Floor Statements

I want to thank my friend and colleague, a great attorney, a great legislator, for leading this effort this evening, for not only here on the floor of the House of Representatives but for what you do every day; and, in fact, it is an example of what we could follow, how you lead in your district, especially in Brooklyn.

Rallying around, as I will talk about later, when you saw a prosecutor not do his job, you were one that led in Brooklyn to say the people will get a people's prosecutor. And folks went to the polls. When someone said it couldn't be done, where you led and helped make it happen, where an incumbent forgot his way and was not representing the people, you helped people get together to go to the polls and have a new prosecutor in Brooklyn to move forward. We thank you for that leadership.

Today we talk about Black in America. What Ferguson says about where we are and where we need to go.

Now, as Congressman Jeffries has said, I am a former prosecutor, so I know about the grand jury system. I know the failure of the grand jury process directed or, as some would argue, manipulated by county prosecutor Robert McCulloch to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown, Jr., an unarmed Ferguson, Missouri, teenager, undermines public confidence in the very notion of equal administration of justice.

Now, when you go before a grand jury, all you have to show is that there is probable cause--probable cause, the lowest standard there is-- that a crime was committed. And when you see the process that this prosecutor went through, he tried to try a case, or he came in with a preconceived thought that he did not want an indictment here. I don't know of any prosecutors that go into the grand jury and don't at least, after it is all done, ask for an indictment. Mr. McCulloch never asked for an indictment in this case.

The tragic circumstances in Ferguson and other unfortunate instances around the country have sparked a movement for justice, equality, and change that I believe is critical to the communities affected by miscarriages of justice. But this movement is not just for those communities. Indeed, the United States of America needs this movement. As others have said, this is an American problem. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, ``Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' Racial disparities of any kind are troubling for our entire Nation.

And so, though we have elected President Barack Obama here in the United States, I heard some say that we were in a post-racial America. No, we are not. For racism is still alive and well in the United States of America. We have got work to do.

So where do we go?

This movement, with its courageous contingent of young activists, is quickly learning, adapting, applying, and innovating on the most effective methods and models of the civil rights movements of previous generations. As this movement continues to grow and takes every opportunity to focus its demands, expand its outreach, develop its activists in the discipline of peaceful direct action, and deepen its understanding of how to apply mass pressure on policymakers, it will cascade not simply to interrupt business as usual, but to generate electoral participation on levels unseen in generations. This movement has the potential to transform the tragedy in Ferguson into a historic turning point in the centuries-long struggle for freedom, justice, and equality.

The Congressional Black Caucus is part of this moment and is a part of this movement. Tens of thousands of Federal, State, and local elected officials, civic leaders, civil rights organizations, activists, clergies, lawyers, educators, artists, athletes, business owners, and hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of ordinary working people of all ages from all over America are part of this movement.

So now is the time for America to come together to reform police practices, redress patterns of racial disparities in the justice system, and to hold police accountable for the use of excessive force, especially deadly force. Now is the time to match nonviolent direct action with meaningful legislative and administrative action. Now is the time for the Federal Government to act, for Congress to act, for courts to act, for State legislatures to act, for county and city governments to act.

Now is the time, my friends, to register to vote, because soon, very soon, it will be time to act at the ballot boxes. Only then will these voices be truly heard in every corner of every county and throughout this country. Then the world will know that unwarranted violence and abuse of power has no home in America; injustice has no seat in our democratic institutions. Only then will we honor the sacrifice of those who have paid the ultimate price and begin to heal a Nation of many who aspire to become one.

Yes, indeed, we have come a long way; but yes, indeed, we have a long, long, long way to go.

I thank the gentleman for the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Ms. Jennette Starks-Faulkner. As you know Mr. Speaker, great athletes are not born they are forged through the combined efforts of our entire community and the dedication and determination of individuals. Ms. Starks-Faulkner's discipline and her commitment to living a healthy and active lifestyle is evident in the success she has found participating in competitions hosted by the United States Fencing Association.

