Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act. The GOP's efforts to cut $40 billion in SNAP benefits over 10 years show how disconnected they are with our most vulnerable citizens; 4 million to 6 million low- income people will be affected by these cuts, including 450,000 residents in Dallas County that are food insecure. Almost 300,000 of them are children. Many of our citizens are already living on the edge of poverty, and these cuts would virtually eliminate the assistance they desperately need.

I am deeply troubled by this aggressive agenda to dismantle the SNAP program. It is not just the African American or Hispanic populations who receive these benefits. It is the working class, the elderly, the children, and the disabled. Cutting this program would be devastating to millions of Americans who are working hard to provide for their families. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill and support our neediest citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize baseball legend Ernie Banks for being selected to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Among other recipients of the nation's highest civilian honor will be former President Bill Clinton; the late Sally Ride, the first American female astronaut; country singer Loretta Lynn; North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith and Oprah Winfrey.

Ernie Banks made his debut to the Major League on September 13, 1953, 60 years ago. I am proud to say Ernie Banks is a native of my Congressional District in Dallas, Texas. Ernie Banks, who went on to have a Hall of Fame career with the Cubs, grew up at 1723 Fairmount Street, Dallas, Texas. His parents, Eddie and Essie Banks raised Ernie and 11 other children there.

He attended Booker T. Washington High School, also in Dallas, which didn't have a baseball team at the time. Despite that, he excelled playing on the school's softball team. He was a wide receiver on the football team and also ran track. He played basketball down the street at the Moorland YMCA. He worshipped at St. Paul United Methodist church. As Banks states, ``Our North Dallas--was a great place to grow up.'' After two years in the Army and a brief return to the Monarchs,

Ernie Banks, at 22, was selected to play for a Major League team, the Cubs, becoming only the ninth black player to take the major league field. To date, Banks holds Cubs records for games played (2,528), at- bats (9,421), extra-base hits (1,009), and total bases (4,706). As one of the Nation's pioneers in baseball, Ernie Banks has inspired and enlightened so many throughout his life.

Our country has benefitted immensely from his career, and I hope he will continue to inspire others. I wish to commend Ernie Banks and thank him for his service to this great nation. As a pioneer in baseball, he has created positive pathways many future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the importance of an organized workforce, and the critical role that labor unions play in the building of a robust and diverse economy. The United States has benefitted greatly from the labor movement, and protecting workers' rights is more important now than ever before, particularly for African Americans.

Labor unions have provided a range of benefits for working men and women throughout our history, many of which we take for granted as being a normal part of life in the workplace. Simple concepts such as weekends and paid vacation time are thanks to the efforts of labor unions. More complex protections such as workplace safety standards and anti-discrimination laws also are the result of an organized and informed workforce coming together to resist unfair demands by employers.

Within the African American community, labor unions have provided a pathway to greater income equality and fairness in the workplace. While African American union workers can earn up to $10,000 or 31 percent more than non-union members, workers across all races enjoy better wages when they are a member of a union. More simply, organized labor enables fair wages, safe working conditions, and equality in the workplace.

Mr. Speaker, as our economy continues its recovery, it is important that we preserve a sense of decency and respect among our workers. Fifty years ago, the March on Washington was as much a civil rights movement as it was a labor movement. Labor unions have fought to protect working men and women across all races, and I encourage my colleagues to continue this legacy by standing

up for the rights of all working men and women across our great nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Bobby E. Collins, the newly appointed Postmaster for the Dallas Post Office. In this new position, Mr. Collins will oversee 1,435 employees across 31 stations, managing more than 540,000 deliveries throughout Dallas and its suburbs.

Mr. Collins spent decades refining his career with the U.S. Postal Service, which dates as far back as 1980 when he started as a letter carrier in Houston, Texas. Throughout his career, Mr. Collins advanced quickly within the Postal Service. He served in a number of supervisory roles in various parts of the country such as Texas, Arizona, and Missouri. Today, after devoting 33 years of service to assist the Postal Service with its mission to reliably deliver mail to every corner of our Nation, Mr. Collins takes this new responsibility with much enthusiasm.

The United States Postal Service is an important American institution that is fortunate to have such dedicated employees on board. Mr. Collins has demonstrated his unwavering commitment to the Postal Service and his fellow neighbors through decades of service and this new position will enable Mr. Collins to achieve even more.

