Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ambassador Ron Kirk for his outstanding service as United States Trade Representative. As a member of President Obama's Cabinet, he has led the United States toward a stronger economic future.

A former Texas Secretary of State, Ambassador Kirk became the first African-American mayor of my hometown Dallas, Texas, in 1995. During Ambassador Kirk's tenure as Mayor, he pursued trade policies and economic development initiatives that helped generate over 45,000 jobs and billions of dollars of investment in Dallas. He also prioritized public safety and oversaw the lowest crime rate in Dallas in 20 years.

In his role as U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Kirk brought together a broad coalition of Americans to support free trade agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama, opening up new markets for American businesses and creating jobs here at home. Ambassador Kirk advanced high stakes regional Trans-Pacific Partnership talks and worked to maintain significant U.S. engagement in the World Trade Organization. His stellar list of accomplishments also includes supporting U.S. businesses and workers with his strong enforcement of U.S. trade rights and assisting small businesses eager to access international markets.

Mr. Speaker, Ambassador Kirk is both a dear friend and an ardent public servant. I applaud Ambassador Kirk's commitment to serving U.S. businesses and workers, and his dedication to moving United States trade policies forward. He has been a devoted advocate for American workers and our economy, and I am thankful for his service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of Bishop James Neaul Haynes. Bishop Haynes is a valued leader and member of the Dallas community, who has dedicated his life to service, with a ministry spanning more than sixty years.

Bishop Haynes was born in Denton, Texas, and graduated as valedictorian from Fred Moore High School. He continued his education at the University of Denver in Colorado and North Texas State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Texas College in 1986.

Bishop Haynes began his ministry at the Open Door Church of God in Christ in Pampa, Texas in 1952. He later served congregations in Dennison, Texas and Wichita Falls, Texas. Since 1979, Bishop Haynes has served at Saintsville Sanctuary Church of God in Christ in Dallas, Texas.

Bishop Haynes was appointed Prelate of Texas Northeast Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in 1978, after serving the Jurisdiction in multiple different capacities. He also served the Church of God in Christ on the national level in several roles, including as a member of the National Trustee Board, the Assistant General Secretary, the Secretary of the General Board, and the First Assistant Presiding Bishop. Bishop Haynes is now a lifetime member of the General Board with emeritus status.

In 1997, Bishop Neaul Haynes was chosen by over 200 pastors to serve as the Bishop of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. As part of his responsibilities, he presided over more than 400 pastors and 45 districts. Holding this title allowed him to travel the world and appoint other Bishops both locally and internationally. It is very fitting to honor Bishop Haynes among his peers at the 2013 Annual Prayer Breakfast. For more than 6 decades, he has tirelessly served the north Texas community, as well as the Nation as a long-serving member on the General Board of the Church of God In Christ.

Mr. Speaker, Bishop Haynes is a pillar of the Dallas community, and his life's work has been devoted to improving the lives of others. Bishop Haynes is joined in his service by his wife, Ms. Vivian King Haynes. The couple has two daughters, Pia and Vrai, and two sons-in- law, Supt. Reginald Williams and Mr. William C. Morris. Bishop Haynes is the proud grandfather of 4 children: Darius Craig Morris, J. Neaul Williams, Chandler Ellington Williams and D'Aria Jesslyn Morris.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the life and achievements of Ms. Ollie Lee McMillan Mason. Ms. Mason lived her life with determination and with a commitment to serving others. As the first black nurse on the staff of

Parkland Memorial Hospital in 1937, Ms. Mason was a trailblazer for others who would follow in her path.

A Dallas, Texas, native, Ms. Mason moved to Washington, DC, to study at the Freedmen's Hospital School of Nursing. After graduating in 1929, she served as chief nurse at the McMillan Sanitarium in Dallas, an institute founded by her father, Dr. W. R. McMillan. Ms. Mason later studied obstetrics for a year at Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City. During her time in New York, she married Duane B. Mason.

When Ms. Mason and her husband returned to Dallas, Ms. Mason began working at Parkland Memorial Hospital in the obstetrics department. She became a public health nurse for Dallas in 1941. Ms. Mason continued her nursing education at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago, and earned her bachelor's degree in nursing at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Ms. Mason always used her education to serve her community in Dallas, whether teaching others to care for premature infants or working for the school district.