Ms. Starks-Faulkner's precise footwork, lightning thrusts, and deft ripostes have made her one of the most accomplished fencers in the entire world. This past October in Debrecen, Hungary she became the first U.S. woman ever to win the International Fencing Federation's Veteran Fencing World Championship gold medal in foil competition. Among her long list of achievements, which I ask be added into the Record, Ms. Starks-Faulkner won a gold medal at the 2014 USA Fencing National Championships in the Veteran Foil competition, a silver in the Veteran Saber competition and she has represented the United States as a member of the last seven Veteran World Championship teams.

Anyone who watches Ms. Starks-Faulkner compete will attest that her physical ability is only surpassed by her willingness to give everything she has to win. In a sport where there are very few African American participants, Ms. Starks-Faulkner has distinguished herself as the first among champions. While small in stature, her presence casts a great shadow on her competition. Ms. Starks-Faulkner's accomplishments are a testament to the power of the human spirit and the limitless potential each and every person possesses. Lastly, her dedication to fencing is an important reminder not only to her students, but to all Americans, that when you believe in your dreams, nothing can stop you.

As an ardent admirer of those who would push beyond their limitations, I salute Ms. Starks-Faulkner and her long list of accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to sponsor H.R. 3957. I urge its quick and unanimous passage and ask all Members to join me in honoring one of southeast Queens' best and a memorable public servant, Cynthia Jenkins.

Let me, at this time, also thank my colleagues from the New York delegation who all signed onto this bill, because Cynthia was a history maker. She was the first African American woman in Queens County to be elected to the New York State Assembly. She was elected because of the work that she did prior.

For 22 years, she worked as a librarian and made sure that every single library in southeastern Queens would remain open. She, in fact, worked in every library in southeastern Queens. She fought hard on behalf of libraries and those who enjoyed their services, even preventing many branches from closing in a time of cutbacks. She wanted to make sure the children had a safe place to go to learn after school. She also had various programs within the public libraries.

As indicated, when servicemembers returned from Vietnam, it was Cynthia Jenkins who played an integral role in opening the State Veterans' Home in St. Albans at the veterans' facility. That facility still exists and continues to serve thousands of veterans to this very day.

In addition, her advocacy on behalf of civil rights was inspiring for many at a time when civil inequality was rampant. She was instrumental in trying to make sure that there was a district where an African American could run for Congress one day--the seat that I hold today.

She also was the founder of Social Concern, which took care of young people, older people, and seniors who were frail and had to stay in their homes and helped make sure they got the food and quality health care that they needed.

Indeed, Cynthia Jenkins, a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, a member of the community, was a long, hard fighter who did not know how to take ``no'' for an answer when she was trying to make sure that the community received its due.

Today, I ask all of my colleagues to honor this public servant who was dedicated to her community, dedicated to libraries, dedicated to literacy, dedicated to the commitment of social and racial equality, and that we unanimously pass this bill memorializing the late Cynthia Jenkins, our assemblywoman.

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to have my office participate in the Democratic Whip Office's fifth annual ``Member Online All-Star Competition.'' I applaud my colleagues for a friendly and spirited three week competition, and I congratulate the All-stars who led House Democrats in collectively acquiring over 213,000 new followers on social media.

I am always delighted to find new ways to engage my constituents and all Americans. To that end, my staff did an outstanding job making many new connections. I especially commend Ladan Ahmadi in my office for her tremendous effort to take us to the final round with our Vine video.

I thank the Democratic Whip for building on and fostering comity in the People's House. I know that we are all better off for it, and our work on the behalf of the American people is enhanced by it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce H. Res. 699, Welcoming African leaders to the first United States-Africa Leaders' Summit and African trade ministers to the 13th Forum of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

At the start of the new millennium, the United States Congress enacted the African Growth and Opportunity Act--AGOA--with broad, bipartisan support and with a view to expanding growth and opportunity in Africa like never before. In this legislation, Congress called for the establishment of high-level dialogues, including regular meetings by the President with his African counterparts. Now, fourteen years later, that vision is coming true.

Next week, the largest delegation of African heads-of-state in United States history will make its way to the White House. This will truly be a great day for America and a great day for our friends and partners from across the African continent, and I take immense pleasure in welcoming this historic delegation to our nation's capital.

