Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 199, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have demonstrated their complete disregard and contempt for women's health and the plight of students by forcing a choice between the elimination of funding for the Prevention and Public Health Find or relief for students who are saddled with student loan debt.

That is a choice that we shouldn't and don't have make. It is cruel and destructive, it is anti-family, it is not smart economically, and it is completely unnecessary.

As a mother and a grandmother, I simply cannot understand why Congressional Republicans continue their assault on women's health. I cannot understand why they prefer to reduce access to cancer screenings and immunizations rather than asking Big Oil to give up their subsidies. I cannot understand why they are trying to force us to choose between keeping moms healthy or sending their children to college.

If we want to revitalize our economy and unburden Americans who are saddled with student loan debt, we must enact policies that help to cut that debt. Democrats have been demanding action on student loans for months--and finally, Republicans have agreed to do something.

But at what cost? By putting the health of women and children at risk. The Prevention and Public Health Fund supports proven prevention activities like breast and cervical cancer screenings. It helps provide immunizations for children. It will save lives and keep women well. Republicans are telling us that we have to choose between protecting women's and children's health or letting student loan rates double.

Republicans are trying to label the Prevention Fund as a slush fund. Americans know that mammograms and Pap smears are not ``slush''--they are basic, routine--and often life-saving--services for women. Prevention is fundamental. It is the key to reducing health care costs and creating a long-term path to a healthier and economically sound America. Cutting prevention programs like breast and cervical cancer screening now will only lead to increased health costs down the road.

In fact, the data proves that we should be increasing our investment in early detection through screening and working to increase awareness about these diseases. The National Health Interview Survey from 2010 found that women are getting screened for breast and cervical cancers at rates below national standards.

The breast cancer screening rate was 72 percent in 2010, below the federal health target of 81 percent. The cervical cancer screening rates were 83 percent, below the 93 percent goal. The screening rates for both cancers were significantly lower among Asian and Hispanic and women, as well as those without health insurance or no usual source of health care.

In the United States in 2012, it is estimated that there will be 226,870 new cases of invasive breast cancer, and nearly 40,000

women will die from the disease; an estimated 12,000 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer, and over 4,000 women will die from cervical cancer.

Earlier this week, Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee approved over $97 billion in cuts to public health programs to insulate the Department of Defense from spending cuts triggered by the failure of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. Among the suggested cuts was the complete elimination of funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund. I offered an amendment to preserve support under the Fund for breast and cervical cancer screening programs and other women's health preventive services. My amendment was defeated along party lines.

Republicans could ask millionaires and billionaires, oil and gas companies making record profits, and corporations that shift jobs and profits overseas to help offset the cost of reducing student loan interest rates. Instead, they have decided to continue with their repeated war on women's health by eliminating funding for the public health programs that benefit women--to reduce the costs for their sons and daughters to attend college.

Mr. Speaker, the Baha'i House of Worship is a source of great

pride in my district--not just because of its beauty but more importantly because of its meaning as a place of faith, unity and peace. I rise today to commemorate the laying of its cornerstone one hundred years ago and to congratulate the Baha'i community for a century of worship in this magnificent temple.

The Chicago area has played a pivotal role in the development of the Baha'i community in America. The first public mention of the Baha'i faith was in Chicago on September 23, 1893. It happened at the World's Parliament of Religions, which was connected with the Columbian Exposition commemorating the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America.

In 1907, the Local Assembly of the Baha'i of Chicago was incorporated, making Chicago the first local Baha'i community in the world to acquire legal status.

The Baha'i House of Worship in Wilmette has been a focus of the Baha'i world for over a century. It began with the vision of 11 local Baha'is in Chicago, who began work on it in 1903. Its cornerstone was laid in 1912. In 1953, following two World Wars, the Great Depression, and numerous financial and technical difficulties, the Baha'i community completed construction of the temple. Fifty years after its vision was conceived, this House of Worship, which was the first Baha'i Temple in the West and is known as ``the Mother Temple of the West,'' opened its doors to the peoples of the world. The temple in Wilmette, like the six Baha'i temples throughout the world erected after it, is free and open to people of all backgrounds and is offered as a place for peaceful prayer, meditation, and reflection.

