Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor two cultural institutions in my district who have announced that they are formally merging. The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Kimmel Center are poised to bring the greatest performances and most impactful education and community programs, in person and digitally, to audiences in Philadelphia, nationally and worldwide.

This merger is an example of how cultural and creative non-profits can be drivers of a post-pandemic economy. The creative and performing arts play an integral role in Philadelphia and across all Congressional Districts. This new cultural and creative non-profit will be led by Matias Tarnopolsky. America is a land of immigrants and his family's journey from Argentina to the United Kingdom to California to Pennsylvania is inspiring.

The Kimmel Center is America's premier performing arts venue. I join countless Philadelphians with unforgettable memories from visits to this exquisite hall. My constituents and visitors from across the world have watched performances there as well as celebrating weddings and graduations.

The Philadelphia Orchestra has a deep partnership with the State Department. They are the only American orchestra to visit Vietnam. They have performed for our troops in Korea and to mark 30 years of democracy, they made history by traveling to Mongolia.

I join the constituents of Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District in extending warm wishes to the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Kimmel Center in this new venture.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from the great State of New York for his leadership. In such a short period of time, what he has demonstrated to all of us about being a leader, I applaud him for this.

I am pleased to join with my colleagues in the Progressive Caucus as we continue to advocate for President Biden's American Families Plan and investing in the care economy.

That means things like funding for high-quality, affordable childcare, including universal pre-K; making sure that childcare costs do not exceed 7 percent of income for working families; ensuring that childcare workers, who are largely women and people of color, have a $15 minimum wage--let me repeat that--ensuring that childcare workers, who are largely women and people of color, have a $15 minimum wage; and meaningful investments in Medicare home and community-based services, which would help workers in the home care industry.

Everyone would like to say they are pro-family and pro-children. This is the chance to prove it.

Earlier this month, I joined with SEIU members in Philadelphia to rally for passing $400 billion for caregiving. I told them funding for childcare and other caregiving is essential, since we actually want people to be able to go back to work.

We started this year off big and bold with $1.9 trillion in the American Rescue Plan. That was a big step in the right direction. It was a down payment.

The American people voted into office a Democratic President, a Democratic Senate, and a Democratic House. As we promise to build back better, they expect us to do more than just reset the calendar to February 2020. The old normal wasn't so great for millions of Americans, including many Philadelphians I represent. They deserve better than the old normal. The American Families Plan would do a lot to deliver on our promise. Let's get it done.

Again, I thank Mr. Bowman for his leadership and the importance of this leadership and all the members of the Progressive Caucus demonstrating how we are going to lead the charge.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium who leveraged their medical expertise and connections to facilitate testing and provide vaccines where measures are most needed in the Philadelphia region. They stepped up to level the playing field by testing and vaccinating thousands of people in at- risk communities.

Surgeon Ala Stanford along with a dedicated team of volunteers have sought to eliminate health disparities during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium was founded by Dr. Stanford in the spring of 2020, to address the lack of Covid-19 testing in low- income and communities of color in Philadelphia, who also happened to have the highest positivity rates. Their efforts undoubtedly saved countless lives.

Dr. Stanford left her role as a pediatric surgeon to dedicate her time to aggressively confront the growing health disparities in Black communities during the pandemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control--Black patients represent 22 percent of Covid cases and are 2.8 times more likely to be hospitalized and 1.9 times more likely to die due to Covid-19 as compared to White Americans. These starks figures are what drove Dr. Stanford to create the formation of BDCC. She declared, ``There was no testing in communities where people were dying the most. So, we created it.'' Her work has been invaluable to the city of Philadelphia, particularly for low-income and vulnerable residents.

The consortium has tested more than 25,000 people and vaccinated more than 50,000 Philadelphians at 50 clinics. It also offers home vaccinations for people who can't access clinics. These services have been provided free to the public. They have recently partnered with Uber to provide 10,000 free rides aimed at helping people get to and from BDCC sites. Their work has drawn praise from the Biden's administration top health officials. ``She is the perfect example of how a community member can stand up and lead during a time of crisis,'' Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said.

