Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a trailblazing legal mind that changed the face of public housing and city elections, The Honorable Jerry Buchmeyer.

Judge Buchmeyer, a retired U.S. District judge, was first appointed to the bench by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. His unwavering pursuit of fairness, in spite of the discriminatory practices that prevailed during this era,

led to laws being changed in the name of equality. Most notably, his work with public housing desegregation allowed lower income individuals access to neighborhoods once denied to them because of racial grounds.

As a Representative from the Dallas area, I appreciate Judge Buchmeyer's contribution to fair housing in addition to city elections. It is important to note that in the early 1990s the Judge ordered an election system that required more single-member districts which increased the opportunity for fair representation city-wide.

As much as he was known as a proponent of equality and fairness, he was also known for his great sense of humor and legal wit. I urge my colleagues to join me in expressing condolences and celebrating the life of Judge Jerry Buchmeyer.

Thank you very much.

I rise in support of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Himes-McCarthy-Schwartz amendment on financial literacy.

Statistics from my State show that there is a staggering 50 percent drop between the number of persons that are high school graduates and persons that have a bachelor's degree or higher. This is below the national trend.

I represent a district with a large percent of underrepresented groups in postsecondary education. Preparation for a postsecondary education starts far in advance of a student's enrollment in college. In fact, it is this preparation that got them accepted into college. The same should be said for student financial literacy in preparation for higher education.

Our people as well as our country are benefactors of broad-based financial literacy initiatives. We are only as rich as our poorest citizens. Enactment of this bill will go a long way toward ensuring that our young people do not fall into the current adult financial trends, including delinquency in paying bills, maintaining high credit card debt, as well as not establishing budgeting priorities for the most needs basic, including housing and food.

I encourage my colleagues to vote for this legislation and this amendment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, an observance of the culture, traditions and contributions of the Hispanic community.

Started over 40 years ago, this month-long celebration from September 15 through October 15, observes social, political, and cultural advances of Americans descending from Spain, Mexico, South America, the Caribbean and Spanish-speaking countries of Central America. As the largest ethnic or race minority in the United States, people of Hispanic origin have made great strides to become among our nations finest medical professionals, legal scholars, scientists, business owners, civic leaders, artists, educators, and students. The year 2009 will be remembered as a historic year for many reasons, including the appointment of the first Hispanic to the Supreme Court, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

As a Representative of an area with a large Hispanic population, I recognize that the influences of this culture are interwoven into the fabric of our nation. The establishment of Hispanic Heritage Month was a catalyst for the founding of many important organizations promoting development and advancement for the Hispanic community, including the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. This month presents an opportunity to remind the country of the achievements we are capable of as a diverse nation and an opportunity to show our youth their potential. As the fastest growing demographic group, it is important to not only recall past accomplishments, but to look to the future as well.

Celebrations will be held across the United States this month to recognize the contributions of the Hispanic community, and I urge my colleagues to join me in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 215 to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Minority Business Development Agency, a member of the Department of Commerce.

Established on March 5, 1969, the Minority Business Development Agency is the only federal agency specifically created to foster the establishment and growth of minority-owned businesses in America. With five regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New York and San Francisco, the Minority Business Development Agency network offers a broad range of services to minority entrepreneurs that are strategically located in areas with large concentrations of minority businesses. As a Representative of an area with a large concentration of minority-owned businesses, and as a business owner myself, I am especially aware of the necessity for the services provided by the Minority Business Development Agency business specialists.

Created in the midst of the Civil Rights Era, the Minority Business Development Agency has participated in many extraordinary events and left an impressionable footprint in its four decades of work. It participated with the International Trade Administration in the first trade mission to Bahrain, and many ITA missions with minority business delegations followed due to the success of this mission. Additionally, the Agency coordinated and supported disaster relief efforts for minority businesses following the devastating aftermath of the 1992 Los Angeles riots and the hurricanes that ravaged many of the coastal communities along the Gulf of Mexico.

