Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, in September 2010, my Republican colleagues issued A Pledge to America, stating that it is time to do away with old agendas. That much is clear.

However, what is also clear is that this pledge is not to the majority of the American people but to corporate America. To make matters worse, Republicans are taking up legislation that will encourage the shipping of jobs overseas and weaken the rights of middle class workers.

Furthermore, my Republican colleagues have fast-tracked what is more appropriately called the ``Job Outsourcers' Bill of Rights'' in the interest of their cronies in corporate America.

Proponents of this bill claim that it will protect jobs by prohibiting the government from interfering with a company's ability to move its operation. However, the law that Republicans are trying to amend to do so, the National Labor Relations Act, does not restrict the location of company operations at all unless the company's location effort is an act to retaliate against workers exercising their right to organize, to demand better benefits, safer working conditions, and ensure a full day's pay for an honest day's work.

This is obviously a response to the case against Boeing, and I find it inappropriate. Change in the law in the middle of trial is irresponsible and dangerous.

The United States Chamber of Commerce wrote a letter in support of this bill. But as noted in the letter, they represent the interests of business. Well, I represent the interests of the American people.

I was voted into this position not by Wall Street, not by corporate America, not by those people who reside in high-rise skyscrapers, but by hardworking Americans who want to raise their families the way that we had an opportunity to raise ours rather than ratchet it down to the bottom.

I believe that this bill is foolish, hazardous to the well-being of our Nation's workers, and our economic development.

It is time for the Republicans to abandon this pledge to corporate America. I urge my colleagues to vote against this outsourcing bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my congratulations to Dr. Edythe M. Abdullah on her investiture as the sixth president of Essex County College. As the first female to lead this 13,000 student institution, Dr. Abdullah has already demonstrated her strong competency in leadership and her knowledge of academia. Clearly, these attributes contributed to her selection as president following the college's nationwide search for a replacement for President Emeritus, Dr. A. Zachary Yamba.

Dr. Abdullah's impressive background as a college administrator which includes her presidency at Florida State College has allowed

her to easily transition to the Essex County College Campus. That experience coupled with her undergraduate degree from Valparaiso University, her Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida and her Leadership Certificate from Harvard University make her very qualified to add her distinctive branding to Essex County College.

Fortunately, for the community at large, Dr. Abdullah understands the unique challenges faced by students with potential but who lack the resources needed to obtain a higher education. Accordingly, she has launched multiple initiatives that will allow Essex County College to address the economic requirements of students while preparing them for the future. In fact, the underlying theme: Changing Lives . . . Building Futures includes actionable processes that are measurable and comprehensive in their scope.

Since her arrival in Newark, Dr. Abdullah has impressed me with her willingness to make tough but necessary decisions. This investiture is a fitting culmination of her obvious dedication to excellence. I am pleased to join her family, faculty, colleagues, students and the Greater Newark community in feting her on this wonderful occasion.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me as I rise to pay tribute to Robert (Bob) Meehan as he retires from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Inc. It is my distinct pleasure to add my congratulations to that of his family, friends and colleagues as they celebrate in honor of a man who has been involved in every aspect of Horizon's business markets for 20 years. For all the leadership he has shown and the contributions he has made over the years, Bob Meehan is a worthy recipient of the accolades he will receive on July 26, 2011.

I consider it an honor to have served on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity with Bob Meehan for a number of years. Not only has Bob been an asset to the Board with his business savvy and creativity but he also served in several leadership positions including Board President. Bob was instrumental in revitalizing key Y programs and steering the organization through a difficult financial period. He has been a mentor to new Board members and I have been advised that Bob has also been a mentor to many Horizon employees including my New Jersey Chief of Staff.

Bob and I have two other things in common; we both graduated from Seton Hall University and we both spent a number of years with Prudential Insurance Company. Prudential's loss was definitely Horizon's gain as Bob made his mark in a variety of marketing and customer service related areas. His efforts on behalf of the customers and employees of Horizon will long be remembered and Bob's incredible style will be greatly missed by all those who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Mr. Speaker, I know my fellow members of the House of Representatives agree that Bob Meehan has been an integral part of Horizon. Bob's retirement is the culmination of a stellar career and we wish him well in this new and exciting phase of his life.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in honoring Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Ireland, Orla O'Hanrahan, for her outstanding service here in Washington, DC.

Building on her years of experience in the Irish Foreign Service, Orla has brought to her position here tremendous skill, knowledge, diplomacy and enthusiasm.

