Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlelady from New York (Ms. Slaughter).

I inquire as to whether the gentleman from Ohio has any additional speakers.

Then I will reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask if my friend has any further speakers on his side.

As we have no further speakers either, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Well, let me thank you, Mr. Horsford. I have a few points that I want to make.

Do you have an idea of how much time we have remaining so I can allocate my time?

Mr. Horsford, I think the question that has been raised by the gentleman is a very pertinent point.

We have seen over the last 18 to 24 months some very deep cuts in our Federal budget. There are some who believe that discretionary spending is too much and that we need to engage in what I call ``draconian cuts'' to discretionary spending. Because of that, we've seen discretionary accounts reduced significantly, and it's going to affect what the gentleman has in mind. It's going to affect not only higher education but public education as well.

Mr. Horsford, I want to thank you for allowing me to say a few words here this evening. This is a very appropriate conversation for the Congressional Black Caucus to have. I want to thank you and Mr. Jeffries for coming to the floor each week and for lifting up the issues that the Congressional Black Caucus feels are so vitally important for us to debate here in this Congress.

Ms. Fudge has left the floor, but I certainly want to thank Marcia Fudge of Ohio, the chair of our caucus, for all that she does. She somehow just stays in perpetual motion, and her staff works so very closely with her. I just want to thank her publicly for all that she does, not only for the people of Ohio, but for us here in the Congress.

And what can I say about Barbara Lee? Barbara Lee has been talking about issues of poverty ever since I came to this place 9 years ago, and I just want to associate myself with everything that she has said and with everything that Congresswoman Gwen Moore said just a moment ago.

Mr. Horsford, I don't know much about your State of Nevada, but I can tell you a lot about my State of North Carolina. I can tell you that these are some tough times. These are tough times for poor people. These are tough times for rural communities all across America. I represent one of the poorest districts in the whole country in which one in four people in my district, Mr. Speaker, including 36 percent of children, live at or below the poverty level. That's a statistic that is worth bearing. I want to repeat it: 36 percent of the children who live in my congressional district live below the poverty level. That is unacceptable.

The poverty problem in America is actually getting worse. At a time when it should be getting better, it is actually getting worse. There is a huge difference, there is a huge gap, between the haves and the have-nots. The poverty rate now is the highest that it has been in the last 20 years; and in rural North Carolina, median household incomes have dropped since the year 2000.

My district has vivid and unfortunate illustrations of poverty. For example, nearly one in 20 homes in some counties does not have a telephone or a kitchen. A lot of my friends in urban communities cannot relate to that, but nearly one in 20 homes in some counties does not have a telephone or a kitchen. Many of my constituents are still living without indoor plumbing in the year 2013. The time to invest in our children and in our Nation's future is now.

We must first undo the cuts from sequestration. The gentleman who sent us the message a few moments ago may have been referring to sequestration. We must undo the cuts that we are seeing involving sequestration. They are devastating to our communities all across the country. Sequestration has slashed Head Start funding, impacting thousands and thousands of children. It has cut job search assistance for thousands of people. It eliminated millions of dollars from the meals for low-income seniors program. Sequestration cut nutrition funding for 600,000 women and children all across the country, housing and emergency shelter funding for nearly 100,000 homeless people and emergency unemployment compensation benefits by nearly 11 percent.

Instead of indiscriminately cutting funding for critical economic development programs, we must invest in programs. I think, Mr. Horsford, that's what you've been saying each week that we have this conversation. We must invest in programs which give people a hand up toward making it on their own, important programs such as emergency unemployment insurance, the Workforce Investment Act, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the special supplemental nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children--we call it the WIC program-- which gives people the ability to provide for their families.

The House version of the farm bill, which has been alluded to by the two previous speakers, cuts $20 billion from the SNAP program. That is unthinkable. The House version of the farm bill has cut $20 billion from the SNAP program. SNAP is not a government throwaway or a handout. SNAP moneys go directly to needy families that are in need the most. We are talking about seniors and children and families who need it the most. Republican proposals to slash funding for a program that feeds poor people is simply unacceptable.