The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium held a ``vaxathon'' a 24-hour, walk-up vaccine site, which saw a massive turnout. The group vaccinated nearly 4,000 people, 75 percent of whom were people of color. It was a wildly successful event designed to increase the

number of vaccinations given to Black Philadelphians and to reduce the vaccination disparity between White and Black Philadelphians.

Dr. Ala Stanford is the recipient of several awards including the Health Equality Advocate award, and she is a decorated and revered physician who is considered a champion for health equity and access. She is a native of North Philadelphia who pours her all into creating wellness outcomes for her communities. Her accolades are lengthy, and she's the first Black woman pediatric surgeon trained entirely in the United States. She's board certified by the American Board of Surgery in both pediatric and adult surgery.

With all her accomplishments and community work, Dr. Stanford has received a great deal of national media attention for her phenomenal work with the BDCC in providing care during the pandemic. Her work is regarded as a model for sound community health engagement. Assistant U.S. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levin stated: ``The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium is such a fantastic example of how we're going to reach individuals in their communities with messages from people that they know and people that they trust--trusted messengers like Dr. Stanford.''

The Third Congressional District of Pennsylvania extends gratitude to the Black Doctors COVID-19 and Dr. Ala Stanford for their dedicated support and extraordinary service to the people of Philadelphia in their effort to provide testing and expand access and equitable distribution of the coronavirus vaccine.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

This act is big and bold, and it begins to keep our promise to Build Back Better. This is a historic bill, a policy revolution.

It includes: cutting child poverty in half, expanding the earned income tax credit for our essential workers, and saving people's pensions.

It means a shot in the arm, returning kids to school safely, and more people back in jobs.

My constituents in Philadelphia feel it is needed now. This is something we all should be working on together.

I thank the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and all of the

staff for working on this very important bill. This is something that is long overdue, and I am glad to be part of it.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the great State of Texas for that introduction and along with my colleague from the great State of Alabama.

When I had my first visit ever in my life to Alabama it was because of Terri Sewell who got me down there, and to the chairwoman of our fantastic caucus, Congresswoman Beatty.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus in honoring the memory of Congressman John Lewis and renewing his call for good trouble.

I was 10 years old when I first saw Congressman Lewis on television walking across the Pettus Bridge. And I had

to be here to stand at this anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march in Selma when Congressman Lewis and so many others risked their lives for the right to vote.

This year we have seen more than 250 State-level bills that will restrict voting. Members of the Pennsylvania legislature have introduced at least 14 restrictive voting measures, 14 bills including some that would require a State-approved excuse to vote absentee. That would be a rollback of the vote-by-mail law.

It is important to stand, Mr. Speaker, to stand tall and for us to learn from the great John Lewis that if you see something, do something. There is no way that I could not add my voice to this effort. I must stand because I see something, and I plan to do something.

It is important to understand that we need to keep working on the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act by getting into good trouble. We need to all be prepared, Mr. Speaker, to continue this fight.

Although Congressman Lewis is physically not with us, his spirit is with us, and we all must recognize that only through the collective effort in the spirit that he has imparted upon us that we must continue this effort.

So I wanted to make sure that my voice is added to the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and I want to do everything that I can to ensure that it takes place because it is for these types of efforts that we need a constant reminder.

Mr. Speaker, I say to Congresswoman Sewell, yes, we must continue our journey to Alabama, to Selma. We must continue these discussions and raise our voice. We must continue to show people that until this happens, we are not going to stop. It is important to all of us.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Beatty for showing the leadership, along with Congresswoman Jackson Lee, for us showing this collective effort, for us working together to pass this act today.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the American Relief Plan desperately needed by Philadelphia constituents. This plan extends the poverty-busting earned income tax credits and provides billions for small businesses. It expands vaccine access, addresses health disparities, and helps schools open safely. The American people are counting on us to crush the virus. Let's do the right thing and pass this very critical bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to observe National Gun Violence Survivors Week.

During this pandemic, gun violence has increased in many communities, including my city of Philadelphia. We suffered 50 homicides last month alone.

We must pass reforms like universal background checks and closing the Charleston loophole. The House acted in 2019, but the Senate did not. While these bills would not stop 100 percent of shootings, they would certainly save some lives.