Never shying away from a challenge, Ms. Mason joined the Peace Corps in 1972 and served in Mauritius. After working overseas, Ms. Mason came back to Dallas and worked for Tremont Health Care Center until her retirement at the age of 84.

Ms. Mason died last week at the age of 107 in Irving, Texas. Her lifelong dedication to helping others and her love for nursing changed our Dallas community for the better. Ms. Mason is survived by her daughters, Sandra Ruth Dixon and Anne Young, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 297, the Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2013. The Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education Program not only provides a critical investment in the pediatric health workforce, but also helps improve children's access to health care.

The Children's Hospital Graduate Medical Education Program was first authorized in 1999 and has achieved incredible success. The program has enabled children's hospitals to host teaching programs while maintaining high-quality clinical care. It currently supports 56 children's hospitals and is responsible for a significant increase in the number of physicians trained in children's hospitals.

As the first registered nurse in Congress, I know firsthand that a well-trained primary care workforce is crucial to our health system. Only by ensuring the security of pediatric residency programs can we successfully work to promote the health of all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of common-sense immigration reforms that will foster economic growth, keep our families and our communities together, and protect workers' rights. America's immigration system is broken, and we must forge a bipartisan agreement to fix it.

As a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, I will ensure that the needs of all communities are addressed in immigration reform. Many undocumented immigrants were brought here as children and know the United States as their only home. I support the DREAM Act to allow these bright young people to build their futures here and contribute to our nation's prosperity. Strong families are the cornerstone of our Nation, and I believe provisions to guarantee family unity must be included in any serious immigration reform bill. I am dedicated to keeping families together by supporting a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

At the same time, Congress must ensure that immigration reform positively impacts economic and employment opportunities for all Americans. I will prioritize improving access to adult education programs and increasing job training opportunities so that all Americans can pursue their dreams and provide for their families.

It is time to come together to enact fair and reasonable immigration reforms that advance our national interests and honor our history as a country of immigrants. I will work hard in Congress to ensure that these reforms strengthen our communities and drive our economy forward.

Mr. Speaker, the 113th Congress will not only need to work to further strengthen our country's economic well-being; we will also need to find solutions to make sure that all Americans are treated fairly and equally. That's why it is critical that Congress pass the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization.

Since its inception, this act has always been bipartisan. Last April, the Senate passed a strong bipartisan reauthorization bill. Unfortunately, the measure failed in the House, but it must pass in the 113th Congress. The safety and security of American women should never be politicized and never has been so in the past.

It is my hope that we can put the politics of the last election aside and get down to the business of legislating sensible policy for the American people. We must reaffirm our commitment that women in the United States are offered all necessary legal protections.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my serious concerns about the recent acts of violence throughout the United States. The tragedy that struck the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, last month was a devastating loss for the families and friends of the students and educators who were killed. As the second deadliest school shooting in U.S. history, the Newtown tragedy has underscored the fundamental need to reevaluate our approach to gun violence and mental illness.

Any strategy to reduce gun violence must be inclusive in its approach to finding a solution. Every viable consideration must be on the table as we look to enact comprehensive legislation at the federal level. With the total number of privately owned firearms in circulation estimated to be more than 270 million, we must take reasonable steps to ensure that these firearms do not fall into the wrong hands, while also protecting the Second Amendment rights of responsible gun owners.

The topic of mental illness is one that is neglected, particularly in regard to its connection to gun violence. In 2009, approximately 11 million adults in the United States had a serious mental illness. Forty percent of those adults did not receive any type of treatment for that illness. We now know that each of the shooters in the most recent incidents suffered from mental illness. Addressing mental illness can be a critical component of a comprehensive approach to reducing violence in our schools and other public places.

Mr. Speaker, we must take deliberate steps going forward to prevent another tragedy from occurring. There is absolutely no place for violence in our schools, and we are compelled to do everything within our power to avert future catastrophe. There is a large mental health component to this debate that needs greater consideration, and I hope that my colleagues will continue to take a holistic approach during this process.

Mr. Speaker, recently the Senate came together on a bipartisan basis to address our looming fiscal crisis. I appreciate the statesmanship of President Obama and Vice President Biden to make every effort to avoid the most harmful effects of the ``fiscal cliff.''