Africa has six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world, over one billion people, sixty percent of the world's uncultivated agricultural land, and is likely to replace China as the biggest contributor to the global workforce by 2050. The people of Africa share the hopes and aspirations of all Americans for peace and prosperity across both our lands, and they are committed to strengthening economic relations through mutually beneficial trade and investment opportunities which promote economic growth, development, poverty reduction, democracy, stability, and the rule of law.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act is one of those opportunities, and I would like to use this chance to emphasize the importance of renewing AGOA well before its expiration in September 2015. Since the passage of AGOA, U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa have increased from $6.9 billion to $23.9 billion, per capita income in sub-Saharan Africa has more than tripled, and U.S. investment in sub-Saharan Africa has increased six-fold.

Mr. Speaker, this Resolution, which already has broad, bipartisan support, recognizes the significant progress and hope that modern Africa represents today in global affairs and economic advancement with its booming demographics, increasing modernization, dynamic youth, and vast resources; and it acknowledges the many paths available for boosting cultural, trade, and economic relations and partnerships between the United States and Africa.

It is in the economic and national security interests of the United States to engage and compete in emerging African markets, to foster U.S.-Africa trade and investment, to support greater capacity building for Africa, and to invest in Africa's youth and emerging leaders. It is also in our national interest to advocate good governance, a respect for human rights and constitutional term limits, and support for civil society organizations which contribute to enduring economic and social development.

Mr. Speaker, this Resolution demonstrates that the United States Congress stands beside Africa in promoting peace and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic. I look forward to your timely support of H. Res. 699 on the eve of the United States-Africa Leaders' Summit, as we prepare to welcome our African friends and partners to this nation's great capital for a truly historic occasion. Thank you very much.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to be here today and to have the opportunity to speak about something very important both to me and to many of the constituents I serve in New York's Fifth District: the Cyprus settlement talks. I'm here to tell you that I am following the negotiations carefully--that I am ready to lend my support in any way I can. And I am here to tell you that America wants these talks to be successful--that America is engaged. Mr. Biden's visit in May was the first by an American Vice-President in over 50 years, and that says a lot. Finding a fair and mutually acceptable resolution to the situation in Cyprus is a priority at the very highest levels of our government--and we will not rest until we succeed.

I am also here to tell you that I'm hopeful. I have not forgotten the false-starts of the past, nor am I naive about the difficulties which lie ahead, but I am hopeful that Cyprus has turned a corner--that things are different this time. I'm optimistic that there's a real chance for progress. Not long after Mr. Biden departed Cyprus, in fact, Greek Cypriot President Mr. Anastasiades and his Turkish Cypriot counterpart, Mr. Eroglu, agreed to meet at least twice a month to discuss how they could build trust between the two sides. I commend both leaders for taking this step, and I express my utmost support for continuing an open and honest dialogue.

I am also hopeful because at no other time during the 40 years Cyprus has been divided was reaching a settlement so critical. For millennia Cyprus has been at the crossroads of civilization. It has been a hub of commerce and a strategic waypoint for all who transited the Mediterranean. And it remains so today, but with even greater strategic implications. Located at the nexus of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, Cyprus is a vital source of stability and security in one of the world's most volatile regions. And with a robust free-market, services-based economy and newly discovered natural gas reserves, Cyprus stands to benefit greatly from increasing ties with the international community, especially the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership--a free trade agreement I strongly support.

But Greek and Turkish Cypriots alike are being denied the bright future they deserve. It is time to come to the negotiating table ready to make compromises, ready to make progress. It is time to reunify Cyprus based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation, as called for by multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. It is time to turn a page in Cyprus' history and find out what great surprises the next chapter holds in store.

I stand by my friends and colleagues in Cyprus and the Cypriot diaspora--ready to read that next chapter. And America stands by too-- determined to deepen the partnership between our two great countries, eager to see just how much we can accomplish when we work together.