We must also help the victims and the survivors of this violence. Too often, they don't know where to turn or what kinds of things or help are available. That is why Senator Casey and I will soon reintroduce our Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act.

In the last session, we had nearly 80 cosponsors in the House. I invite you

both, new and returning Members, to add your name. Our fellow Americans need our help.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an influential and dedicated gentleman from Pittsburgh, Richard ``Dick'' Thornburgh, a devoted public official, former U.S. Attorney General and the 41st governor of Pennsylvania who died on December 31, 2020 at age 88.

Dick Thornburgh dedicated his life and career to improving the lives of others through public service. Prior to being elected to public office, Thornburgh attended Mercersburg Academy then Yale University from which he obtained an engineering degree in 1954. He later received a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1957, where he served as an editor of the Law Review. He became a member of the Pittsburgh-based law firm Kirkpatrick & Lockhart in 1959. Additionally, Dick was awarded 32 honorary degrees from 32 other colleges and universities.

Dick Thornburgh stands out as an honest, reform-minded public leader. He is universally regarded as an intelligent and empathetic leader. He built his reputation as a crime-busting federal prosecutor in Pittsburgh and as a moderate Republican governor. He is also well known for being a champion to those with intellectual disabilities. Both he and his wife were active in programs for the disabled. In 1985, the Thornburgh's were named ``Family of the Year'' by the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens. As Attorney General, Dick was instrumental in the passing of the Americans With Disabilities Act in 1990.

Dick Thornburgh was the first Republican to serve two successive terms as governor. He was recognized by fellow governors in a 1986 Newsweek poll as one of the most effective big-state governors in the nation. As governor, he oversaw the response to the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident. His calm and steady leadership helped with efforts to the partial meltdown at the nuclear power plant and played a major role in facilitating funding for the cleanup operation. Dick was responsible for consolidating all of Pennsylvania's state- owned colleges and universities into the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Furthermore, he is credited for creating the Governor's Schools, which were programs for talented and gifted high school students.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan appointed Dick Thornburgh as the United States Attorney General and held on to that position after President George H.W. Bush was inaugurated. Thornburgh was sworn into office

after being unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate and served three years as Attorney General. He was steadfast in his pursuit against white-collar crime as the Department of Justice obtained a record number of convictions of savings and loan crisis and other securities officials, defense contractors and corrupt public officials. Dick also established strong relations with law enforcement agencies around the world to help combat drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorism and international white-collar crime.

As an accomplished public leader Dick Thornburgh also worked at the international level, serving as a consultant to the United Nations, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank to combat against corruption and fraud. He penned the book ``Puerto Rico's Future: A Time to Decide'' in 2007, where he argued for a change in the island's territorial/commonwealth status, and concluded it was a relic of colonialism. Throughout his career, Dick traveled widely, visiting over 40 countries and meeting with leaders from Africa, Australia, Canada, China, Cambodia, Europe, the Middle East, Japan, Ukraine, Taiwan, New Zealand and Central and South America. He was a former member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

As evidenced by his historic career Dick Thornburgh, dedicated his life to advocating and improving the lives of others. He was a model public servant. The 3rd Congressional District of Pennsylvania extends gratitude to Dick Thornburgh for his dedicated support and service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and mourns with his family and loved ones.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary Philadelphia International Record (PIR). One of music's most historic record labels.

Visionary song-writing producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff co- founded PIR in 1971. Together they engineered one of the most significant chapters in music history. The groundbreaking label gave birth to the sophisticated Philly Soul sound also known as ``The Sound of Philadelphia.'' Patti LaBelle, Teddy Pendergrass, The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Billy Paul, Lou Rawls and McFadden & Whitehead are just some of the stars who took the duo's distinguishing sound to the top of the charts.

The Gamble and Huff partnership began in 1963, when the two hardworking musicians from West Philly and Camden met in the elevator of the Shubert Building, which now houses the Merriam Theater. They were both toiling as writers for separate music production firms. They joined forces and became a potent songwriting/production team. The ``Philly Soul'' sound featured a mix of doo-wop, gospel, R&B, and sound known for its orchestral sounds.

