Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to request that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 3824, the Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005 (TESRA).

Species conservation is an essential tenet in the effort to promote and maintain a healthy environment. Although I agree with Congressman Pombo's initiative in principle, after reviewing the legislation closely I came to the conclusion that this bill would jeopardize critical habitat protections that endangered plants and animals need to survive and recover their populations, and it would do little to protect the planet's most threatened wildlife.

As a Senior Member of the House Science Committee, I also have serious reservations that in its current form, H.R. 3824 attempts to substitute politics for sound science in decisions involving endangered species, letting expediency and profit motives influence what should be scientific decisions.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in objection to the Manager's Amendment, which would weaken the Violence Against Women Act.

After months of bipartisan negations, H.R. 3402 came out of committee as a balanced bill that sought to help ALL women who are victims of violence.

With the removal of racial and ethnic minorities from the STOP grants section, we will be denying the significant problem of violence in our minority communities.

Unfortunately, domestic violence in our minority population is a substantial problem that is vastly under-reported. If we wish to eradicate violence in our communities we must proceed with policies that address cultural and language barriers.

Our government's commitment to minorities is being questioned by many. Passing this amendment sends a clear message that this Congress does not care about sexual assault and domestic violence in our communities of color.

I strongly urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of reauthorizing the Ryan White CARE Act. Signed into law on August 18, 1990, the act was designed to improve the quality and availability of care for persons with HIV/AIDS and their families.

The Ryan White CARE Act awards critical grants to metropolitan areas with particularly high rates of HIV. These grants help pay for outpatient services including case management, home health, hospice care, housing, transportation and nutrition.

The Ryan White CARE Act also provides money to States for pharmacy support through the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. This act enables the Federal Government to assist States so they provide lifesaving antiviral drugs for people who are HIV-positive.

This legislation lets States choose how to spend the money. This act allows States to dedicate Federal dollars for home and community-based health care and pharmaceuticals. States have formed local consortia to assess communities' needs and organize regional plans for delivery of HIV/AIDS services, as well as medical care.

In addition to supporting the States and major metropolitan areas, the Ryan White CARE Act also provides funds to primary care providers.

This comprehensive law reaches local health departments, homeless shelters, community health centers, hemophilia centers and family planning centers.

Mr. Speaker, I have not heard one negative thing about the Ryan White CARE Act. Why, then, are we allowing this critical legislation to expire without doing anything about it?

Colleagues, allow me to call your attention to the five States with the highest numbers of HIV-infected individuals in the country: New York, California, Florida, Texas, and Georgia. In my own State of Texas, more than 18,000 people are infected with HIV.

HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects African-Americans.

Sixty-two thousand AIDS cases have been reported in Texas through December 2003--and that's not even counting HIV. Half a million people in this country and nearly 35,000 Texans have died of AIDS.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, September 30, the current Ryan White CARE Act will expire. Reauthorizing legislation must be approved. Without it, States, communities and individuals will no longer be able to access the critical funds they need to prevent, diagnose and treat HIV and

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to any further potential cuts to Federal assistance programs.

The Census states that 13 percent of Americans live in poverty and we have seen the face of poverty more glaring recently. In Dallas, my hometown, 23 percent live in poverty, almost double the national average.

America's economy is weak. It is strong for the wealthy but it is weak for the poor. Gas prices are outrageous, the cost of this war is crippling, and continuing conflict is an embarrassment. Tax cuts to the rich are putting down the poor.

Since the current administration took over, there are 5.4 million more people in poverty, 6 million more without health insurance. Americans need jobs, a decent minimum wage and affordable health care.

Mr. Speaker, people living in poverty need help. We must strengthen Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and temporary assistance programs, not cut them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of innovator and publishing pioneer John H. Johnson. After living a remarkably accomplished life that spanned 87 years, John H. Johnson passed on Monday, August 8, 2005.

By embracing positive portrayals of African-Americans, John Johnson's vision and innovation forever shaped the way African-Americans are portrayed in the media and advertising. At a time when media representations of blacks were mostly damaging and stereotypical, Mr. Johnson produced publications that highlighted African-American accomplishments and success.

This innovation and foresight brought together the African-American community. By giving African-Americans something to rally around, he instilled a sense of unity among the black community and created a positive identity. In addition, John Johnson successfully guided the mainstream media and corporations to expand outreach to blacks.

