Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, 2 weeks ago, President Obama stood in this Chamber and addressed the Nation, declaring 2014 as the ``Year of Action'': a year of action to put more Americans back to work and continue to make sure that middle class families across the country are secure in their jobs and their homes; a year of action to continue fighting for equal pay, for equal work, in order to strengthen the American family and ensure fairness in the workplace for women; a year of action to understand that, when women succeed, America succeeds.

Just today, I witnessed in the 100 years of the Federal Reserve to have a female Chair, Janet Yellen, come before us.

A year of action to make sure that American students can have dreams and that they can have an affordable education.

We must understand that we must work together. Democrats, Madam Speaker, are doing their part. We invite our Republican colleagues to understand we need a year of action.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening in support and honor of the American Heart Association. Today, women, Democrats and Republicans, stood together in honor of the American Heart Association because we understand that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer for women.

The American Heart Association and Stroke Association asks us to wear red in support of educating and giving awareness to the American people. We asked all citizens this Friday, February 7, to wear red. Stand with us as we stand for educating and making our citizens aware of this killer disease.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to lead the Congressional Black Caucus' Special Order hour on: ``When Women Succeed, America Succeeds.''

I am honored to serve as the co-guest anchor this evening with my colleague and classmate, the gentlewoman from Illinois, Congresswoman Robin Kelly. We realize the importance ``when women succeed, America succeeds'' has on our economic agenda. I would also like to thank my colleagues Congressman Horsford and Congressman Jeffries for their assistance in organizing this evening's Special Order hour.

Too many women across America are being left behind in today's economy. As the President so passionately stated in his House floor speech of the state of the Union on Tuesday, today, women make up about half of our workforce, but they still make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. This is wrong--and in 2014, it is an embarrassment. It is important for me to note: for Black women, the pay gap is even larger. Black women on the average earn only 64 cents to every dollar a man earns.

The President implored Congress, the White House, the businesses from Wall Street to Main Street to come together and give every woman the opportunity she deserves, because, ``when women succeed, America succeeds.''

Mr. President, I couldn't agree more, and I thank you for adding this statement, this call to action, to your State of the Union.

Many Democrats invited women from across America to attend the State of the Union address or to watch it--women who are among long-term unemployed women who are making a difference in their community, like in my community, a lady by the name of Amelia Caldwell, from the west side, working as a home health aide, or to my guest Karen Morrison, working as an executive in health care. Both must balance the work life, and both understand that we must continue to mentor and provide resources to support women, resources such as health care, child care, equal pay, affordable college tuition, early childhood education, economic development opportunities, and more advocates. Why? Because, when women succeed, America succeeds.

We know that women have made and continue to make great strides, but there is more work to be done. We must provide women with economic security and opportunities that they deserve, that their families need.

I want to thank the Congressional Black Caucus chairwoman, Marcia Fudge, for her leadership in making this a front-burner issue for the Congressional Black Caucus tonight.

Just think about it. Jeannette Rankin was the first woman elected to Congress in 1917, who stood before this body and said, I may be the first woman to be here, but I won't be the last. She was right. Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman to serve in this body, and was the first in our Nation as a female to run for President of the United States. Leader Pelosi was the highest ranking female elected to serve in American history and was the first female to serve as House Speaker.

America is a much better place because of their service, but there are still far too many women who are left behind. We can help rectify that by making sure that we advocate for women's rights--to have the right to vote, to have pay equity, pay leave, and access to quality child care. This evening, we will have the opportunity to hear many firsthand stories about women and the challenges that they face and how we can help overcome them.

Let me start by introducing my co-guest anchor, Robin Kelly, from the Second District of Illinois. Robin is no stranger to the challenges that women face in the workforce. As a former State legislator and administrator and scholar and now a congressional advocate for women, I proudly present the gentlelady from Illinois, and I yield to her.

Thank you so much, Congresswoman Kelly, for providing us with those necessary statistics so we have a better understanding of, when we move forward, how we need to deal with making a difference in the lives of those women.

Now I have the great honor to yield to the gentlelady from Ohio's 11th Congressional District. She is the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus. She is a leader, a lawyer, and an advocate for the people. She leads the largest delegation of the Congressional Black Caucus in its history. We stand 43 strong following her leadership. Please join me as I yield to the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge.

