Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the impacts of Brown v. Board of Education and desegregation of schools in the United States. This landmark case outlawed segregation in America, and defied one of the ugliest longstanding manifestations of racism in America: the legal, physical separation of children in schools. It has been over 60 years since the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education desegregated our schools, yet an achievement and opportunity gap remains among our minority and low- income students.

As Members of Congress who represent communities of color, the purpose of today's special order is to highlight this landmark court case. However, I must also highlight that there is still not economic and social parity in many of our Nation's schools. There is a crisis which still exists today that America must address. We must focus our efforts on closing the achievement gap in the STEM disciplines.

As the first female and first African American Ranking Member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, this is an issue that is very serious to me. As a United States Congresswoman for over 20 years, I have fought to provide increased opportunities for minorities to pursue careers in STEM. This is much more than a question of equality. We have a vast, untapped pool of talent in America, and this pool is continuing to grow. It is estimated that by 2050, 52 percent of the U.S. population will be from underrepresented minority groups.

Our ``Nation's Report Card,'' by the National Assessments of Educational Progress, demonstrates that students from underrepresented minorities are falling behind in math and science as early as 4th grade. At the Post Secondary level, even though students from underrepresented minorities made up about 33 percent of the college age population in 2009, they only made up 19 percent of students who received an undergraduate STEM degree; less than 9 percent of students enrolled in science and engineering graduate programs; and barely 8 percent of students who received PhDs in STEM fields. Frankly, all of these numbers are much too low.

I also must underscore the important role that community colleges play in providing STEM degrees for minority students. 50 percent of African Americans, 55 percent of Hispanics, and 64 percent of Native Americans who hold bachelor's or master's degrees in science or engineering attended a community college at some point. We cannot afford to ignore the role of community colleges when looking to close the achievement gap in the 2lst century.

In the same spirit in which Thurgood Marshall fought to end segregation in our schools, we must now work to achieve parity for all racial groups in the sciences. We have to drastically increase the number of African American students receiving degrees in STEM disciplines, or we will undoubtedly relinquish our global leadership in innovation and job creation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. On the second Saturday of May for the last twenty-two years, letter carriers and volunteers across the country help to collect food donations and deliver them to various food banks in their areas. This year, the food drive will be held on Saturday, May 10th.

In my district, donations are delivered to the North Texas Food Bank and local pantries to provide food to people in need. In Dallas County alone, 450,000 residents are food insecure, including 300,000 children. Of the 1.8 million Texas children, one in four live in food insecure households.

Hunger in Texas remains a systemic problem. With the help of food drives like the one organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers, many families are able to put nutritious meals on their tables. Last year, letter carriers collected 74.6 million pounds of food to deliver to local food pantries.

I commend the National Association of Letter Carriers for their efforts and for their commitment to help stamp out hunger nationwide. Their service is extremely valuable and we can all contribute to their efforts by donating to the food drive. More than 1,200 branches nationwide will be participating in this year's food drive activities.

Our letter carriers not only provide a valuable service each day, but also strive to supply basic necessities to those in need during their annual food drive. I urge my colleagues to support the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.

Mr. Speaker, I regrettably rise in opposition to H.R. 4438, a bill that would simplify and make the research and development tax credit permanent.

As ranking member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I have been a longtime supporter and advocate for making the R&D tax credit permanent. The R&D tax credit promotes innovation and encourages the creation and retention of jobs in the United States.

Unfortunately, since being created in the early 1980s, the R&D tax credit has been allowed to lapse and has needed to be extended year after year. The business community needs certainty when planning long- term research and development investments, and many have called for this important tax credit to be made permanent.

In the famous National Academies' ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' report, making the R&D tax credit stronger and permanent was one of their 10 recommendations on congressional actions to improve our Nation's competitiveness.

Private sector leaders also agree that there is a clear and necessary role for government in all aspects of our innovation ecosystem, from the direct funding of fundamental research, to incentives for the private sector to increase their R&D investments.

Often, private sector R&D investments are built upon years of direct government research funding. For example, the Internet and the GPS were developed with DARPA and National Science Foundation funding, but private sector innovation carried these technologies to their full commercial potential, with immeasurable benefit for our Nation.