Her past accomplishments include serving as a popular Consul General in Boston and Joint Director General of the International Fund for Ireland. She held the position of Press Officer for the Irish Embassy in Paris, and also was stationed in London during a time of great conflict and violence between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Having visited Northern Ireland myself during that period, and as a member of the Congressional Friends of Ireland Caucus, I appreciate the important role that diplomats like Orla played during that difficult time which culminated in the successful Good Friday Accord.

Orla is a wonderful public servant and I know my colleagues join me in wishing her continued success and happiness as she returns to Ireland with her family.

Mr. Speaker, today we are witnessing a tragic humanitarian crisis in Somalia and the Horn of Africa, which is currently experiencing its worst drought in over 60 years. According to USAID, crops have failed; livestock has died, and prices in the local markets are too high for most people to buy what they need to feed their families.

On July 20, 2011, the United Nations announced that famine exists in two regions of Somalia. This crisis is affecting over 11 million people throughout the region, and USAID estimates that over 3.2 million people are in life-threatening situations and are in dire need of food, water and medical attention. Additionally, over 80 percent of those fleeing Somalia are believed to be women and children.

At Kenyan and Ethiopian refugee camps, Somali children under the age of 5 are dying at an alarming rate. I visited a camp in Kenya 2 years ago, the Dadaab camp, where many of the refugees from Somalia are going. There are five times as many people in that camp as the camp can handle. It was overcrowded 2 years ago, and with the drought, it is just becoming almost impossible to sustain life.

An alarming 60 percent of the people at risk are still in al-Shabaab- held territory. Al-Shabaab is supported by al Qaeda. They initially said there was no drought--a denial. Yet, in the part of the country of which they are in charge, the drought is very serious, especially in southern Sudan. Then they did agree that the drought was occurring and said they would allow humanitarian organizations to go to that area to distribute food and medicine. However, just last week, they changed their position again.

As we saw in the nineties with Aidid and Ali Mahdi in the original drought during which the United States became involved in Somalia, we cannot have the political warlords and that situation happen again. The World Food Programme and the United Nations are desperately trying to get the food, water and medical assistance into that area, and we are going to continue to ask the al-Shabaab people to allow the food to come in.

During a similar drought in Ethiopia during the early eighties, the international community was slow to respond, resulting in more than 1 million deaths. Then world leaders said, Never again. Now we are facing a worsening humanitarian disaster that threatens to take even more lives. We must act and support those in need.

I have to commend USAID and the work that they're doing. Yesterday, at a hearing we had on this situation, Ms. Cromer, from the USAID, talked about the fact that they had an early warning system and that they had pre-positioned food, which shows that planning has resulted in less loss of life than there would have been had it not been pre- positioned, but we still have a serious problem.

Last week I introduced H. Res. 361, calling attention to this crisis, and we have already over 50 cosponsors.

Indeed, Congress is taking notice. My colleagues, Jim McGovern, Jo Ann Emerson, members of the Hunger Caucus, along with myself and Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters and Gwen Moore and others have been very vocal on this issue. Ms. McCollum also has added her voice, from Minnesota.

The crisis is worsening, though. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network believes that within the next 1 or 2 months, the famine will spread throughout all of southern Somalia. As the situation has grown more dire, over 600,000 Somalis have fled to neighboring countries, some walking hundreds of miles to refugee camps. The roads to these camps in northern Kenya and eastern Ethiopia have been described by The Washington Post just yesterday and others as ``roads of death.'' Thousands of women, children, and elderly are left on the side of the road weak from malnutrition, unable to continue. They are resting on those who have already died.

So I ask all of you to respond to this very serious situation.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues today to address H.R. 2560, the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act.

House Republicans are bringing to the floor H.R. 2560, which is another attempt to enact the policies embedded in their budget resolution. However, this act is even more extreme because it mandates that the House and Senate approve a constitutional amendment imposing their political philosophy.

While House Democrats have pushed for a balanced approach to minimize the deficit, Republican Members have pushed forward with a plan to end Medicare in order to preserve tax breaks for special interests, Big Oil, and corporations that transport jobs abroad. Throughout the process of negotiations, House Democrats have focused on protecting Medicare, strengthening the middle class, and creating jobs. America's middle class and seniors will suffer the most as the GOP continues to stand in the way of a reasonable, balanced deficit reduction agreement.

