Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, to begin this debate, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished Democratic whip, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself 4 minutes.

Let's do a quick review of the year. It's been 13 weeks since the Republicans took over the majority. Leading up to that point, we heard a mantra, ``Where are the jobs?'' So you might expect that on day one of the 112th Congress, they would bring a jobs bill to the floor. But no. What the Republican majority did with great fanfare was to conduct a reading of the Constitution and, as if our oath of office wasn't enough, also implemented a new House rule which required legislation to be accompanied by a ``statement of constitutional authority.'' In fact, my fellow colleague from South Carolina, Joe Wilson, read aloud Article I, section 7. What does it say?

``Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it . . .''

Ladies and gentlemen, we all learn in grade school how a bill becomes a law, but we'll get back to that in a moment.

So 13 weeks ago when the Republicans took the majority, up to that point all we heard from them was ``Where are the jobs?'' So, then, what was the first bill we were asked to vote on? The first bill was to repeal the health care law.

Democratic policies created more jobs in the last year than the Bush administration created in 8 years. Since health reform became law, 1.1 million private sector jobs have been created.

One-fifth of those new jobs, over 200,000, have been in the health care industry. So, repeal of the health care law would end jobs, not create jobs.

Then surely, at some point in the last 13 weeks, the Republican majority would have brought to this floor a jobs bill. Three months and no jobs bill. In fact, we've passed three bills that will destroy more than 1 million jobs, which brings us to this moment, the so-called Government Shutdown Prevention Act of 2011, and article I, section 7 of the United States Constitution. I've read it, but I want to repeat a certain portion of it:

``Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President of the United States.''

But the bill before us today, not a jobs bill, says that if the Senate doesn't act prior to the expiration of the continuing resolution, that H.R. 1, a budget bill passed only by the House, will become the law of the land.

It's very simple. That is unconstitutional. We do not have a unicameral legislative body.

Then what did they cite on the statement of the constitutional authority that must accompany each bill? There are a lot of words that only a parliamentary expert could understand.

I yield myself an additional minute.

But if you ask my daughter's eighth grade class that visited us here earlier this week, they will tell you that that's not how things work under our Constitution.

But don't listen to me or the eighth graders at Dent Middle School. Listen to what some of your colleagues in the other body had to say. So our colleagues in the other body had made it very clear. Senator Coats of Indiana: ``My reaction to that is ultimately the whole body, including the executive branch, has to sign on here or we're just whistling in the wind.''

Senator Alexander of Tennessee: ``To be the law of the land, a bill has to pass the Senate and be signed by the President.''

One of our own, the Appropriations Subcommittee Chair, Representative Mike Simpson, after laughing out loud, said, ``If we can do that, can't we just deem the budget balanced?''

Madam Speaker, I know it's April 1, so maybe that's the point. I ask my colleagues on the other side to let's quit this joke and get serious.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

I yield the gentleman another 30 seconds.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

(Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the Democratic Leader, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings).

I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time I have left?

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

(Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch).

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Weiner).

Madam Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Who has the right to close?

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I have often referred to this palatial Hall as our Nation's classroom. It is the reason I feel that we should not just stand here to enunciate precepts; but as elected leaders, we ought to lead by example. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I think it's important for us, when we bring legislation to this floor, that we demonstrate to those young children in classrooms all across America that we will not fly in the face of that Constitution that all of us have sworn to uphold.

I believe that it's a good thing to want to move a measure, but we ought not do so while violating the Constitution of the United States. And I think it's a good reason that the Senate rejected H.R. 1, because all of the economists who evaluated that piece of legislation made it very clear that, to them, it would destroy 700,000 jobs. That bill, H.R. 1, is a job-killer. Also, that bill, H.R. 1, will say to little preschool children in Head Start, we are terminating your educational experience by at least 200,000 so you would no longer have an educational experience.

Madam Speaker, I think it's laudatory for us to put our hands on the Constitution, swear to uphold it; but I think that what is most important is for each and every one of us to lead by example instead of enunciating precepts or empty gestures.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take just a moment to associate myself with the remarks we just heard from Congressman Joe Wilson and to welcome my longtime friend, Reverend Charles Jackson, who when we meet in the barber shop I usually call him a little something different.

I want to thank him so much for giving us the invocation here today and let him know how much I appreciate his long friendship and that of his family as well. I look forward to seeing you at Toliver's in a couple of days.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a South Carolinian who works every day to make his community a better place for all its residents. Nathaniel Peterson is a well-respected community leader in the Myrtle Beach area and is especially effective as Worshipful Master of Silver Star Lodge No. 333. I believe Mr. Peterson is deserving of our appreciation.

Nathaniel Peterson was born and raised in New York City. He studied at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He worked for nearly a decade with New York City Human Resources Administration/EVR as a Fraud Investigator before relocating to North Myrtle Beach. He currently serves as a financial counselor at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center/Hospital Corporation of America, a position that reflects his dedication to helping others.

When he came to North Myrtle Beach in 2003, Mr. Peterson saw opportunities to be of benefit to the community. He immediately joined Silver Star Lodge No. 333, and within four years was elected Worshipful Master. During his three and half years as the Lodge's leader, Mr. Peterson has organized various events which provide assistance, as well as, recognize individual achievements within the community.