There is hope on the horizon for some of our country's poor and uninsured. We can be encouraged that the Affordable Care Act will be fully implemented in just a few months, helping some of the one and a quarter million uninsured people in my State qualify for affordable health coverage through the marketplace.

I will say in closing that the Congressional Black Caucus is very concerned about poverty. We have constructed a plan to address persistent poverty. We

are alarmed that so many communities all across the country have experienced a poverty level that exceeds 20 percent and that has persisted now for more than 30 years. So our plan in the Congressional Black Caucus is to target Federal resources and Census tracts that have high levels of unemployment and high levels of poverty. We call it the 10-20-30 plan. We must do it. We have to do it for the sake of America.

Poverty is all around us, Mr. Horsford, whether it's in my district or in your district or in any of my colleagues' districts. Poverty is persistent, and it's all across America. It's within the shadows of this Capitol. When I drive home in just a few minutes here in Washington, I will go right through some very poor, low-income communities within blocks of this Capitol. We must do better. We have got to address as a Congress the whole issue of poverty.

Absolutely.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding time, and I thank her for her leadership on this issue and here in the Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the rule for H.R. 1911. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule to prevent this flawed legislation from moving forward.

We have a student loan debt crisis to be sure, but this is not the solution. A free market approach will not solve this problem, and Mr. Miller was so accurate in his statement just a moment ago. For my constituents in eastern North Carolina, paying for higher education has never been more difficult.

I represent a very low-income district. One in four people in my district lives below the poverty level. While the economy is recovering, my region's 8.9 percent unemployment rate remains higher than the national average. At the same time, the cost to attend our colleges and universities has been steadily increasing. The cost to attend college is 1,100 percent more expensive than it was 30 years ago. Access to affordable Federal student aid can be the difference between constituents attending college or not.

Just last year, despite strong opposition from Republicans, Congress voted to continue to keep interest rates on federally funded Stafford loans at 3.4 percent, instead of doubling to 6.8 percent. If those rates had doubled, Mr. Speaker, more than 7 million students each would be saddled with an average of $1,000 in additional debt. Once again, the rates are set to double on July 1 unless we act.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this rule and this misguided approach. This legislation would tie loan interest rates to the 10-year Treasury note but require that rates adjust each year. That variability, Mr. Speaker, would lead to higher interest rates and increase the debt our students face. In fact, the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service indicates that students will pay more than if interest rates were to double. Mr. Miller was absolutely correct in that assertion. That's right: passing this rule and this bill would be worse than doing nothing at all.

This bill is a step in the wrong direction and will saddle students and families with unnecessary debt.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the deep cuts once again being proposed by Republicans to the SNAP program in the House farm bill. In July 2012, the House Agriculture Committee reported a bipartisan farm bill that included $16 billion in food stamp cuts. Guess what? The Speaker and the Republican majority refused to schedule that bill for a vote. And so the Agriculture Committee has now marked up another farm bill, this time with $20 billion in cuts to the SNAP program.

Why are you so determined to attempt deficit reduction on the backs of the poor and less fortunate in our society? The SNAP program helps families

that have fallen on hard times and helps them feed their families until they can get back on their feet.

I am very upset by these proposed cuts. I ask my Republican colleagues to take a fresh look at what they're proposing and reconsider these cuts, cuts that will affect 2 million poor people, many of whom are children and the elderly.

Mr. Speaker, we are a Nation that helps the less fortunate. This is not who we are as a country. We are compassionate people, and we should feed the hungry in times of need.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the retirement of Morris L. Rascoe, a devoted public servant who worked for 36 years in service to the First Congressional District of North Carolina.

A North Carolina native, Mr. Rascoe graduated from Bertie High School in 1973 and matriculated to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical (A&T) University in Greensboro, NC where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work in 1977. Mr. Rascoe is also a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Mr. Rascoe began his career in public service as a social worker within the Bertie County Department of Social Services. While there, he worked to improve the quality of life for families in his eastern North Carolina community. Mr. Rascoe's exemplary 10-year service helped promote him to the position of Director of the Department of Social Services. Remarkably, during his tenure at the helm Mr. Rascoe was also appointed as Assistant County Manager of Bertie County, a position which he held simultaneously while he led the Department of Social Services.