The national unemployment rate is down to 9.1 percent; however, 8.8 million jobs were lost. So I ask that we reject this bill coming up.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in our efforts to protect senior citizens and Social Security.

Over the past few weeks, I have received hundreds of phone calls and letters from my constituents, urging me to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

I have a question: What will happen to the millions of senior citizens and people living in poverty who rely on these programs?

It seems like the Republicans are focusing on giving tax breaks to those who need them the least. Currently, approximately 52 million Americans benefit from the Social Security program. According to the most recent statistics published by the AARP, one in six residents in New Jersey receives Social Security. In addition, statistics show that women rely more on Social Security than any other segment of our population.

Therefore, I urge my Republican colleagues to put aside their contempt for entitlement programs and to submit to doing what is best for the interests of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me as I rise to offer this tribute to Ms. Joyce Reilly as she is honored on April 3, 2011 by Drew University's Center for Holocaust/Genocide Studies. This is a well deserved honor for a woman who has had an incredible interest in and compassion for her fellow human beings who have been victims of various atrocities throughout our world. The empathy that Joyce Reilly demonstrates towards all people in general, and victims of genocide, in particular manifested itself when she was a young child. She knew at a tender age that she would want to spend her life promoting activities and serving in capacities that would be meaningful to the survivors and would honor the memories of the deceased.

Joyce Reilly's passion to increase awareness of past and on-going acts of genocide led her to pursue multiple ventures to achieve her goals. Fortunately, for Drew University, Joyce began her studies in psychology there in 1970. She would subsequently work in various residential communities serving emotionally and mentally challenged individuals. These communities included Great Britain, Germany and the United States. A life-long learner, Joyce continued her studies at Mercy College (now Sunbridge College) in Detroit, Michigan and served for a time on its faculty. In 1982, Joyce would move to Kimberton, Pennsylvania where she founded Gheel House, a therapeutic community for the mentally and emotionally challenged. She serves as the Executive Director of Logos Foundation, a foundation for young children endangered by war, poverty and their effects on modern life. Through Joyce's many interactions with victims and visits to sites of conflicts, she has been able to meet some incredible people including Dr. Joseph Seberenzi, former Speaker of the House in Rwanda who is a survivor of that genocide and a conflict transformation specialist.

Mr. Speaker, I know that the family, friends and associates of the Ms. Reilly are proud of what she has accomplished so far in her life. My office has been fortunate to work with her on Darfur through a collaboration of organizations working to assist those victims who struggle daily to overcome the tragedies visited on its people in recent years. I ask my fellow members to join me in this tribute to excellence. It is a proud moment for me to acknowledge her today and to let her know how much all of us appreciate the work she continues to do.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me as I rise to pay tribute to the wonderful accomplishments of George E. Shinhoster as he retires from the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity. It is indeed a pleasure for me to add my congratulations to that of his family, friends and colleagues of the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity as they celebrate in honor of a man who has been a Y professional for 42 years. George Shinhoster's retirement caps a career that saw him lead YMCA's in multiple states, with his last five years in the great State of New Jersey. For all the contributions he has made over the years, Mr. Shinhoster deserves to be feted on this marvelous albeit melancholy occasion.

The YMCA of Newark and Vicinity was fortunate to have the wise counsel of Mr. Shinhoster who came to serve on an interim basis but chose to stay for an extended period. During his tenure, he was able to accomplish multiple goals including a positive financial bottom line. Rarely has an individual been such an integral part of an organization where strength, integrity and determination have been the driving forces of the outcomes. Clearly, George Shinhoster could have taken his talents elsewhere but the Y is extremely grateful that he chose to follow in the footsteps of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King whom he credits with much of his accomplishments. In fact, George Shinhoster worked with Dr. King during the 1960's and participated in many of the civil rights initiatives occurring during that time period.

Based on George's background, it is no wonder that he chose to serve and he has served well. As a strong supporter of the YMCA and its programs for youth, it has been my personal honor to work with George Shinhoster and to encourage his efforts. These efforts have led to some dynamic improvements and image boosting for the YMCA of Newark and Vicinity. His sphere of influence in the community and the synergy he helped to create through the Y will always be remembered by the many employees, program participants and residents of the Greater Newark area.