His giving spirit has prompted Mr. Peterson to sponsor a holiday toy drive and initiate outreach programs for families in need. He continues to sponsor the Lodge's annual food drive. He is also responsible for developing the ``The 100 Men in Black Unity Service.'' This program honors men of all creeds regardless of lodge affiliation.

Mr. Peterson believes in giving back to his community, and looks for opportunities to honor others who are doing good works. He has recognized clergy, senior citizens, widows/widowers, teachers, and government officials within the community for their commendable services.

He is also passionate about providing opportunities to young people. In addition to recognizing students for their outstanding academic achievement, Mr. Peterson began an annual scholarship program in 2009. Each year, the scholarship program assists a graduating high school student achieve his or her dream of going to college.

Wherever there is a need in the community, Mr. Peterson helps to find a way to address it. He recently encouraged members of his Masonic lodge to join him in restoring the home of an elderly woman and her disabled son in the Popular community. He is also a sponsor of the March of Dimes and the Paul Chester Children's Hope Foundation.

Besides his tremendous work with the Silver Star Lodge No. 333, Mr. Peterson is also affiliated with the Holy Royal Arch Masons (Harry T. Ross Chapter No. 54); John 0' Floyd Consistory No. 189; A.E.A.O.N.M.S. Shriner Kaaba No. 89; Member of the Order of the Eastern Star Moonlight Chapter No. 168; Knights of Pythagoras Youth Organization JT. Chestnut Council No. 46; and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. (Conway/Myrtle Beach Alumni)

Mr. Peterson and his wife, Erica, are the proud parents of five beautiful children, which include two sets of twins; Brittany and Briana, 21, Brandon, 16, and Jared and Jordan, 12.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in applauding the community service of Nathaniel Peterson. To all who know him, Mr. Peterson is an encouraging, inspiring, and persistent individual who works tirelessly to improve the quality of life for others. His leadership is a guiding light in the Myrtle Beach community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of my constituents, Justin Blum of Florence, South Carolina. Justin has been selected as the Great Comebacks Tony Snow Public Service Award recipient for 2010. This award, named in memory of the former White House advisor and news broadcaster who passed away from colon cancer, was created to honor extraordinary individuals who are passionate about serving their country while dealing courageously with debilitating intestinal diseases and ostomy surgery.

The Great Comebacks Program is sponsored by ConvaTec in partnership with the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation (CCFA), the United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. (UOAA) and the Intestinal Disease Education and Awareness Society (IDEAS). Each year, Great Comebacks presents awards to individuals throughout the United States who have struggled with a chronic intestinal condition and have exhibited extraordinary strength and courage for managing to live full and productive lives despite daily struggles. Today, there are more than 700,000 men, women and children throughout our country affected by the very conditions that can result in an ostomy.

Following a 21-year history of ulcerative colitis, Mr. Blum opted for ostomy surgery while a Major on active duty in the Army. The words ``I can't'' have never been part of Mr. Blum's vocabulary and he uses his ostomy to set an example to others that anything is possible in life if you set your mind to it. This drive allowed Mr. Blum to complete 21 years of active Army service before retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and to tackle his next goal of becoming a JROTC instructor. He is currently in his 15th year as a JROTC instructor at Marlboro County High School in Bennettsville, South Carolina and in this capacity has worked with more than 5,000 at-risk students.

Mr. Blum credits his wife for providing him with the emotional and physical support needed to transition to ``life'' as a permanent ostomate. He also credits his Wound Ostomy Care (WOC) nurse, Cindy Norris with performing selfless acts on behalf of her clients and for always being available to him.

Commenting on his ostomy, Justin says, ``The best advice I have given other ostomates is that they are very fortunate and are now in a position to accomplish anything. As an ostomate, they are cured from previous inflictions like colitis or Crohns' and they have been provided a second chance for life. They can set an example for all to emulate by making a difference in the lives of others who do not have the motivation and self-esteem they are experiencing.''

I urge my colleagues to take the time to meet with some of the Great Comebacks award recipients. Their personal stories, like Justin's, are inspirational and will heighten your awareness about some of the huge strides being made by people living with intestinal diseases or recovering from ostomy surgery.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a trailblazing educator and remarkable woman whose life is being celebrated in Columbia, South Carolina on March 15th. Madame Lilease Hall passed away in August 2010, but she is being remembered by Columbia High School and Richland School District One for her many years of service, and I add my voice to those honoring her remarkable life.

Lilease Hall was born to Jessie James and Belle Magnolia Rogers in Conway, South Carolina in 1923. Her gentle spirit endeared her to all of those that knew her, and she was affectionately known as ``Sister'' or ``Lily,'' and in the case of her French students, ``Madame Hall.''

Madame Hall received a Bachelor of Arts, with concentrations in French and English, from South Carolina State University and later a Master of Education degree from the University of South Carolina. She received additional education from Montana State University in Missoula, Montana; Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio; The Sorbornne University in Paris, France; Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina and The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina.

For 58 years, Madame Hall pursued her passion for teaching and French as an educator. She taught French at Columbia High School, and taught French and English at Booker T. Washington High School, Alabama A&M University, S.C. State College, Council Training School in Huntsville, Alabama, and Whittemore High School. She also participated in summer programs at Benedict College and the University of South Carolina. She continued to work in Richland School District One until 2008, when she was 85 years old. During her 54 years with the district, she taught many generations of students and touched countless lives.