After nine years, Mr. Rascoe was promoted to interim County Manager. In this role, Mr. Rascoe continued to display exceptional character and due diligence. In 2012, the Bertie Board of Commissioners confirmed Mr. Rascoe as the County Manager.

As Secretary of the Choanoke Area Development Association Board, past Chair of the Choanoke Public Transportation Authority Board, Commissioner of the State Personnel Commission Board, and Parliamentarian of the Workforce Development Board, Mr. Rascoe continues his commitment to the community. Mr. Rascoe was inducted into the North Carolina Community Actions Hall of Fame and was also named a NAACP Outstanding Citizen by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

Mr. Speaker, next month Mr. Rascoe will retire from public service. For 36 years, the people of North Carolina have been fortunate to call him a friend and ally. I am honored to congratulate Mr. Rascoe on his retirement, and ask my colleagues to join me in thanking him for his service to the people of North Carolina.

Madam Speaker, sequestration--we must repeal the sequester now.

Americans have lived under these budget cuts for over 2 months, and one thing is clear: sequestration is hurting Americans; it is hurting constituents in your district and in mine, damaging the American economy and killing American jobs. We must totally repeal sequestration now. Democrats are prepared to vote for full repeal.

Madam Speaker, a piecemeal approach to reversing these cuts is simply the wrong way forward. We should not be in the business of picking winners and losers when it comes to restoring funding, like when we reversed the cuts to TSA because the delays created made front-page news. Our actions should not be driven by who makes the most noise, but rather what is best for the country and the American people.

Lifesaving medical research funded by NIH has taken a $1.6 billion hit. Are we to think that research for cures to cancer, HIV/AIDS, and diabetes are less important than how quickly we move through airport lines?

Madam Speaker, we need to send a clear message to the American people that we will not stand for arbitrary cuts. We must fully repeal sequestration now.

Let me thank you, Mr. Horsford, for yielding time this evening, and thank you for your leadership not only here in the Congress but in the Congressional Black Caucus. You have come to this Congress, and you've done so much in such a short period of time. Thank you, Mr. Jeffries and Ms. Fudge as well, for your leadership.

But, Mr. Speaker, I want to start this conversation this evening by talking about a 1985 report. President Ronald Reagan was President at the time, and the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services issued a statement. They called health disparities in the United States of America ``an affront both to our ideals and to the ongoing genius of American medicine.''

It's disgusting, Mr. Speaker, that in this year, 2013, health disparities still exist in the richest and most powerful country in the world. African Americans are disproportionately less healthy. Life- threatening diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease are ravaging our population.

Oftentimes African Americans that live in rural communities, like the one that I represent in North Carolina, don't have insurance, and they have difficulty finding a regular primary care doctor, and so they go without an annual physical or regular checkups. Sometimes their only interaction with a health care provider is when they call 911 because their unchecked blood pressure resulted in a heart attack or stroke. By then it's too late. If that same person suffering from a stroke would have had access to care, their high blood pressure may have been diagnosed early.

They may have been put on medication meant to regulate their condition, making a heart attack or stroke less likely.

Many African Americans do play an active role in their health care, but the quality of the care they receive can be much worse than their white counterparts, further widening the gulf of disparities.

A significant driver of these disparities is the lack of health insurance, and that's what the gentlelady spoke about a moment ago. African Americans make up 13 percent of the entire population, but account for more than 50 percent of all people who are uninsured.

African Americans are also likely to have disproportionately lower access to primary care and often receive poorer quality care and face more barriers in seeking treatment for chronic-disease management.

The Affordable Care Act that we're all so proud of was designed to put a premium on quality of care, increase access, and encourage and reward good health care outcomes. I am a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act, and my constituents in North Carolina are as well.

Every person should have access to affordable quality health care, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how much money they have in their bank accounts.