Thank you, Congresswoman Fudge. Clearly, we can see that she is no stranger to advocating for women and for lifting women out of poverty and standing for them.

Earlier today, Congresswoman Fudge had the opportunity to speak to thousands of women who are gathered here this week to advocate for the same agenda, women of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, where she served as the 21st president. She spoke to them because they, too, join us in understanding that when women succeed, America succeeds.

Now I would like to yield to the gentlelady from California's Third Congressional District, a woman who has a long history of standing up for people; a woman who understands when you talk about the statistics that we have heard tonight, and we will continue to hear tonight, about women living in poverty; a woman who only a few weeks ago, as we celebrated the 50th anniversary of President Johnson's war on poverty, led us in a press conference with his daughter. Standing with her were members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

I call her a champion of the people. I call her our warrior of the people.

Join me as I yield to the gentlelady from California, the Honorable Barbara Lee.

Thank you so much, Congresswoman Lee, and so timely are your words.

Talking about Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm reminds me of a quote of hers that I read. It said:

Tremendous amounts of talent are lost to our society just

because that talent wears a skirt.

Certainly, like you, she was a phenomenal woman. So let me thank you again for your personal story and for telling us the story of Irma, because as I think of my congressional district and I think of a phenomenal family, I think of the Troy family, a family where I call her Mother Troy and Pastor Troy. They have four sons, but they have three daughter-in-laws who go out every day into the community, whether it is feeding a child, providing child care, or working with the homeless or in housing.

So in each of our communities we have stories because we understand in our communities that when women succeed, America succeeds. Thank you.

At this time, Mr. Speaker, I yield to Congressman Jeffries from the great State of New York, and it is, indeed, an honor, as he is coming to share with you that he represents the Eighth Congressional District.

He is no stranger to this platform. You see, as our colleague and classmate, we are standing in tonight as co-anchors because Congressman Jeffries is the real anchor. He and Congressman Horsford have been stellar in their leadership, in their scholarship, to come here for every Special Order hour under the Congressional Black Caucus and lead us in an agenda that makes a difference in the lives of so many people.

To have him here today, standing with us not only as a Congressman but as a spouse, as a father, sends a strong message that not only do women understand when women succeed, America succeeds, but men also understand it.

I yield to the gentleman from the great State of New York (Mr. Jeffries).

Thank you so much, Congressman Jeffries. And thank you for reminding us, if we could eliminate the wage gap, if we take, just in part of my district, in Columbus, in the metropolitan area, if we were able to eliminate the wage gap, it would allow women to have 77 more weeks of food; it would allow them to have six additional months more to pay their mortgage or rent; it would allow them to also have 2,555 gallons of gas to be able to take that child to child care or to go to work.

So it is so important that we understand the agenda and why we stand here today as members of the Congressional Black Caucus advocating for women in this agenda, because we understand, when women succeed, America succeeds.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor now, to yield to the gentleman from New Jersey, the 10th Congressional District of New Jersey. And we share a common bond: his father from New Jersey, my father from New Jersey. He is someone who understands all too well the value of when women succeed, America succeeds. He is a spouse; he is a father of triplets. And so it is so important, when we talk about early childhood education and when we talk about childhood, child care, that we understand that he understands, when women succeed, America succeeds.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey, Congressman Donald Payne.

Thank you so much, Congressman Payne. ``Land of the free, home of the brave''--it reminds me of the words that Leader Pelosi talked about during the 165th anniversary of the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women's rights convention that addressed women in social, economic, and political life. It said that women should be granted all the rights and privileges that men possess. So thank you for that message.

As we continue in this hour, I would like to yield to my coanchor, the gentlewoman from Illinois.

Thank you so much for sharing your stories, as my coanchor.

All evening, we have heard the stories of women who have advocated and fought in these Chambers, women like Shirley Chisholm. We know the stories all too well of the Rosa Parks, of the Barbara Jordans. Then as we look to education, we know the stories of women who serve as presidents of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, women like Dr. Johnnetta Cole, women like Cynthia Jackson-Hammond at my alma mater, Central State University. We know women who have worked and earned their place in history because they understand that when women succeed, America succeeds.

We know the stories of our parents. But one thing tonight I want to make sure that we add to these resources when we talk about economic development and we talk about child care and we talk about all the other services, pay equity and health care, and that is the right to vote. That is one of the most critical things that I want us to remember, because when we get people registered to vote and then we allow them to be able to vote, that is one of the most powerful tools.