Madame Hall's many accomplishments include being selected as Teacher of the Year at Columbia High School several times over the years. She also was nominated by her students to appear on the television program, Oprah.

In February 2010, Madame Hall published a book with her daughter entitled Running Through the Scary Woods. The book was inspired by real-life events in which a young girl in the 1920s literally had to run through the scary woods to achieve her goals. The book teaches life lessons of overcoming obstacles with courage and perseverance. Copies of the book have been donated to Mothering Across Continents (MAC) literacy and education efforts in Africa. The book is currently being used in a program to help teachers learn and instruct in English at a remote school in northern Rwanda.

Madame Hall was a faithful member of the Progressive Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Columbia, South Carolina. She was a member of numerous social organizations and a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

She married her college sweetheart, Benjamin Louis Hall, Jr., who passed away in 2007. The two celebrated 60 years of marriage on November 29, 2006, and their union was blessed with six children. The Halls were the proud grandparents of nine grandchildren and the great- grandparents of one great-grandson.

Mr. Speaker, I ask our colleagues to join me in honoring the tremendous dedication of this trailblazing educator. Madame Hall committed her life to the education of students and expanding their minds beyond the limited world around them. She ignited in her students a passion for learning and experiencing life beyond their hometowns. Madame Hall serves as an inspiration to all those who knew her to live their best life and she certainly demonstrated that with her own. She is certainly missed, but not forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an educator, community leader, humanitarian and constituent on the occasion of her 100th birthday. Mrs. Geraldyne Inez Pierce Zimmerman, is an institution at my alma mater, South Carolina State College (now University), a trailblazer in her hometown of Orangeburg, South Carolina, and she achieved the remarkable milestone of becoming a Centenarian on March 5, 2011.

Mrs. Zimmerman's character is described as being beautiful, caring, feisty, generous, humble, intelligent, kind, loving, sensitive, strong and witty. Her character has contributed to her success to make a significant impact on the lives of people in Orangeburg, South Carolina, the state of South Carolina and the United States of America.

Mrs. Zimmerman is the daughter of Hazel and James Pierce of 358 Treadwell Street, Orangeburg. She was born in her parents' home on March 5, 1911, and she still resides in the family home today.

Mrs. Zimmerman began her education at an early age by participating in a pre-school that her mother started in their home for the neighborhood children. When she was of school age, she attended the Claflin College's Grammar School in Orangeburg until the 8th Grade. She went on to attend the South Carolina State College's High School and graduated in 1928.

Education was extremely important to Mrs. Zimmerman despite the era in which she grew up and the limited opportunities available to African American women. After graduating from high school she attended Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. She received a BS Degree in Mathematics in March of 1932.

Mrs. Zimmerman sought to share her love of learning and began her career as an educator in 1932 at Felton Academy back at South Carolina State College. In 1935, she took a job at Jefferson High School in York, South Carolina. Just three years later, she went home to Orangeburg to work as a substitute teacher and piano instructor.

Her love of learning never waned, and she returned to South Carolina State College and earned a Master's Degree in Mathematics in 1948. After completing her degree, she joined the faculty at SC State's Mathematics Department and continued in that position until her retirement in 1976.

Her community was very important to Mrs. Zimmerman, and she was extremely involved in growing and improving her hometown. She was a founding member of the ``As You Like It'' Bridge Club, the AKA Sorority Graduate Chapter, and the Links, Inc. Chapter in Orangeburg. She was one of the first members of St. Paul Episcopal Church, the first African American Episcopal church in Orangeburg, and she was a founding member of the church's Women's Club.

She was always committed to the education and enrichment of young people, so she established the first African American Boy Scouts Chapter and Girl Scouts Chapter in Orangeburg. She was a founding member of the Helen Wilkerson Sheffield Girls Club for high school girls and the Sarah B. Henderson Girls Club for college girls in Orangeburg.

In the community, Mrs. Zimmerman organized the Night Out Campaign Against Crime and she spearheaded the cleaning, restoration and registering of an Orangeburg African American cemetery that is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places. She is also the Founder of the Rosa Zimmerman Family Reunion.

Mrs. Zimmerman was a member of many significant boards and organizations in the Orangeburg area. Her memberships included Albemarle Chemical Plant Advisory Board; Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority; Art Councils of Orangeburg; Church Community Ministries Organization; Girls Scouts of America; Links, Incorporated; NAACP; Orangeburg Downtown Revitalization; Red Cross of America; Salvation Army; Samaritan Homeless Shelter; St. Paul Episcopal Church and the United Way Foundation Grants Committee.

Her many honors and awards include four National Science Foundation Awards; Claflin University's Honorary Doctorate Humane Letters in 1992; Orangeburg Kiwanis Club Award in 1994; Orangeburg Citizen of the Year in 1994; Orangeburg City Council's Edisto Award in 1999; South Carolina Governor's Order of the Palmetto Award in 2000; Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition in 2003; South Carolina Hall of Fame induction in 2003; AKA Certificate of Appreciation for 75 years in 2007; Geraldyne Zimmerman's Day by the Orangeburg City Council in 2008; and a Certificate of Appreciation from the SCSU Math Club for her years of service.