Mr. Speaker, as we work together to address the various issues that the Postal Service currently faces, it is important that we recognize the individuals working diligently behind the scenes to keep postal operations running smoothly. I am proud to congratulate Mr. Collins for achieving this milestone in his career, and I have every confidence that he will serve the Dallas area well as Postmaster.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Jim McCasland, recipient of the 2013 Heroes of Labor Award by Dallas American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). Mr. McCasland recently retired as the Executive Secretary of the Dallas AFL-CIO, but his contributions to the Dallas labor community will forever stand proud. During his career which spanned over four decades, Mr. McCasland was widely recognized for his steadfast commitment to many Dallas area and national organizations.

Mr. McCasland has been a member of Communications Workers of America since 1969, where he was both a job steward and a chief steward. He also served on the community services committee, public relations committee, and the legislative committee. Mr. McCasland joined the Central Labor Council (CLC) in 1981 and was elected to be the CLC Vice President in 1983. He also proudly served as the Picket Chairman on two occasions. In 1984, Mr. McCasland was elected the State AFL-CIO Vice President from District 7.

Mr. McCasland was also active in the Dallas County Democratic Party serving on multiple committees on different occasions. In 1992, Mr. McCasland was on Bill Clinton's Dallas County steering committee and was previously on the steering committees for Michael Dukakis and Mark White. He also served as a delegate to numerous precinct conventions and State Democratic conventions.

Mr. McCasland served on the Board of Directors for both the United Way and the Dallas County Red Cross. In 1987 Mr. McCasland

was the Labor Chair of the Muscular Dystrophy campaign. Mr. McCasland's leadership and dedication to the community have made an impact on the Dallas area and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. McCasland deserves great recognition for his service to our community, as he is a true hero of labor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Technology and Research Accelerating National Security and Future Economic Resiliency Act of 2013--or the TRANSFER Act, and yield myself such time as I may consume.

I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of this legislation. It is a good bill that represents a bi-partisan effort to accelerate the transfer of technology from our universities and federal laboratories to the market--creating jobs from federally funded research.

The federal government has strategically invested in R&D with the confidence derived from decades of results that it will yield back a return in the public good that betters the lives of Americans. We cannot minimize the role R&D has played in the prosperity of the United States and we must continue these critical investments.

The next great idea with applications in advanced energy, aeronautics, life sciences, and defense technologies could be sitting on a shelf, and this bill will help the academic community and start- ups to bridge the gap between an innovative idea and a commercially viable technology.

One of the ways this bill helps bridge that gap is by supporting translational research activities such as proof of concept. It will also help to bridge the gap by providing advice, mentoring, and entrepreneurial education to our scientists and engineers. As one would expect, most of our researchers do not have the project management and technology and business development expertise needed to run a business and exposure to this type of expertise is important to creating a successful company.

We need to build innovation ecosystems that sustain long-term and mutually beneficial collaborations between the public and private sectors. Just as we are seeking to commercialize innovative ideas, we have to be willing to take innovative approaches to accelerate technology transfer of federally funded research. As the title of this bill states, accelerating technology transfer and research are key to sustaining our national security and future economic vitality.

This is a good bipartisan bill that should assist universities, research institutions, and national labs help turn R&D into successful, profitable, and sustainable small businesses.

I urge my colleagues to support the TRANSFER Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage renewed efforts to bring about reunification on the island of Cyprus.

In 2004, the inhabitants of the island participated in a referendum put forward by the United Nations under Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The proposal known as the Annan Plan foresaw a bi-communal, bi-zonal federation based on political equality. Unfortunately, it was overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots in 2004 despite vast support by Turkish Cypriots. Had it been accepted, it would have brought about a resolution to this longstanding separation of the island and contributed to political stability in this region of the world.

In 2008, the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality as defined by relevant Security Council resolutions. These talks proceeded through May 2012, often being guided by former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The framework included a federal government with a single international personality as well as a Turkish Cypriot constituent state and a Greek Cypriot constituent state, both of equal status. Unfortunately, this process has been put on hold for more than a year, as Cyprus has dealt with serious economic crises and political reforms.