Mr. Speaker, I know my fellow members of the House of Representatives agree that George Shinhoster has been a part of the fabric of the Y and that his departure will leave a void that will not easily be filled. We wish him well in this new phase of his life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize June 21 as National Summer Learning Day and draw attention to the importance of high- quality summer learning opportunities in the lives of young people. This day is an opportunity for schools, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, resident camps, sports clubs, businesses, museums and libraries to showcase the contributions they make to the lives of young people during the summer.

The effort to keep kids learning during summer is based on research that shows that without effective summer learning opportunities: most students fall more than two months behind in math over the summer; low- income children fall behind two to three months in reading each summer, while their middle and upper-income peers make slight gains; and by the end of fifth grade, lower-income children can be nearly three years behind their higher-income peers in reading.

Last year, nearly 500 events were held nationwide that highlighted how summer learning programs advance academic growth, support working families, keep children safe and send students back to school ready to learn.

I am proud to recognize National Summer Learning Day and encourage communities across the country to celebrate and acknowledge the importance of providing all young people with high-quality learning opportunities during the summer months.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, I ask my colleagues to vote against any language in the Agriculture appropriations bill that would seek to cut funding for the WIC program.

As you know, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, WIC, makes it possible for vulnerable children to have a healthy start. The Republican cuts will deny many children a chance to receive nutritious food by cutting WIC funding from $6.73 billion this year to $6.05 billion in 2012. This cut is a cut of more than $650 million below the fiscal level of 2011. And this is much less than the continuing cost of the high-end Bush tax cuts, oil company tax breaks, and various other write-offs for well-to-do taxpayers or powerful corporations.

If we allow these cuts to take place, approximately 200,000 to 300,000 women

and children nationwide will lose WIC benefits next year. In fact, in the State of New Jersey, approximately 4,000 to 6,000 low-income families will be turned away by WIC. This is very alarming to me because these cuts will negatively impact a substantial number of low- income women and children in my district.

As a former public school teacher in the inner city of Newark, New Jersey, I witnessed firsthand the effects of hunger and malnutrition on children trying to learn. When they came to school to take tests, they couldn't concentrate. They were unable to really focus on what they had before them. The reality is this: If a child is hungry, he simply cannot learn. If a child is hungry, he is unable to focus in class. What are his chances of thriving academically? If we are serious about closing the achievement gap and ensuring that students are career and college ready, cutting WIC will be in direct contradiction.

In light of rising food prices and current unemployment rates, it would be catastrophic to strip funding from this vital program. I strongly believe that by cutting WIC funding, we risk neglecting and preventing children from getting a head start in recognizing the excellence of their human potential.

We, as a nation, are still a great nation. We are the wealthiest nation in the world. We have the greatest ideals and opportunities for people. But I think that we are being shortsighted. We have a problem and we will deal with it, as we have done for all other problems. In World War II, we had no navy. We had no army that was significant. However, we built ships that floated. We trained people in 20 and 30 days to rivet and to make our powerful defense mechanism work, and we won the war for the world.

We can win this war of the deficit in this country. I think that even the constituents of my good friends on the other side of the aisle, my tea party friends, my Republican friends--go back home and ask people, Do you want to pull the food out of the mouths of babes? Because from the mouths of babes ofttimes come gems. And if our Nation is going to be a great nation in the world, as we are today, we're not going to do it by starving the children and harming the women. It's unconscionable, it's disgraceful, and it's a mark on the House of Representatives. It's really something that shouldn't be.

Therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote against any provisions cutting funding for the WIC program.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 372, I was absent due to unforeseen circumstances. Had I been present, I would have voted``no.''

Rollcall No. 372 was a vote on the Cravaack of Minnesota Amendment No. 152 to H.R. 1540, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. This amendment will completely eliminate the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). While I believe spending cuts within our defense budget are necessary, I also believe that those cuts must be smart and targeted.

The United States Institute of Peace--created by Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan--is the only independent U.S. government actor that is dedicated solely to conflict prevention and resolution. USIP produces timely expert analysis on issues critical to policymakers and conflict prevention practitioners. In early February 2011, USIP published a ``PEACE Report'' on the political stalemate in Cote d'Ivoire following the November 28, 2010 election and the broader issue of preventing electoral violence in Africa. The elimination of USIP will have strong, adverse impact on America's security interests. USIP is an important national security actor. The U.S. government must have options for resolving international conflict other than military action.