It has been said that the ultimate measure of a person's life is the extent to which they made the world a better place. John H. Johnson's work has forever shaped the African-American community. His contributions will always be remembered. We were all greatly saddened to learn of the passing of John H. Johnson.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I support House passage of H.R. 3765. This bill extends through December 31, 2007, the authority of the Secretary of the Army to accept and expend funds contributed by non-Federal public entities to expedite the processing of permits under the Clean Water Act and the Rivers and Harbor Act of 1899.

This program is popular and well received, particularly in the northwest part of the country. And I congratulate the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird), my committee colleague, for his attention to this issue and for securing today's consideration of this bill.

The language in H.R. 3765 is identical to that which is contained in H.R. 2864, the Water Resources Development Act of 2005, which passed the House on July 14 by an overwhelming vote of 406 to 14. This bill should likewise receive strong support.

Today's consideration of one section of this larger Water Resources Development Act should not be viewed as an indication that the larger bill will not be enacted this year. I remain optimistic that the other House of Congress will soon consider this vital legislation, particularly in light of the vital role of flood damage reduction, navigation, and storm damage reduction projects in protecting lives and property and enhancing economic well-being.

The tragic events associated with Hurricane Katrina indicate how important our water infrastructure really is. However, the Senate is not likely to act on the broader legislation before the Secretary's authority to accept funds expires on September 30, just 10 days from now. By providing this extension, the program can continue uninterrupted; and I urge support of this bill.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baird).

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott).

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today to voice my support for H.R. 3649, the Sportfishing and Recreational Boating Safety Amendments Act of 2005.

The purpose of this bill is very simple: to correct two provisions in the recently passed H.R. 3, the SAFETEA-LU bill. One concerns the reauthorization of the Coast Guard's boating safety program; and the other, Vehicle Safety Operations and Research funding.

The short-term extension that extended the highway program and the funding of the Recreational Boating Safety program until August 15 did not have this provision. However, SAFETEA-LU provided for long-term reauthorization and funding of the Recreational Boating Safety program beginning on October 1, the new fiscal year. So as a result, gas taxes that are collected between August 15 and October 1 from recreational boaters cannot be given to the State boating law administrators to fund their recreational boating safety programs.

H.R. 3649 corrects this problem by extending the old Recreational Boating Safety and Sportfish programs until October 1, 2005, when the new funding formulas take effect.

Madam Speaker, the Recreational Boating Safety Grant program provides 50/50 matching funds to the States for their recreational boating safety and education programs.

These programs save lives. It is our responsibility to see that there is not an interruption in this program.

H.R. 3649 also corrects a funding problem that resulted in a $23.7 million

reduction in fiscal year 2005 funds for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration vehicle safety programs. That highway safety and vehicle safety program funding is split between the highway trust fund and general funds. For fiscal year 2005, appropriations chose to not provide any general fund money to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration vehicle safety program, instead pulling additional resources from the highway trust fund.

NHTSA's vehicle safety program then became subject to the same cut in funding as the highway projects are in SAFETEA-LU. If these funds are not restored, certain vehicle safety activities may be significantly impacted, including ongoing research to test and evaluate automobiles and numerous research projects designed to save lives and prevent injuries on our Nation's roads.

So I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 3649 to ensure that our States receive the necessary matching funds for their recreational boating safety programs between August 15, 2005 and October 1, 2005.

Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, I urge the passage of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of all women who have worked with NASA in preparing to launch the Space Shuttle Discovery.

Women have made great strides in the space and aeronautics industry. The first African American woman in space was my good friend Dr. Mae Jemison. She served as the science mission specialist on STS-47 Spacelab-J in 1992.

In 1999, Mr. Speaker, we had another first: Eileen M. Collins was the first female commander of the space shuttle. Collins and her crew launched aboard Space Shuttle Columbia in July of 1999.

My State of Texas has a strong focus in space and aeronautics as the home of the Johnson Space Center. I am especially proud of all the women who have made significant contributions to the space flight, and I honor their courage. Dr. Mary Ann Webber is another astronaut, who is now employed in my district at the University of Texas Southwest Medical School and working and encouraging young ladies now to think of a career of that sort.