Before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, 50 million people lived without health insurance. An additional 38 million people had insurance, but it was woefully inadequate and charged them exorbitant coinsurance payments and huge copays and completely unmanageable out- of-pocket expenses, essentially making them uninsured too. That means nearly one-third of all Americans were without the very basic insurance needed to see a health care professional and receive care at an affordable price.

When President Barack Obama proposed, and Congressional Democrats introduced, the Affordable Care Act, Republicans stirred up for a battle. And they would scream in the town hall meetings all across the country, and even right here on this House floor, about how the bill would create death panels that would decide if a person was worthy of receiving treatment for a particular disease. That was not correct.

They would insist that the bill would cut hundreds of millions of dollars from Medicare. Not correct. In fact, the Affordable Care Act specifically prohibits cuts to the guaranteed Medicare benefits.

They would bring out charts on this floor and graphs that showed how the Affordable Care Act will be a ``job killer'' worse than we have ever experienced before. That turned out to be a lie.

The cost of health care has risen each year, insurance coverage has decreased each year, and the amount of uncompensated care has increased every year.

Mr. Horsford, here's a statistic that really stands out with me: in 1970, the United States spent $75 billion on health care. That was 7.2 percent of GDP. In 2010, health care spending represented 17.9 percent of GDP and, if not for the Affordable Care Act, was expected to reach 20 percent by the year 2020.

The U.S. spends more of its dollars for health care-related expenses than any other country in the world, and the uncontrolled rise in the cost of health care would have been completely unsustainable if not for ObamaCare.

President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law and, with the stroke of a pen, revolutionized health care in America. Insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions or charge them more than anyone else. There is now no lifetime dollar limit on what insurers will pay for claims.

Preventative visits to health care providers are now free, yes, free, and even include some free vaccinations. Young adults can now stay on their parents' policy until they're 26 years old. And all new group health plans now have to cover all recommendations by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force.

Now, millions of people in our country, and in my congressional district and, Mr. Horsford, in your congressional district, who were living without the most basic health insurance can benefit from the most advanced health care technology in the world.

My only disappointment, Mr. Speaker, is that some of our Republican Governors and State legislatures across the country are refusing to participate in the expansion of Medicaid. Shame on them.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I am confident that because of the Affordable Care Act the delta of health disparities in America will begin to shrink. No matter the color of your skin or the amount of money you have, each and every American deserves high-quality health care so they can live long and prosperous lives.

Mr. Horsford, I thank you so very much for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, today it is with profound grief that I rise to commemorate the life of Edward R. Jagnandan, a great leader, public servant and personal friend who will be greatly missed in his community of Wilson, North Carolina, and throughout our great state.

A righteous advocate of low-income families, senior citizens and the disabled, Mr. Jagnandan served dutifully as Wilson Housing Authority's chief executive director for 6 years. During the course of his illustrious tenure, I had the unique opportunity to watch Mr. Jagnandan successfully embark on building a brighter future for Wilson residents who rely on subsidized housing.

Mr. Jagnandan's indelible contributions to Wilson include securing a competitive federal stimulus grant that awarded more than $7 million to build a new, energy-efficient 68-unit apartment complex serving low- income residents. While championing the value of homeownership, Mr. Jadnandan spearheaded programs that would make owning a home affordable to even those with modest means.

Though not a native of Wilson, his contributions to our community make Mr. Jagnandan a son of Wilson. As a member of the Wilson Rotary Club, Mr. Jagnandan regularly supported civic volunteer and fundraising initiatives and served as president of the Wilson chapter of the International Rotary Club.

Ed Jagnandan was born in Guyana to Wilfred Jagnandan whose job as a Presbyterian Missionary brought his wife Helen and their children to the United States. After arriving as a teenager, Ed earned his Bachelor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Mississippi State University.

Mr. Speaker, as a devoted husband, father, brother, friend and public servant Ed Jagnandan's untimely passing will surely be felt by all of those whose lives he touched. He will forever be missed but never forgotten in the city of Wilson and across North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to promote Minority Health Month and spotlight the health disparities that plague our communities.