Mr. Speaker, this week marks 3 long months since nearly 300 Nigerian school girls were kidnapped and have since been held captive by Boko Haram. One day is too long, but yet 3 months have dragged on since this unconscionable crime and these families are still broken. I stand here now--with as much urgency as ever--with Nigerians, with the girls' parents, and with the rest of the world asking please bring back our girls.

We must not lose focus, we must send a clear message that these acts will not be tolerated and we will join on a multi-national front in order to reunite these girls with their families. As a father of 3 young women I can only imagine the heartache and pain of the affected parents and communities and the terror felt by the girls, it is for them that I stand here today. This unthinkable crime is not only an unconscionable act against humanity but also against international law and we must stay vigilant until Boko Haram is brought to justice.

I am encouraged by the leadership of President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry in their commitment of resources to help find these girls. I will continue to support any action that the U.S. can take to ensure their safe return. I stand strong with Nigerians, and those protesting internationally, to bring back our girls and make sure their deplorable captors are brought to justice.

Mr. Chair, here I stand in support of an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriation Act. Specifically, the proposed amendment would strike Section 539 of this bill to allow funding to be used to mandate reporting to the Justice Department the name of an individual who has purchased multiple long- barreled arms in five days. The Republicans attempted to disallow the Justice Department from keeping these records, even though these records are crucial in cracking down on gun trafficking and straw purchasing.

I stand in the wake of another unconscionable mass shooting. A recent wound not yet healed, our nation still mourns the lives that were cut short by a mentally unstable gunman. I stand not only as a Member of Congress but also as a concerned United States citizen, outraged by the fact that no measures have been taken to defend our nation's people against gun violence. I stand just as many of my distinguished colleagues have, to implore the Republicans to finally pass gun control legislation. I also stand in frustration, knowing that the Republicans will decry such acts of violence as the recent UC-Santa Barbara massacre but will refuse to take action to protect our nation's innocent citizens.

I will do everything in my power to convince my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that it is our duty, as Members of Congress, to defend our nation's people while also upholding the second amendment of our Constitution.

Dare I invoke the names of the hundreds of victims of mass-shootings in the last few years? Should I mention the alarming number of Americans murdered by guns every day which averages to more than 30 people? Or perhaps I should comment on the startling statistic that 140 Americans are taken to the emergency room every day to be treated for a gun assault.

Of course, Republicans are aware of the thousands of people who are injured and murdered by guns every year. They know the toll that gun violence is taking on the American people. I am sure they also acknowledge that their pillar of conservatism, the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, supported gun control.

Yet, Republicans still attached a gun rider to this bill to bolster their NRA ratings at the risk of the safety of the American people. They don't seem to care that less than a week ago, an individual documented for struggling with mental illnesses legally purchased a firearm and proceeded to use said firearm to deprive families of their loved ones. Well, according to the FBI, more than 400 people were murdered in my home state of New York in 2012 alone and I am outraged.

It is in the honor of the victims of the UC-Santa Barbara tragedy and their families that I support this amendment. It is in the honor of those lost in other tragedies, who are not forgotten, and all victims of gun violence and their families who have wept at funerals that I support this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to oppose H.R. 4587, the Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act. And while I am deeply troubled by the violence that erupted in Venezuela at the onset of protests months ago, and I join all of the people of Venezuela in mourning the loss of many lives, I also join all the people of Venezuela in the desire to see peaceful protests and a peaceful outcome, and that violence by anyone and everyone cease. I remain committed to doing everything in my power to support a positive outcome in that nation. But I believe vehemently that unilateral action by the United States is not the answer, and that is why this bill is not the right step to take.

I know that there are high emotions on all sides of this issue, and I understand why, but the House should not act emotionally, it should act judiciously. This bill does not advance U.S. interests, it will not help the people of Venezuela, and it sends the message to our regional allies that we don't care much about what they think. And these are allies, these are friends. Moreover, the Obama administration has the authority to do what this bill calls for right now, and the administration has shown its willingness to use its authority.

So what, then, is our objective? Is it intended to push Venezuela to the brink? What would that do for the Venezuelan people and the region? Now, I have spoken to all of our major allies in the region, and I have yet to hear any support by them for sanctions, but there is strong support for multilateral engagement. Our allies do not want to see the situation in Venezuela worsen.