With a current focus on access to capital for minority-owned businesses, I look forward to celebrating the future success of this organization. I urge my colleagues to join me in commending the Minority Business Development Agency on its 40 years of prosperity and endeavoring to advance minority businesses in our nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States. President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation recognizing August 30--September 5, 2009 as National HBCU Week, and I am very proud to honor these institutions today.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities are defined as accredited colleges and universities founded prior to 1964 with the intent of serving the African-American community. These institutions have existed for more than 140 years, and there are more than 100 across the United States. Of the nine HBCUs in my home state of Texas, three are public institutions and six are private.

HBCUs have had a very long history and date back to the period directly following the Civil War. Originally HBCUs were the only institutions of higher education that accepted African-Americans. After the Civil Rights Movement prompted an end to white-only admissions policies, HBCUs continued to act as an important educational resource for African-Americans and other students who chose not to attend predominately white institutions.

There are a number of notable figures who have graduated from HBCUs, and I would like to pay tribute to some of them today. Alice Walker of Spelman University and Langston Hughes of Lincoln University are American literary giants who attended HBCUs. Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall went to Howard University and former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan attended Texas Southern University. Additionally, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a graduate of Morehouse University. Truly, our country would be at a great loss without these heroes.

I commend the educators, students, alumni and staff that have worked tirelessly to make Historically Black Colleges and Universities what they are today. I ask my fellow colleagues to join me in recognizing the role these institutions have played in educating generations of Americans of all races and ethnic backgrounds.

Mr. Speaker, reforming health insurance must be our focus for now. The vast majority of Americans already have health insurance.

The question is, what does our health care reform bill mean to them? Just three things. It means an insurance company can no longer decide to deny any coverage or jack up your rates because of preexisting conditions. It means it will be against the law for insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get sick or water it down when you need it most. It also means insurance companies will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage that you receive each year.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for the insurance companies to come to the table, spend the millions on corrective measures instead of spending millions to pass out these mistruths and falsehoods, and try to work this problem out. The American people deserve everyone working together to get decent health care reform for the people of this Nation, and they don't deserve all the misinformation that's going around out there.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 447 to congratulate the American Council of Engineering Companies for its dedicated service to America's engineering industry and to celebrate its 100th anniversary this year.

As a strong supporter of the engineering industry and someone who recognizes the vital work that engineers and related professionals perform, I believe it is of the utmost importance to honor the American Council of Engineering Companies for its role in supporting the engineering industry. With more than 5,500 firms throughout the country, this Council has grown from a small group of engineers to an incredibly influential federation of 51 state and regional councils that represent a large cross-section of America's engineering industry. Through its help, America has some of the best engineering structures in the world that allow us to drink fresh water, travel efficiently, and lead an all-around healthier and happier lifestyle.

I ask my fellow colleagues to join me today and support H. Res. 447 to honor the American Council of Engineering Companies for their 100 years of service. Truly, we have all benefitted immensely from the council's efforts and dedication to improving the lives of every American citizen, and I extend my deepest thanks and appreciation for their hard work.

Madam Speaker, eight years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, we remember one of the bloodiest days in our nation's history with heavy hearts and tragic regret. I am once again reminded of the heroes that selfishly gave their lives so that others could make it to safety, and today we mourn their passing. We remember, too, the victims who were so sadly ripped from our lives by one of the most senseless acts of violence our country has even seen. Today, I share in the grief of a country and extend my deepest condolences to the friends and family of those that passed on that solemn day.

As I think back to that painful morning, I remember how a sunny Tuesday unfolded into a series of events that has shaped our national conscious and affected us in ways that we had no longer thought possible. We were reminded that there is still hate in the world. We were reminded that there still exists the possibility of great tragedy in our country. And we were reminded that we were vulnerable to the problems that exist beyond our shores.

However, on that grim day, we saw an America that stood proudly and bravely and an America that came together under difficult

circumstances. We must not forget that liberty, justice, and fairness are some of our greatest ideals, and we must continue to strive towards these goals, even in the face of tragic situations.