In a 1985 report, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) called health disparities in this country ``an affront both to our ideals and to the ongoing genius of American medicine.'' Now 28 years after HHS released that landmark report, health disparities still exist between black and white and rich and poor.

A significant driver of these disparities is the lack of health insurance. For instance, African Americans make up 13 percent of the entire population, but account for more than half of all people who are uninsured. Blacks also have disproportionately lower access to primary care, often receive poorer quality of care, and face more barriers in seeking treatment for chronic diseases.

That is why I am pleased that the month of April is designated as National Minority Health Month. It provides an opportunity for all Americans to learn that healthcare disparities still exist. It also provides an opportunity for government, industry, non-profits, and advocacy organizations to combine efforts to help curb healthcare disparities.

My fellow colleagues, every American deserves the opportunity to live a healthy life regardless of economic means or ethnicity. It is this belief that led the Obama Administration to pass the Affordable Care Act.

Following in the President's footsteps, I will continue to promote Minority Health Month during my district work period by visiting the Metropolitan Community Health Services, the Halifax Regional Medical Center, the Roanoke Rapids Clinic, and several other healthcare facilities in the First Congressional District.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in advancing health equity in every community. As leaders, we have an obligation to reverse health inequality through awareness and championing the importance of preventative healthcare.

Let me thank you, Mr. Jeffries, for yielding me this time, and thank you for your leadership here in the House of Representatives.

Since you have arrived here in the House, you have just done extraordinary work. You've taken the time to come to this floor and to educate and inform the masses of our people about the great, important issues facing our Nation. So I want to thank you for all of your work.

I also thank Mr. Horsford, the other gentleman who has taken the time to convene this special hour of presentations. I want to thank you for all of the work that you do. You are both freshmen, but you have the personalities and the abilities of someone who has been in this body for many years, so thank you very much.

The Congressional Black Caucus this evening has chosen to talk about the important subject of education. I am a strong supporter--a proponent--of strong public education. Mr. Speaker, there is no investment that we can make as a country that is more important than investing in children and investing in their education and in their higher education.

Regrettably, there are some people in this body who think otherwise. They may say that they don't think otherwise, but their actions demonstrate every day that they do not have a strong commitment to supporting our educational system in this country. There are even some Members of this Chamber who, regrettably, have said from time to time that they want to defund and eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. They feel that the educational responsibility of government belongs to the States and not to the Federal Government. That is so unfortunate, but I want to encourage all of us who serve in this body to work together and stay together and to try to promote public education in every way that we can.

Now, Mr. Jeffries, I cannot speak about the State of New York with any

authority or about the borough of Brooklyn--I know you do that very well in that you've been there for many years--but I can speak to my home State of North Carolina.

We have a demonstrated record of commitment and excellence in public education, both at the elementary and high school levels, as well as at the college level. We started way back in 1868 when our constitution was enacted. In the State constitution, we made sure that there was a provision that guaranteed a public education for every child in our State. Ensuring that our students have access to quality education has long been a principle of my State and of those that I associate with. So I have firsthand knowledge of our educational system. I know about the dedicated educators that we have in North Carolina, and I want to just encourage them and thank them for their service, and I urge them to keep on doing what they're doing.

Mr. Speaker, I came from a family of educators. My mother was a classroom teacher. She taught school for 48 long years. Many people want to know how a single person could be in the classroom for that long, but my response is that, during those days, you did not need a college degree in order to be a classroom teacher--only a passionate commitment and a high school diploma.

I understand the importance of education, but even the most devoted and capable educators must have the resources to provide our children with quality education. We now face a defining moment for future generations of Americans in which some Republicans want to fix this budget by cutting funding for our students in schools. At the same time, we continue to be outpaced by other countries that continue to increase their educational investments.

In this country, the world's most prosperous Nation, 25 percent of our children do not graduate from high school. More than 90 million adults have inadequate literacy skills. The numbers are even more startling for low-income children and African American children, many of whom live in my district. Less than 8 percent of students in advanced placement math or science courses are African American. Fewer than half of African American students graduate from high school on time, and that must change.