One hundred years ago, `Abdu'l-Baha, the son of the founder of the Baha'i Faith, arrived in America and he participated in the historic cornerstone laying ceremony. A prisoner of the Persian and Ottoman empires since childhood, `Abdu'l-Baha left the Ottoman prison fortress of Akka at the age of 67 and set out on a historic journey to the West, which culminated in a 239-day journey through America. He traveled to several important cities across the country and met with people of diverse backgrounds, teaching the elimination of racial prejudice, the equality of women and men, the unity of religions, and the fundamental oneness of all humankind.

Throughout his travels, `Abdu'l-Baha spoke of the great destiny of America. In a public talk in Cleveland, he stated, ``This revered American nation presents evidences of greatness and worth. It is my hope that this just government will stand for peace so that warfare may be abolished throughout the world and the standards of national unity and reconciliation be upraised. This American nation is equipped and empowered to accomplish that which will adorn the pages of history, to become the envy of the world and be blest in the East and the West for the triumph of its democracy.''

One of the most significant events of `Abdu'l-Bahas journey was the laying of the cornerstone of the Baha'i House of Worship on the shores of Lake Michigan in Wilmette. For several decades, Baha'is around the world sent money to support the construction of the temple. One of the Baha'is who wanted to support the construction of the temple, was Nettie Tobin, a humble seamstress living in Chicago. Nettie had no cash money to contribute for the Temple but thought she might find a stone for its construction. Nettie went to a construction site and asked for a stone from the foreman, who pointed out to her a pile of rejected stones from which she could choose. With the help of a neighbor she got the large limestone home and sometime later, through an even greater effort involving a baby carriage and a wagon, deposited it on the temple grounds in Wilmette.

`Abdu'l-Baha arrived in Chicago on April 29, 1912, and, while there, penned a special prayer for America. The next day he spoke to over one thousand people gathered in Chicago for the public session of the Baha'i Temple Unity convention on the subject of building the Baha'i Temple. The evening before the laying of the cornerstone of the House of Worship in Wilmette--`Abdu'l-Baha the son of the Founder of the Baha'i Faith, explained that places of worship have a special unifying power:

In brief, the original purpose of temples and houses of

worship is simply that of unity--places of meeting where

various peoples, different races and souls of every capacity

may come together in order that love and agreement should be

manifest between them . . . that all religions, races and

sects may come together within its universal shelter, that

the proclamation of the oneness of mankind shall go forth

from its open courts of holiness . . .

On May 1, a chilly, blustery and overcast day, a tent was erected on the temple grounds and hundreds gathered for the dedication of the temple. `Abdu'l-Baha, standing at the center of the crowd, called for Nettie Tobin's stone. The ground was so hard that `Abdu'l-Baha swung an ax to break through the rigid topsoil, and representatives of various races and countries came forward to share in the digging. After `Abdu'l-Baha rolled the cornerstone into the ground he proclaimed, ``The Temple is already built.''

On this hundredth anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone, I thank the Baha'is for their contribution to our district and I congratulate the Baha'is of Wilmette, Chicago, and, indeed, the world on this important centenary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, and to recognize its 100 years of service in our communities. As a lifetime Hadassah member, it is a great privilege to recognize the important work the organization continues to do, both in the United States and around the world.

Founded in 1912 by Henrietta Szold, Hadassah has the extraordinary distinction of being the largest volunteer organization, as well as the largest women's organization, in the United States. A century later, Hadassah has maintained its commitment to Judaism, Zionism, and American ideals, promoting health care, education, youth institutions, volunteerism, and land reclamation in Israel, as well as Jewish and Zionist education programs, Zionist Youth programs, and health awareness programs in the United States. Hadassah remains a critical voice of the Jewish community, advocating for issues of importance to women and to American Jews.

The Hadassah Medical Organization operates state-of-the-art medical facilities in Israel, including the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center at Ein Kerem and the Hadassah University Hospital at Mount Scopus. Hadassah also maintains an extensive healthcare network including community healthcare programs, specialized outpatient clinics and services, and consultation clinics in the center of Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv. Hadassah's medical services continue to set the standard for health care in Israel, providing over 1 million people with hospital care each year.