The time has come for both sides to resume this process and seek long-term solutions that will bring peace and prosperity to the island. On July 28, Turkish Cypriots successfully completed elections, advancing the cause of democracy on the island. I congratulate the Turkish Cypriots for holding free and fair elections, and wish them well as they endeavor to form a new government. But a broader solution, involving the participation of both sides of the island, is essential to Cyprus's long-term success. It is my strong hope that economic conditions have stabilized sufficiently on the island to allow this process to move forward. The United States should do all it can to support this process.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express concern about the decision to bring H.R. 850 to the floor for a vote today. We must act strongly and strategically to prevent a nuclear- armed Iran, and I believe diplomatic negotiations are currently the best possible means at our disposal for achieving this goal.

Unfortunately, I am concerned that voting on H.R. 850 now may undermine efforts to

achieve a peaceful, negotiated elimination of Iranian nuclear capacity. At a time when a new Iranian President-elect has made statements indicating a greater openness to diplomacy, returning this message with a vote on tougher sanctions only serves to empower Iranian hardliners and weaken Iranian moderates.

U.S. policy must make it clear that the goal of sanctions on Iran is to elicit verifiable concessions from Iran that have a material impact on its ability to develop a nuclear weapon. In order to achieve this goal, the President must have the ability to waive sanctions in exchange for Iranian concessions. Yet H.R. 850 places significant restrictions on the President's authority to waive sanctions.

Mr. Speaker, while we must maintain a credible military threat towards Iran, we must also make every effort to promote the success of diplomatic negotiations with Iran. If we fail to negotiate a solution that ensures the safety of the U.S. and our close ally Israel by verifying that Iran does not have the capacity to develop nuclear weapons, we will be left with few alternatives but military engagement. I urge my colleagues to come together and support tough but fair diplomacy with Iran.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Ambassador Lindy Boggs. I was profoundly saddened to learn of her recent passing. Ambassador Boggs was deeply respected for her civility, dignity, and political acumen by those across the political spectrum.

A nine-term Member of Congress and champion of women's rights, Congresswoman Boggs spent much of her time working for civil rights and to address poverty. She and her husband, Congressman Hale Boggs, welcomed civil rights activists into their New Orleans. I personally worked with Congresswoman Boggs on the successful Head Start program when she was a Member of the House of Representatives. I am pleased to recall that I was in consultation with her back when she was working on her Head Start legislation.

Congresswoman Boggs was also responsible for successfully amending the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to protect women from lending discrimination.

After retiring from Congress in 1990, Ambassador Boggs worked with civic and cultural institutions in New Orleans and nationally. More recently, Ambassador Boggs was appointed by President Clinton to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See at the Vatican. She continued her record of excellence in this role, and I was honored to have had the opportunity to visit her in Rome during her service.

Ambassador Boggs is survived by two children, Thomas Hale Boggs, Jr. and Cokie Roberts, whom I have had the privilege of meeting, as well as eight grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren. She will always be remembered in Washington for her extraordinary service and dedication.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong opposition to the Fiscal Year 2014 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, THUD, appropriations bill being considered before the House. This bill fails in almost every regard to prioritize our Nation's crumbling infrastructure, expand affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income Americans, and strengthen local economies through direct investment and job creation.

The House bill cuts $7.7 billion from the enacted level for FY2013, slashing funds for vital community development programs, TIGER grants and high-speed rail projects, and even key assistance grants for our most vulnerable segment of the population: homeless individuals and families. This bill already cuts more than $4 billion below the post- sequester amounts for FY2013, consistent with the terrible assumptions included in the Ryan Budget that the Defense Department will be spared from this shared sacrifice. Simply put, this bill will place the burden of these cuts squarely on the backs of low- and moderate-income Americans.

The FY2014 THUD appropriations bill is just another example of House Republicans' refusal to work across the aisle to develop a sensible and bipartisan budget agreement that does not threaten our economic growth and competitiveness. Instead, my Republican colleagues have deliberately chosen to ignore the demands of the American people by developing a budget that makes drastic cuts to public programs without any deliberation on the basis of need or the public good.

Mr. Chair, the FY2014 THUD appropriations bill is simply unworkable in its current form. The drastic and indiscriminate cuts found in this bill will undermine critical investments in our Nation's infrastructure, hollow out vital housing programs, and destroy jobs.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise to join my colleagues in strong support of the Community Development Block Grant program and the tremendous benefits that this program has afforded millions of low- and moderate-income Americans since its inception in 1974 under Republican leadership. The Community Development Block Grant is a vital tool that the Department of Housing and Urban Development uses to provide for new developments and affordable housing in local communities all across the country.