Despite these statistics, data show that investments in educational programs like Title I and IDEA and Race to the Top and Head Start and TRIO are instrumental in preparing our students to compete globally, but draconian cuts through sequestration have rolled back discretionary Education Department funding below the 2004 level and have gutted many of those programs.

My State will lose $25 million in funding for primary and secondary education this year; 38,000 fewer students will be served in my State; and 350 education jobs will be in danger. The Ronald McNair TRIO program for doctoral students from disadvantaged backgrounds, which was cut at Elizabeth City State University, is just one example. Many State legislatures, including that of my State, are cutting State education budgets at the same time. We must find ways to address our fiscal challenges without placing the burden on our children and our teachers.

While our goal must be to ultimately reauthorize the ESEA and the Higher Education Act, there are many ways we can help right now. We must preserve the maximum Pell Grant and keep interest rates on student loans low to enable low-income students to attend college. We must sustain funding for Race to the Top grants. In North Carolina, those grants have developed stronger curriculum in math and science, and they are working. They have strengthened teacher training and improved early childhood education.

Finally--and I will close--we must also protect other STEM funding streams through funding for NSF and NIH, which support innovative research in my district at Duke University, East Carolina University, Elizabeth City State University, and at my alma mater of North Carolina Central University. We must also support bills like H.R. 595, the Veterans Education Equity Act, which I introduced to resolve an inequity in existing law that unintentionally allots more education funds to veterans who are enrolled in private colleges than those in public institutions.

The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is that education must be a priority. We must seize every opportunity to increase support for public education and not decrease it. Public education should be off-limits to budget cuts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the lives of those we lost in the largest tornado outbreak in the history of North Carolina. April 16th marks two years since those devastating natural disasters took 24 precious lives in my state and injured 133 others. Today is also for applauding the rebuilding efforts of the communities that were affected and the courageous storm survivors.

According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, 28 tornadoes swept across central and eastern North Carolina due to tornadoes that were part of the same thunderstorm system. Then-Governor Beverly Perdue declared a state of emergency due to the more than $20 million in damages sustained across 30 counties. This destructive force of nature ravaged thousands of homes and businesses and truly tested the strength of North Carolinians.

The worse-hit county in the state, Bertie, located in the First Congressional District and home to 21,000 people accounted for 10 deaths and 50 people who were seriously injured.

I applaud the heroism of those who risked their lives to help others find safety during the height of the storm. During tough times Americans have always banded together to assist one another. It is this patriotic spirit that we must always remember during times of peace as well. Whether natural disasters or acts of terrorism we must remember that what makes us strong as a nation is that above all else we are Americans, no matter our race, ethnicity, religion or political affiliation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering the lives of the victims and the communities impacted in my district by this powerful storm. Let us never forget the communities that experienced the loss of loved ones and may we continue to support the rebuilding efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day which occurred yesterday. This day is symbolic of communities, government leaders, schools and most importantly today's young people leading the effort to end the HIV and AIDS pandemic that is still rapidly spreading among our nation's teens and young adults more than 30 years after it was first discovered.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, HIV and AIDS education and prevention information has made great strides in slowing infection and mortality rates, however young people between the ages of 13

and 24 account for 26 percent of new HIV infections each year, with nearly 60 percent unaware that they are infected.

The Advocates for Youth organization in conjunction with 11 other founding partners are supporting young people in the fight against HIV and AIDS. This national day marks an important step toward recognizing the key role that future generations play in becoming leaders in disease prevention and education.

Three years ago, the White House unveiled the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, our country's first-ever comprehensive plan with measurable goals to be achieved by 2015. This plan calls for a renewed commitment and increased public attention to meet three goals: reduce the number of people who become infected with HIV; increase access to care and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV; and reduce HIV- related health disparities. In outlining these goals, President Obama challenged everyone to partner in supporting the implementation of the innovative strategy ``that provides a clear direction for moving forward together.''