Hadassah's critical services extend far beyond health care. The organization offers continuing education in fields such as nursing, medicine, business, and law, offering women in those professions the opportunity to join profession councils and to affiliate on a national level with other members who share the same vocation. Further, Hadassah College Jerusalem has, for over 35 years, been providing Academic and Associate degrees in a variety of subjects.

Within our own communities, Hadassah strengthens Jewish identity and support for Israel through community programs for both youth and adult members to foster community bonds, create volunteer opportunities, and develop Jewish leaders. Hadassah members organize and advocate on issues including hate

crimes, anti-Semitism, reproductive choice, and genetic discrimination, as well as support for Israel, Middle East peace, and Israeli security.

For the past century, Hadassah has been a critical voice for women and the Jewish community and has translated that voice into powerful action around the world. I congratulate Hadassah and its more than 300,000 Members, Associates and supporters on their successes of the past 100 years, and I look forward to continuing to work together to build communities and improve lives in the United States, Israel, and throughout the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 64th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel.

Today, Israelis and their friends around the world celebrate the renewal of a Jewish State in the land of Israel. Since the U.S. became the first country to recognize Israel, a mere 11 minutes after her founding, the relationship between our two nations has continued to grow and strengthen. That friendship is as important now as it was in 1948, and, after 64 years of cooperation and collaboration, we still subscribe to the same Democratic ideals, face the same global threats, and share the same dreams. As a Jew and a Member of Congress, I am committed to continuously working to grow and strengthen the U.S.- Israel relationship.

Israel is not just a strategic ally, but also a friend and partner of the United States. I have traveled to Israel many times in recent years, and I am continuously impressed by the high level of technology, energy, and scientific innovation. Even as Israelis face an uncertain security outlook and the very real possibility of violence from neighboring nations, Israel continues to be a leader in innovation.

Today we celebrate, but yesterday we paused for Israel's Memorial Day to remember the many men and women who have been killed defending the Jewish state. According to the Israeli government, 22,993 men and women have given their lives defending the land of Israel since 1860, and 2,457 people have been killed in terror attacks. In the past year, 126 members of the Israeli security forces have been killed in the line of duty.

After 64 years, Israel continues to be our closest friend and ally in the Middle East, and the United States remains absolutely committed to ensuring a secure future for the Jewish State. For over six decades, the cornerstone of that relationship has been bipartisan agreement recognizing the critical importance of that relationship to both our nations.

As we celebrate the 64th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, this Congress, this Administration, and this country will continue to work together with our Israeli partners to ensure a secure and peaceful future for Israel and the entire Middle East.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary students at the McCracken Middle School in Skokie, Illinois, who are working to improve the lives and futures of children around the world.

Through the organization that they created--Aiding Children Together, or A.C.T.--these remarkable young leaders are making a real difference--not just studying the many problems that confront children but taking action to help solve them.

Two years ago, I received letters from McCracken middle-schoolers who were moved to get involved to help address the crisis of child labor. They wrote to voice their support for the UN Rights of a Child and to speak up for children who are forced to work in often dangerous conditions in order to support themselves and their families.

Since A.C.T. was founded, the students have continued to show their commitment to providing every child with the right to education and to a safe and healthy life. They know that many children are forced to live in poverty, to suffer and sometimes die from preventable diseases, and even to be forced to serve as child soldiers. The members of A.C.T. believe that unless we solve these problems, too many children will be denied the opportunity to become productive members of their communities.

The students participating in A.C.T. are learning and they are taking action to protect individual children and to create a better future. Through fundraising efforts from walkathons to selling t-shirts, they have raised funds for nonprofit organizations like Free the Children-- groups that empower youth to promote children's rights.

Currently, McCracken students are focused on learning about and raising funds for an orphanage in Ghana, engaging with A Better Life for Kids in the effort to expand educational opportunities to some of the most vulnerable children in the world. The orphanage is a safe place and one where deaf children can now go to school, instead of being forced onto the streets.