Mr. Speaker, let me thank my colleague for his leadership in bringing this resolution to the floor.

I rise to congratulate the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Discovery crew on their successful return to flight this spring and on the many hours of work leading up to that pivotal moment.

As a member of the House Committee on Science, I support NASA's commitment to science and technology research in space. It has been very successful. I also support the breakthroughs in aeronautics research that NASA has made over the years.

NASA research touches many aspects of our everyday lives such as satellite phone technologies, intensive care monitoring, highway safety, breast cancer biopsies, and hurricane observation technology, and I could go on.

To NASA and the Discovery crew, I say well done. I was really on pins and needles until they hit Earth safely.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend the compassionate contributions of North Texans towards the hurricane relief efforts. During the past two weeks, televisions across the nation have brought into our living rooms images of the terrible destruction and suffering caused by Hurricane Katrina. Obviously our hearts ache at seeing our fellow Americans in desperate need, struggling at first just to survive, and now beginning to put their lives back together, one piece at a time. This desperation and despair, however, has not gone unanswered. Americans have come together in the past weeks, giving new meaning to the word ``community,'' and the North Texas community has been a leader in this endeavor.

The City of Dallas and the surrounding areas have served as models of compassion, generosity, and leadership as North Texas has welcomed thousands who have been so tragically displaced by the hurricane into our neighborhoods and communities. So many sectors have given so selflessly of their time and resources to those in desperate need: city and county administrations, transit agencies, faith-based institutions, educational institutions, private and non-profit sector entities, and regular citizens have answered humanity's greatest call.

The American Red Cross in North Texas has come to the aid of thousands of evacuees here in Dallas, providing much needed meals and beds. Volunteers at the Call Center of the Dallas Emergency Operations Center have fielded thousands of calls, helping to organize this massive relief effort. Transportation has been generously provided by Dallas Area Rapid Transit, who have distributed over 3500 transit passes to evacuees, and the Dallas Water Utilities Distribution Division has assisted by providing pallets and personnel at the Dallas Convention Center.

The area's first responders have acted with bravery and selflessness. The Dallas Police Department has committed over 300 officers to support evacuee operations. The Texas State Guard has provided invaluable medical and shelter management services, deploying over 250 guardsmen to the Convention Center and Reunion Arena shelters alone. Fire Rescue and EMS personnel have lent their expertise to the relief effort at shelters throughout Dallas, and nearly two thousand patients have been served.

The Surgeon General of the United States, Richard Carmona, has described medical operations in Dallas as ``nothing short of astounding,'' and Mr. Justo Hernandez, the coordinating officer on site with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has reported that, in his 17 years of service with the agency, FEMA has never been as well received as it has in Dallas. Louisiana State Representative Derrick Shepherd described the effort as a ``first-class administration of a difficult administration'' and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin stated, ``People are doing great work everywhere in Texas''.

Clearly, world renowned Texas hospitality has lived up to its reputation. The spirit of the North Texas community is strong and kind, and I commend all North Texans who have contributed toward the restoration of hope for their fellow man.

Mr. Speaker, there are few things I enjoy more in this job than getting the opportunity to shine the spotlight on truly deserving people who serve as a source of inspiration to the rest of us. Werner Scott of Irving, Texas, is one of those people, and I would like to pay tribute to him today.

Werner Scott is the founder and President of Advantage Marketing Group (AMG), and is recognized as a visionary in the world of enterprise and sports marketing responsible for initiating many ground breaking concepts.

Werner's credits include the brand positioning of Dallas Cowboys superstar Emmitt Smith, yielding ``Brand Emmitt'', ``Emmitt Zone'' and ``Emmitt Zone For Kids'' franchises. He has also worked with several corporations like American Airlines, Frito-Lay, and Bank One Texas, providing strategic market development expertise.

Under his guidance, AMG was the key architect in staging the NFL Run To Daylight and the NFL Fast Man competitions, and working with NBC Sports to produce the ongoing Bayou Classic, the Super Bowl of Black College Football.

Prior to finding AMG, Werner started his career in 1979 in brand marketing and sales holding a number of posts with Xerox and never looked back. He climbed through the ranks at Xerox becoming an invaluable executive within the organization from 1979-1985.

A distinguished military and honor graduate from New Mexico State University, Werner majored in human resources management, with a minor in marketing sales.