North Carolina ranks in the top ten states for rates of new HIV infection. This alarming statistic is one of the reasons why medical professionals such as Dr. Michelle Collins-Ogle, of Northern Outreach Clinic in Henderson, North Carolina are so passionate about offering illness education, prevention, testing, and medical intervention. Even with few resources, Dr. Ogle, the clinic's director, fights not just the disease but the perceived stigma of the disease as well.

As a former civil rights attorney I applaud the efforts of organizations who are advocating for the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS. Organizations such as the North Carolina AIDS Action Network, who mobilized support to persuade the AIDS Drug Assistance Program to reopen new enrollments for low-income people needing access to life-saving HIV medication. I want to also recognize Duke University's AIDS Legal Project, a pro bono program that trains law school students to serve the unmet need of providing legal counsel to highly stigmatized, low-income HIV-infected clients.

Combating HIV and AIDS, as with any other illness plaguing this country, requires a partnership for success. That partnership must include action on behalf of our governing bodies, healthcare providers, and individual citizens to keep these issues at the forefront of the minds of all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing April 10th as National Youth HIV & Awareness Day as we salute the efforts of young people nationwide who are tirelessly and effectively working toward achieving the goal of an AIDS-free generation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the city of Durham, North Carolina that was recently recognized as the ``Tastiest Town in the South,'' by Southern Living magazine.

This year, from mid-January to February, ten Southern regions competed for the ultimate title of ``Tastiest Town in the South.'' During the voting period, over half a million votes were cast. The editors of Southern Living magazine highlighted Durham's unique ties to the land and its great prices--noting the burgeoning food scene has quietly made Durham one of the best food destinations in the South. In addition, many chef-owners, such as James Beard of Nana's Diner, have really helped to establish a diverse assortment of landmark restaurants--ranging from breweries and cafe's to comfort food.

Southern Living magazine listed several other notable places to eat in Durham including: Fullsteam Brewery, Pizzeria Toro, Geer Street Garden, Mateo Tapas, Monuts Donuts, Cocoa Cinnamon, Counter Culture Coffee, and Scratch Bakery. Other great Durham restaurants include Blue Coffee Cafe, Beyu Caffe, and Bistro Vin Rouge, just to name a few.

Mr. Speaker, when considering that Durham was competing against many more widely known Southern locales known for excellent cuisine, such as New Orleans, Atlanta, and Charleston, it's quite remarkable and impressive that Durham has created its own culinary niche. I share Durham County Commissioner Fred Foster's opinion that this award's impact will be felt for years to come.

This award is truly a tribute to the pioneers and current residents of Durham and the region. It is with great pleasure that I congratulate Durham for its recognition as the ``Tastiest Town in the South.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the American Red Cross and the amazing work they do in my Congressional District, across North Carolina, and around the country and to highlight that the month of March is Red Cross Month.

My Congressional District is served by eight local Red Cross chapters including the Greater Albemarle Chapter in Elizabeth City; Frederick E. Turnage Chapter in Rocky Mount; Wayne County Chapter in Goldsboro; Lenoir County Chapter in Kinston; Greater Pamlico Chapter in Washington; Pitt County Chapter in Greenville; Triangle Chapter in Raleigh; and the Central NC Chapter in Durham.

At a moment's notice, these local chapters can deploy staff and volunteers to respond to a crisis situation. Many across North Carolina and the east coast remember the devastation of Hurricane Floyd in 1999 that killed nearly 60 people. When the destructive tornadoes in April 2011 leveled some 450 homes across Halifax, Northampton, and Wilson Counties; and most recently, when Super Storm Sandy ravaged the east coast and destroyed homes and businesses along the North Carolina coast and inland, the Red Cross responded in each instance.

Mr. Speaker, the American Red Cross plays a vital role in disaster response and their contribution to helping Americans recover from life- changing events cannot be overstated. I ask my colleagues to join with me in thanking the American Red Cross for their tireless work on behalf of all Americans.

Let me thank you, Mr. Horsford, for your leadership and thank you for convening this opportunity tonight for us to come to the floor and talk about a subject that is so personal and so important to every American.