I want to recognize this year's A.C.T. participants and congratulate them on their work. They are: Lily Shearer, Rebecca Janw, Gabrielle Younan, Mariel Younan, Alex Davood, Juliana Tichota, Nora Gaul, Tenzin Wangdak, Trisha Gandhi, Andrea Hoglund, Sean Loach, Violette Shearer, and Nathaniel Schetter.

These McCracken students are doing amazing things and they are setting an example for all those who see problems as too big or too difficult, those who throw up their hands instead of getting to work. I am so proud of them and I know that they will continue to be a powerful force for change on behalf of children.

I also want to thank Jennifer Ciok and Bethany Blades, the teacher sponsors of A.C.T., and Shelley Nizynski, who teaches at Middleton Elementary School in Skokie and is the founder of A Better Life for Kids. They demonstrate the critical role of teachers in inspiring

students to learn, to solve problems and to become leaders in their communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today about a serious issue: horse slaughter.

A recent poll confirms what many of us already know: 80 percent of American voters are opposed to slaughtering

horses for human consumption. Regardless of gender, political affiliation, or whether they live in urban or rural areas, Americans oppose this awful practice.

The last U.S. horse slaughterhouses were closed in 2007 but, despite public opposition, Congress recently restarted horse meat inspections, paving the way for slaughterhouses to reopen. That's why we need to pass the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, which would prohibit the sale and transport of horses for slaughter in the United States, as well as prohibit their transport across the borders to Canada and Mexico. The passage of this critical bipartisan bill would save the lives of approximately 100,000 American horses exported for slaughter each year.

Horses have a special place in our Nation's history and folklore, and they are not raised for food. This bill would make sure that these majestic creatures are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. It should be passed now.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise today to oppose the rule and the underlying bill, despite my genuine concern for cybersecurity.

I believe that despite some positive changes by the chairman and ranking member it still fails to adequately safeguard the privacy of Americans, and that is why I am the one that voted against it in committee.

We absolutely can combat the serious threat by cyberattacks and still ensure that we are protecting not only our computer systems, but also the civil liberties of Americans. As the Obama administration wrote yesterday in opposition to this bill, ``cybersecurity and privacy are not mutually exclusive.''

I am particularly concerned because this legislation has the potential of exposing personal information of customers that may be shared both with the government and between companies. The Obama administration writes that the bill ``lacks sufficient limitations on the sharing of personally identifiable information between private entities.''

I offered an amendment to simply require companies to make reasonable efforts to remove information unrelated to the cybersecurity threat which can be used to identify specific persons. Even with this basic standard for compliance, the big private companies refused to make the effort, and my amendment was not made in order.

Further, the bill allows the U.S. military to directly receive cyberinformation on Americans. By allowing companies to give information to the NSA or other military agencies, this bill threatens the long-held American tradition that the military does not snoop on U.S. soil against U.S. citizens. So I also offered an amendment to require that information to be received only by civilian agencies, ensuring a layer of protection between citizens and the military.

Unfortunately, my amendments, together with all other privacy amendments, will not be considered today.

I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing this rule and the underlying bill. We can and we will have the opportunity to do better.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate my friend and role model, Manny Tuteur and to wish her a very, very happy 90th birthday.

There are some people who seem bigger than life--whose accomplishments make you pause to wonder how one person could achieve so much. Manny is one of those people.

It's almost impossible to catalogue all the accomplishments in her life.

She's a veteran. During WWII, Manny served in the Women's Army Corps and received training at the Parachute Training School.

She's a problem solver and a teacher. She worked as a caseworker for the Cook County Bureau of Public Welfare and taught preschool at Jewish Community Centers.

And she has been a fighter for working men and women for over 70 years, starting as a milling machine operator at the U.S. Steel South Works plant in Chicago and going on to work at the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union where she started the Amalgamated Day Care and Health Center. She directed that Center from 1969 through 1983.

Manny is a natural leader--who has served on the Chicago and Central States Joint Board of ACTWU, co-chair of the Coalition of Labor Union Women's National Child Care Task Force and a member of CLUW's National Executive Board.

