in our elections, but all the American people get is ``no Republican action''--NRA--because that is what the gun lobby pays for.

Well, Mr. Speaker, our young people know what is up, and they are registering to vote because they know they are worth more than just a dollar and a nickel.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the life and legacy of Rutgers Law School Professor Alfred Slocum.

Professor Slocum was a titan in the legal and civil rights communities. While still a student at Rutgers Law, he spoke out on behalf of minorities and people of color. He worked with professors and other students to help create the Rutgers Law Minority Student Program, which is the most extensive and renowned program to train minority lawyers in this country.

During his career, Professor Slocum served many roles in the legal profession and in the public service sector. He was an executive director of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity. He served as public advocate of the State of New Jersey in 1986 and, later that year, was appointed public defender.

For 5 years, Professor Slocum championed the causes of the voiceless and the indigent. Then in 1990, he returned to law school, where he taught until retiring from the faculty in 2001.

I speak for myself, for the city of Newark, and for the State of New Jersey when I say that Professor Slocum's life was well lived. I ask my colleagues to join me in honor of this great man's legacy.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, Professor Alfred Slocum was a champion for the voiceless and for people in need. Mr. Speaker, the people who are in the greatest need in this country rely on our social safety net for food, for shelter, for healthcare, and for many necessities that help them scrape by. We cannot leave them to despair.

These people are not just a statistic. They are not just an idea. They are human beings. They are Americans.

They are people who just need a helping hand.

I have said this before, but let me say it again. I have never met a person who wakes up in the morning and says, ``I want to be poor today.'' That is just not a reality.

Let me add this. I have never met a person who wakes up at 5 a.m. to go to her first job, comes home at 1 p.m. to take a nap, and heads out to her second job at 4 p.m., yet still lives paycheck to paycheck, still relies on SNAP and Medicaid to make ends meet, but thinks to herself, ``I like to struggle.'' She does not exist, because that is just not how the world works.

Programs like SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance, our entire social safety net is a supplement that helps people struggle just a little bit less.

Yet my colleagues across the aisle and their friends in the White House keep pushing the false narrative that people who rely on government assistance to make ends meet are just freeloaders who take advantage of the government handouts and buy drugs. The majority party and the 45th President keep pushing their callous, immoral narrative in order to tear apart the social safety net.

Mr. Speaker, the United States Government should be making it easier for Americans to maintain a decent standard of living. We have to protect our most vulnerable and those who are in need. Let us end this administration's war on the working poor and help make lives better for our constituents.

The American people deserve A Better Deal.

Mr. Speaker, this week is Infrastructure Week. With every day that passes, the need for Federal infrastructure investment grows more and more urgent. Robust and reliable infrastructure is the foundation for economic success and security. But for too long, the United States has underinvested in our infrastructure.

Today our bridges, our roads, our tunnels, our canals, and even our dams are crumbling. It is so bad that the American Society of Civil Engineers gives our Nation's infrastructure a grade of D. That is really a shame.

All across this great country, our constituents are begging us to rebuild America's infrastructure. Instead of that, the President has put forth a plan that will sell off Main Street to Wall Street and his rich friends.

Mr. Speaker, that is not going to work for the American people. My colleagues and I have a trillion-dollar plan that will rebuild bridges and roads. It would fix our airports and schools, and it would put 16 million people to work.

That is what the American people deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me as I rise to pay tribute to H.E. Ambassador Vasilios Philippou as he begins his new position as the High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Ottawa, Canada.

Ambassador Philippou began his career in the National Guard for the Republic of Cyprus. He went on to receive his B.A. in Economics, Social Administration, and Political Science at University of Montpellier France in 1989, followed by a Master's degree in International Politics from Free University of Brussels in 1999, and most recently a Master of Arts in International Relations from Alliant International University in 2013. Ambassador Philippou served in the Foreign Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus in 1991. He was later appointed as the Consul General of Cyprus in New York, in addition to later being appointed Counsellor to Economic Affairs, Multilateral Affairs, and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Cyprus to various other countries. He also served as High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus to Antigua, Barbuda, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago in 2016.