Due to her dedication to the advancement of young people, the Geraldyne Zimmerman Youth Center was dedicated in 1963. In October 2010, her biography was published, ``Ahead of Her Time in Yesteryear,'' which certainly captures the trailblazer Mrs. Zimmerman has been throughout her entire life.

Mrs. Zimmerman married the love of her life, her SC State College High School classmate, the late Dudley Malone Zimmerman, in Orangeburg in 1935. The couple had two children, D.M. Zimmerman, Jr. and Rose Hayzel Zimmerman Jones. She is the proud grandmother of four and the great-grandmother to one.

Mr. Speaker, I invite you and my distinguished colleagues to join me in honoring Geraldyne Inez Pierce Zimmerman as she celebrates her 100th birthday. This occasion provides us an opportunity to honor the many contributions Mrs. Zimmerman has made during her extraordinary lifetime. She serves as a remarkable example of what an education and determination can accomplish. She is an inspiration to all that have been blessed to know her, and I count myself among those who have been fortunate to be touched by her gracious spirit.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding me this time, and I want to thank her for organizing this Special Order in honor of Black History Month. But I want to take a few minutes to talk about the future.

Last December, when faced with the prospect that tax rates for the richest 2 percent of Americans would rise to where they were in the 1990s, when we balanced the budget and enjoyed unprecedented prosperity, Republicans decided that extending these unnecessary and unaffordable tax cuts was their number one priority.

As we all remember, they held much-needed relief to the middle class hostage, and they got their tax cut for millionaires and billionaires. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, this tax is adding $39 billion to the deficit this year and will add even more next year.

Speaker Boehner has said that our national debt is a moral issue, and I agree with him. We need to act to curb our exploding deficits and mounting debt. But Republicans and Democrats have different approaches to the problem. The Republicans' approach is the irresponsible continuing resolution that was passed by this House 10 days ago. Republicans would cut $600 million from the COPS program and $256 million from the State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program, which would make our streets less safe. Republicans would cut $75 million from the Legal Services Corporation, which would deny legal services to the victims of domestic violence. Republicans would cut $53 million from the Food Safety and Inspection Service, which would threaten public health.

Republicans would completely eliminate family planning funding, which would result in more unplanned pregnancies and more abortions. Adding insult to injury, Republicans would cut $758 million from Women, Infants and Children, which would deny these mothers and children the nutrition they need to begin life on the right track.

Republicans would cut Pell Grants by 15 percent, which would deny young people the opportunity to get a college education. I could go on, but I think you get my point: The cuts in the Republican continuing resolution are shortsighted, counterproductive, and the wrong way to cut the deficit. And the one community, or the communities, that will suffer the most are minority communities in this country, and that includes the black communities, black students, black mothers, and black infants, as well.

Mark Zandi, the former economic adviser to the McCain campaign, said that these cuts will destroy 700,000 jobs and stall our economic recovery, which would lessen future revenues and further exacerbate the debt problem. And a Goldman Sachs' economist warned that the Republican plan could reduce our Nation's economic growth by 1.5 to 2 percent in the second and third quarters of this year.

Maybe I should amend my previous statement: the cuts in the Republican CR are shortsighted, counterproductive, and may not even cut the deficit.

We need a smarter approach. We need an approach of shared sacrifice, not sacrifice by the most vulnerable. We do need to cut the deficit. But there are different ways to cut the deficit, and I believe the Republicans have chosen the wrong way.

Democrats offer a better approach. We can cut the deficit by at least $61 billion in such a manner that helps, doesn't hurt, struggling Americans, our economy, and our shared future. First, as I mentioned before, we need to get rid of, once and for all, the tax cuts for the richest 2 percent of Americans. It is too late to save the $39 billion that we wasted this year, but we could save more than that next year.

Next, I think we need to get rid of special tax preferences for oil and gas companies, many of which were instituted by Republicans the last time they were in the majority. This would save $44 billion over the next 10 years.

There is no good reason to keep these subsidies in place. The oil companies have said themselves that they don't need them. John Hofmeister, the former CEO of Shell Oil, said on February 11, ``In the face of sustained high oil prices it was not an issue--for large companies--of needing the subsidies to entice us into looking for and producing more oil.''

Next, Defense Secretary Gates has called for $78 billion in defense cuts over the next 5 years, saying that these funds can be cut without putting national security at risk. We should listen to him.

I want to thank my friend from the Virgin Islands for allowing me to speak here this evening. I do believe that if we focus on these continuing resolutions that we have been debating, we can have a much better future than the history has been for African Americans in this country.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, this is a very important amendment, and I have called it the 10-20-30 amendment. It deals with what we call ``persistent poverty counties''--those places in America that have experienced a poverty rate of at least 20 percent for the last 30 years.

My amendment requires that at least 10 percent of the funds in certain accounts be directed to counties where 20 percent or more of their citizens have languished below the Federal poverty level for the last 30 years; hence, the 10-20-30 approach.

Mr. Chairman, approximately 15 percent of all counties in America qualify as persistent poverty counties. These counties are diverse and spread across the country, including Appalachian communities in Kentucky and West Virginia, Native American communities in South Dakota and Alaska, Latino communities in Arizona and New Mexico, African American communities in North and South Carolina. They are urban communities in Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, and St. Louis.