I have relied on Manny for sound advice and inspiration for years-- and I'm not the only one. Manny has advised the National Implementation Task Force of the White House Conference on Families, the Illinois Women's Agenda, and Women for Economic Justice. Manny's extraordinary work has been recognized by many--induction into the Chicago Women's Hall of Fame, the National Council of Jewish Women's Hannah G. Solomon Award, and the Coalition of Labor Union Women's Florence Criley Award are just some of her awards.

Manny's life is not just committed to social and economic justice, but to her family. The love of her life was Charles, her husband of 63 years. She adores her children, Peter and Judy, and her 13-year-old granddaughter Rebecca. Manny's legacy includes not just her record of improving workers' rights, women's rights and human rights, it also includes her family and her many friends whose lives she has touched and made so much better.

Manny turns 90 on May I7th--and, now living in Laguna Hills, California, she continues working to make the world a better place. Whether it's registering voters, fighting against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, demonstrating with striking grocery store workers, or speaking out in support of Roe v. Wade, Manny continues to lead a life of activism. At a die-in protect recently to fight cuts to Adult Day Health Care. Manny said at the protest, ``I'm fighting to the very end. I'm fighting for the rights of people to have a decent quality of life.''

Manny, I love you and thank you for your friendship, and hope you will continue to organize for justice for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a man who has spent 50 years serving our local community with great distinction: Reverend Robert H. Oldershaw. Father Oldershaw is a native of Evanston, Illinois, and that is where he continues to make his mark even today.

After being ordained a Catholic priest in 1962, Father Oldershaw worked hard in parishes across Chicago--serving communities in Hyde Park, downtown Chicago and Lincoln Park before landing back at St. Nicholas Parish in his hometown in 1988. Evanston has benefited from his outreach ever since. Father Oldershaw retired in 2006, after almost 20 years in our City. He continues to serve as pastor emeritus at St. Nicholas, and I am happy to say he is a constant and welcome figure in our neighborhood.

Father Oldershaw has made significant contributions to the Catholic Church. For a number of years while working in Chicago he served as the Associate Director for Music of the Archdiocesan Office for Divine Worship. In this role he worked to help parishes across the Chicago area adapt to the then-recent changes stemming from the Second Vatican Council. He has also written a number of articles and pieces of music over the years, and serves as the liturgical editor of Worship--Third Edition (GIA Publications)--a hymnal used in Catholic churches across the country.

In 1999 Father Oldershaw was featured in a documentary entitled A Justice That Heals. This documentary tells the story of how he brought together and fostered forgiveness between the family of a murder victim and the individual who killed their son. Activities such as these were commonplace for a man who has devoted his life to serving his parish and the community as a whole.

In addition to his parish duties, Father Oldershaw was (and remains) extremely active in the Evanston community. He is involved in a large number of organizations furthering the public good. He served as co- president of the Evanston Ecumenical Action Council (now known as Interfaith Action of Evanston), as a member of the board of directors of St. Francis Hospital, and has spent over a decade as a chaplain with the Evanston Police Department. Each of these roles has left an indelible impact on our local community and we are lucky to have had him working among us for so long.

Father Oldershaw also deserves praise for his social justice work. He is an active member of Priests for Justice for Immigrants, and

he regularly visits detainees at McHenry County Jail. He is also a board member of Solidarity Bridge, whose mission is to heal and empower poor people living in Bolivia through providing critical medical care and support for Fair Trade cooperatives.

On behalf of myself, our community, and a grateful nation, I want to say thank you, Father Oldershaw, for all you have done and continue to do for us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the six million European Jews murdered by the Nazi regime during the Holocaust. Today, we join together to remember the victims who perished. We stand in solidarity with the people of Israel and around the world to honor Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom Hashoah.

Six million Jews were killed at the hands of the Nazis as a part of the ``Final Solution'' to eradicate all of Europe's Jews, and countless others were brutalized, raped, dehumanized, and robbed. It is essential to listen and learn from the stories of the past, and to ensure that the experiences of the Holocaust are preserved as a permanent part of our history.

Too many times in history, people have stood by and allowed the targeting, brutalization, and massacre of an innocent civilian population. The 2012 theme of these Days of Remembrance, Choosing to Act: Stories of Rescue, highlights the actions of several witnesses who risked severe punishment to help Jews to safety. These actions serve to remind us of the amazing power of individual choice to act in the face of injustice. The principle ``Never Forget, Never Again.'' is a commitment to fighting hatred, intolerance, and brutality through education, dialogue, and determination. We can honor those who died in the Holocaust by countering similar atrocities in the future.