The story we don't hear when we talk about ``when women succeed, America succeeds'' is the story of a little lady from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, a lady by the name of Oseola McCarty. The name probably won't mean a lot to a lot of people. She was someone who was a washer woman. She washed clothes for women who didn't look like her or think like her and many who probably didn't even know her name, but this woman in her own little wisdom truly understood the value of when women succeed, America succeeds.

You know why? She took her pay every week, and she put it in a jar, and she saved, and you see, she didn't have children. She didn't have a spouse or brothers and sisters, and she wrote a little note saying that she wanted these dollars to go to a child that was underserved, a child who would be able to take these few dollars and get a college education because that would make a difference in that child's life. Well, at the time of her death, someone opened up that container. And in that container, there was an estimated amount of $150,000.

So when I think about ``when women succeed, America succeeds,'' I will add the name of Oseola McCarty to that list, because that is what we are talking about tonight. When we talk about members of the Congressional Black Caucus being the conscience of the Congress, it means that when we stand on this House floor advocating for folks who are voiceless, that is our role.

So when we seem so passionate and so concerned when some of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle stand in the way of providing health care for women, for providing early childhood education or wanting to make a difference in how we feed our poor, then it reminds me of all the stories that we have heard today.

It reminds me of all the women who are fighting because they understand that there are faces on all of the statistics that we have heard tonight. And all of these faces, whether well-known or not, when you go back to your districts, understand when you stand with us as members of the Congressional Black Caucus, as you stand with us, with women in our caucus, you are standing with all the women across America. And the message you are sending is, when women succeed, America succeeds.

It is my great honor to ask my co-anchor tonight to close us out and ask everyone to remember that we are here, and, yes, I will say it again, when women succeed, America succeeds.

I yield to the gentlelady from Illinois.

Let me just say as we close out that it is so important that you understand that our message tonight is certainly about making a difference in the lives of those who live in this wonderful country. So let me end as we started with, when women succeed, America succeeds.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge our Republican leadership to immediately renew the emergency unemployment insurance that expired December 28. It affects 1.3 million families. Failing to extend the emergency unemployment insurance will cost the economy some 240,000 jobs this month.

You see, I believe you can extend the emergency unemployment insurance and grow the economy at the same time. These families depend on it to put a roof over their head, to feed and take care of their families.

In my district in Ohio, there are 26,000 individuals unemployed. I say let's work together as Democrats and Republicans and make a difference for the families who count on us.

Mr. Speaker, during President Lyndon Baines Johnson's State of the Union address 50 years ago, he declared a war on poverty to create an opportunity for families and Americans to have stability in economic development, health care, and education. Fifty years later, I stand on this House floor with his daughter, Lynda Johnson Robb.

There are 46 million families living in poverty and 16.5 million of them children. I say today: Let's end this war on poverty. Let's support $40 billion for SNAP. Let's make a difference in the lives of Americans. We deserve to provide them the opportunity to have that opportunity that President Lyndon Baines Johnson talked about.

Thank you to his daughter for reminding us of his legacy. Thank you to the Congressional Black Caucus and Congresswoman Barbara Lee for leading our charge in making a difference.

I ask all Democrats and Republicans to join me today to pledge that we will take care of those children and families living in poverty as we move forward.

Thank you, Mr. Fattah, for organizing this Special Order hour for us.

First, let me say, as I stand here today, I am honored to talk about a man who is hard to define because he is a man who gave so much of his life, a man who understood that his success would be the success of the people around him.

Yesterday, I returned from South Africa where I had the distinct honor and pleasure to pay tribute to a man who inspired billions, for his courage, for his commitment to people, for his fight for justice, for equality, and for freedom.

Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world came there, witnessed it through electronic media, and gave their final respects to a man we love so dearly and call Madiba, a most beloved leader who liberated South Africa from apartheid. They waited for hours. They lined up. They filled the streets. And there I was, this new freshman with my Congressional Black Caucus members and Members from this Congress.

So I say to our chairwoman and president of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, a job well done for leading us, and to Congressman Aaron Schock, thank you for leading us on this delegation.

And as I sat there with my colleagues, we witnessed the spirit, the culture, and the evidence that a great man has gone on. We watched the spirit and the rhythm of the toyi-toyi and the dancers. And as the memorial service began, to have our President of these United States come and pay tribute to Nelson, within itself was a great honor.