USIP is the critical bridge between governmental and non-governmental actors to promote peace in volatile conflicts. USIP's Center for Mediation and Conflict Resolution conducts work in a number of critical conflict zones in Africa, Middle East, and across the globe. In the Arab-Israeli conflict, USIP is addressing a series of challenges and opportunities facing the parties. USIP has been focusing on the capacity of the Israeli and Palestinian publics to build consensus and support for a negotiated agreement, and the role of U.S. policymakers in encouraging and supporting these efforts toward a peaceful resolution.

USIP is also dealing with several issues in Nigeria, a country rife with conflicts over petroleum resources and religion. Amidst this situation, USIP is working on peace efforts for the Niger Delta region, including working collaboratively with local governments, oil companies, and Nigerian NGOs.

For nearly two decades, the USIP has been working in Sudan on peace processes. Its knowledge and expertise has helped shape

the environment that has contributed, so far, to a relatively peaceful outcome of the referendum. USIP's work on prevention, power-sharing, constitutional reform and natural resources has made a critical difference in the country's local capacity.

In addition, USIP has been able to contribute to the successful mitigation of violence in Kenya, due to its longstanding relationships with influential and highly skilled civil society activists and its reputation as an independent and unbiased party. USIP has the ability to act fast, responding, for example, to the unforeseen electoral violence crisis in 2007 with targeted assistance to a local group in time to make a difference. USIP is now working toward contributing to a peaceful election in 2012.

USIP is a small, agile center of innovation in support of America's national security interests in supporting peace and democracy in Africa and across the globe. USIP has been a very useful resource to policymakers for decades. Therefore, eliminating this critical institution abolishes a cost-effective alternative to military forces.

Mr. Speaker, the Republican leadership has ignored the need for a strong jobs agenda and, worse, they have pushed budget plans that would only further depress the economy and harm the unemployed.

My constituents need a real job agenda in Washington now. Yet my Republican colleagues continue to promote efforts to do the opposite. On May 11, the Committee on Ways and Means approved a Republican bill that would end employment as we know it, deceivingly calling it the JOBS Act. This act would eliminate the guarantee of Federal payment for temporary extended unemployment benefits on July 6.

This plan would take $32 billion now in the Federal unemployment trust funds intended for extended unemployment benefits and ship the money to the States in block grants. It would also set unreasonable qualifying requirements to receive benefits and allow for the permanent diversion of regular unemployment funds with waivers.

More than 4 million Americans could lose extended benefits under this plan? This is unacceptable.

I assume that the floor vote on this was postponed because my colleagues on the other side of the aisle received a message of disapproval from the American people. But more than abandoning this misguided bill, we need a stronger effort to increase jobs and improve our economy. The American taxpayers want and deserve more now.

Mr. Speaker, this upcoming September 11 will mark the 10th anniversary of the most horrific act of terrorism, executed under the leadership of the now deceased Osama bin Laden.

We will never forget the images of burning buildings, crashing planes, and Americans running for their lives. Three thousand people never came back home that Tuesday, and families will again remember the last time they hugged their loved ones good-bye. What will be different this September 11 is that Osama bin Laden will no longer be able to celebrate the destruction he caused and the lives he destroyed.

President Obama, we thank you for a superb operation. Thank you for having the courage to make the decision so many would have backed away from.

Because of President Obama's team of experts, this risky mission was backed by sound information, solid facts, and accurate calculations. His goal was clear: Get Osama bin Laden. And that is exactly what happened. This is truly a mission accomplished.

I commend our Commander in Chief, Barack Obama, for his intelligent execution. This is not a celebration of death; this is a celebration of justice, courage, sacrifice, and democracy. And this is a celebration of leadership.

Mr. President, your 40-minute operation has helped bring closure to so many Americans for a lifetime.

Let me begin by commending our Commander in Chief, President Barack Obama, and his team of experts who debated and discussed the exercise that eliminated Osama bin Laden. On an issue like this, there are many different points of view, and it takes a person who has the ability to evaluate to take charge. And he made a decision.

We certainly would like to commend the Navy SEALs who did another extraordinary job, just as they did in Somalia when I was there. I was in Somalia the day after the Navy SEALs eliminated the pirates who had hijacked a ship. And I was at a press conference in Mogadishu where I said that when you tread on Americans, this is the result. In the middle of Mogadishu as I left, as you may recall, my plane was fired on by persons who are related to al Qaeda.

Well, let me once again comment that New Jersey, who lost so many people in 9/11 going to the World Trade Center where many of them work, we hope that they will have some peace.