Holocaust remembrance is even more crucial today, given recent events in the Middle East and around the world. In the past year, there has been an increase in statements of holocaust denial throughout Europe, Asia, South America and the Middle East. The world has also witnessed an alarming increase in anti-Semitic attacks, coupled with harsh criticism of Israel that is tinged with anti-Semitism. As tensions escalate in the Middle East, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has alluded to the goal of the annihilation of Israel. It is continuously important to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship, and to focus on the goal of achieving lasting peace in the Middle East.

The annual Days of Remembrance are particularly meaningful to my community and to me, as a Jew. My district, the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, is home to one of the largest concentrations of Holocaust survivors in the country. Skokie, located in my district, attracted many Jewish families in the wake of WWII, and remains a vibrant Jewish community today. There are currently 1,000 2,000 Holocaust survivors living in Skokie, and this community understands the importance of preserving memories and honoring history.

In 2009, the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie opened in Skokie, assisted by active involvement of the community, and welcomes over 250,000 visitors annually. The Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois has been educating school and community groups since 1981, and due largely to these efforts, Illinois was the first state to make Holocaust education mandatory. This center for education and preservation of history was made possible by the hard work and dedication of the community, and its commitment to combating intolerance.

Later this month, I will have the pleasure to visit with the remarkable students from McCracken Middle School in Skokie, who founded a student group to help prevent child labor around the world, Aiding Children Together, or A.C.T. On March 22, 2012, McCracken students involved in A.C.T. had the opportunity to visit the Illinois Holocaust Museum for their Student Leadership Day. The day included discussions, a chance to explore the museum, and then students were able to sit with survivors of the Holocaust at lunch and hear their stories. Students were deeply affected by guest speaker Nadja Halibegovich, and her account of living through the Bosnian War and genocide as a child. One student reflected, ``Just seeing all of the people who were killed in his horrible time just really made me want to push through, and make sure this would never happen again''. Another student mentioned, ``We should never forget what happened. I want to help and change the future; I won't be a bystander!''

Throughout these days of remembrance, we look back on the atrocities of the Holocaust, and we honor and mourn those who perished. It is equally important to remember the survivors and to learn from their experiences. As we move forward, it is imperative to preserve the past and to continue teaching the history of the Holocaust. We must commit today to fighting hatred and indifference in a world where genocide is an ever-present problem.

Let's talk about who wins and loses in the Ryan Republican budget. If you're a millionaire hedge fund manager, this budget is made for you. You get an average tax cut--cut--of $394,000. If you're a senior citizen woman living on a median income of $22,000, sorry, you're out of luck.

The Republican budget repeals ObamaCare so you pay more for prescription drugs and preventive services. It takes away your Medicare guarantee and increases your costs. It changes Medicaid to a block grant, meaning you may be on your own if you need long-term care services. And the Republican budget even cuts the Older Americans Act services like Meals on Wheels.

Older women and men shouldn't have to sacrifice so that millionaire hedge fund managers can become even richer. Under the Democratic budget, they don't have to.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, in recognition of Equal Pay Day, a day that spotlights the financial struggles that women must endure because of wage discrimination and the need to close the gender- based wage gap once and for all.

The answer is simple. Women should be paid equal wages to their male counterparts: pay discrimination is unfair, unwarranted and costly.

Equal pay is not only a fight for women, but for the families that depend on them. Women are the primary or co-breadwinners in six out of ten households; yet earn only 77 cents to every dollar paid to men. With smaller paychecks, women are forced to stretch limited dollars even further to provide healthcare, food, and shelter for themselves and their families.

According to a report by the National Partnership for Women & Families, women across the country are collectively losing tens of billions of dollars annually because of wage inequity. Over a 40 year working career, the average woman loses $431,000 as a result of the wage gap. This picture is even worse for African American and Hispanic women, who earn 71 cents and 62 cents respectively for every dollar men are paid.