The unilateral sanctions bill we are considering today is misguided in that it is an unfortunate reminder of the history of U.S. arrogance in the Western Hemisphere. We have a legacy in the Americas that is riddled with long-lasting consequences. That legacy has left us with a trust deficit. Today, we are considering a bill that does nothing to build that trust. Our standing in our own hemisphere will never improve unless or until we build that trust.

While we pursue these sanctions, our allies are actively supporting dialogue. Members of this very body have made it a point to denounce and even condemn some regional organizations. Yet, one of those organizations, along with the Vatican, has managed to be the facilitator of engagement between some of the opposition and some in the Government of Venezuela. UNASUR, in its mediation efforts, continues to urge dialogue between all parties, and it is my sincere hope that dialogue can be successful.

It is my sincere hope that dialogue can be successful, but in moments like this, I hope that we understand that unilateral sanctions would be another policy mistake--a costly mistake that we can and should avoid.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Cleaver for giving his voice of remembrance, his voice of comfort, his voice of concern, his voice that says this terrible genocide shall never happen again, nor should anybody who is of the human species sit back and allow such a tragedy to occur as what happened 20 years ago when, simply because of being a member of a different tribe, people were killed.

When I visited Rwanda, I had the opportunity to go to the museum where memorials were set up, but you saw the remains, the bones, of a number of individuals that were slaughtered, and you also learned the history of what took place in Rwanda, how the people were taught, especially during colonization, to make one feel that they were better than the other and one should rule over the other. And it went on to such a time when people started to cry out for equality and democracy moving on, and just because they happened to be of a different tribe, the Hutu majority, to terminate the Tutsi ethnic group.

Tragedy. Husbands turning in their wives, wives turning in their husbands where there were mixed groups, feeling one was superior to the other. Tragedy. Yet, the global community sat silently on the sidelines--sat silently on the sidelines.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, before I say more, I see the distinguished gentleman from the great State of Illinois and the city of Chicago, and I yield to the Honorable Danny Davis.

I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois, from the great city of Chicago, who long before he came to Congress, as a member of the Chicago City Council, spoke truth to power. And the words he has just articulated, that we should never forget that we will make sure that we are our brothers' keeper, that we need not have what I would call a gang mentality ourselves, that simply because someone is away across the ocean, may not look like some of us look, may not talk or speak the way we speak, that when we see evil, we won't stand silently by. We will stand against it and fight.

Dr. King once said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, and so it is that evil anywhere is a threat to all of us everywhere.

Yesterday, Rwanda launched a week of official mourning to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the genocide which left 800,000 people dead and changed the face of a nation forever, and I want the people of Rwanda to know that I stand in solidarity with them during this week of mourning. But I will also stand with them next week, and I will stand with them the week after that, and I will stand with them the week after, because what happened during the spring and summer of 1994 is too important to be mourned only on an anniversary.

The tragic consequences of ethnic hatred and violence must never be forgotten, for we must never allow the events of 1994 to be repeated-- not in Rwanda or anywhere else. We must, once and for all, put all racial and ethnic strife behind us as we strive for a better and a brighter future for our children and grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, we have, in this Chamber today, one whose voice has always spoken about justice, one whose actions were to feed those who were hungry, clothe those who had no clothes, and put a roof over the head of those who were homeless. We have in the Chamber today, Mr. Speaker, an individual who didn't sit idly by and quietly when he saw injustices take place here in America. He stood up and was counted for. He wasn't silent and inactive as, unfortunately, the world was in 1994. He stood up. He put his life on the line and said: I must have a voice for the voiceless. He is an American hero whom I, with pleasure, am able to tell my children that I serve in the United States House of Representatives with an American hero, an American icon. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush), an icon, a true American hero, a fighter for justice, and a man who is committed to Almighty God.

Thank you, Mr. Rush. I thank you for having the broad shoulders that I stand on and for being here.