Democrats represent 149 of these counties, with a total population of 8.7 million. Republicans represent 311 of these counties, with a total population of 8.3 million. Fourteen of these counties, with a total population of 5.3 million, are split between Democrats and Republicans. A total of 43 Democrats and 84 Republicans represent all or a part of these counties, and 35 of our 50 States have at least one persistent poverty county. Fifteen of South Carolina's 46 counties qualify for this ignoble recognition, and I happen to represent seven of those counties.

This is not a red State or a blue State issue. That's why on this map beside me the persistent poverty counties are colored in purple. There is no political affiliation for poverty. Poverty has never been limited to race, region, or creed.

These counties do not have the resources to hire sophisticated, high- powered grant writers and lobbyists to help compete for the finite amount of dollars that should be available to them.

In today's New York Times, there is a front-page story which I would ask everybody to read. It is entitled, ``For Much of Rural America, Broadband is a Dividing Line.''

Mr. Chairman, I was particularly struck by the words of Mrs. Sharon Jones, a small logging company owner in Coffeeville, Alabama. Listen to her words. ``We are trying to pull ourselves into the 21st century.'' Mrs. Jones says, ``I don't think the rest of the world understands there is a piece of the world here that is really challenged.''

Her business, her customers, and her neighbors are the reasons we included the 10-20-30 amendment in the Recovery Act in the Rural Development section of the Agriculture title, and it is working well.

The formula allowed many persistent poverty counties to benefit from the Recovery Act, and they do not otherwise receive funds. Projects like these are crucial to meeting the basic needs of the community and laying the groundwork for future success.

This amendment builds on that success, and I hope to work with my Republican colleagues to have it included in the final version of H.R. 1.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable public servant who has served the people of South Carolina's lowcountry for more than four decades. Mr. Floyd Buckner has been a member of Colleton County Council for 28 years, and was an educator in Colleton and Dorchester County School Districts for 39 years. He has earned the praise and respect of his fellow citizens and is deserving of this recognition.

Floyd Buckner graduated from Colleton County's Ruffin High School in 1960. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree from Benedict College in 1964, and a master's degree in Education from South Carolina State University in 1970.

He began his teaching career in the mid-1960s in Dorchester County schools and rose to the position of principal of Jenkins Hill Middle School in Harleyville in 1972. The following year, his home county hired Mr. Buckner to serve as Principal of Forest Hills Elementary School in Walterboro. In 1975, Mr. Buckner became the director for the Title I Program in the Colleton County School District, a position he held until his retirement in 2002. In this capacity, he instituted a classroom on wheels designed to serve the educational needs of pre- school children, and received recognition from the U.S. Department of Education for the program's effectiveness. His commitment to the Colleton County School District was rewarded with the dedication of the Floyd Buckner Title I Parent Center in Walterboro in 1995.

Mr. Buckner also contributed to the education of young people statewide. Governor Dick Riley appointed him as a member of a state committee tasked with drafting legislation for the Education Improvement Act. He also served as President of the South Carolina State Association of Elementary Secondary Education Act Board in 1980- 1981.

In addition to serving our youth in the schools, Mr. Buckner felt called to run for elective office. In 1982, he ran for a seat on Colleton County Council, and the race earned him the distinction of being the first African American to win a run-off election in that county. Mr. Buckner has served on Colleton County Council since his swearing-in on January 1, 1983.

During his service on County Council he has been committed to delivering the best service to the people of Colleton County with limited resources. He is known for ensuring equitable treatment in areas such as education, access, and quality of life. He is an expert on policy, protocol and procedures, having spent a number of years serving as the County Council Chairman. He also helped lead the restoration of the historic Old Jail into the building that houses the current County Council Chambers. His tremendous service has been recognized by Colleton County with the naming of the building at North Jefferies Boulevard in Walterboro in his honor.

Mr. Buckner has also been a committed member of the community. He has served on a number of boards including the Lowcountry Council of Governments, the Lowcountry Community Action Agency, and the South Carolina Migrant Workers Board. He is currently a member of the Walterboro-Colleton County Regional Airport Board and the Hollings Cancer Center Disparities Advisory Board at the Medical University of South Carolina. Mr. Buckner is the first president of the Arabian Temple #139, the Walterboro Shrine Club. With his appointment to the First Federal Savings and Loan Board, he became the first African American in Colleton County to serve on a bank board. He is also the first African American to own and publish a newspaper in Colleton County.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in commending Floyd Buckner for his outstanding lifetime of public service. He is a trailblazer and a role model for so many in South Carolina's lowcountry, and I am proud to call him a friend.

Offered By: Mr. Clyburn

Amendment No. 408: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following:

I thank the gentlelady for yielding me this time and thank her for her tremendous leadership on this and many other areas that come before this Congress.

I want to take just a few moments to talk about an issue that's very, very important to a significant number of citizens in our great country. The Wharton School of Business recently held a conference named in honor of Whitney Young, a leader and friend in the struggle for social justice, equality, and civil rights. Whitney Young is probably known best for growing and transforming the Urban League from a sleepy little organization into one of the country's biggest and most aggressive crusaders for social justice.

What he is less known for is his call for a ``domestic Marshall Plan,'' a program to eradicate poverty and deprivation in the United States, similar to the Marshall Plan that was launched to reconstruct Europe after World War II. I would like to use that call for a domestic Marshall Plan as a jumping-off point for my remarks this evening.