The fiscal year 2014 House Transportation-Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill indiscriminately slashes the grants by almost half, or $1.6 billion less than the current $3.3 billion for fiscal year 2013. These cuts do not reflect a change in need or have any basis in reality, and they would do incredible harm to local communities across the entire Nation.

The House version of this bill is simply unworkable in its current form, and it plainly ignores many of the benefits that the CDBG program provides for the 1,209 State and local governments that receive these grants. Since 1974, CDBG has invested over $135 billion in local economies. Every dollar that has been invested leverages an additional $3.55 in non-CDBG funding, which can go toward improving existing infrastructure, new jobs, and housing repairs, as well as homeownership assistance. By slashing CDBG funding, the House majority will invariably bring harm to countless low- and moderate-income Americans. I'm not prepared to do that, and neither are many of us, even many Republican colleagues.

Cuts from years prior have already had devastating consequences. The city of Dallas, for example, is considering another round of cuts or eliminating certain programs entirely in light of projected budget reductions. For Dallas, this could mean eliminating grants for affordable housing developers, shrinking the Mortgage Assistance Program, and decimating new home construction in areas targeted by CDBG revitalization.

Mr. Chairman, the fiscal year 2014 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill will bring considerable harm, and considering it this week is just another example of the misguided policies of the current Republican majority. As long as the current majority Republicans refuse to work together with House Democrats to develop a sensible budget framework, the American people will continue to suffer the consequences of draconian cuts to invaluable social programs.

When we shut down everything, it does not help us economically. It shuts us down. It moves us backwards. There is a right way and a wrong way, and we cannot continue to do it the way this current Republican majority is pushing.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of Mary Kay, Inc. This year marks the Dallas-based company's 50th anniversary, and it has a great deal to celebrate. Founded by Mary Kay Ash and her son, Richard Rogers, the company now operates in 37 foreign markets and will bring in an estimated $3.5 billion in wholesale sales this year.

Beginning today, 50,000 members of Mary Kay's workforce will come to Dallas in waves to celebrate this landmark anniversary and attend the annual Mary Kay seminar being held at the Dallas Convention Center. Those coming to Dallas represent only a fraction of Mary Kay's workforce that includes over 2.5 million independent beauty consultants.

Mary Kay, Inc. supports The Mary Kay Foundation, which has a mission of eliminating cancers that affect women and ending domestic violence. The Foundation supports research on breast, uterine, cervical, and ovarian cancers, and provides grants to women's shelters and community domestic violence programs.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to celebrate the success of this extraordinary company. As a company founded by a driven and entrepreneurial woman, and employing a workforce composed primarily of women, I am proud that Mary Kay, Inc. has chosen the great city of Dallas as its home base.

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, a new fight for the preservation of equal protection and justice under the law has emerged.

Just last month, the United States Supreme Court overturned a critical component of the decades-old Voting Rights Act, effectively exposing millions of Americans to discriminatory voting practices. Our inability to protect American citizens from discrimination while exercising the right to vote brings into question our ability to implement other aspects of the law without regard to race.

In fact, there is significant evidence that we have much more work to do to create a non- discriminatory justice system. The recent court decision involving Trayvon Martin's death is the latest injustice suggestive of discrimination throughout this system, which is further exemplified by the harrowing statistics as they pertain to minorities. For example, African Americans account for only thirteen percent of the U.S. population, yet they represent more than 28 percent of all arrests. Further, while more than half of all the individuals on death row are people of color, 42% are African American.

Mr. Speaker, we must reflect on our values and determine what kind of future we would like to see for our children. Do we want to leave behind a divided nation where the rule of law applies only to select groups of individuals? Or do we want to live in a nation united under equal opportunity and justice for each and every American? I choose to support an equal and just America, one that is built upon uncompromising pillars of democracy, and I would urge my colleagues to do the same by speaking out against this blatant discrimination.