However, the conversation about how best to modify the R&D tax credit and make it permanent should be part of a larger conversation about tax reform and tax extenders, and that conversation should include other tax provisions that are important for millions of working families and students, including the earned income tax credit, the child tax credit, and education tax credits.

Further, we should be debating how to offset this tax credit, instead of ignoring how it would add $156 billion to the deficit over the next 10 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of National Nurses Week which began on Tuesday, May 6 and ends on Friday, May 9. During the first full week of May each year, we recognize nurses across our country. Nurses represent the largest single component of the health care profession with approximately 3,100,000 registered nurses in the United States.

This year's theme for National Nurses Week is ``Nurses Leading the Way.'' Nurses not only provide essential care to their patients, but they are also health innovators. Nurses are constantly bringing themselves up to speed on the new technologies and new medical research required to effectively serve their patients. We must support our nurse leaders by recognizing and thanking them for their daily work.

With a clear commitment to wellness promotion and illness prevention, the Obama Administration and Congress must support this large contingency of our health care community. There is convincing evidence that the health of our country can be dramatically advanced by deploying our greatest and most trusted national health resource, our nurses. Given a clear leadership role, the dedicated nurses of our country provide key services and preventive guidance for effective health care, not ``sick-care.''

National Nurses Week is dedicated to recognizing the work that our nation's nurses perform each day. We must also realize the potential that the nursing profession has to become the premier leader in preventive and public health. No matter the certification or registration, each nurse is important each day to each patient. Help me celebrate National Nurses Week by recognizing nurses in your community and nationwide.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy which is May 7 this year. Across the country, hundreds of thousands of teens and hundreds of organizations will participate in activities and events today to focus on the avoidance of teen pregnancy.

Since the 1990s when groups began to bring attention to teen pregnancy rates in the United States, teen pregnancy has decreased by 44 percent. However, three in ten teenagers in the United States still become pregnant. There are clear disparities in teen pregnancy rates that are often the result of social issues like poverty, educational attainment, and involvement in the criminal justice or welfare systems.

Each year, teen childbearing costs our taxpayers at least $9 billion. Texas contributes approximately $1.1 billion to that price tag. A child born to unmarried teen parents is nine times more likely to grow up in poverty and subsequently incur the additional costs associated with public health care and participation in welfare programs. The average cost to taxpayers associated with a child born to a teen mother each year from their birth to age fifteen is $1,682. Between 1991 and 2010 in Texas, there were more than one million teen births.

We must commit to efforts to reduce the high rates of teen pregnancies and births in this country. Please join me in supporting the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy by raising awareness, promoting parent-child communication, and supporting educational programs that have been proven to reduce teen pregnancy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 863, the National Women's History Museum Commission Act. Legislation to establish such a museum passed by voice vote in the 113th Congress but the privately-funded museum lacks a home.

While women's accomplishments have helped to build this country, historical contributions are missing from museums, textbooks, and memorials. This legislation would allow for a commission to study the creation and make proposals for the building of the National Women's History Museum. At no cost to the taxpayer and without using any federal funds, the museum would help to tell the inspiring stories of the important women that came before us.

Celebrating and recognizing women in history is necessary at a time when roughly ten percent of historical references are related to women. The legislation on the floor is not only bipartisan, it has the support of many male and female Members of Congress.

Please join me in supporting H.R. 863, the National Women's History Museum Commission Act by passing the legislation today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Older Americans Month. Each May, we celebrate the contributions and sacrifices that the older members of our communities have made to our nation.

The theme for this year's Older Americans Month is ``Safe Today, Healthy Tomorrow.'' We must encourage older adults to protect themselves from injury and remain active. Unfortunately, unintended injuries to our population of older Americans result in 6 million medically treated injuries and more than 30,000 deaths each year.

We must emphasize safety in public and private settings. Falls are a leading cause of injury and subsequent hospitalization for older Americans. In order to keep the older population in our country contributing to society, we must ensure their health and safety.