Ambassador Philippou has been honored and recognized by many different government entities and organizations. The United States Congress honored him for his dedication to peace, understanding, and positive communication for human rights. Ambassador Philippou was awarded the ``The International Good Scout Award'' from the greater New York Councils of Boy Scouts of America. He has been honored by the Cyprus Children's Fund for his commitment to aiding the needy children of Cyprus, and the Ambassador is an Honorary Fellow of the Foreign Policy Association of New York. Ambassador Philippou has dedicated his life to the service of the country of Cyprus, its international relations, and the well-being of Cypriot children.

Mr. Speaker, I know that my fellow members of the U.S. House of Representatives agree that Ambassador Vasilios Philippou deserves to be recognized for all of his hard work and dedication to the lives of others both in his country and internationally.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of America's teachers.

In classrooms across the country, teachers are doing an excellent job in educating our children and preparing them for their future success. Teachers are much more than educators. They are leaders, and they are role models.

Mr. Speaker, this week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring our teachers not just today, but every day.

On a personal note, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring three teachers in my life:

My father, the late Congressman Donald Payne, Sr., was a high school teacher who used his time in Congress to fight for K-12 education at home and abroad;

My sister, Wanda Payne, just retired last year from teaching kindergarten and pre-K and special needs children for 31 years; and

My sister, Nicole Payne, who is director of alternative education for the Paterson School District in New Jersey.

My father and sisters, like teachers across this country, help young people grow into strong, capable adults. For that, let's honor them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor The Salvation Army for helping the residents of Newark, New Jersey, get through hard times for the last 138 years.

Today, The Salvation Army operates five locations throughout Newark, serving each of the city's five wards. The organization serves more than 5,000 people in the city of Newark, helping them with their education, food, housing, and life skills.

The Salvation Army's important work is boosted by the Federal Government's AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps members, with The Salvation Army in Newark, provide after-school programs for young people as well. They work to develop the social and emotional health of Newark's young people, and they help strengthen children's education.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the Salvation Army and AmeriCorps for their work and service to the city of Newark and the State of New Jersey and the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, last weekend was the 30th anniversary of Global Youth Service Day. I spent Saturday morning at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey to meet with around 50 young people who had volunteered their day to serve others.

Of course, young people have always been great leaders, but with social media and other technologies connecting people like never before, the power of diverse young minds coming together has taken on a new dimension.

Young people are comparing notes across the country and around the world, and they are doing something to change the course of history. Young people are leading marches, they are running for office, and they are putting their minds and bodies to the service of others.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the Community FoodBank of New Jersey and the young people across this country who participated in the 2018 Global Youth Service Day.

Mr. Speaker, New Jersey's 10th Congressional District is the home of the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, the largest port on the East Coast; Newark Liberty International Airport; Amtrak's Boston-to-D.C. line, the center of that line; I-95; and Route 78 going west in this great Nation. Transportation infrastructure drives my district's economic growth and the economy of States throughout the Northeast.

The White House and congressional Republicans have spent the past year promising to rebuild America's infrastructure, but all the American people have gotten is a raw deal that would sell off America's infrastructure to Wall Street and leave Main Street to fill in all the potholes.

The people who live in my district deserve a better deal than they are getting under this majority and this administration.

My Democratic colleagues and I have a real plan to rebuild America. It is five times as big as the puny proposal by the White House. Democrats want to create 16 million new good-paying jobs, build bridges, clear roads, broadband, schools, water infrastructure, energy grids, and transit. That is what my constituents and the American people deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I have never met a person who wakes up in the morning and says: I want to be poor today. That is just not the reality.

Yet my colleagues across the aisle, and their friends in the White House, keep pushing this false narrative that people who rely on government assistance to make ends meet are moochers who take government handouts and buy drugs.

Mr. Speaker, in my district, 17.9 percent of households rely on SNAP to feed their families. They aren't lazy. They aren't addicts. They are hardworking people, some of them with two and three jobs, just trying to make ends meet.

The United States Government should be making it easier for Americans to maintain a decent standard of living. Let us end this administration's war on the working poor and help make better lives for all of our citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to honor Bishop Cleveland Blash, Jr., on the occasion of his 44th year of serving God and the people of Newark.

Bishop Blash began his long service when he was ordained in the late 1970s. He faithfully served churches in Connecticut, Florida, and New York, before being assigned to St. Paul Sounds of Praise PFM Church in Newark, New Jersey.