I would like to remember, too, a constituent of mine who lost his life in the attacks. Michael E. Tinley happened to be working in the World Trade Center on that morning, and I offer my deepest condolences to his friends and family. Truly, I mourn with you.

Today, I join my fellow colleagues in honoring the victims who died on September 11, 2001. We remember these events with great sadness but new resolve, and as we continue our work, we will never forget the loss that we felt that day.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to salute the Sixth Floor Museum at Delaney Plaza for being accepted into the prestigious Museum Assessment Program. The Sixth Floor Museum is located on the sixth and seventh floors of the Texas School Book Depository, the warehouse from which Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. The Sixth Floor Museum at Delaney Plaza opened in 1989 to commemorate the life and detail the events surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my deep sadness and regret for the passing of Senator Edward Kennedy. The world has lost a tremendous leader and an exceptional spirit. Senator Kennedy's voice was a unique source of inspiration on the Senate floor, and he will be greatly missed for his public service and work to improve the lives of the less fortunate.

Senator Kennedy was arguably one of the most influential Senators in United States history. He was an exceptionally accomplished legislator who authored roughly 2,500 pieces of legislation over the course of his 46-year-long career in the United States Senate. More than 300 of Senator Kennedy's bills went on to become law, and he had a rare ability to reach across party lines in the interest of passing important pieces of legislation. He was always well versed on policy issues and highly prepared for committee hearings and floor debates.

As the Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Senator Kennedy courageously led the push to reform our nation's failing health care system. He strongly believed that all Americans deserved to have access to affordable health care options and supported a number of initiatives, including America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009. Senator Kennedy also helped enact the State Children's Health Insurance Program, the Medicare prescription drug benefit, the Ryan White Care Act and the Family Medical Leave Act.

Although health care was Senator Kennedy's passion, he was also committed to combating discrimination. Even when it was politically unpopular, Senator Kennedy believed in an America where ethnic minorities and women were treated equally. He supported Title IX, which outlawed discrimination on the basis of sex in institutions of higher education and the renewal of the Voting Rights Act, which banned racially discriminatory voting requirements.

My prayers go out to the Kennedy family in this time of profound grief. I ask my fellow colleagues to join me in remembering the life of a true American hero who dedicated his life to improving the lives of others.

Mr. Speaker, it's interesting what I'm listening to. This sounds like 15 years ago when President Clinton tried to reform the health care system. This time we must do it. The increase just for small businesses to cover their employees has gone up 129 percent since the year 2000. Workers pay more. Small business workers pay an average of 18 percent more in premiums. How far does this have to go before we have the common sense to change it?

If anybody disagrees with the bill, read it. That's the first thing we must do. Read the bill. I have read the bill. It's a good bill. It's so unfortunate that the influence on this House is coming from insurance companies who have been in control of health care for the last 30 years. We must change that. They've given out $100 million around here. We must change it. The people need this health care reform right now.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2093) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act relating to beach monitoring, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2009 increases the authorization of appropriations for the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act, more commonly known as the BEACH Act bill, through 2014.

First signed into law in October 2000, the BEACH Act provides funding to States, to local governments and to tribes for the creation of coastal water assessment and for public notification programs that monitor our recreational waters.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2093, the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2009, increases the authorization of appropriations for the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health Act, more commonly known as the BEACH Act, through 2014.

First signed into law in October 2000, the BEACH Act provides funding to states, local governments, and tribes for the creation of coastal water assessment and public notification programs that monitor our recreational waters.

Over the past nine years, my Subcommittee, the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, has held hearings on reauthorization of the BEACH Act and has received recommendations for statutory changes that would strengthen State coastal water quality monitoring and public notification programs.

I applaud the sponsor of this legislation, Mr. Pallone, and our colleagues on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Mr. Bishop and Mr. Hall, for introducing this important legislation.

H.R. 2093, the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act, will increase the annual authorization for State and local monitoring and notification programs to $40 million annually.

In addition, this legislation expands the eligible uses for grants under this program to better understand ongoing sources of contamination to the nation's beaches.

For example, H.R. 2093 allows States to utilize a portion of their BEACH grant funding to develop and implement pollution source identification and tracking programs for coastal recreation waters.