Philadelphia Soul music is known for its incorporation of lush string arrangements along with penetrating brass, and often conveys very personal and emotional stories. The world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra's string section was often employed to play on many of Philadelphia International Record's tracks. Philly Soul is widely considered a producer's genre. Everyone from the Jacksons to B.B King to David Bowie came to Philadelphia seeking Philly soul magic. Philadelphia was a center for pop music.

50 years since its inception, Philadelphia and the world are poised to celebrate the golden anniversary of the label. The anniversary will highlight the extraordinary musical output of the storied label and spotlight milestone musical moments, artists and songs from the remarkable Philadelphia International Records family that have defined the landmark label and its incredible impact over the past 50 years.

In 2014, Sony Music Entertainment announced their historic deal with Philadelphia International Records, securing global ownership of all recordings made for PIR. The landmark deal added all post-1975 PIR recordings to the PIR titles already owned by Sony Music Entertainment, reuniting the entirety of the Philadelphia International Recordings catalog under a single global licensing and reissue entity.

For nearly 30 years, Warner Chappell Music has had the privilege of representing Gamble and Huff and their legendary music catalog, which includes nearly 3000 songs. Their impact on the music industry is immeasurable.

To celebrate this milestone a flurry of projects will showcase the Philadelphia International brand and accord Gamble and Huff along with key collaborators like their ``Mighty Three'' partner Thom Bell-- increased appreciation and respect as 20th century Black music pioneers on a par with giants like Motown's Berry Gordy. According to Kenny Gamble co-founder of Philadelphia International Records ``It's a blessing to celebrate all the writers, musicians, engineers, disc jockey, and all the people that were on our team. When I listen to this music now. I can close my eyes and the music brings us all back together again. Hearing this music reminds me of all the hard work and dedication our team went through to make such a long-lasting catalog, that has been embraced by the world and I'm thankful.''

I am honored to extend my sincere congratulations to such an outstanding duo and celebrate the legacy that is Philadelphia International Records and The Sound of Philadelphia.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an influential and dedicated gentleman from Philadelphia, Keven Parker, a well-known restaurant owner and community advocate whose recent passing on January 15, 2021 has left a void in the minds and hearts of the citizens of Philadelphia.

Keven Parker was an incredible restaurateur and entrepreneur and his loss will be felt in the city of Philadelphia for years to come. He followed his mother's mission of feeding people delicious meals with restaurants on South Street, in Reading Terminal Market and operating a catering business.

Ms. Tootsie's Soul Food Cafe is a household name dedicated for his mother and her famous penchant for Tootsie's Rolls. Keven as a young child would observe and help his mother Joyce, as she would teach him the details and nuances of producing extraordinary satisfying Soul Food.

Keven was a hard working and self-made shining star entrepreneur and was one of contemporary Philadelphia's great personalities and a true visionary. He came from humble origins but strong roots. Parker grew up in West Philadelphia and became a successful businessman, overseeing six distinct entities.

Keven Parker's restaurants were well regarded and were frequented by such people as President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Patti LaBelle, Will Smith and a host of others. His groundbreaking establishment Ms. Tootsie's on South Street was named the best Southern-Style restaurant for three years running in Black Enterprise magazine and was featured on food TV shows. The Food Network's Robert Irvine raved about his fried chicken on The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

Furthermore, Parker was committed to giving back to his community exemplified by hiring 55 individuals in his employ. The Keven Parker Company community outreach includes the Youth Adult Division, giving young men and women the opportunity to work for a progressive and upwardly mobile company while gaining valuable skills in an entrepreneurial and success-driven environment.

Keven Parker dedicated his life to uplifting and improving the lives of others. He was a model citizen. The 3rd Congressional District of Pennsylvania extends gratitude to Keven Parker for his dedicated support and service to the City of Philadelphia and we mourn with his family and friends.

Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the objection.

Madam Speaker, I represent the Third District of Pennsylvania, which includes part of Philadelphia, the birthplace of America. It was in Philadelphia that the Constitution of the United States was written and signed, the very Constitution that we are all sworn to uphold as Members of the House of Representatives.

We are elected to serve our constituents, and it is our job to represent them and their interests in Congress.