Bishop Blash is truly a community leader. He is the founder of Operation CLEANN, which stands for Citizens Looking to Empower a New Neighborhood. He has given more than 10,000 hours of labor to the community around West Side Park in Newark, New Jersey.

Bishop Blash also created a scholarship committee, founded the annual U.S. Marines Toys for Tots Drive in his neighborhood, and created a communitywide Thanksgiving dinner, among other great deeds.

Last weekend, Bishop Blash celebrated his 68th birthday and 44th year in the ministry. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Bishop Blash for his lifetime of service to his community.

Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to honor Coach Lance Wigfall of East Orange, New Jersey, for becoming the 2017-2018 boys indoor track and field coach of the year.

Coach Wigfall was a star track athlete at East Orange during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Now, as coach, he is helping a new generation of young men grow as athletes and leaders.

During Coach Wigfall's tenure at East Orange, the school's track and field team has broken onto the national stage. But Coach Wigfall reminds his athletes to enjoy the moment, trust the process, and always put academics before athletics.

Coach Wigfall is a mentor and a role model for his team. He is an asset to East Orange and to all young people in New Jersey's 10th Congressional District.

I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Coach Wigfall for becoming coach of the year.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Hillside fifth and sixth grade all-star basketball team for winning their championship game in overtime to become the 2018 Jersey Basketball Association Gold Division champions.

This was the first year that Hillside had a fifth and sixth grade team at all. In fact, some of the players on this talented team had never even touched a basketball before signing up this year. Their raw talent, positive attitude, willingness to learn, and parental support helped drive the players toward victory.

Under Coach Nikko Velez and his father, Coach Nick Velez, the team achieved a 13-1 regular season record and a 4-0 postseason record. The only team that they lost to in the regular season was the team they beat in the championship game.

I ask my colleagues to join me to congratulate the Hillside fifth and sixth grade all-star team for its winning season.

Mr. Speaker, I am ashamed that our national government seems to have abandoned American citizens of Puerto Rico. Yesterday marked 6 months since Hurricane Maria furiously blew ashore. In those 6 months, more than 1,000 Americans have died because of the storm. In fact, people are still dying in Puerto Rico from causes that are directly related to Hurricane Maria's impact, and more than 100,000 American citizens in Puerto Rico are still without electricity.

Let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, we tend to forget how much we rely on electricity until it goes out. Without electricity, people who rely on respirators must choose between their homes and their health. The elderly, sick people, and newborn babies have to suffer through the heat and cold.

Mr. Speaker, if this was happening anywhere else in our country, we would have riots. But instead of action, all Puerto Rico gets are excuses from the national government.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge each of my colleagues and the American people to talk to their doctors about getting screened for colorectal cancer.

Each year, I sponsor a resolution to recognize March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. By raising awareness about this preventable cancer, we can save lives.

During this Congress, Representative Charlie Dent and I introduced H.R. 1017, the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2017. This bill would eliminate surprise out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries who have polyps removed during colonoscopies.

I also introduced H.R. 1578, the Donald Payne Sr. Colorectal Cancer Detection Act of 2017, which would expand Medicare to cover certain blood-based colorectal cancer screening tests.

Named after my father, who passed away from colorectal cancer, this bipartisan legislation would significantly increase colorectal cancer detection and treatment.

Each year, I lead the appropriations letter to increase the funding for CDC colon cancer research.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me on these important bills. Together, we can save lives from colorectal cancer.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Newark Community Solutions for its continued work on reducing crime and strengthening connections between courts and the community.

Newark Community Solutions works with young people who are at risk of being victims or perpetrators of gun violence. They provide job training, counseling, and peer mentorship. The organization also develops support networks for crime victims and provides mental health counseling for veterans and schoolchildren to avoid expulsion.

Mr. Speaker, Newark Community Solutions produces real results, and they are felt throughout Essex County. In cities throughout my district, we are seeing safer streets, reduced incarceration, and improved neighborhood perceptions of justice.

The program at Newark Community Solutions can be a model for cities throughout the country. Newark Community Solutions shows that, by investing in the community, we can build a foundation for sensible and thoughtful criminal justice reform.