These programs will enable interested States to locate the likely sources of coastal water contamination.

This information will be critical to states to demonstrate ongoing sources of pollution to the nation's beaches.

With definitive information on the causes of coastal water contamination, States can take appropriate action to eliminate these ongoing sources, and ensure that the nation's coastal areas are safe for swimming and other recreational activities.

Mr. Speaker, last Congress, the House considered similar legislation to reauthorize and strengthen the BEACH Act.

That version, H.R. 2537, was approved by the House on a voice vote in April 2008.

Unfortunately, the 110th Congress adjourned before further consideration could be taken on that bill.

H.R. 2093 is modeled on the bill that passed the House in the last Congress.

However, one significant change is the adoption of a statutory deadline for the development of rapid testing methods for measuring the quality of coastal recreation waters.

The development of a rapid testing method will provide a significant safeguard against swimming-related illnesses by ensuring that the public is notified of potentially harmful waters within a few hours, rather than days, as under the current system.

H.R. 2093 adopts a statutory deadline of October 15, 2012 for the development of rapid testing methods, and requires states to implement such methods within one year of their validation by EPA.

This provision should enhance the protection of public health, and hopefully prevent families from coming into contact with harmful pollutants at their favorite beaches.

The bill also defines the term ``rapid testing method'' to mean ``a method of testing the water quality of a coastal recreation water for which results are available as soon as practicable and not more than 6 hours after the commencement of the rapid testing method in the laboratory.''

Mr. Speaker, as made clear in the Committee Report to accompany this legislation, the intent of this definition is to compress the time period for testing water quality to provide real-time information on the condition of coastal recreation waters.

The Committee received information on testing technologies that are currently available which can produce accurate results in two to three hours.

The intent of this legislation is to require that EPA validate a rapid testing methodology that can achieve accurate results as quickly as possible within the confines of existing technologies.

In addition, H.R. 2093 requires the administrator to periodically review the state of water quality testing technologies, and to validate new rapid testing methods that can shorten the time necessary to produce results on the condition of such waters, with a goal of 2-hour testing by 2017.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2093 also enhances existing public notification requirements, including making beach warnings and closures available on the Internet.

The bill also clarifies that the public must be notified within 2 hours after the appropriate State or local authority receives the results of a coastal water quality sample.

However, because many States utilize a system where two contaminated samples must be identified before a beach is closed, H.R. 2093 requires that beach closures or advisories must be made within 2 hours of the receipt of any water quality sample that exceeds public health limits, and that a warning sign be posted immediately, thereafter.

Again, precaution against potential public health impacts needs to be the focus of this program.

Finally, the bill requires EPA to conduct annual compliance reviews of state and local BEACH programs.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this legislation that will make significant improvements to EPA's BEACH program.

Much of our efforts are to provide additional safeguards for our families to ensure they do not come into contact with potentially harmful pollutants and contaminants along the nation's coastlines.

I believe that this legislation accomplishes what we have tried to do.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the full committee chairman, Mr. Oberstar.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone).

Mr. Speaker, I now yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Bishop).

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the sponsor of this legislation, Mr. Pallone, and our colleagues on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Mr. Bishop and Mr. Hall, for introducing this important legislation. Further, I appreciate and respect the fact that Mr. Oberstar, Mr. Mica and Mr. Boozman helped with this as well, so I urge its adoption.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of Cheryl Yvonne Wallace Boyd whose passing on Monday, July 13, 2009 at the age of 53 is a loss for the community of Dallas, Texas.

Ms. Boyd began her career in public service as counsel on the Senate Commerce Committee, and worked over fifteen years with the Environmental Protection Agency where she served in various positions with the utmost distinction. Ms. Boyd was a public servant in the truest sense, and for those who knew and worked beside her, she was described as nothing short of an extraordinary woman who was devoted, charitable, kind and a tireless advocate.