Before his election in 1994, he gave up so much to rid his country of injustice. As we know, he spent 27 years, almost a third of his life, in prison, most of that time on Robben Island, which I had the opportunity to visit. Fourteen years living in a small cell without water or accommodations for his personal needs speaks volumes for him.

But to be able to see this firsthand, what Mandela endured in that tiny, isolated cell when I was there, to set his people free. Time and time again, Nelson Mandela had taught the world many powerful lessons about justice, tolerance, and reconciliation. He astonished us all with his ability to forgive, something that we should remember on this House floor, including his forgiveness for those who jailed him and persecuted his family.

Nelson Mandela, lastly, believed in people. He believed in communities. He believed in countries. And he believed in world change for the better, something that I think we are witnessing now with our first President of these United States, a man of color. So I say to us, let us remember his words. It seems impossible until it is done.

To you, Madiba, we say, a job well done. God bless you.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, for leading this important bi-partisan discussion on the benefits of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the dire impact that sequestration is having on NIH, its grantees, and our nation.

NIH makes important discoveries that improve health and save lives.

Thanks in large part to NIH-funded medical research, Americans today are living longer and healthier lives.

Life expectancy in the United States has increased and disability in people over age 65 has dramatically decreased in the past 3 decades because of the important research taking place at NIH.

NIH is also a job creator--it has created hundreds of thousands of high-quality jobs by funding scientists at universities and research institutions in every state across America and in countries around the globe.

These investments have led directly to better outcomes for cancer patients and increased the effectiveness of the treatments we have for HIV, influenza, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's, and hundreds of other diseases and disorders that affect millions of Americans.

More than 80% of NIH's budget goes to more than 300,000 research personnel at over 2,500 universities and research institutions.

In fiscal year 2013, Ohio received $777 million in NIH funding.

And my district, the third congressional district of Ohio, received 581 NIH grants, worth over $248 million.

NIH has historically funded the largest amount of federally funded research within my district at The Ohio State University.

In 2012, NIH funded approximately 25% of the overall research expenditures at The Ohio State University.

NIH grants went utilized on collaborations between The Ohio State University and Nationwide Children's Hospital to accelerate basic scientific discoveries into life-saving medical advances.

In particular, the discovery of microRNAs, small cellular molecules involved with biological regulation, is now known to play a pivotal role in the growth and spread of prostate, ovarian, colon and lung cancers, as well as other diseases.

NIH grants were also provided to The Ohio State University to establish a research center devoted to the study of tobacco use patterns, research that will help the Food and Drug Administration put science behind its new role in regulating tobacco.

NIH funds investigators in my district, at Nationwide Children's Hospital, to study gene therapy as a treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, the most common genetic defect that results in infant mortality.

At Nationwide Children's Hospital, NIH funding makes possible important clinical trials of viral therapy for solid cancer tumors in children, testing of new agents against childhood tumors, research to prevent and treat infant prematurity, and the furthering of understanding of the mechanisms of autism prevention.

In fact, the Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital is ranked 6th for NIH funding among free-standing children's hospitals in the United States.

Hyper Tech Research, Bertec Corporation, Battelle, and BioOhio--all of these outstanding companies in the third congressional district of Ohio benefit from NIH research funding for biotechnology, drug development, medical devices, and health care.

But, just as NIH dollars that flow to Ohio help grow the state's economy, a reduction in those dollars have hurt us.

On March 1, 2013 sequestration required NIH to cut 5 percent--$1.55 billion--of its fiscal year 2013 budget.

These drastic cuts affected all NIH programs, projects, and activities--every single area of medical research was negatively affected.

NIH now has approximately 700 fewer competitive research grants.

They now have approximately 750 fewer new patients in their clinical center.

The development of more effective cancer drugs is being delayed.

Research on a universal flu vaccine is being delayed.

Research on prevention of debilitating chronic conditions is being delayed.

These delays are proof that sequestration has significantly undermined medical progress across all disciplines of research on the full spectrum of diseases and conditions.

We cannot continue to compromise our nation's future economic growth and security by blindly cutting federal investment in areas that are critical to our nation's ability to innovate and compete in the global economy.

As much as half of U.S. economic growth since World War Ills a result of technological innovation, much of which resulted directly from federally-funded scientific research.