Some of Whitney Young's ideas were incorporated into President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty over 40 years ago, yet the scourge is still with us. Before the War on Poverty and the Great Society, we had the New Deal. All of these investments in America helped to move us forward as a Nation. But some communities have been left behind each time, and we have begun to call them ``persistent poverty communities,'' places that have had more

than 20 percent of their populations living beneath the poverty level for more than 30 years.

Approximately 15 percent of all counties in America qualify as persistent poverty counties under this definition. These counties are diverse and spread across the country, including Appalachian communities in Kentucky and West Virginia; Native American communities in South Dakota and Alaska; Latino communities in Arizona and New Mexico; African American communities in Mississippi and South Carolina; and urban communities in Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, and St. Louis.

Democrats represent 149 of these counties, with a total population of 8.7 million. Republicans represent 311 of these counties, with a total population of 8.3 million. Fourteen, with a total population of 5.3 million, are split between Democrats and Republicans.

A total of 43 Democrats and 84 Republicans represent at least a part of one of these counties. Thirty-five of the 50 states have at least one persistent poverty county. Fifteen of South Carolina's 46 counties meet this ignoble distinction, and seven of them are in the Sixth Congressional District that I proudly represent.

This is not a red state or a blue state issue. That's why in the map beside me the persistent poverty communities are colored in purple because poverty knows no political affiliation. Poverty has never been limited to race, region, or creed.

For many years, counties along the I-95 corridor in South Carolina were passed over for economic development. Federal funds found their way to South Carolina, but mysteriously did not find their way into the Sixth Congressional District.

The I-95 corridor is plagued with health disparities. The Sixth District has the dubious distinction of leading the State in incidents of stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. We lead the State in amputations for both adult and juvenile diabetes. This region is known as the buckle of the stroke belt, and is home to the highest rate of prostate cancer deaths among black males in the South.

Scientists tell me that many of these health problems are directly related to water quality. In some of these places in my district, the water is not fit for human consumption. One particular instance in which my office was involved, the Health Department would not allow a water hookup to a home because of the contamination. Yet, the people still drink the water because they have no choice.

Two years ago I offered a provision in the Rural Development section of the Recovery Act that we called the 10-20-30 formula. It stipulated that at least 10 percent of the funds be targeted to counties where at least a 20 percent poverty rate has persisted for the past 30 years. The formula is working.

Marion County, South Carolina, received a $3 million loan and a $4.7 million grant to build 71 miles of water lines, and three water projects in Orangeburg County benefited from this formula, including a $5.6 million grant to bring potable water to these communities. Citizens in these counties will soon be enjoying their first clean glass of water from the faucet, free of contaminants and pollutants, thanks to this formula.

In the coming days and weeks, I will personally reach out to all 127 Members who represent persistent poverty counties in hopes of bringing together a bipartisan task force to ensure that these areas are not overlooked as we emerge from the recession. Hopefully, this task force will work to build on the success of the 10-20-30 formula in the rural development program by extending it to all Federal departments with grant-making authority going forward.

I thank my friend from the Virgin Islands for allowing me to speak about this important issue today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding member of the Florence sporting community, Mr. Bob Wilson. For over 30 years, Mr. Wilson has been passionately involved in the sport of basketball in my district. In honor of his unwavering commitment, later this month Mr. Wilson, a former player and coach at Francis Marion University (FMU), will be inducted into the University's Athletic Hall of Fame.

As a player, Mr. Wilson made an exceptional contribution to the University's basketball team. After transferring from Western Kentucky University in 1978, he played two seasons for the Patriots from 1978 to 1980. Wilson appeared in 58 games, assisting the team to a combined 42- 19 win-loss record. He averaged an impressive 15.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. At the end of his career, Mr. Wilson owned the Patriot men's record for free-throw accuracy. To this day, despite playing only two seasons, Mr. Wilson ranks 22nd on the career scoring list with 880 points.

The 1979-80 season was a professional highlight in Mr. Wilson's basketball career. As co-captain, he scored a career-high 33 points in a win over Coastal Carolina in 1979. He also won the Francis Marion Coaches' Award and was voted the ``Best Shooter'' by the coaches in District Six of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). That season the Patriots also recorded a 24-7 mark, which was the best the school had achieved to that date.

At the conclusion of his playing career, Mr. Wilson was named as part of the Francis Marion University All-Decade Team for the 1970s. He also graduated from FMU with a B.A. Degree in History in 1982 and later a Master's Degree in Education in 1991.

Reflecting his love and passion for the game, Mr. Wilson returned to Francis Marion as an assistant coach for eight seasons. In his tenure as part of the coaching staff, Francis Marion achieved a 142-100 mark and the program's only appearance in the NAIA National Tournament in 1991.

Mr. Wilson has subsequently taught in Florence School District One and has taught and coached at both West Florence and Wilson high schools. In his four seasons coaching at Wilson he guided them to a 76- 31 mark and the 2007 AAA State Championship.