Beyond her talents in government, Ms. Boyd was a fixture in the Dallas community. She was an active member in the Junior League of Dallas, an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Ms. Boyd was also very involved in one of the nation's oldest and largest volunteer service organizations, The Links, Incorporated. As a member of the Dallas chapter she was part of an extraordinary group of women committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.

Ms. Boyd's legacy of service and giving is an example for all those who wish to serve their communities. Although she has passed, her legacy of service and devotion to community will continue to benefit the City of Dallas for years to come.

Mr. Chair, I want to thank the leadership of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee for their work on this bill.

Our Nation's transportation system is at a crossroads. Now is not the time to scale back funding efforts to address our country's deteriorating infrastructure, worsening traffic congestion, poor air quality, energy use, and investments in high speed rail. These issues are all interrelated and will impact our economy, global competitiveness, and sustainability. The appropriations bill before us today is a good one; however, it represents a mere down payment towards addressing the critical infrastructure needs of this country. In my state, these needs are readily apparent.

The State of Texas has one of the most extensive surface transportation networks in the world. Texas has more than ten thousand miles of railtrack; more than three hundred thousand miles of roadway; and more than fifty-thousand bridges--more than any other state in the nation. Financing challenges, coupled with exploding population and trade growth, are creating a perfect storm that is pushing Texas' transportation network to its breaking point. In the absence of increased funding and innovative policies, the weight of these particular challenges will adversely impact the quality of life for my constituents and citizens throughout the state.

It is imperative that we as a body focus our attention on investing in a truly national transportation system in order to address the impending infrastructure crisis. Our ports are not able to handle the volume of freight entering the United States, railroads and highways are overwhelmed with freight and delayed by bottlenecks, and intermodal facilities need to be improved to facilitate greater efficiency. With

projected increases in imports over the next several decades, we have but a small window to make infrastructure improvements to ensure America is able to sustain its global competitiveness.

As I close, I would like to thank the subcommittee for including funding in the bill for Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and the Interstate-30 Bridge Project in my congressional district. This funding will help advance these noteworthy projects and improve mobility for my constituents. I also want to thank the subcommittee for their inclusion of high speed rail funding. Relative to other developed nations, the United States ranks dead last with regards to developed high speed rail corridors. The demand in Texas for high speed rail is great, and the funding included in the bill will greatly aid high speed rail efforts in my state.

Just last week, the Texas Department of Transportation announced project requests to the U.S. Department of Transportation totaling $1.9 billion dollars under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The high speed rail funding reflected in the bill is warranted and it is my intent to oppose the amendment offered by the gentleman from Iowa, Mr. Latham, aimed at reducing funding for this account.

I support H.R. 3288.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring renewed attention to the ongoing situation on the island of Cyprus.

On May 23, 2008, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, and the Greek Cypriot leader, Demetris Christofias, reaffirmed their commitment to a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality as defined by relevant Security Council resolutions. This will include 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.

If the process to reach a settlement is derailed, I'm concerned that it will take years to resuscitate negotiations. The issues facing the two communities are difficult, but they are not insurmountable.

Five years ago, the inhabitants of the island participated in a referendum put forward by the United Nations under Secretary General Kofi Annan. The Annan Plan, to which it is often referred, 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.

The Annan Plan was the product of intense negotiations conducted under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary General between the Turkish Cypriots, Greek Cypriots, Turkey, and Greece. It was the first plan since the conflict began to be submitted for public approval. In addition, it struck a fair compromise between the two sides on the island and was supported by both the United States and the European Union. 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.

I was hoping the outcome would meet the fundamental interests of the parties, including economic and political security for all Cypriots, and put an end to the island's division. However, with the rejection of the Annan Plan by the Greek Cypriots, I must ask my fellow colleagues to join me in continuing to work with good faith and determination to build a brighter future for all the people of Cyprus. The international community should keep the promises made in 2004 to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots, given their support for a negotiated settlement.

Madam Speaker, the leaders on both sides of this conflict will require a strong political will to overcome the difficult issues that the process to reconciliation necessitates. The United States should do all it can to support this process and avoid any steps which would undermine the leaders of the various parties.