Older Americans Month lets us celebrate the achievements of our parents, grandparents, friends, and neighbors. Seniors across the country deserve our recognition because they have built our strong foundation.

Please join me in celebrating Older Americans Month during May. Our seniors, a continuously growing number of Americans, deserve our recognition and our care.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Lupus Awareness Month. Each May, we recognize lupus as the cruel, mysterious autoimmune disease from which an estimated 1.5 million Americans suffer.

Lupus comes in many shapes and sizes and does not discriminate against only one part of the body. The chronic disease can affect nearly any part of the body including the skin, lungs, heart, joints, kidneys, and brain. Lupus is often misdiagnosed several times over several months before an accurate diagnosis can be made. This is because lupus is known as the ``great imitator,'' mimicking many other illnesses and no single test can diagnose a patient.

Treatment for lupus can be very expensive because of its multi- faceted nature. Annually, lupus costs our nation about $31.4 billion. The annual cost for treatment for an individual with lupus is an estimated $20,000 and for an individual with lupus nephritis, kidney inflammation caused by lupus, could be as high as $62,000 per year.

Lupus is far more common in women and in men, particularly among African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Native Americans. The cause for lupus' prevalence in minorities is unknown and extensive research is

necessary. Without additional research dollars, scientists searching for causes and treatments will inevitably be delayed.

This May, we must promote lupus awareness. Nearly three-fourths of Americans aged 18 to 34 have never heard of lupus and those who fall in that age bracket are at the highest risk. We must build awareness for this chronic condition and simultaneously work to increase funding for research to improve the diagnosis of this disease that disproportionally affects minorities and women in the prime of their lives. I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Lupus Awareness Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize beloved wife, mother, grandmother, Mrs. Shirley Bluitt Leonard, who passed away on Sunday, April 13, surrounded by her family. Mrs. Leonard was born in Mexia, TX to John C. Bluitt and Katie Wiley Bluitt Hurd. She graduated from Dunbar High School of Mexia in 1953. In 1956, she received the B.A. degree in Business from Wiley College in Marshall, TX. She earned the Master of Education from Prairie View A&M University (formerly Prairie View A&M College) in 1964. It was at Prairie View A&M University, on the steps of Suarez Hall, that she met her husband of 50 years Joe. E. Leonard, Sr. on February 28, 1964. Joe and Shirley Leonard graduated from the Master's program at PVAMU, marching together in May, 1964. She soon became certified as an educator in the State of Texas in Supervision and as a Reading Specialist, and subsequently took graduate education courses at the University of North Texas and Colorado University in Denver.

Mrs. Leonard's lifelong passion was educating others. During the course of her professional career, she taught in the Cleburne Independent School District, Aldine I.S.D., Austin I.S.D., and served as a Reading Specialist throughout the state of Texas. In the latter role, she supervised and coordinated the Title I Reading Program for the Austin Independent School District and coordinated programs for the Texas Youth Commission, formerly known as the Texas Youth Council. Mrs. Leonard was also a small business entrepreneur who owned and operated a beauty and fashion boutique for several years.

Mrs. Leonard was the mother of Dr. Joe E. Leonard, Jr., whom I also know personally through his work serving as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and previously as the lead staff member for the Congressional Black Caucus. Mrs. Leonard, a vivacious, spirited, and loving presence among her family, friends, and the many students she taught over the years, will be deeply missed. I extend my deepest condolences to the Leonard family during this time of grieving. Our country has benefitted immensely from Mrs. Leonard's career and her memory will continue to inspire others. Through her life she has created positive pathways for many future generations.

Mr. Chair, as we consider H.R. 4486, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, it is crucial that we protect American workers from any efforts to weaken or repeal the provisions under Davis-Bacon or the use of project labor agreements (PLAs) in federally funded or assisted construction projects.

The Davis-Bacon Act is used to set fair wage rates and benefits that contractors or subcontractors must use to compensate their laborers during the construction, alteration, or repair of public buildings. Project labor agreements are collective bargaining agreements used to establish the terms and conditions of employment for specific construction projects. Both are important tools in ensuring that American workers receive fair pay and treatment for federal contract work, and that taxpayer dollars are being used effectively during public construction projects.