Yesterday, I spoke to the son of the late Dick Thornburgh, who is a two-time Republican Governor of Pennsylvania and was Attorney General under President Ronald Reagan and President Bush. His son stressed to me that his father would have wanted the rule of law to prevail regardless of the political outcome, because he cared more about the safeguarding of democracy than partisanship.

In addition, Al Schmidt, who was a Republican commissioner of elections, said, when Philadelphia certified its results on November 23: ``I'm proud that the birthplace of our Republic held the most transparent and secure election in the history of Philadelphia.''

Instead of using this time to dispute the results of our fair and lawful election, we should be spending this time making sure vaccines are quickly given to essential workers and our most vulnerable communities, that people are getting housing.

We should look at rental assistance. We should ensure that that is available.

Small businesses, the engines of our economy, should be getting needed grants and loans.

That should be our focus.

Hospitals desperately need support and help. We should be paying attention to the needs of hospitals.

We are in the middle of a pandemic where hundreds of thousands of people are dying, and we are in a recession that is putting millions of Americans at risk of hunger, homelessness, or both. It is time we start legislating for the people.

One last person I want to mention is our junior Senator, Senator Toomey. There are very few things that he and I agree on, but he has stated very clearly that Joe Biden has won this election. He has stood up on the Senate floor and he has stated that.

So it needs to be very clear that the late Governor Thornburgh; Albert Schmidt, the commissioner; and our current junior Senator all have one thing in common: democracy first, partisanship second. Let's keep that in mind.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New York (Mr. Delgado) for the introduction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my support for H.R. 1649, the Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act.

As vice chair of the Small Business Committee, I was proudly joined by fellow colleagues in the committee, Ranking Member Chabot and Chairwoman Velazquez, in introducing this important bipartisan legislation.

I consider small business to be the foundation of our communities. They are the engines that drive innovativeness, investments, and economic development, and they are the pillars that prop up our neighborhoods.

Both in my home State of Pennsylvania and across the U.S., small businesses account for more than 99 percent of all businesses. Nationally, they support almost 59 million jobs.

Over the past decade, as we have seen immense growth in technology and innovativeness, we have also seen an increase in incidents involving the theft of valuable information from businesses and governments.

In 2014, it was discovered that the Office of Personnel Management was hacked, resulting in the theft of over 20 million records.

In 2013, criminals broke into Target's databases, with the credit and debit information from almost 40 million consumers being compromised.

Breaches have also been reported at Home Depot, JPMorgan Chase, and Sony.

As we have witnessed, these breaches can have extremely devastating and costly impacts on major corporations.

Now, if major entities struggle with the challenges of cybersecurity, what chances do our small businesses have?

H.R. 1649 was written to address this risk by providing cyber training, strategies, and resources to small businesses to better equip themselves against cyberattacks.

I appreciate having the opportunity to co-lead this important piece of legislation that will truly help our small businesses, the backbone of our Nation's economy, have the tools they need to protect themselves and to succeed.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the gentleman and the coleader for leading this event for the Congressional Black Caucus under the leadership of Chairwoman Karen Bass. The Congressional Black Caucus is the conscience of this Congress.

I don't know if you know, and I am constantly reminding people, Mr. Speaker, that the President, in August 2016, came to Philadelphia and said, ``What the hell do you have to lose?'' That is what he said.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus in calling for an increase in the Federal minimum wage. I am pleased that the Democratic leadership plans to put the Raise the Wage Act up for a vote in the House.

A raise for these workers is long overdue. Congress has not raised the national minimum wage in 10 years.

My home State has not raised its minimum wage for 13 years. Inflation has increased the cost of living nearly 19 percent from 10 years ago. Food, healthcare, and utilities all went up.

Let me repeat that. A raise for these workers is long overdue. Congress has not raised the national minimum wage for 10 years. My home State of Pennsylvania has not raised its minimum wage for 13 years. Inflation has raised the cost of living nearly 19 percent from 10 years ago. Food, healthcare, and utilities all went up.

Members from both parties should be able to agree that no one who works full-time should live in poverty. I am very focused on poverty because my city of Philadelphia has a 26 percent poverty rate.

Raising the minimum wage is one of the best tools in the toolbox for lifting Americans out of poverty. That includes 600,000 children who will be lifted out of poverty by the Raise the Wage Act.