The private sector, which requires rapid returns in investment, relies on the federal government to fund basic scientific research.

Sustained support for federal research, education, and student aid programs pay dividends by building human, scientific and technological capital for our nation.

We cannot afford to let the United States fall behind other countries, such as China, in such important areas as scientific research and innovation.

Our government must show a clear commitment to sustained funding of scientific research across the disciplines so that our nation can compete globally and we can build a better America for future generations.

Sequestration is not the answer to our nation's fiscal problems.

I urge my colleagues to oppose further cuts to nondefense discretionary programs.

The point of fiscal responsibility is to invest in these critical federal programs in order to provide a better life for all Americans, especially our children who are our future researchers and inventors.

Sustained investments in NIH are essential so that our nation can train the next generation to make tomorrow's health discoveries and to continue America's scientific leadership.

The work done by NIH helps grow our economy, improve our health, and has made our nation stronger and more secure.

We should not weaken them.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a woman who is considered the modern mother of the civil rights movement, Rosa Parks. This past Sunday, we celebrated the 58th anniversary of Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on that bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

I am so proud to stand here from the great State of Ohio, because it was the great State of Ohio that was the first State in this Nation to name December 1 Rosa Parks Day.

On Thursday and Friday of this week, in our district, we will bring people from all over the State to pay tribute to her, and we will bring in more than 600 little children who will learn about civil rights and understand the value of working together.

That day in 1955, she started something larger than herself. She sat down so we could stand up. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to be a part of the legislation that created December 1 in Ohio as Rosa Parks Day.

Mr. Speaker, we've heard a lot about choices and constituents and what we should do. Well, let me say to you, Mr. Speaker, and to this Nation, our Nation is at a crossroads. The decisions we make today will affect the long-term economic stability of our Nation.

Congress must pass a budget that helps grow our Nation and creates jobs. We must eliminate the sequester and invest in our future by funding Federal research and education programs. For example, in my district, Ohio State University, one of the Nation's premier research institutions, has recently experienced a 7.2 percent decrease in Federal funding because of the sequester and other budget cuts to Federal research and development.

If this downward trend continues, no question--no question--it will affect our Nation's next generation of science, discovery, and innovation while slowing jobs growth. Federal investment in research and education are put to use in places like world-class laboratories, clinical trials, and energy innovation centers. We must sustain these investments. Our Nation's economic security depends on it.

Mr. Speaker, this year, our nation will celebrate the 92nd annual American Education Week, which is a week running from November 18-22, 2013.

This special week serves as a wonderful opportunity for all Americans to celebrate public education and honor those individuals who dedicate themselves to ensuring that every child receives a quality education.

American Education Week is intended to recognize all who make a difference in our education system--from teachers to education support professionals to parents.

In Ohio public schools, we have 112,845 full time equivalent teachers, 3,642 guidance counselors and directors, 3,196 librarians and staff, and 104,394 administrators and support staff.

It is these individuals who ensure that our students gain the necessary skills and education for a productive and bright future.

As a supporter of these great Americans and as a former college administrator, I believe it's essential to raise public awareness about the importance of public education.

I am proud to show my appreciation for the key role educators play in the lives of every child in America.

We must ensure that we all do our part in making public schools a great foundation for every child, so they can achieve and succeed in the 21st century.

I celebrate the teachers in kindergarten classrooms, high school labs, and university halls.

I celebrate the school counselors who counsel adolescents and help students carve out career aspirations.

I celebrate the coaches, school nurses, social workers, and special education teachers.

I also celebrate those who transport students to and from schools and extra-curricular events because our students also need the opportunity to learn outside of the classroom.

Thank you to all who make our public schools better and improve our public education system.

I look forward to working in partnership with parents, community leaders, and elected officials to help improve our nation's public education.

I know firsthand the difference a quality education makes in a child's life.

The foundation of a strong democracy is high quality public education that is accessible to all.

That is what helps promote a fair and just society.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak on the importance of American Education Week and public education.

Mr. Speaker, as we begin to enter the holiday season, let us reflect on the devastating impact of hunger on individuals, families, and communities.

Mr. Speaker--hunger is no holiday for millions of Americans.

50 million individuals in this country are food insecure and 17 million of them are children.

Making sure children are well fed is necessary if America is to reach its health, education, economic, and fiscal goals.