H.R. 4486 must not be used as the vehicle to strip American workers of their rights to fair pay and treatment for federal contract work. The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act should remain about funding critical infrastructure projects in support of our national defense, and to bring reliable benefits and medical care to our men and women in uniform.

Mr. Chair, any efforts to weaken the Davis-Bacon Act will only serve to harm American taxpayers and workers. The provisions under Davis- Bacon and specific PLAs are used to ensure that federal dollars are used responsibly and effectively when building up our nation's infrastructure. Davis-Bacon and PLAs bring needed oversight to federal contract work, while preserving fair compensation for workers. I urge my colleagues to oppose any amendments to H.R. 4486 that would weaken these protections.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Children's Medical Center of Dallas, the recipient of the prestigious HIMSS Davies Enterprise Award of Excellence. Children's leadership in the use of health information technology provides superior patient care.

As the first nurse elected to Congress, I recognize that the implementation of an electronic health record (EHR) and the use of EHR technology is crucial in our medical community. Since 1994, the Nicholas E. Davies award of Excellence has recognized superior implementation and use of health information technology for healthcare organizations, private practices, public health entities, and community health organizations.

This is the second year in a row that Children's has been the recipient of the HIMSS Davies Enterprise Award and Children's was the first hospital to achieve HIMSS Electronic Medical Record Adoption Stage 7. Children's has also received two HITRUST certifications and was named Most Wired by Hospitals and Health Networks eight times.

Children's is able to use EHR technology to support quality focused care delivery where staff works in a team-based setting to bring high quality, measurably better care for their young patients. Children's has seen reductions in median length of stay decline from 2.4 days to 1.95 days. Chest x-rays have decreased from 59 percent to 39 percent.

Children's uniquely uses the capabilities of its EHR to help patients and families play a larger role in their own care. This increases patient and family satisfaction. Children's leadership in the health information technology space not only moves us forward but it also improves patient care and quality of life for these young patients.

I am proud to have Children's Medical Center in my district and I will continue to advocate advancing health information technology nationwide.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 35th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) which has governed our relationship with Taiwan since its enactment.

The TRA was signed into law April 10, 1979, by President Carter in order to maintain economic, cultural, and security ties with Taiwan in the absence of an official diplomatic relationship. The TRA has been vital in strengthening this mutually-beneficial partnership over the last 35 years. The U.S. enjoys no closer friend than Taiwan. Our friendship is built on a firm foundation of shared values--democracy and freedom, free and fair elections, a free press, and a free economy.

Taiwan has created a vibrant economy and is a significant trading partner to the United States. It is also a major innovator and producer of IT products--many of which are assembled in China. Taiwan already plays a critical role in the global supply chain and has proven they would be an asset to the Trans-Pacific Partnership if included.

Taiwan has used thoughtful dialogue and trade to help ease cross strait tensions, ensuring peace in the Western Pacific and resulting in greater security for the United States. I invite my colleagues to join me in commemorating the 35th anniversary of the TRA and in expressing our commitment to our relationship with Taiwan.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to the Republican Budget Resolution and in strong support of the Congressional Black Caucus' Alternative Budget.

To say that the Republican Budget Resolution is dangerous is an understatement. In particular, two areas of great concern to me will be negatively impacted by this resolution.

As the Ranking Member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I urge the Appropriations Committee to come as close as possible to maintaining the FY 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act levels of investment in research and development and STEM education. R&D and STEM education are critical to our nation's future, and we support the topline levels in the President's FY 2015 budget request and Opportunity, Growth, and Security Initiative for the Federal R&D agencies as worthy of support.

Shortchanging those accounts will wind up shortchanging our future economy and quality of life. Increased investment in these areas will pay significant dividends over the long run.

As Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), we aim to be the, ``Conscience of the Congress.'' I feel compelled to discuss the disastrous effects the Ryan Republican Budget would have on our country's research and development enterprise, and consequently, the disastrous effect this budget would have on America's future competitiveness.