It is important, Mr. Speaker, to understand that one of our colleagues, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who leads the effort around the reduction of poverty, particularly child poverty, when we talk about the issue, 600,000 children will be lifted out of poverty by the Raise the Wage Act. How can my colleagues say no to that?

We need to find some way to move forward. We have an opportunity, and that opportunity is the Raise the Wage Act. Americans who are working the hardest to grow our economy need to share the rewards of that growth. Just think, that raise in their pocket allows them to spend money in the economy. That is not something to take lightly.

When we talk about small businesses--and I am the vice chair of the Small Business Committee--and we talk about small businesses being the backbone of our community, obviously, they need customers. They need customers who have money in their pockets.

It is not just enough for that individual, but it is enough for entrepreneurs. It is enough for building businesses. It is enough for building communities. It is enough for all of us to recognize the importance and the significance of raising the wage.

We need to not take that lightly. We need to understand that, in some of our communities, there is a growing income inequality gap, and we need to address that. The way to address it is by fundamentally raising the wage. Raising the wage gives people more of an opportunity to participate in this economy.

We know this economy tends to be rigged for those who are at the top against those at the bottom who are trying to struggle and find a way. When you talk about our not raising the minimum wage in 10 years--and 13 years in Pennsylvania--I want anyone who is listening or watching what is taking place here this evening to know that the Congressional Black Caucus, clearly, as the chairperson always likes to say--she always talks about hidden figures. The hidden figures are that we haven't raised the wage in 10 years, and in Pennsylvania, they haven't raised it in 13 years.

Americans who are working are working harder. They are working more than one job. They are working two, three jobs. There is something wrong with that. The CEOs have definitely been getting their raises.

Where is the raise for the people who cook their food, make their beds, and clean their offices? Where is the raise for the people who cook their food, make their beds, and clean their offices?

Today, led by my two colleagues from the great State of Nevada and the great Virgin Islands who are leaders in this effort, I am glad to join with them to add my voice to raising the wage.

This is not an accident that the Congressional Black Caucus will be in the forefront because this is an issue that means a great deal to an awful lot of Americans and particularly African Americans when we have a President of the United States who comes and says: What do you have to lose?

The fact of the matter is, when we look at his administration, clearly, the policies are not connecting to moving the people, at least not moving the people whom we are talking to and the situations that we are seeing.

The bottom line on the minimum wage is simple: Pay these people now. Pay these people now and raise the wage.

We can no longer joke about this. We can no longer have it as political rhetoric. We must show action, and we must show people that we are determined to raise the wage.

I thank my colleagues for giving me the opportunity to add my voice to both of yours for what we are attempting to do today. We need to keep doing this every single day and not leave here until this wage raises.

The bottom line of the minimum wage is simple: Pay these people now and raise the wage.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Gun Violence Awareness Month and to honor the hundreds of thousands of survivors and victims of gun violence.

In 2018, in my city of Philadelphia, there were 351 homicides, and most of these were committed with a gun. What is happening in Philly is consistent with what is happening every day in violence-plagued Black and Brown communities across this country. It is sickening. So is the Senate's lack of action on commonsense gun reform bills that the House has passed.

While we still need commonsense gun reform, Senator Casey and I have also introduced a bill that Members from both parties should be able to agree on, H.R. 2585, the Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Act.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join the 50 cosponsors and

the many organizations that are putting their concern for gun violence into action by supporting this bill, and I urge the Senate to act on the bills the House has already passed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the hero who has too often been forgotten; Frank Wills is his name, the security guard who discovered the Watergate burglary in progress.

Mr. Wills' discovery ultimately led to the exposure of crimes and scandalous behavior by several members of the Nixon administration and campaign, including the President himself.

Despite his central role in exposing that Presidential scandal, Mr. Wills only received a 3 percent raise in his weekly salary, and his work at the Watergate actually hurt his later efforts to find a new job.

Unfortunately, Mr. Wills passed away at the age of 52 without receiving the type of official recognition he deserved. This week, we observed the anniversary of the Watergate break-in, and on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, I urge everyone to remember Mr. Wills and honor his memory.