Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, right now Californians in my home district face an almost 14 percent unemployment rate and are dealing with the fourth highest rate of foreclosures in the Nation.

What my constituents need above all else is for both of us, Republicans and Democrats, to come together on creating new jobs. Yet in the last 18 weeks the Republicans have controlled the House, they have yet to bring one single bill focused on creating jobs. Instead, they have put forward a partisan agenda that is more about scoring political points than helping American families.

We should be putting American families back to work. We should not be voting to dismantle safety nets for seniors and vulnerable Americans. The Republican attacks on Medicare and Medicaid go against our core values and threaten the health care of 44 million low-income Americans.

It is time to stop political games. Let's work together, and I say let's work together and focus on straightening out our economy and creating jobs.

Mr. Speaker, in 1965 this body voted to create Medicare and Medicaid to ensure that all seniors and disabled Americans would always have access to health coverage, and those today expect the same kind of coverage for themselves and their children.

But over the years, my Republican colleagues have tried to weaken the programs and privatize safety nets like Social Security. Sadly, history is repeating itself. Instead of focusing on priorities, like creating jobs and lowering gas prices, Republicans have put forward an agenda that ends Medicare as we know it.

So far this year, Republicans have voted--and we can't say they haven't. They have voted to eliminate guaranteed Medicare coverage for seniors, convert Medicare to a voucher program, reopen the prescription drug doughnut hole, and extend tax breaks for big oil companies that ship jobs overseas. Even worse, new data shows the Republican budget will kick 44 million low-income Americans off Medicaid.

We must stop this insanity. Let's work together to preserve Medicare and lower the deficit.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask Congress to pay tribute to a community leader and activist, Charles Seymour. Charlie passed away on April 1, 2011 and a memorial service was held on April 13, 2011 at the Feldham Library in the Bing Wong Auditorium.

Charlie grew up in a segregated neighborhood in Detroit. Although his opportunities were limited, he made the most of them. He became heavyweight champion Joe Louis' golf caddy. Charlie often said he learned everything he needed to know about life on the golf course. He emphasized the honor and integrity as well the self-reliance, self- control, and self-discipline golf taught him.

Moving to Los Angeles as a young man, Charlie relied on all these characteristics to succeed. He worked odd jobs and supplemented his income with the money he earned at golf matches. Charlie worked for The Tribune Newspaper on Mount Vernon Avenue and later started a bulk mailing business.

Throughout his professional success, Charlie remained an activist at heart. In San Bernardino, he was known for his compassion--especially for children and animals. Charlie has been described as a ``force- multiplier.'' Dr. Amos Issac explains, ``He was a kind of exceptional person at seeing the needs out there, and involving others in helping to respond to those needs.''

Notably, Charlie served as CEO of the Adopt-A-Bike Program. In 1991, there was a local bike rodeo that gave away four bikes but had 165 children participate. After witnessing the event, Charlie called everyone he knew to ask them for a bike; he received 85 bikes. He was able to present 51 fixed bikes at the next raffle. The event evolved into the Adopt-A-Bike Program and later the Adopt-A-Computer program. The San Bernardino community will always remember these two programs and the compassionate advocate who started the operations.

Charlie passed away less than three months after his wife, Madeline. He is survived by his children Charlotte Bruce Hall, Donna LeRoy Baker, Pat Walton, and Larry Lacy. He leaves with cherished memories a loving, large family of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. My thoughts and prayers, along with those of my wife, Barbara, and my children, Mayor Pro Tem Joe Baca Jr., Jeremy, Natalie, and Jennifer are with Charlie's family at this time. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring a beloved community member and tireless advocate, Charlie Seymour.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask Congress to pay tribute to Norris Gregory, Jr., a respected community member and San Bernardino's first black city councilman. Norris passed away at this home on April 21, 2011, at the age of 85.

Born on the Fort Riley military base, Norris was raised and began his education in Kansas. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Washburn University. He later completed his Master of Education at the University of Kansas. He also completed classes at University of California, Riverside and California State University at Los Angeles.

Norris was a prominent member of the San Bernardino community and he will be remembered for all that he gave to the local residents. He served as a member of many important civil organizations including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. He was also a founding member of the San Bernardino Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and a member of the Phi Delta Kappa national honorary educational fraternity. Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity honored Norris as Man of the Year.

Norris was perhaps best known for being San Bernardino's first black city councilman. He served two four-year terms in the Sixth Ward from 1967 to 1975, breaking San Bernardino's color barrier. Norris told the Black Voice News that ``Schools were segregated, and most blacks were relegated to menial jobs. Blacks had no power and no voice in government . . . but you can make a difference. You can change the law.''

San Bernardino has lost a trailblazer and a role model. Norris has been credited for paving the way for others like John Hobbs, Valerie Pope-Ludlam, Betty Dean Anderson, and Rikke Van Johnson. His wife, Salena Gregory, reflects, ``He was a very good man. He did a lot for San Bernardino.''

Salena and Gregory were married for 64 years. They had one son, the late Norris P. Gregory III, one granddaughter Jessica L.G. Tucker, and two great-grandsons, Jason and Justin Tucker. My thoughts and prayers, along with those of my wife, Barbara, and my children, Mayor Pro Tem Joe Baca Jr., Jeremy, Natalie, and Jennifer are with Norris' family at this time. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring a local hero, Norris Gregory, Jr.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask Congress to pay tribute to a respected member of the Westside community and civil rights activist, Valerie Pope-Ludlam. Valerie passed away on Sunday, April 24, 2011.

Valerie moved to California from Michigan in 1962. For the following decades Valerie Pope-Ludlam served the community as an outspoken leader and advocate. She began working at Patton State Hospital and continued until 1964 when she started Welfare Rights. The organization advocated for both the rights and educational opportunities for women on welfare.

The following year she started the League of Mothers with Frances Grice and Bonnie Johnson. The three women fought for the rights of African Americans in the educational system and the workplace. They spearheaded a legal battle against the San Bernardino Unified School District to end the de facto segregation in the Westside.

In 1969 Valerie founded the Westside Community Development Corporation (CDC). The CDC trained hundreds of young adults in construction, allowing the organization to rehabilitate houses and sell them to families who would otherwise not be able to afford the down payment. Close friend and niece, Frances Grice, reflects, ``She has done so many wonderful things. . .The Governor used to call her `the Sun Lady.' '' Long before green jobs became popular, Valerie built the first Westside solar energy conservation project. The project cost $2 million and gained national recognition from Ebony Magazine for its success in providing green energy to low income homes.

Valerie will always hold the honor of becoming the first African American female 6th ward council person. Other council members describe her as a sounding board and a valued mentor. She will leave a lasting impact on both the individuals she touched and the community at large. Professionally, Valerie was known for confidence and tenacity. On a more personal note, she was a loving mother and grandmother. She always put her family at the forefront throughout her public service.

Valerie leaves with cherished memories three children: Marshall Griffin, Michelle Beauregard, and George Beauregard as well as nine grandchildren, seventeen great-grandchildren and one great-great- grandchild. My thoughts and prayers, along with those of my wife, Barbara, and my children, Mayor Pro Tem Joe Baca Jr., Jeremy, Natalie, Jennifer are with Valerie's family at this time. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring and remembering a tireless advocate Valerie Pope-Ludlam.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to commemorate a significant milestone and to commend the leadership of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) for its work as one of the most influential advocacy organizations for Hispanic inclusion in Corporate America.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of HACR's founding in 1986, with a mission to advance the inclusion of Hispanics in Corporate America at a level commensurate with Hispanic economic contributions.

Thanks to the profound efforts and devotion of its exceptional and visionary leaders, in 25 years HACR grew from an original 7 coalition members to now representing 16 national Hispanic organizations in the United States and Puerto Rico.

For more than two decades, HACR's innovative work with corporate partners, stakeholders, elected officials, and community leaders has created a partnership that provides the expertise necessary to ensure the inclusion of Hispanics in corporate social responsibility and market reciprocity.

HACR's Commitment to Hispanic inclusion in the areas of corporate responsibility and community reciprocity include a focus on employment, procurement, philanthropy, and governance.

With a pioneering focus to meet unmet needs, HACR's signature programs, including the Annual HACR Symposium, HACR CEO Roundtable, and HACR Corporate Directors Summit, present a unique opportunity for some of the nation's most forward-thinking companies to share best practices and continue advancing Hispanic inclusion.

Additional signature programs tailored to young Hispanics, including the HACR Corporate Executives Forum and the HACR Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers Program, lay the foundation for generations of Latino corporate leaders to come.

It is with great pride that I recognize HACR on this important anniversary. Since its founding, to its first corporate agreement, to its now extensive work with the nations' most prosperous companies and leaders of all levels, HACR continues to be a passionate and committed organization with a mission to achieve economic parity and reciprocity for the Hispanic community.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today and ask Congress to recognize May 20th as TELACU Scholars Day.

The TELACU Education Foundation was established in 1983 to respond to crisis-level dropout rates for Latino Students and has since grown into the largest community and economic development corporation in the United States. TELACU is a pioneering institution committed to service, empowerment, advancement and the creation of self-sufficiency within the Latino community.

To address the distinct struggles many Latino youth face, TELACU established the LINC TELACU Education Foundation (LTEF). For upwards of two decades, the Education Foundation has been working towards removing the formidable barriers that could prevent Latino youth from achieving academic success and providing them with professional and academic role models. I am proud of the way the LINC TELACU Education Foundation has contributed to the development of our future Latino leaders.

The TELACU Education Foundation realized that there is no more vital asset in any community than its human capital and began their efforts to reverse these trends. For instance, The LINC TELACU Scholarship Program is an exemplary program that helps students realize their dream of a college education by providing scholarships and supplemental support.

Although TELACU understands that financial assistance is a vital component for college students to achieve academic success, they also recognize the underlying challenges many young adults face including socioeconomic factors, family responsibilities, cultural identity, and financial solvency. Students who are the first member of their families to pursue a college degree often must make their own academic support system in order to achieve their dreams. TELACU understands these challenges.

The LINC TELACU Scholarship Program provides its youth not only with monetary assistance, but with the counseling, leadership training, and time management training necessary to help students achieve their dreams.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today to honor TELACU, the LINC TELACU Education Foundation and for Scholarship programs like this one, for believing in the dream of higher education for all of America's next generation of leaders. I extend my congratulations to the TELACU scholars and the people who make their dreams a reality as they celebrate the 28th Annual TELACU Education Foundation Scholarship Awards Dinner, Building the Dream, on Friday May 20th, 2011.

Mr. Speaker, we find ourselves less than 24 hours away from abandoning our veterans--I state, from abandoning our veterans, our seniors, and our active duty military personnel. Why? You ask yourself, Why? Because Republicans refuse to budge from a fiscal plan that will cost our Nation 700,000 jobs and the anti-government tea party is dead set on shutting government.

In my district in California's Inland Empire, we face a 14 percent unemployment rate. My constituents need jobs. Our priorities now should be about creating jobs, not about shutting government. We all know the devastation of the consequences of a shutdown. Eligible seniors and disabled Americans would be unable to apply for Medicare and Medicaid benefits. Can you imagine someone that needs medical assistance and they can't get it, the impact

it will have on their life, the impact it will have on their behavior and on their families?

Veterans' service benefits would be delayed. Pay for our troops and their families would be delayed. And on the other side, you hear a lot of rhetoric about our troops and that we should pass this budget. But they don't talk about, they are not willing to cut any of the rich, or the millionaires and the billionaires. They want to protect the rich. They want to protect the oil companies. They want to protect the outsourcing of companies that go outside, but aren't willing to make the cuts that are necessary. I think everybody has got to have cuts.

It will also impact our Social Security claims that would go unprocessed. Federal vendors and contractors, their employees would go unpaid. Government housing assistance would be halted, and millions of tax refunds would go unsent.

In my home of San Bernardino County, a shutdown would mean no paychecks for 22,000 Federal employees and retirees. Think about the economic damage this loss of revenue would cause.

But instead of working on a compromise, I say instead of working on a compromise, because it takes two leaders and it takes other individuals, and Harry Reid is doing what is necessary in leading, it's the other side that has to compromise as well. It's not a one-sided team; it's a two-sided team. And when the chemistry is good on both sides, we should be able to come up with a compromise that is good for our Nation and our country.

But instead, Republicans have introduced a long-term budget that devastates our seniors and ends Medicare as we know it. The budget shouldn't be about flexing our political muscle. It should be about doing what is right for the American people, and this Republican budget makes all of the wrong choices.

The GOP plan increases suffering, I state, suffering for our seniors and young people while protecting tax breaks for the wealthy, while protecting tax breaks for the wealthy. The Republican budget eliminates guaranteed coverage for our seniors under Medicare which currently serves 48 million elderly Americans. It slashes Medicaid for seniors in nursing homes and Americans with disabilities. It increases college education costs for 10 million middle class students. And we need to invest in education. They are our future. If we don't invest in our students and their education, they cannot provide for us. We need to invest in them, not cut them. And, of course, it gives tax breaks to the big oil companies and companies that ship jobs overseas.

Seniors in my district live on a fixed income. Can you imagine living on a fixed income of $1,900 a month or whatever income you have? It is very difficult to make your mortgage payments, put food on the table, and know how you are going to get by the next day. Or if you have any other emergencies.

We are a country; we are America. We are the greatest country in the world, and we should provide for every American that is here, regardless of who they are or where they come from. They can't afford to pay more health care or see cuts in Social Security benefits. We all agree, and it has been stated, we all agree that we must get our deficit under control.

But remember, Republicans had 12 years to do this and went out of control in their spending and didn't do anything when they had control.

Madam Speaker, we stand today on the verge of a government shutdown. Without quick action, we will leave our seniors, our veterans, and vulnerable Americans everywhere out in the cold. But instead of working on a compromise, I state, Republicans have introduced a budget that will devastate seniors while protecting tax breaks for the richest.

Under the Republican budget, seniors in my district would lose their guaranteed benefit under Medicare and face devastating cuts to Medicaid benefits for nursing home care, which now pays over 48 million elderly and disabled Americans.

Seniors live on a fixed income. I state, seniors live on a fixed income. They cannot afford to pay more for health care or see cuts in their Social Security or have their Medicare privatized. We must not cut their benefits in order to protect and enlarge tax breaks for the rich and for companies that ship jobs overseas or for the oil industry.

We must control our deficit. It is wrong to balance the budget on the backs of American seniors. This is not about power; it's about what's good for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, April 4, 2011, had I been here, I would have voted in support of H.R. 1246--To reduce the amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Defense for printing and reproduction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay a special tribute to a historical leader not only for the Hispanic community but for workers all across America.

Cesar E. Chavez was born on March 31, 1927 near Yuma, Arizona at a time of great discrimination and injustice.

He believed that the only way to get out of the circle of poverty was to work your way up and receive an education. With his family, Cesar-- as he is called by his most ardent followers worked in the fields all throughout California.

Along the way, Cesar attended nearly 40 schools before joining the Navy at the age of 17.

After marrying in 1948, Chavez and his wife, Helen Fabela, settled in Delano. Soon after he became involved with the Community Service Organization, run by Fred Ross, a man who worked to better the lives of Mexican Americans in the state.

Working with the organization in the 1950s, Chavez became more familiar with the plight of farm workers in southern California, and in 1962 founded the National Farm Workers Association, later to become the United Farm Workers.

As a cofounder and president of United Farm Workers, Cesar used nonviolent tactics to bring attention to the dangerous working conditions in the fields and the plight of exploited farm workers and their right to unionize.

At the same time, he studied the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, which led to his practice of nonviolence throughout his life.

Those beliefs meant turning to hunger strikes rather than violent means to draw attention to the plight of the farm workers.

Cesar Chavez completed his 36-day Fast for Life on August 21, 1988. The Reverend Jesse Jackson took up where Cesar left off, fasting on water for three days before passing on the fast to celebrities and leaders. The fast was passed to Martin Sheen, the Reverend J. Lowery, President SCLC; Edward Olmos, Emilio Estevez, Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert Kennedy, Peter Chacon, legislator, Julie Carmen, Danny Glover, Carly Simon, singer; and Whoopi Goldberg.

Today, on the 84th anniversary of his birthday, I stand to pay tribute to this hero who emerged from very little but left a tremendous impact on all of us decades later.

Cesar died in his sleep on April 23, 1993 near Yuma, Arizona at the age of 66 years old. At the time, he was in Yuma helping farm workers.

This year, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar dedicated the site of the United Farm Workers Delano Field Office, known as ``Forty Acres'' as a National Historic Landmark.

On August 8, 1994, Cesar Chavez was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton. Helen Chavez, Cesar's widow accepted the medal for her late husband, with an accompanied citation that included ``faced formidable, often violent opposition with dignity and nonviolence.''

In the words of President Clinton ``The farm workers who labored in the fields and yearned for respect and self-sufficiency pinned their hopes on this remarkable man who, with faith and discipline, soft spoken humility and amazing inner strength, led a very courageous life.''