Last night's vote in the House was one of the hardest votes I have cast in my tenure in Congress. The agreement was not a perfect proposal, but it avoided serious damage to our national economy. One of my concerns about the measure is that it did not generate nearly enough revenue. I am afraid that the haste

and the lack of detailed effort will ultimately translate to a series of tax hikes and spending cuts in future years that will negatively impact the middle class and the poor.

I have serious reservations about any attempt to cut benefits in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. I am committed to evaluating the impact of the funding used to pay for the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR or ``doc fix''). I strongly oppose cuts to services for diabetes, end stage renal disease, and other illnesses disproportionately impacting my constituents. As a non-practicing registered nurse, I know how devastating these cuts would be for medical services in underserved communities.

Another worthy program that is very important to my constituents is the Qualifying Individual (QI) program. The program allows Medicaid to pay the Medicare Part B premiums for low-income Medicare beneficiaries with incomes between 120 percent and 135 percent of poverty. Under current law, QI expired December 31, 2012. The agreement extends the QI program until December 31, 2013.

Mr. Speaker, I have five major hospitals in my congressional district that not only serve my constituents, but the entire North Texas population. The measure states that qualifying low-volume hospitals receive add-on payments based on the number of Medicare discharges. To qualify, the hospital must have less than 1,600 Medicare discharges and be 15 miles or greater from the nearest like hospital. This provision extends the payment adjustment until December 31, 2013. The Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) program in the bill provides enhanced reimbursement to support rural health infrastructure and to support small rural hospitals for which Medicare patients make up a significant percentage of inpatient days or discharges. This greater dependence on Medicare may make these hospitals more financially vulnerable to prospective payment, and the MDH designation is designed to reduce this risk. This provision extends the MDH program until October 1, 2013.

I am pleased to see that the Senate approved a one-year extension of unemployment insurance benefits, providing necessary support for those looking to return to work as the economy recovers. I am also pleased to learn that deep cuts for many important programs that support the most vulnerable and provide pathways to prosperity for millions of Americans, including Head Start and WIC, were delayed. I would have preferred to see a long term extensions to these critical provisions.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, I do not agree with many of the details of the compromise, but I cast my vote for the bill for the greater national interest. I will continue to mitigate any negative impact of cuts on communities of color and other vulnerable populations in the ongoing negotiations on sequestration and the debt ceiling.

We must ultimately find a way not to fall into a deep economic crisis, and to further strengthen our middle class. I hope all of my colleagues as well as the Leadership continues to work on these issues and that it ultimately reflect solid bipartisan collaboration for the incoming 113th Congress.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to implore the House GOP leadership to address the looming fiscal cliff. We have only a few hours left, and we owe it to the American people to find a solution, pass legislation, and send it to the President for his signature tonight.

There is too much at stake to let this critical situation devolve into the same politics as usual that we have seen throughout this Congress. The consequences of failure or inaction are dire. According to the Congressional Budget Office, going over the cliff would raise the unemployment rate from 7.9 to 9.1 percent in 2013. We would also see devastating cuts to programs that pay for education, food inspection, and air travel safety, nearing $55 billion.

Madam Speaker, there is no more time, and the American people are depending on us for a solution to avoid this fiscal cliff.

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if anybody is listening. The message from the American people is loud and clear: extend the middle class tax cuts now. Republican leadership is holding hostage tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses to give more tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans. Democratic Members of Congress have commonsense solutions, and we can't wait around any longer as real proposals languish while the House GOP gets its act together.

I, along with 181 of my colleagues, have signed the discharge petition to automatically bring to the House floor the Senate-passed middle class tax cuts which the President has said he will sign immediately. This could be an opportunity for us to work together, resolve some of our differences, and offer the American people the kind of Congress they want: working together.

Let me thank the ranking member and chairman of the Rules Committee.

Today, I rise to discuss just one portion of the National Defense Authorization Act. It is a section of the conference report that supports our Nation's first responders, and I signed the conference report for that section only.

In July of last year, I introduced legislation to reauthorize two programs--the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, the AFG Program, and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Program, the SAFER Program. These programs were created to help local fire departments across the country maintain and increase their capacity to do all that we ask them to do each day, including fighting fires, responding to medical emergencies, and providing safety and aid in the face of disasters, either natural or manmade.