Mr. Chair, funding for education and STEM education is an investment in our future, and perhaps one of the most important investments we make as a Nation. I am very concerned that H.R. 5 guts education funding by 1.3 billion dollars in order to lock in the sequester preventing Congress from being able to appropriate above sequester levels. According to an analysis carried out by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, the United States ranks second to last of the 44 countries and regions analyzed in terms of progress in innovation-based competitiveness over the last decade. It used to be that the world's best and brightest flocked to our shores. Now many of our own best and brightest are finding better opportunities in other countries, and we are losing our edge in the competition for top talent from around the world.

Mr. Chair, I have many concerns with this bill. H.R. 5 opts to convert Title 1 funding into a block grant program. This change will disproportionally harm many disadvantaged low-income students. Schools across the country, including some in my Congressional district, rely on these funds to help ensure that all children meet State academic standards. Even the highest performing students in the urban schools are faced with an uphill battle in obtaining the same academic achievement present at the high performing schools. While college preparatory courses are standard for many students in our highest performing public schools, urban school districts often lack the resources to provide the same advantages to their students.

According to the National Education Association, H.R. 5 ``as a whole it erodes the historical federal role in public education: targeting resources to marginalized student populations as a means of helping to ensure equity of opportunity for all students . . . [and] perpetuate[s] a system that intentionally delivers unequal opportunities and quality to children across this country.'' Even according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, H.R. 5, ``Would reduce school-level accountability, would not provide consequences for low-performing schools, and would not require states to adopt college- and career-ready standards and assessments.''

Mr. Chair, the cuts in this bill which will ultimately result in a poorer education for future generations of young Americans represent a gigantic step backwards for our Nation. I strongly believe an investment in education funding is the most sensible investment we can make. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was first enacted at the height of the Civil Rights Movement in order to increase investments in primary and secondary education, strengthen equal access to education and establish high standards and accountability. Mr. Chair, in conclusion, I cannot support the bill we have before us today which erodes and dismantles the key principles of this law.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 2667 and H.R. 2668, two cynical Republican bills that play politics with Americans' lives. Instead of spending our time voting on the 38th and 39th Republican attempts to delay, undermine, or repeal the Affordable Care Act, we should be focused on implementing the law of the land and supporting real solutions to getting Americans the health care we all need.

The requirement that individuals have health insurance is the foundation of the Affordable Care Act's ability to improve access to quality, affordable health insurance. H.R. 2668 would delay this requirement, threatening access to affordable health insurance for an estimated 129 million Americans with pre-existing health conditions.

The Affordable Care Act has already begun to improve Americans' access to health care. Insurance companies are now required to cover children with pre-existing conditions, and in 2014 insurers will be prohibited from discriminating against adults with pre-existing conditions as well. An estimated 3.1 million young adults now have health insurance through their parents' plans because of the Affordable Care Act, and 6.3 million seniors have saved $6.1 billion on their prescription drugs.

The patient protections and health system reforms that will go into effect in 2014 rely on the individual responsibility provision of the Affordable Care Act. This provision does not apply to those who cannot access affordable coverage, and it protects all Americans from sharp increases in health insurance premiums in the health insurance marketplaces.

H.R. 2667, which would delay the employer health insurance mandate, is unnecessary and detracts from the important work of ensuring that more Americans gain access to affordable, quality health insurance.

I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 2667 and H.R. 2668 to defend the advances already made under the Affordable Care Act and the benefits yet to come. These bills are not intended to help Americans access affordable health care. They are merely the most recent Republican efforts to undermine the Affordable Care Act.

The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, and it is already helping Americans improve their health. We must come together to implement the law effectively and ensure that more Americans have the opportunity to access affordable health insurance and improve their health.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of robust funding for the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute. This funding is critically necessary to support life- saving research for diseases like pancreatic cancer.

In the 112th Congress, I cosponsored the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act, which calls on the National Cancer Institute to develop a scientific framework for combating pancreatic cancer and lung cancer. This scientific framework will identify the most promising avenues for research and coordinate resources to achieve a greater impact.

Mr. Speaker, strategic investment in pancreatic cancer research is absolutely crucial. While overall cancer incidence and death rates are declining, pancreatic cancer remains the deadliest of all major forms of cancer. Pancreatic cancer has a devastatingly low five-year survival rate of just six percent, and it will impact over 45,000 Americans this year.

Unfortunately, funding for the NIH and the National Cancer Institute has been declining due to inflation and sequestration. I urge my colleagues to support a permanent fix to sequestration and provide the resources needed to help every American suffering from cancer.