Let me wrap up. Over the last several months, thousands of Rwandans have watched as a torch symbolizing the memory of those who perished, known as the Flame of Remembrance, was passed hand to hand, village to village, across the nation. In a fitting climax to its journey, that torch finally arrived yesterday at the National Genocide Memorial beneath dark skies and a gentle rain. But the rain did not distinguish the flame, nor will it for the next 100 days. The Flame of Remembrance will burn in Rwanda's capital of Kigali and remind the world of the 100 days of violence which marred its streets 20 years ago. Let us work together to make sure, Mr. Speaker, that it never happens again and that we can live in peace.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, let me first thank Ranking Member Waters and my good friend, Michael Grimm, for working collectively to make this bill happen.

You see, it was just 17 months ago that residents in my congressional district, the Fifth Congressional District of New York, and others throughout America were devastated by Superstorm Sandy. Little did they know then that they were about to be hit by another storm.

Then came FEMA with astronomical rate increases to their flood insurance program. Two strikes in the midst of severe recession, and many of them were out.

This bill, today, once we pass it, and once the Senate passes it, it will finally give relief to individuals who were wondering what they were going to do, many whom had to pay already these astronomical rates. Help is on its way. You will get reimbursed.

Many who did not know what the values of their property would be and, if they choose down the road to sell it, whether they would be able to do it. Help is on its way. This bill fixes that.

I congratulate both sides.

Madam Speaker, last week, I received hundreds of calls and emails from my constituents across the Rockaway Peninsula, Broad Channel, and Jamaica Bay in New York's Fifth Congressional District. Most had been struck hard by the devastation of Superstorm Sandy, and were eagerly hopeful that relief was finally underway with the Senate's passage of the flood insurance relief bill.

My constituents then asked: How long will it take, and when will the House pass the Senate bill? Why is the House not taking up the Senate bill, or why is it being delayed? Let's put politics aside because, if there is ever an issue that should not involve politics, it is this issue, because this storm struck Democrats and Republicans. It struck everybody--rich and poor. Everybody was affected by it. So when will we put those differences aside so that we can get something done?

``Why?'' they ask, Madam Speaker.

It is time for us to respond to these Americans who have suffered too long and who need relief now. It is time we hear the voices of hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens who have been devastated by the unintended consequences and the botched implementation of the Biggert- Waters Flood Insurance Act that led to dramatic increases in the cost of flood insurance. It is time that we on this side of the Capitol take up this legislation and address the problem before one more family suffers from increased premiums, depressed home prices, or the inability to sell their home.

I hope that, unlike what took place when we initially asked for relief, it is not the most extreme wing of the Republican Party that is blocking or stopping real relief for our Nation's homeowners and that we pass this important reform legislation today.

Madam Speaker, it is time that we pass the Homeowners Flood Insurance Act. It is time that we get it done. We need it done today. We need it done right now for relief for American citizens.

Madam Speaker, while I intend to support the omnibus appropriation bill, I wanted to voice my deep concern and disappointment that the omnibus appropriation bill fails to address the unemployment insurance issue, as well as it fails to address the rising flood insurance premiums facing millions of those who have been impacted by Superstorm Sandy.

Rather than amend the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Act in a comprehensive way, the omnibus contains language that temporarily delays flood insurance premium increases for a year and for just a segment of policy owners. After that year, flood insurance premiums could continue to rise exponentially for newer policies. This is crippling our housing market recovery in areas like New York City, New Jersey, Connecticut, and others that were hard hit by Superstorm Sandy.

Though this temporary delay may be better than nothing, it is not the certainty that the Nation's 5.5 million flood insurance owners deserve and need. Again, I call on Congress to bring up a comprehensive flood insurance reform legislation quickly in order to provide economic certainty to at-risk neighborhoods across our great country.

Mr. Speaker, Roslyn M. Brock is Chairman of the National Board of Directors for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She made history in February 2010 when she was unanimously elected as its 14th Chairman. She is the youngest person and fourth woman to hold this position.

Brock is currently employed as Vice President, Advocacy and Government Relations for Bon Secours Health System, Inc., in Marriottsville, Maryland. Prior to working at Bon Secours, Brock worked 10 years in health programs at the W. K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan.

She graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Union University; earned a master's degree in health services administration from George Washington University, an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Master of Divinity degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. In May 2010, she received an honorary doctorate degree from Virginia Union University.

Brock has been a servant leader with the NAACP for more than 27 years. She is a Diamond Life Member of NAACP and joined the Association as a freshman at Virginia Union University where she was elected President of the Youth and College Division from the Commonwealth of Virginia. One year later, she was elected as a Youth Board Member from Region 7 representing the District of Columbia, Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 1988 as Vice Chairman of the NAACP Board Health Committee, her advocacy for quality, accessible and affordable health care for vulnerable communities resulted in the National Board's mandate of a health committee for all units in its Constitution. In 2012, she initiated and led the Board's historic policy decision to support marriage equality and to implement The Black Church and HIV: The Social Justice Imperative.

An expert grant writer, Brock has secured millions in philanthropic support for the NAACP. From 1999-2010, Brock chaired the NAACP's National Convention Planning Committee. In this role, she led the Committee to institute fiscal policies that resulted in the Annual Convention becoming a profit center for the Association with average yearly net revenues of one million dollars. For nine years (2001-2010) she served as Vice Chairman of the NAACP National Board. In 2005, Brock created the NAACP Leadership 500 Summit. The Summit's goal is to recruit, train and retain a new generation of civil rights leaders to the NAACP. Since its inception, Leadership 500 has contributed more than $1.5m to the NAACP to support its civil rights programs.

Brock is a member of the Board of Trustees of The George Washington University, Kellogg Global Advisory Board, American Public Health Association, American College of Health Services Executives, Association of Healthcare Philanthropy, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, The LINKS and a former Trustee of the Catholic Health Association of the United States of America.

Brock's leadership skills have been recognized by several national publications and organizations. In 2012, she was the convocation speaker at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University and featured as the February 6, 2012 NBC Universal iVillage Woman of the Week. Brock was awarded the 2011 Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award by The George Washington University; the September 2010 issue of Essence magazine listed her among the ``40 Fierce and Fabulous Women Who Are Changing the World''; Black Entertainment Television's (BET) 2010 ``Black Girls Rock,'' honored her in its inaugural broadcast and she received the 2010 National Urban League's Women of Power Award.

Brock participated in the 2008 U.S. Department of Defense's 75th Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC) reserved for American leaders interested in expanding their knowledge of the military and national defense. She was a guest lecturer on ``Alleviating Global Poverty'' in Rome, Italy at the 2007 Martin Luther King, Jr. Conflict Resolution Conference. From 2003-2005, Brock was a Young Leaders Fellow with the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations to build cross- cultural understanding and professional networks with young Chinese leaders.

Brock's goal in life is embodied in an African proverb, ``Care more than others think is wise, Risk more than others think is safe, Dream more than others think is practical, and Expect more than others think is possible.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pesach Osina. Mr. Osina learned from a young age the importance of working on behalf of the community. Born in Brooklyn to parents who were well known for their kindness and charity, Pesach moved to Far Rockaway in 1999.

Pesach immediately got involved in Far Rockaway community life--as an active board member of the Jewish Community Council (JCCRP) and a founding member of the Rockaway Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). He started a holiday toy collection and distribution organization that provides toys to hundreds of needy families. In addition, Pesach used his love for politics to advance the needs of the community by actively advocating with local elected officials.

After helping elect Phil Goldfeder to the New York State Assembly in September of 2011, Pesach joined Goldfeder's government staff as Community Liaison and put his experience and skills to work for the community at the government level. Pesach has carved out a name for great work, responsiveness and community service.

Pesach's passion for helping others has been most evident during the last few months--prior to and in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Pesach worked with government officials and community leaders doing to prepare the community, as much as possible, for the impending storm. As the storm was raging, he worked throughout the night with local organizations to communicate with and to meet the needs of stranded families. In the days and nights following the storm, Pesach travelled throughout the community visiting relief sites and working with community leaders to ensure that all of the community needs were met.

Pesach has provided a beacon of hope and an exemplary standard of community service to the entire district. On behalf of New York State's 5th District, I commend Mr. Pesach Osina and thank him for all his contributions to our community.