Maintaining the equipment, training, and personnel to safely and swiftly respond to calls for assistance is increasingly difficult. Fire departments around the country have been forced to lay off firefighters and to do without needed equipment and training. The fire grant programs have played an important role in helping local fire departments overcome some of these challenges, providing over $6 billion in assistance since the year 2000. These grants have been essential to maintaining public safety in many communities, and they're even more important in the face of our shrinking local budgets.

Fire is a serious problem in the United States, killing over 3,000 people a year, which is a rate higher than in all other industrialized countries. Additionally, each year, nearly 20,000 people are injured, over 100 firefighters are killed in the line of duty, and $10 billion in property is lost due to fire.

Thank you very much.

In my State of Texas, 2011 was an especially destructive year, with 4 million acres burned, over 5,500 homes and structures destroyed, and hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss just one portion of the National Defense Authorization Act--a section of the conference report that supports our nation's first responders. In July of last year, I introduced legislation to reauthorize two programs--the Assistance for Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program. These programs were created to help local fire departments across the country maintain and increase their capacity to do all that we ask of them each day, including fighting fires, responding to medical emergencies, and providing safety and aid in the face of disasters either natural or man-made.

Maintaining the equipment, training, and personnel to safely and swiftly respond to calls for assistance is increasingly difficult. Fire departments around the country have been forced to lay off firefighters and to do without needed equipment and training. The fire grant programs have played an important role in helping local fire departments overcome some of these challenges, providing over $6 billion in assistance since 2000. These grants have been essential to maintaining public safety in many communities and they are even more important in the face of shrinking local budgets.

Fire is a serious problem in the United States, killing over 3,000 people a year--a rate higher than all other industrialized countries. Additionally, each year nearly 20,000 people are injured, over 100 firefighters are killed in the line of duty, and $10 billion in property is lost due to fire. In my State of Texas, 2011 was an especially destructive year with 4 million acres burned, over 5,500 homes and structures destroyed, and hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

Statistics show that minorities and low-income Americans are disproportionately the victims of fires. In addition to providing the resources necessary to ensure our fire departments have the equipment and personnel they need, the United States Fire Administration, which is also reauthorized in the conference report, supports fire prevention and safety activities, promotes the professional development of the fire and emergency response community, and conducts research, testing, and evaluation to help reduce fire deaths, injuries, and loss.

We need to ensure that our firefighters and emergency medical personnel have the tools that they need to protect us. Reauthorization of the fire grant programs and the United States Fire Administration will do just that.

The good news is that, even in these times of increasing partisanship, these common sense provisions have once again garnered widespread support. I am pleased that the bipartisan co-chairs of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus have joined me in supporting the reauthorization of these critical programs. As the Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, which has jurisdiction over these programs, I hope the rest of my colleagues will join us in supporting these provisions.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor our colleague, the Honorable Emanuel Cleaver III. Congressman Cleaver has served with distinction during the 112th Congress as the 20th chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC).

During his tenure as CBC chair, Chairman Cleaver focused on bringing critical issues before the United States that are of importance to Black America such as voter protection, job creation, inequity in unemployment, the debt-ceiling and many other pressing issues facing our country. As a co-chair of the CBC Technology and Infrastructure taskforce I have worked closely with Chairman Cleaver to advocate for the needs of community colleges, increased workforce training, initiatives to broaden participation in STEM and inadequate, outdated, and underfunded transportation systems.

Chairman Cleaver deserves to be commended for highlighting African- American inequity in unemployment and spearheading the Congressional Black Caucus Jobs tour this past summer. The jobs tour was a nationwide initiative that helped pair thousands of unemployed African Americans with employers and brought the issue to the forefront of the national discussion. As past chair of the CBC I know that the work of the Caucus truly serves as a voice for the voiceless and its 43 Members serve as the conscience of the United States Congress.

It has been an honor to be a friend and colleague of Chairman Cleaver during our years in Congress. He continues to inspire and encourage us all through his milestone of service to our Nation throughout his tenure as a United States Congressman.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Chairman Cleaver for his many accomplishments during his tenure as Chairman of the CBC.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of former Congressman Jack Brooks, the renowned Member of Congress from Beaumont, Texas. Congressman Brooks served the American people in the U.S. Congress for 42 years of his life. He was 89 years of age when he passed away last night.