Mr. Wilson will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in a ceremony that will take place during the Homecoming activities on Saturday the 26th of February in the Smith University Center gymnasium on campus. Another Florence resident, Ms. Kim Slawson Hawkins, will also be inducted at the ceremony. Mr. Hawkins and Ms. Wilson will join 35 other members in the Francis Marion University Athletic Hall of Fame, which has been in existence since 1991.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in recognizing the significant contributions that Mr. Bob Wilson has made as an athlete and coach for the past three decades. I applaud and thank him for his services to the youth of my district and to the broader South Carolina sporting community.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, back when I was campaigning for Members all across the country, I heard Republicans constantly talking about jobs. Despite the fact that the Democratic majority in the 111th Congress brought America back from the brink of a depression and presided over 10 straight months of private sector job growth, with Republicans obstructing every step of the way, the Republicans insisted they would focus on jobs, jobs, jobs.

But something must have happened to the Republicans over the holidays, because for the full month since the opening of the 112th Congress, the Republican majority has done literally nothing to create jobs. Republicans have held votes on 11 bills that do things like denying insurance to people with preexisting conditions and denying security funding to the area around the United Nations building in New York. Not a single one of these votes has created a single job for a single American.

Republicans are holding a host of committee hearings on issues like restricting access to women's legal health services and rolling back injured patients' legal rights. Not a single one of these hearings has created or will create a single job for a single American. Today we are talking and talking about a resolution that will instruct committees to conduct oversight, which they are supposed to do no matter what. This resolution would not create a single job for a single American.

This week, as our economic recovery is just gaining steam, the Republicans are proposing a spending bill that will curtail American innovation and clean energy and cut the number of cops on our streets. This will result in Americans losing their jobs and America being less safe and less prepared to compete in the 21st century global economy and to create jobs years into the future.

Republicans talked last year about how they would focus on jobs. But it seems that when they decide to focus on jobs at all, they are focusing on how to eliminate jobs.

Madam Speaker, I come from a district and a State where unemployment is unacceptably high and too many people have been out of work for much

too long. I honestly wish the Republican majority would focus on commonsense and pragmatic ways to create American jobs. If they decide to do this, they will find me to be a willing partner. But let's stop these shenanigans like we are seeing here today.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews).

(Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I yield the gentleman an additional minute.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time remains.

Madam Speaker, I would now yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from California, Ms. Barbara Lee.

I yield the gentlelady an additional minute.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan).

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a ministerial wunderkind who at the age of 58 has led his home church for a remarkable 40 years. Dr. Charles B. Jackson, Sr., is the spiritual leader of Brookland Baptist Church and a community leader in the Columbia, South Carolina, metropolitan area. I am proud to call Dr. Jackson a dear friend, and acknowledge that he has presided over some very important events in my life, including the marriage of my youngest daughter, Angela.

Charles Jackson is a product of West Columbia, South Carolina, and attended the local public schools. Even from a young age, there was no doubt the path that his life would take. At the age of nine, Dr. Jackson responded to the call to preach. The next year he was licensed, and at age 12 he became an ordained minister. At the age of 18, when most young men are searching for a direction in life, Dr. Jackson was installed as the Pastor of his home church--Brookland Baptist Church of West Columbia.

At the time he officially took over the ministerial leadership of the church, he was also a student at Benedict College. Despite the demands of his chosen career, he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. As a dedicated student, he received the Distinguished Mathematics and Physics Award for achieving the highest academic average in those disciplines.

Dr. Jackson continued his studies by attending the Interdenominational Theological Center of Morehouse School of Religion in Atlanta. He graduated with honors in 1977 with a Master of Divinity. He was also awarded the Distinguished Board of Directors Award for High Academic Achievement. In August 1978, Dr. Jackson completed one year of certification of residency in Clinical Pastoral Education at the South Carolina Academy for Pastoral Education. He has received Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degrees from Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina, and from his alma mater, Benedict College.

During his 40 years at Brookland Baptist, the church has grown exponentially. As one of the fastest growing churches in the state, Brookland Baptist offers 65 ministries, a full-service Federal Credit Union, the Brookland Foundation--a charitable 501(c)(3)--the Brookland Center for Community and Economic Change, the Brookland-West Columbia Community and Housing Development Corporation, and the Brookland Community Pediatric Center, which is a collaborative effort with the Eau Claire Cooperative Health Center.

Nearly 12 years ago, Dr. Jackson led his growing congregation to a new 2300-seat sanctuary. In addition to the beautiful new church, Brookland Baptist also opened a 68,000 square-foot Community Resource Center in September 2005, which houses an Academy Child Development Center, a Health and Wellness Center, and a Banquet and Conference Center. In 2008, the board of Lexington School District Two awarded Brookland Baptist the building that once housed the former Lakeview/ Northside School. This 94,000 square foot educational facility on 11 acres of land will be converted into the Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center. As a result of the church's Economic Empowerment Initiative, over 160 people are employed in Brookland's ministry.

Due to the tremendous growth in the church family, Dr. Jackson opened a second campus of the church. Brookland Baptist Church Northeast opened on October 5, 2008, and Dr. Christopher Leevy Johnson was installed as the Campus Pastor. He has also expanded his ministry overseas. Dr. Jackson has partnered with Providence Baptist Church in Liberia to provide a weekly radio broadcast in that African country.

Dr. Jackson held and still holds membership in a number of denominational, civic and community organizations. He is a former president of the South Carolina Baptist Congress of Christian Education and the Gethsemane Baptist Congress of Christian Education. He is also Past Moderator of the Gethsemane Baptist Association. Dr. Jackson is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Golden Square Lodge #283, NAACP, 100 Black Men of Greater Columbia, Inc., and the Cayce-West Columbia Rotary Club.