As others have pointed out, the Republican Budget cuts non-defense discretionary spending by 1.3 trillion dollars below the baseline 2014 spending level, adjusted for inflation. These are massive cuts on top of a budget that has already seen large reductions in recent years. The effects on research and development would be dramatic. The American Association for the Advancement of Science estimates that the Ryan budget would cut civilian research and development by 92 billion dollars from the current baseline and 112 billion dollars below the President's budget request.

These are striking reductions. Please keep in mind here that the National Science Foundation's total annual budget is just a little over seven billion dollars. So the Republican Budget cuts more research and development funding every year than the entire annual budget of the National Science Foundation.

Additionally, as a senior Member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I am incensed that this budget fails to address our nation's aging infrastructure.

Millions of Americans would be negatively impacted by this measure, leaving families, individuals and businesses with virtually no transportation options. This proposal would do away with Amtrak operating subsidies, potentially eliminating service for more than 20 million people.

Most shamefully, however, this budget includes virtually no highway or transit investment and does little to address the impending crisis facing our nation's highways. In fact, this resolution assigns a spending level of $20.95 billion for transportation and infrastructure. This is a reduction of $50.99 billion from last year and eviscerates the total transportation and infrastructure budget.

For the third year in a row, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has awarded our nation's infrastructure a ``D+.'' Time and time again, it becomes clear that investing in our infrastructure lays the groundwork for a competitive economy. What we need now is targeted investment in our infrastructure, not draconian reductions.

Our infrastructure is too important to gamble on and the Republican Budget resolution is a roll of the dice. It would result in the loss of thousands of construction related jobs in already economically disadvantaged areas and cut public transportation funding to historically low levels.

Quite frankly, this budget is dangerous and I ask my Republican colleagues to scrap this plan and work across the aisle to craft a plan that invests in our future. A budget that ignores funding for science and technology, and fails to include targeted infrastructure investments, fails the American future.

The Congressional Black Caucus' 'budget includes $500 billion in targeted investments and programs that invest in our future. It closes tax loopholes, deductions and exceptions that only benefit the wealthy. Addressing the past wrongs of wealth inequality will help create an economy that works for every American. Passing the CBC's Alternative Budget is the first step in righting those wrongs.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Bess Enloe who was honored last night at the 2014 Southern Methodist University Meadows School of the Art's benefit gala located at the Meyerson Symphony Center. A graduate of Southern Methodist University, Ms. Enloe currently chairs the Executive Board of the SMU Meadows School for the Arts and is a Life Trustee of the Dallas Theater Center. She is currently the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, where she co-chairs the Development Committee. Previously, she chaired the Facilities Committee for the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre.

Ms. Enloe's contributions have enriched the Dallas-area's culture. The fine arts is a key component in improving learning throughout all academic areas. Evidence of its effectiveness in reducing student dropout, raising student attendance, developing better team players, enhancing student creativity, and producing a more prepared student for the workplace. In Congress, I have always advocated for sustained investments in the arts and humanities.

Ms. Enloe has been an energetic leader and supporter of many of Dallas' arts groups throughout the years and deserves to be commended for her contributions to the community. Over the years Ms. Enloe has been the recipient of several prestigious awards in recognition of her work, including the TACA Silver Cup Award in 1993, the TITAS Award for Excellence in 2007 and the Dallas Historical Society's Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2009. Mr. Speaker, our country is a better one because we have a Bess Enloe.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize several of the best and brightest students in the Dallas area who have recently received National Merit Scholarships. The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year. Less than 8,000 students are selected as finalists for this prestigious award.

I want to commend these students for their efforts. I also want to comment on the high quality education the students in these school districts and other schools like it are receiving, they can have the opportunity to live the American dream, to do anything they want to do, to go on to a great college or university of their choice, and to pursue any career path that sparks their interest.

Mr. Speaker, we must continue to invest in education to help us out- educate, out-innovate, and out-build the rest of the world. We must identify ways to help improve schools like these that provide educational excellence to my community. We must not waver in our commitment to our children, their children, and the future of this country. With encouragement and support from their principals and teachers, the following students are achieving remarkable success: