Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, what happened on the floor of the other body yesterday is a shame and a disgrace. Leaders of this country must be headlights and not taillights. Leaders must lead.

More than 91 percent of the American people say they want us to put strong background checks in place before someone can buy a gun in this country. This is not about preserving Second Amendment rights; it is about saving lives.

How many more little babies, how many more little children, how many more American citizens must die of gun violence?

How many more funerals must we attend before we act?

The blood of the innocent is crying out to us. Where is our courage?

What happened to our heart?

When will we have the guts to do what is right?

We need to pass a strong gun bill, and pass it now.

Mr. Speaker, the people of this Nation are looking to this Congress for help. My constituents and the constituents of every elected representative here sent us to Congress to take action on their behalf.

They are worried about how they will keep a roof over their heads, food on their plates, the lights turned on, and get back and forth from work. They are holding out some hope that we might actually do what they sent us here to accomplish. They have told us they want Social Security and Medicare to continue. They want to keep their health benefits and hope to hear that this Nation's resources will be used to restore our infrastructure, create jobs and educational opportunities, strengthen our economy and restore confidence in our leadership as a nation.

They expect elected officials to build, and not to tear down. They want to unify this Nation and not divide it into two camps of the super-rich and the struggling poor. They have told us this in so many ways, especially during the last election. But instead, they are witnessing what seems to be a full-scale assault at every level of government on American life as we know it. From the U.S. Capitol to State capitols even in Georgia, extremists seem determined to reverse our climb toward recovery and drive this Nation into a ditch.

Our first priority should be trying to improve the lives of the middle class, the working class, and low-income Americans, not negotiating lay-offs, freezing salaries, scapegoating government employees, eliminating civil rights protections and collective bargaining. Public servants at every level of government are under constant attack, and in these urgent times we are reducing service to communities and teetering on the edge of economic instability. At the same time that we are reducing

the number of livable-wage jobs, we are gutting re-training and reemployment opportunities. These policies will pull the rug out from under people's lives in the name of some kind of pseudo-fiscal discipline that legislators declare will do this Nation some good.

For yet another week, the Republican-led Congress has turned its back on the number one issue in this country--jobs. Instead of brainstorming a way to fix the massive problems sequestration presents, the House is considering legislation which guts 40 years of bipartisan engagement in Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs. This bill would consolidate or eliminate successful initiatives like YouthBuild, the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program, Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations, and Community-Based Job Training Grants.

Last week, House Republicans also passed H.R. 890, the partisan welfare bill that would overturn the Obama Administration proposal to allow States the flexibility to move more Americans from welfare to work.

Looking forward to the week ahead, this Congress will move closer to making massive sequestration cuts permanent for millions of Americans. Instead of alleviating suffering, these bills will add to the woes of my constituents and Americans across the country.

We need to come together to find a way to help the people in this country keep their jobs and become gainfully employed, not slashing and cutting when there is no emergency that really warrants these measures. We must not balance the budget on the backs of the poorest and most vulnerable Americans, especially when closing common-sense loopholes could easily raise the revenue we need.

Every day, millions of Americans go to bed hungry because they have fallen into poverty. They were evicted from their homes and have lost their jobs. This Congress has turned a blind eye to their suffering and seems to be determined to pile on more. When will we do the work of policy and put aside partisan politics? How can we look our constituents in the eye, knowing these changes will do them harm?

We are here to help solve the problems of America, not create more problems for this country. Legislators can do better; we must do better.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce the Voter Empowerment Act.

I am proud to be joined by my friends and colleagues--the Gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), the Gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the Gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady), the Gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), and over 160 of our Democratic colleagues in sponsoring this landmark legislation. Our good friend, Senator Gillibrand, is also introducing the companion to the Voter Empowerment Act in the Senate.

Today, January 23rd marks the 49th anniversary of the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This is the amendment which ended poll taxes, a tool used to undermine the right to vote for millions of African Americans. On this day, we must recommit ourselves in mind, body, and spirit to fight both overt and covert impediments to the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society.

The right to vote is precious, almost sacred, yet millions of Americans are still not registered to vote. How can we continue to be global leaders in promoting democratic values and principles, when so many citizens still face barriers to participating in an electoral democracy?

When my colleagues and I introduced this legislation last year, we urged prompt action to ensure access, accountability, and integrity in our nation's electoral system. Last November, we all watched aghast as Americans stood in line for hours on end determined to cast their vote. Some were able to weather the difficulties, while others were forced to give up. Mr. Speaker, this is unacceptable. Earlier this week, the President stated in his inaugural address that, ``Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote.''

The Voter Empowerment Act responds to that call to action with a plan. H.R. 12 modernizes the voter registration system in this nation. It helps voters with disabilities, members of the military and young people to fully access their right to vote and to have their vote counted.

The VEA also restores the integrity of the voting system, by providing well-informed, well-trained poll workers who know the law, and ensuring that election officials don't have a vested interest in the outcome of political campaigns. This bill protects voters from deceptive practices and intimidation and prohibits voter caging, and will ensure that every vote is counted. H.R. 12 creates a national hotline so that problems are reported, corrected and prevented in real time, and it reauthorizes the Election Assistance Commission, the only agency with election administration expertise, to ensure the highest standards are being met nationwide.

People sacrificed their lives for this precious right. We have a duty to honor this legacy and the lives that were lost by ensuring this sacred right. We must all come together to guarantee open, fair, free access to democracy in our great country. I hope that each and every one of my colleagues will join me in support of this landmark legislation.

Amendment XIII:

Section 1:

``Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.''

Section 2:

``Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.''

Mr. Speaker, I would like to be crystal clear in my opposition to this terrible bill.

Instead of focusing on creating jobs or our nation's budget problems, this Congress is literally wasting time and resources. We are responding to an accusation that President Bush's advisor on welfare policy and a former Ways and Means Committee staffer said is just not true.

In 2005, 29 Republican governors including Mitt Romney requested increased waiver authority. The bipartisan National Governor's Association repeatedly asked for this same flexibility.

Let me be crystal clear--no one ever asked for or has been granted the ability to waive the TANF work requirement. There is a generation of Americans who watched their parents pull themselves up from poverty through education, work training, and child care support and become proud providers. They support the work requirements in TANF; in fact we all do. It works, and no one is trying to change that.

Not only is rhetoric around this bill pants-on-fire-false, but it is also another attempt to attack practically every possible bipartisan, pragmatic solution offered by this administration.

Mr. Speaker, I urge every American watching this debate to check the facts, and I urge every one of my colleagues to oppose this bill. Let's do the people's work and stop wasting time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Georgia State Representative Elena Parent on the occasion of her retirement from the Georgia General Assembly. In her short time in the Georgia State House, Elena has made a profound impact on the Georgia Legislature, and I know that she will be missed by her constituents from the 81st District.

Outside of public office, Elena is incredibly involved in the Metro Atlanta community, currently serving on the Foundation Board of the Georgia Association of Women Lawyers, the Advisory Board of Directors of It's a Journey, Inc., and the Women and Minorities in the Profession Committee of the State Bar of Georgia. She has also conducted fundraising and development efforts for HOPE Atlanta, a homelessness- prevention non-profit. I commend her for such meaningful service to the people of Georgia.

Elena recently announced that she will begin working as the Executive Director of Georgia Watch, a consumer advocacy group, at the end of her term this year. Having already received numerous awards for her leadership, including inclusion in the Atlanta Business Cronicle's ``40 Under 40,'' Elena is an excellent choice for this position, and I look forward to hearing of her successes in the future.

I wish Elena, her husband, Briley, and their son, Brooks, the very best.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Georgia State Representative Joe Heckstall on the occasion of his retirement from the Georgia General Assembly. For thirty-one years, Joe has served the people of Georgia, first as a City Councilman for the City of East Point, Georgia and then as a State Representative from Georgia's 62nd House District. These many years of public

service make him the longest serving elected official in the history of South Fulton County, Georgia.

Throughout his time in office, Joe has fought valiantly for those who face social and economic challenges, especially veterans and minorities, and he has strived to bring businesses and prosperity to the communities he represents. I know that he will be greatly missed by his constituents.

I commend Joe for his courageous efforts to break racial barriers throughout his career. He was elected the first African American City Councilman of East Point, and as a Councilman, he helped the city become one of the first in America to celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday before it became a State or Federal holiday.

Outside of government, Joe is an active member of the Greater Atlanta community, having worked as a real estate salesman, corporate personnel assistant, motivational speaker, school teacher, and teen counselor. He is known for his love of people and his encouraging attitude.

I wish Joe and his wife, Andrea, the very best with their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 21 years of service in the Georgia General Assembly House of Representatives by Kathy Ashe. Upon her decision to retire this year she leaves a legacy of altruism inside and outside the legislature and her contributions will be greatly missed.

Kathy represents the heart of Atlanta, the city that I am proud to call home and represent in the U.S House of Representatives. Kathy has stood firm in her advocacy for women and children, and has been a leader in k-12 public education and a leader by example in higher education.

Kathy was born in DeKalb, Illinois and has always spent her life in service to the community; first as a community leader, later as an educator, and continually as a volunteer. She is an example of someone who practices what she preaches and has always used her bipartisan leadership to represent the needs of her constituents. Before being elected to the Georgia Assembly in 1991, Kathy graduated from Agnes Scott College and went on to receive a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Emory University and further continued her path to higher education graduate studies at Georgia State University. She taught in the Marietta and Cobb County public schools for 8 years before dedicating herself to a career in public service.

Kathy has taken an active leadership role in a variety of organizations including the Atlanta Community Food bank, Atlanta Women's Network, Planned Parenthood Atlanta, Central Health Center, City of Atlanta Child Care Task Force, and many other boards and foundations. It goes without saying that her involvement in the community is consistent and done with a graceful dedication.

Representative Ashe, your presence and leadership will be missed in the General Assembly. Let it be known that your hard work and dedication to all Georgians and to the people of Atlanta is appreciated, and I wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Representative Stephanie Stuckey Benfield upon her retirement from the Georgia General Assembly and to thank her for her fourteen years of service.

For years, Stephanie has valiantly fought for women's rights, the environment, and families. She has been a leader in the Democratic Party, an advocate for all Georgians, and a dear friend.

Born in Eastman, Georgia, Stephanie has always been an outdoors enthusiast. Her love for nature has translated into an active dedication to improving the environment and a commitment to clean water and air that grew stronger when her son was diagnosed with asthma.

Stephanie obtained both her undergraduate and law degree from the University of Georgia. While in office, she received several prestigious awards, including the Environmental Leadership Award by the Georgia Conservation Voters and the Georgia Urban Forest Council Award for Promoting Arbor Day in public schools. It goes without question that her most notable accomplishment, however, has been her impeccable and unwavering service and support to Georgians.

We all know how much Stephanie adores her husband, Robert H. Benfield, Jr., her son, Robert, and her daughter, Beverly. Although we will miss Stephanie's enthusiasm and infinite knowledge in the General Assembly, I applaud her for continuing to be a proponent of the environment. Upon the end of her term, she will be the full-time leader of GreenLaw, where she will maintain her pledge to prevent air and water pollution that endangers human health and degrades Georgia's natural resources.

Representative Benfield, we will miss you terribly; you leave enormous shoes to fill. Thank you for your 14 years of service and for always putting the people of Georgia first.

Mr. Speaker, we've been down this road before. We've been here 31 times before voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act. We're wasting time. The American people are suffering. They have lost their jobs, their homes, and more than 50 million uninsured are worried about whether they're one illness away from disaster.

The Affordable Care Act was a historic and necessary step to cover all Americans, and all the Republicans can say is, Repeal. These are the same forces that fought against Medicare and Social Security.

People get it. If it were not for Medicare, where would our seniors be? Where would they turn?

Health care is a right, and it is not a privilege; not just for some people, but for all people. We cannot and we will not go back.

Do you want to go back? Do you want people to be afraid to have a checkup? Do you want the only doctors people see to be in an emergency room?

The Affordable Care Act is moving us away from this tragedy and toward insurance coverage for all Americans. We have come too far and suffered too long to go back. Too much progress has been made with the Affordable Care Act to go back. The American people will not be fooled this time.

Vote ``no'' on repeal, and get to work putting the American people back to work.

Mr. Speaker, on June 26, 2012, I was detained and missed votes. In my 26 years in Congress, I have taken pride in having missed very few votes. Had I been here, I would have cast the following votes:

On rollcall 412, on ordering the Previous Question for consideration of the FY13 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 413, on H. Res. 69, the rule for consideration of the FY13 Agriculture and Transportation Appropriations bills, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 414, the Hoyer Motion to Instruct Conferees on the surface transportation reauthorization bill, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 415, the Black Motion to Instruct Conferees on the surface transportation reauthorization bill, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 416, an amendment offered by Mr. Connolly of Virginia to H.R. 5972, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 417, an amendment offered by Mr. McClintock of California to H.R. 5972, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 418, an amendment offered by Mr. Garrett of New Jersey to H.R. 5972, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 419, an amendment offered by Ms. Capps of California to H.R. 5972, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall 420, an amendment offered by Mr. Gosar of Arizona to H.R. 5972, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 421, the first amendment offered by Mr. Broun of Georgia to H.R. 5972, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 422, the second amendment offered by Mr. Broun of Georgia to H.R. 5972, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall 423, the fourth amendment offered by Mr. Broun of Georgia to H.R. 5972, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Chair, the bill that the House is considering contains a very troubling provision. It would place a $5,000 fee on anyone who wants to protest a lease of federal lands.

The language in this legislation is very clear: it refers to this as a ``protest fee'' and it costs $5,000. Clearly, a $5,000 fee places a higher burden on citizens who might seek to delay or prevent oil and gas development.

Mr. Chair, my colleagues are well aware that the first amendment says that Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

This fee violates that most basic freedom and it violates the spirit of the first amendment. My amendment, Number 13, offered by Mr. Connolly of Virginia as my designee, would fix that.

I am not a lawyer Mr. Chair, but I have experience in non-violent protest. I have experience in petitioning the government over a grievance. And I believe this provision is unconstitutional.

I have seen firsthand the power of the first amendment--The power of protest. My experience has taught me that this is our sacred right as Americans. It is a protection from oppression. It is a protection from tyranny and injustice. On more than one occasion, my

friends and I put our lives in its care for what we believe. We must protect that right.

In the past three years there have been members of this body who have protested the policies of the administration. While I disagree with them on many issues, I deeply respect their right to peacefully and non-violently protest. Some of them may be new to protest but I know that every member of the Tea-Party Caucus will support my amendment.

Mr. Chair, the ability to protest was the foundation of our country. Protest has shaped and reshaped our society. Again and again. If the courts review this policy, we should make clear that this provision should not stand. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Lesley Kilp Haenny in

the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on the occasion of her departure from the Bureau's Office of Congressional Affairs.

Ms. Haenny is ending her federal service to join her husband, Jeremy Haenny, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, who was deployed three times to Afghanistan and recently transferred to the State of Washington.

Ms. Haenny distinguished herself through exceptional service while serving as a Congressional Liaison for the Bureau's Office of Congressional Affairs. Many Members of this chamber and our staffs have had the pleasure of working with Ms. Haenny over her four-and-a-half years of service with the Bureau.

Every day she provided key support for not only the Bureau and the Department of the Interior but also in assisting every Member of Congress and the constituents they serve. During her time in the Liaison office, Mrs. Haenny was instrumental in ensuring successful communication that kept Members of this body informed of the Bureau's activities in managing the nation's vital offshore energy resources, both renewable and conventional, in a way that ensures environmentally and economically responsible development. Her keen abilities in organization and interpersonal relationships were critical to the timely and successful communications with this body on the mission and program operations of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Mr. and Mrs. Haenny for their exemplary service to our nation. I wish them safe travels and continued success in this new endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Voter Empowerment Act, with 123 of my colleagues. The right to vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society. It controls everything we do from the time we're born until the moment we die. And that's why the leaders standing with me today believe voting should be simple, easy and accessible to every citizen.

But there are 51 million Americans who are not registered, and it's harder for them to register today than it was just one year ago. In this age of technology, our country is moving backward, not forward. Since the beginning of last year, 176 bills have been introduced in 41 states making it harder and more difficult for people to participate in the democratic process.

In the last election 3 million eligible voters showed up to the polls to vote and were turned away because of failures in our registration system. We need to do something about this. The Voter Empowerment Act represents the leadership of many members of the Democratic Caucus who believe we must include the voice of every American citizen.

The American people should be asking why there is not a bipartisan push to enable Americans to cast a ballot that will be counted. We must not be silent while leaders we elect take our voting rights away. The vote is the soul and the heart of the democratic process. People died for the right to vote, and some of them were people I knew. I hope we will not return to the days of overt discrimination before we decide to do something about it.

The Voter Empowerment Act modernizes the voter registration system in this nation. It helps voters with disabilities, members of the military and young people to fully access their right to vote and to have their vote counted. The bill restores the integrity of the voting system, by providing well-informed, well-trained poll workers who know the law, and ensuring that election officials don't have a vested interest in the outcome of political campaigns. It protects voters from deceptive practices and intimidation and prohibits voter caging. It will ensure that every vote is counted. The bill creates a national hotline so that problems are reported, corrected and prevented in real time, and it reauthorizes the Election Assistance Commission, the only agency with election administration expertise, to ensure the highest standards are being met nationwide.

Today with the introduction of the Voter Empowerment Act, we are making a major step. We are asking all of the American people and the press to pay attention to these problems because they are a threat to democracy as we know it.

I ask all members, from both sides of the aisle to join us in this effort to open up the democratic process to every American.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the ranking member for yielding.

I rise in strong support of the en bloc amendment which includes my amendment. It requires the Secretary of Defense, the IRS, and Commerce to calculate the total cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to each American taxpayer.

My amendment is about truth and transparency. Americans need to know how their taxes are being spent so we can make informed decisions about our budget. Even if you do not oppose war, don't you want to know what it costs you, your children, your grandchildren, and your great grandchildren?

For too long there has been a big, fat, blank check for war. We need to be honest with ourselves. We need to be honest with each other.

Mr. Chairman, I hope all of my colleagues will support the Lewis amendment in this en bloc package.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of the en bloc amendment, which includes my amendment. It requires the Secretary of Defense, the IRS, and Commerce to calculate the total cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to each American taxpayer.

My amendment is about truth and transparency. Americans need to know how their taxes are being spent, so we can make informed decisions about our budget.

Even if you do not oppose war, don't you want to know what it costs you, your children, your grandchildren, and your great-grandchildren?

For too long, there has been a big, fat blank check for war. We need to be honest with ourselves. We need to be honest with each other.

Mr. Chair, I hope all of my colleagues will support the Lewis amendment and this en bloc package.