In the 21st century, it seems unbelievable that equal pay is controversial. Yet, just last week, Wisconsin signed into law legislation to repeal provisions of the 2009 Equal Pay Enforcement Act. This Congress has the opportunity to build on the progress made by the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act--legislation to strengthen pay discrimination lawsuits and the first bill ever signed into law by President Obama. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act clarified that each paycheck resulting from a discriminatory pay decision would constitute a new violation of the employment nondiscrimination law and restart the clock for filing a claim.

The Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation currently being considered in this Congress, would go even further to fight pay discrimination and improve wages for women. The Paycheck Fairness Act, sponsored by my friend and colleague Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, would strengthen the Equal Pay Act by requiring an employer to prove that a difference in pay between a man and a woman for the same position is not sex-based. The legislation would also bring the equal pay law into line with all other civil rights law by increasing the available remedies to include punitive and compensatory damages. As a co-sponsor, I believe the Paycheck Fairness Act is essential legislation to address the lingering injustice of pay inequity.

As our economy shows signs of revival, women and their families must not be left behind. We must send a strong message that pay discrimination should not stand.

I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I rise in support of her point of order.

All this talk of ``deeming and passing,'' those words mean nothing to the American people, but the vote we are about to take means a lot.

What Republicans are trying to do is to jam through the Republican budget and pretend that it's the law of the land. They have to play these games because last year the American people rejected this budget the first time around. But instead of doing some soul-searching and offering a bill that reflects the true priorities of this Nation, the Republicans have doubled down, and the results are truly astonishing.

As has been mentioned, this budget ends the Medicare guarantee while raising health costs for seniors who have an average income of just $19,000 a year. It increases defense spending while placing a cap on food assistance and cutting Medicaid. It gives the average multi- millionaire--listen to this--a tax break of $394,000 while raising taxes on the middle class. It protects subsidies for oil companies and corporations that ship jobs overseas while slashing investments that create jobs and rebuild the middle class. The cuts are so severe that if their policies are carried out, by 2050 there is almost nothing left of discretionary spending but defense. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has said, most of the rest of the government will simply ``cease to exist.''

But it doesn't have to be this way. Yesterday, Republicans in the Senate rejected a perfectly reasonable proposal--that millionaires and billionaires shouldn't pay a lower tax rate than a middle class family does. They should have passed the Buffett rule in the Senate, which would have been an important first step toward addressing our fiscal challenges in a fair way--a way that cuts waste, not opportunity; protects Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; creates jobs and builds the economy; and asks more from those who can afford it.

This Republican budget is not a serious effort. It's a radical proposal. But I'll give them credit for one thing: at least they're honest in proposing this irresponsible budget.

I thank you so much for the opportunity to participate in this debate where so many of our colleagues have come down to the floor to talk about it.

This is the richest country in the world, and yet one out of five of our children is considered food insecure, goes hungry. That is such a moral outrage.

You know, the average food stamp benefit is $1.50 a meal. That's what you get when you're lucky enough to be part of the SNAP program. And as this chart shows, this map shows, it's everywhere. I actually live in a district that was considered one of the least hard-hit by food insecurity, but that's all relative.

In the Ninth Congressional District in Illinois, more than 11 percent of the households are experiencing food hardship, the inability to put enough food on the table. And even the least of the hard-hit districts has 7 percent of its families unable to put enough food on the table in the richest country in the world. It's intolerable.

You know, the headline today in Politico, ``Republicans Ax Aid to the Poor'' makes me so sad. Who are we as a country? What are we as a country where a candidate for President, a Republican candidate for President, denigrates Barack Obama by calling him the food stamp president. I'm proud that this President wants to defend, protect, and save a program that feeds so many people.

And here's what the Catholic bishops say:

SNAP, also known as food stamps, helps feed millions of households. At this time of economic turmoil and growing poverty, the committee should oppose cuts in this effective and efficient anti-hunger program that helps people live in dignity.

I just want to say we are asking for dignity for Americans that are struggling. The average food stamp recipient is only on it for 9 months. One of the former recipients called it a trampoline that helps you get past it.

I'm asking for dignity for Americans and saving the nutrition programs, especially the SNAP program, the food stamp program.