Congressman Brooks was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1952. Almost immediately, Congressman Brooks turned his attention to increasing government transparency and efficiency, and this devotion became a guiding principle of his career. Congressman Brooks was pivotal in the passing of legislation that established the independent Offices of Inspector General, which oversee federal agencies in an effort to prevent fraud and waste. Congressman Brooks also crafted the standard by which the government must award federal contracts in an openly competitive process. By the end of his career, he was attributed with saving the American taxpayer billions of dollars by curbing government excess, and streamlining operations within the Executive and Legislative branches of the U.S. Government.

Congressman Brooks was also a renowned leader of social justice. Defying most of his colleagues in the Texas delegation, Congressman Brooks saw a greater future for America through equality, and helped draft the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. As a true public servant devoted to the pursuit of the greater good, Congressman Brooks earned the support of labor unions, minorities, and pro-choice activists in a region that otherwise lacked the unified support for such progressive views at the time.

Mr. Speaker, Congressman Brooks was a leader among leaders, and was well regarded for his uncompromising character and integrity. As a fierce advocate for the American people, Congressman Brooks has left a lasting legacy and the indelible mark of progress in U.S. history. A true statesman, he set the bar to which all Members of Congress should aspire. I wish to extend my appreciation for his contributions to this body and to his country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the School for the Talented and Gifted and the School for Science and Engineering at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center for receiving the distinct honor of being recognized as an ``Intel School of Distinction.''

Intel Schools of Distinction honors U.S. schools that have demonstrated excellence in math and science education. I am pleased that Intel recognized Townview Magnet School for Engineering and Science School as an institution that provides an innovative learning environment and programs that meet or exceed national math and science benchmarks.

By this recognition, Intel is emphasizing investments in science and math. In order for our country to compete in the 21st century, we as a country need to make sustained robust investments to encourage our children to embrace science and math. These are the jobs and careers of the future.

Located in my district, Townview Magnet is one of the most diverse schools in Texas, with minorities representing over half of the student population. Townview is home to some of the Nation's best and brightest students. Newsweek Magazine has consistently rated Townview's Science and Engineering Magnet as one of the top high schools in the Nation. Townview serves as a model for other institutions of learning across the country and offer insight into the ways we can improve education.

This latest honor exemplifies the values of a good educational environment, as many of the students attending Townview will have opportunities to be the future leaders of this country. This honor will also serve as an inspiration to the faculty, staff and students of Townview Magnet School to maintain a high level of work. I commend the faculty and students for achieving this honor, and lend my support to the future success of Townview.

Mr. Speaker, the students, teachers, principals and parents of Townview Science and Engineering Magnet should all be very proud for achieving this great honor.

Today, I would like to emphasize the important role that Federal investments in research and development, or R&D; and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, education play in stimulating growth, creating new industries and jobs, and delivering long-term benefits to our citizens.

As a member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and now as ranking member, I have had the privilege of hearing countless witnesses from industry, academia, and government over the past several years testify that investments in R&D are essential to keeping America competitive in a challenging international marketplace. In fact, according to a paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research, changes in technology are the only source of permanent increases in productivity.

If we are to reverse the trend of the last 20 years, where our country's technology edge in the world has diminished, we must make the investments necessary today. The statistics speak for themselves. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of our economic growth since World War II can be attributed to development and adoption of new technologies. The path is simple: research and education lead to innovation. Innovation leads to economic development and good-paying jobs and the revenue to pay for more research.

As private firms underinvest in research and development because the returns are too far off in the future, there is a clear and necessary role of government to help our Nation keep pace with the rest of the world.

More than 50 years ago, when DARPA was first created, no one had any idea that the research that they would fund would be responsible for the creation of the Internet or the proliferation of GPS technology, but it did. Those inventions started with Federal dollars, as did countless other game-changing technologies.

It is clear that Federal investments in R&D bring significant returns for decades to come. In 1987, MIT Professor Robert Solow was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for his work proving that improved technology and improved education in the workforce was clearly and chiefly responsible for long-term growth, much more than increases in labor or capital. The current best estimate for the return on academic research alone is 28 percent. Federal efforts are underway now to more vigorously and rigorously quantify the return on Federal investments in