For over ten years, I have fought for a national holiday to honor Cesar Chavez, a man who not only carried the torch for justice and freedom, but was the beacon of hope for thousands without a voice.

The reach of his accomplishments stretches far beyond the Latino community. The battle for social justice is far from being over. But in the words of Cesar Chavez, ``si se puede!''

During these hard economic times, let us not forget that history teaches us many things. True leaders are those who fight for those without a voice, and he was one that fought for many of those who didn't have voices.

On the anniversary of Cesar's birthday, I encourage all Americans to remember Cesar Chavez and honor him and his legacy.

I urge my colleagues to co-sponsor H. Res. 130, a resolution to encourage the designation of the fourth Friday of every March to be observed as ``Cesar E. Chavez Day.''

Madam Speaker, America's broken immigration system continues to wreak havoc in communities across the country.

Real families with real children live in fear that someone they love may be torn away from them. No child deserves to grow up without the love of their parents. We must bring an end to the separation of families. We must all remember that immigrants are not our enemies. They are our neighbors, our classmates, our fellow churchgoers. They are part of the American fabric.

Over the coming month, I look forward to working with CHC and advocates across the Nation to speak on the human impact of our broken immigration system.

Immigration is not just a Latino issue. It is an American issue that impacts all of us. Let's work together to stop this hateful rhetoric and pass real immigration reform.

Thank you very much.

I want to thank the gentleman from New York, Tim Bishop, our third baseman--an excellent third baseman--for yielding the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 872, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011. I want to thank Nutrition and Horticulture Subcommittee Chair Jean Schmidt and I also want to thank Water Resources Subcommittee Chair Bob Gibbs for their leadership on this issue. I appreciate the opportunity to work with my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to jointly resolve an important issue and to build a relationship across jurisdictions and across the aisle.

H.R. 872 is a straightforward bipartisan bill that creates a necessary fix to the flawed National Cotton Council v. EPA Sixth Circuit Court decision. If the decision is implemented, pesticide applicators will be forced into a duplicative regulatory process that would require permitting under both FIFRA and the Clean Water Act. We don't need to duplicate. We don't need additional costs and burdens on many of the individuals. We need one agency that can handle it, not two agencies.

While the new regulation will provide no environmental benefit, it will add millions in new costs to State regulating agencies, agricultural producers, mosquito control districts, and small businesses. The EPA understands this. That's why they have helped us write this bill. The EPA estimates that the permit process would add $1.7 million in annual costs to our cash-strapped States. But during a hearing on this issue last month, former Congressman John Salazar testified that the cost of implementation for the State of Colorado would be even greater--upwards of $20 million.

In addition, the permitting process is estimated to add another $50 million to the cost of pesticide applicators, and most of them are small businesses.

In my home State of California, we face a 12.2 percent unemployment rate and a $25 billion to $31 billion deficit. We simply can't afford this regulatory burden on them or on anyone else throughout the State. Likewise, the negative impact on agricultural, irrigation--and I state on agricultural, irrigation--and pest control professionals is a cause for serious public concern.

My congressional district, located in California's Inland Empire, has long had problems with the West Nile virus. The ability of mosquito and pest control to respond quickly to any situation must not be jeopardized. If we have one agency, it can act quickly. If we have two, it's not only costly, but can you imagine what would happen if we didn't act quickly?

For over 30 years, FIFRA has ensured that when a pesticide is used in accordance with label requirements, it will not bring unnecessary risk to our communities or to the environment. Let's work together to pass this simple fix to protect the public health--and I state to protect the public health--of our communities and to prevent costly duplicative regulatory burdens on us.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I have a letter that I would like to submit. It is from the National Association of Conservation Districts, which is a nonprofit organization that represents the Nation's 3,000 conservation districts. For more than 70 years, the NACD has worked with the landowners and managers of private working lands to help them apply effective conservation practices. They understand that the EPA already conducts a rigorous analysis of the health and environmental effects of any proposed usage of a pesticide under FIFRA.

I also have another letter to submit for the Record, Mr. Speaker, that has been signed by 138 different agricultural, irrigation, and pest control organizations from across the Nation.

I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this legislation. It's good bipartisan legislation. It deals with duplicative efforts, and consolidates some of them. It is also cost- effective. We don't need to put the burden on anyone else.

National Association of

Conservation Districts,

Washington, DC, March 30, 2011.

Hon. John Boehner,

Speaker, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Speaker Boehner: On behalf of the National Association

of Conservation Districts (NACD) and America's 3,000

conservation districts, I write to voice our support for H.R.

872 to allow farmers, ranchers, and foresters to continue

pesticide use in compliance with the Federal Insecticide,

Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). We appreciate your

recognition of this important issue and encourage bipartisan

congressional action to address the significant regulatory

concerns arising from a 2009 court ruling.

In 2009, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that

Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Discharge

Elimination System (NPDES) permits are required for pesticide

applications made ``in, over, or near'' water. Prior to this

ruling, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not

required CWA permits for pesticides applied according to the

FIFRA label. This ruling creates confusion, uncertainty and

increased regulatory burdens.

EPA conducts a rigorous analysis of the health and

environmental effects of a proposed use of a pesticide; when

used in compliance with the EPA-approved label, FIFRA-

registered pesticides have already been proven safe. Rather

than spending precious time and resources on duplicative

permitting efforts, EPA should instead be focused on working

with landowners to support on-the-ground conservation

solutions with true environmental value. Forcing producers to

go through an additional burdensome permitting process will

only increase production costs and add stress on already

overburdened state resources, without providing any

additional environmental benefits.

H.R. 872 would continue to ensure the protection of water

during routine, FIFRA-label pesticide use, while clarifying

that applicators abiding by these strict standards do not

need to go through the unnecessary and burdensome process of

obtaining CWA permits.

Thank you for your leadership on this important issue. We

look forward to working with you as we continue to provide

the benefits of locally-led natural resource conservation

across the country.

Sincerely,

Gene Schmidt,

President.

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 839--the HAMP Termination Act.

HAMP is far from perfect--and we all are aware of some of the problems it has experienced since it began.

But it has helped over 500 thousand homeowners gain mortgage modifications.

And--it is expected to help another 500 thousand homeowners gain modifications over the next two years.

These modifications have resulted in real savings for American families.

In fact--the median savings for homeowners who have received a modification is $537 a month.

I know much has been made by my friends on the other side, about how some advocacy organizations--like NCLR--support the termination of

I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding.

Today we are here again not to discuss any piece of legislation that will create jobs, but to eliminate a program that helps communities across the country--and I state, communities that are helped across the country.

The Neighborhood Stabilizing Program allows local governments to purchase, rehab, and sell foreclosure properties. Without these programs, houses would stay empty--and I say, would stay empty--so we would have to look at our neighborhoods and other areas, causing the value of property to plummet. Local neighborhoods would be forced to use their own funds for maintenance measures and legal fees. Additionally, any empty properties also force communities to adjust and deal with the missing tax revenue--and I say, missing tax revenue--at a time that we need the additional revenue within our communities.

A lot has been made by my colleagues on the other side about one particular group that receives NSP funds, Chicanos por la Causa. What if it was another name? It doesn't matter. But because it has the name of ``Chicanos,'' the stereotypes and the images are there. It is about programs that are doing good, not because of the name that is there.

Chicanos por la Causa has unmatched records of providing affordable housing, stabilizing neighborhoods, and serving the needs of low-income communities. They offer a broad range of programs and services and serve over 1,000 clients each year, many of whom live below the Federal poverty, which in a family of four is only $22,000.

In 2009, the Chicanos led the application for a group of 13 members of the National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders. Together, this group received over $130 million in NSP funds and put this money to use in projects like in California, where we have a high deficit, Arizona, and 16 other States.

Instead of looking out for Wall Street, instead of looking out for Wall Street and protecting the banks that caused the crisis--and I say, that caused the crisis--NSP awards this funding to invest in Main Street.

This award represents one of the largest single Federal investments ever made that target Latinos and low-income communities, the same communities that have seen a higher rate of foreclosure and unemployment than the national average.

I would ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to go to the communities where Chicanos or Hispanics or Latinos and their parents spend their money. Instead of using this tunnel vision--I say, this tunnel vision--solely looking at the numbers, I would ask my friends to look at the actual work that is done in the communities and how those communities have improved and have gotten a lot better.

It is time to stop letting partisan talking points set the agenda for our government. It is time that we start focusing on programs--I say, it is time that we start focusing on programs like NSP and the Chicanos por la Causa that help the Americans get back on their feet.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this.