He serves on the Board of Governors for the Capital City Club, the Board of Directors of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Board of Trustees for Morris College in Sumter, SC, the Board of Directors for Morehouse School of Religion in Atlanta, the Board of Visitors for the University of South Carolina and is the Chairman of the Distressed Areas Task Force for New Carolina.

His honors include: the 1995 Affirmative Action Award from the Black Faculty and Staff Association of the University of South Carolina; the Lincoln C. Jenkins Achievement Award for Economic Empowerment by the Columbia Urban League; the Whitney M. Young, Jr., Service Award by the Boy Scouts of America, the Distinguished Service Award by the Greater Columbia Community Relations Council (2004), West Metro Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year (2005), Lifetime Achievement Award by the 100 Black Men of Greater Columbia, Inc., and the March of Dimes African American Achievement Award (2006).

He has preached revivals throughout the United States and delivered lectures at more than fifteen colleges and universities. In observance of his 30th anniversary as Pastor of the Brookland Baptist Church, Governor Jim Hodges awarded him the Order of the Palmetto, which is the highest honor that the State of South Carolina confers upon its citizens.

Dr. Jackson is married to the former Robin Hoefer, and is the father of two children, Reverend Charles B. Jackson, Jr., pastor of the New Laurel Street Baptist Church in Columbia, SC, and Candace, a graduate of Duke University School of Law, and an associate of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP. A daughter-in-law, the former Iva Gaymon and four grandchildren Kayla, Charles III, Caleb and Carter.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in congratulating Dr. Charles Jackson, Sr., on his extraordinary 40 years in the ministry. We are extremely fortunate that Dr. Jackson is still in the prime of his career, and we can look forward to many more years of his growing ministry and his dedicated service. He embodies the admonition of our Christian faith to do ``good works.'' His ministry has touched countless lives over the past 40 years, and he deserves our commendation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a trailblazing legal professional and one of my mentors, Judge Richard Fields.

Judge Fields is being honored on February 10, 2011, by the Center for Heirs Property Preservation with the Commitment to Justice Award. Although I cannot be there in person due to Congressional obligations, I cannot allow this occasion to pass without adding my personal recognition of this remarkable man.

Judge Richard E. Fields has a story not unlike that of many African Americans born in the segregated South. He was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina to parents who spent their youth working in the fields, unable to earn more than a fourth grade education. Yet that didn't stop them from wanting a better life for their son.

Judge Fields left home in 1940, and went to West Virginia State College, now University, where he earned a BS in Business Administration. In 1944 he entered the Howard University Law School and graduated with a law degree in 1947.

Two years later, Judge Fields returned to his hometown and became the first African American to open a law office in Charleston since the early 1900s and he had the distinction of becoming the first black litigator.

After distinguishing himself over two decades as an outstanding legal advocate, he was elected in 1969 as a Municipal Judge for the City of Charleston. He served in that position until 1975, when he was elected Judge of the Family Court of Charleston County. Five years later, he was elected Judge of the Circuit Courts of South Carolina where he remained until his retirement in 1992.

In retirement, Judge Fields has been very active in the legal community. He was a member of the Committee to Establish the School of Law and now serves on the Advisory Committee to the Charleston School of Law which was established in 2004.

In 1952, Judge Fields joined the Claflin College, now University, Board of Trustees, where he served for more than 50 years. In 1992, the Richard E. Fields and Myrtle E. Fields Scholarship was established at Claflin to provide financial assistance to students of merit.

Throughout his career, Judge Fields has served on numerous boards and committees in both the public and private sectors. In 1980, he along with several businessmen, established the Liberty National Bank, and he served on its Board of Directors for a number of years.

After returning to Charleston to practice law, Judge Fields resumed his membership in historic Centenary Methodist Church. He was elected Treasurer of that congregation in approximately 1950, and held that position for more than 50 years. He has been the Church's delegate to the South Carolina Annual Conference for more than 50 years. In 1970, Judge Fields was elected to the General Board of Finance and Administration, the corporate body of the Church.

He has been honored by the local chapter of ``100 Black Men'' and by the American Board of Trial Advocates which established ``The Richard E. Fields Civility Award'' to be given annually to a judge or attorney embodying his high standards of decency, civility, and equanimity. West Virginia State University also honored him in 2009 as the Alumnus of the Year.

In addition to all his public accolades, I must add my personal commendation to Judge Fields. I often recount the story of when I was a young man just out of college intent on changing the world from my place in Charleston, Judge Fields gave me advice that I will never forget. He reminded me of the story of the three little pigs and the wolf that huffed and puffed and couldn't blow their brick house down. Judge Fields equated the obstacles that had been built to keep African Americans out to the brick house. He told me, ``You got to get inside. You can't change things from outside no matter how well-meaning you may be.'' Judge Fields words helped me to define my political philosophy, and that is how I have come to build a career as a public servant.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in celebrating the transformative work of The Honorable Richard Fields. His life story is an example of overcoming obstacles with integrity and leadership. He continues, through his work with the Center for Heirs Property Preservation, higher education institutions, his church and his legal profession, to promote opportunity and justice for all. Judge Fields is a South Carolina and a national treasure, who is very deserving of this recognition.