Werner Scott has not only overcome tremendous challenges in this competitive industry, but he is a brave person who stands by the courage of his convictions. He has a strong passion for civic and charitable organizations including, The Open Doors Foundation, Academies of Excellence, and the Center for the Study of Sports in Society.

He is a truly extraordinary human being, and it is my hope that others will be inspired by his determination to succeed and the strength of his spirit.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the Congressional Black Caucus has decided to discuss poverty.

I am a cosponsor of H. Con. Res. 234 and would like to see the President present a plan to eradicate poverty by 2010.

Hurricane Katrina devastated the lives of people who were already living well under the poverty level. I have concerns with the slow response and weak leadership of the Federal and State agencies. I have concerns that many of the affected States have Medicaid-eligibility criteria that are too harsh. I have concerns about our overcrowded and underfunded safety net hospitals.

I have concerns that since our current President took office there are 5.4 million more people in poverty, 6 million more without health insurance, and the median income is down more than $1,600 a year.

As relates to these statistics, the most affected State is the home State of the President, Texas. What we saw on television during the hurricane was the face of poverty. People with resources left early. Only ones with the least resources had to depend on their government for a safety net. The safety net had holes that need repair. Denying minimum wage to help with the cleanup and the Halliburton Company in charge, opportunities are dismal. Only the President can correct this.

We still are being asked, was it racism? My response to the question: It is the face of poverty U.S.A. Was it racism? You answer the question. If it was, it did not start with Katrina. We need measures to eradicate poverty. Mr. President, let us not continue the trends of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. As we move closer to a rich and poor society with the middle income disappearing, I plead with all of us, and the President, to address this problem.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize today, Simeon O. Terry, Minority Business Enterprise Program Administrator for Austin Commercial L.P. in Dallas, who received the National Minority Business Advocate Award from the Minority Business Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce on September 12, 2005.

Simeon Terry received this honor, in part, for his work as Minority Business Enterprise Program Administrator for Austin Commercial L.P. which is headquartered in my district. He is well known for his efforts to build minority business enterprises (MBE) that promote the inclusion of minority and women entrepreneurs in the Dallas business community while enhancing growth opportunities for minorities and women.

Simeon's background consists of a degree in Industrial & Safety Engineering and over 15 years in the construction industry. He has spent 7 years in the residential construction industry as a Safety Manager, Project Manager, and Operations Manager. In each position he had the opportunity to procure contracts with MBE firms both in specific construction scopes and supplies.

During his term as a Project Manager, over 80 percent of his contracts were established with MBE firms. Simeon also spent 3 years as a Surety Support Program Manager Consultant where he assisted MBE firms in becoming ``bond ready'', ultimately achieving bonding which would allow them to pursue various construction projects as prime contractors.

He also facilitated safety workshops for small MBE firms and provided consulting to review or establish their in-house safety programs to ensure that they had met the required safety programs for commercial construction. Simeon has consulted on numerous housing development projects in Dallas for non-profit organizations. He assisted local MBE contractors with project management and project administration duties such as estimating, scheduling, document control, certified payroll and project inspection.

Simeon is actively involved in his church where he teaches youth Bible Study, and plays the bass guitar for several choirs. He is also an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers, the National Society of Black MBAs, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Mr. Speaker, this Nation's small business community needs more giving individuals like Simeon Terry. His work has contributed much to making Dallas a better place to live for everyone.

I am proud to represent him in the U.S. House of Representatives and wanted to bring his many accomplishments to the attention of my colleagues.

Madam Speaker, as a former psychiatric nurse, I rise to express concern for the mental health needs of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The State of Texas reported last week that 9.2 percent of the Katrina evacuees in Texas need mental health assistance. Approximately 5 percent have serious mental illness. At least 11 percent of the children suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Last week, I introduced H.R. 3708, the Hurricane Katrina Mental Health Relief Act. This bill would dedicate 10 percent of the disaster relief funds for mental health services to victims and first responders. It is supported by the National Mental Health Association, the National Alliance of Mental Health, American Psychological Association, American Public Health Association, American Psychiatric Nurses Association, American Association of Social Workers, the National Council for Community Behavioral Health Care, and the Mental Health Care Association of Dallas.

I invite my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 463, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''