I also thank the chairwoman of the CBC, Ms. Fudge, for her extraordinary and intelligent leadership. You have done so much for so many for so long, and we thank you very much.

Mr. Speaker, just last week, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul

Ryan--and I think most Americans recognize that name by now--Chairman Paul Ryan rolled out his 2014 budget that he and his Republican colleagues have called the Path to Prosperity. Well, Mr. Speaker, it's more like the path to American ruin.

He says that he's going to balance the budget in 10 years; but he's going to balance that budget, if at all, on the backs of middle class Americans and poor people.

They use good sounding terms like ``strengthening the safety net.'' What that really means is cutting programs that help the poor and disfranchised in our country, programs that good Americans depend on every day to survive.

The Ryan budget talks about restoring fairness by ending barriers for job creation. What he doesn't talk about is that his budget proposal slashes funding for workforce development and job training and child care. How, Mr. Speaker, is a single mother of two small children expected to get and keep a job that pays more than the minimum wage-- which, by the way, Paul Ryan and his colleagues voted against raising-- when she has no access to affordable child care or training?

Chairman Ryan and the Republicans don't care about that single mother or her children. They care about serving the interest of big business at the expense of ordinary Americans. So the Congressional Black Caucus has offered a budget alternative that I'm very proud of. It is sensible and balanced.

We propose reforming the Tax Code. We propose ending special tax breaks and closing tax loopholes like the mortgage deduction for vacation homes and yachts, eliminating the deduction for derivative traders and eliminating incentives for sending American jobs overseas. We propose taxing capital gains and dividends as ordinary income, raising about $900 billion over 10 years. These changes, Mr. Speaker, would generate much needed revenue.

The country has begun to recover. We see it every day in the news, and we're moving in the right direction. We're beginning to recover from near financial ruin, but our recovery is fragile and desperately needs a shot in the arm to accelerate our economic recovery. Instead, the Republican-controlled House thought it best to poison the economy and throw away the antidote.

According to leading economists, once sequestration is fully implemented, Americans are going to lose 2.14 million jobs. Those are 2 million jobs that exist now, but won't exist later because of politics.

The CBC and the majority of Americans believe that sequestration is damaging our fragile economy and that it must be reversed immediately. Our budget does just that.

Our Nation's unemployment rate is 7.7 percent and has been on a gradual decline, but there are still far too many people out of work. To reinvigorate a willing and able workforce, the CBC proposes investing over $500 billion in a comprehensive jobs program, including $100 billion for a national direct job creation program, $50 billion for much needed school modernization, and $50 billion to support and maintain jobs in education and law enforcement. We would also dedicate $230 billion to repairing and replacing our crumbling infrastructure, including highways and bridges.

In order for people to get jobs they so badly need, they need to possess the necessary skills. The CBC budget will work to support and enhance job-training programs through an injection of $13 billion and also help to put young people to work through a $7 billion summer jobs program.

When hardworking Americans work their entire lives, they have been paying into a system that promised them income security. We must guarantee it. The Ryan budget seeks to eviscerate the Medicare program as we know it and turn it into a voucher system. That is wrong. They seek to block-grant the Medicaid program and give the discretion to the States. That is wrong, and it will devastate low-income families, and more than 35 percent will be cut from the Medicaid program over the next 10 years. Mr. Ryan proposes to make the change apply to individuals 55 years of age and younger. That's very interesting.

What is particularly egregious, in closing, is that the Ryan budget cuts almost 18 percent from the SNAP program, amounting to $135 billion. Over 90 percent of SNAP money, as we all know, goes to paying for food assistance.

Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Democratic minority here in the House are serving notice here today that we will not tolerate the unbalanced approach of the Republican majority. You must work with us to create a stream of new revenue by closing loopholes that benefit the rich, and we must have a balanced approach to balancing the Federal budget.

Thank you for the time, Mr. Horsford. Thank you for your leadership.

There is no question the American people, Mr. Horsford, want a strong economy, they want jobs created, and they're expecting us in this House to do it on a bipartisan basis.

We have failed to do it, and we must do it.