In 2011, 679,900 children in Ohio lived in food insecure households.

On Nov. 1, the largest cuts in the history of our country's food stamp program, now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, went into effect when the increase given by the 2009 economic stimulus package expired.

This reduction, which totaled $5 billion, has already touched more than 47 million people--1 in 7 Americans.

Moreover, billions more in cuts are scheduled to occur in the following two years, despite the fact that food insecurity in America has not even begun to return to pre-recession levels.

Mr. Speaker, we are in a hunger crisis.

When almost 50 million people in the richest country on the planet hungry, that is a crisis.

Moreover, food insecurity can have wide-ranging detrimental consequences on individual's physical and mental health, especially with the more vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and seniors.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 1 in 6 Ohio households faced food insecurity from 2010 to 2012, up 6.3 percentage points from a decade earlier.

Ohio trailed only Missouri and Nevada in hunger increases during that same time.

Ohioans have been left to cope with loss of employment, wage stagnation, slow economic recovery, and food insecurity.

Ohioans are hurting.

Shellie, a mother in my district expressed to me that by the end of every month, she has to tell her kids that all they have left to eat is enough food for dinner.

There is nothing left in the pantry to put on the table for breakfast or lunch.

Then there is Roberta, who was a county caseworker in my district for 25 years and a school board member for ten years, and suffered a serious and sudden illness.

Now, because of medical bills, she and her family rely on food stamps and food pantries.

Another touching example is Saundra in my district, who is disabled and lost her job during the recession.

Food stamps are her only recourse for food.

There are thousands of stories like Shellie's, Roberta's, and Saundra's throughout our country.

We must let our constituents know that we hear their struggles and we are fighting for them.

Preventing irrational cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a great first step to curbing hunger.

The large $40 billion cuts in the House version of the 2013 Farm Bill are unprecedented.

SNAP should remain a part of the farm bill and I urge anyone who believes hunger and food insecurity should end to make sure that it does.

This is a practical and moral imperative.

I will continue to support the American people through their daily fight to preserve funding for these initiatives and to end hunger in America.

I thank you for the opportunity to speak on this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, many of my Republican colleagues are still obsessed with ending health care for the American citizen.

I come here today to tell you the administration, experts, and my colleagues in Congress are working on making sure that all Americans have insurance.

I say to you while they talk about ``glitch, glitch, glitches,'' yes, we are all disappointed with that. When they talk about the face of the stories, let me tell you that last week during our week at home, I held a tele-townhall conference, and many of my constituents called in and asked questions about the Affordable Care Act. Do you know why? Because they had a college student who can stay on their insurance. Do you know why? Because there were women who had pre-existing conditions now that can be covered. Do you know why? They were seniors. They were mothers. They were parents. That is what the Affordable Care Act is about.

So I say to you to listen closely, America, because the Affordable Care Act will make a difference, and that is what we should have in this wonderful America that we live in.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here first to salute those who advocate against domestic violence and those who advocate for more stroke awareness--health care issues.

I also stand here not only as a Member of Congress, but as a person who has navigated the online health care insurance marketplace system, so let me note some facts.

Yes, there have been problems. Unfortunately, the Web site was not prepared to handle the huge volume of interest, but President Obama has made it clear that the delays on the Web site are unacceptable and they will be fixed.

Since the marketplace has opened, healthcare.gov has had over 20 million unique visitors. And while the site is being improved, consumers should keep in mind what we haven't heard from my colleagues, that there are four ways they can apply for coverage: by phone, online, by mail with a paper application, or with the help of an in-person assistant.

I say to you, let us not forget the point that millions of Americans are now able to choose an insurance plan that will make the most sense for them and for their family.

Thank you, Mr. Jeffries, and to Mr. Horsford.

It is an honor for me to stand here on this floor with you as a colleague in our freshman class. But first let me thank you for your leadership, and also to Congresswoman Marsha Fudge from my great State of Ohio, as president of the Congressional Black Caucus.

As I stand here tonight, I am reminded of the words of Martin Luther King when he said:

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in a

time of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times

of challenge and controversy.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today during this time of challenge and controversy to express my strong concern over Republicans' failure to immediately raise our country's debt limit. The failure to act is threatening an imminent default on our Nation's financial obligation.

Raising the debt limit does not grow our deficit. Instead, it allows the Treasury to pay for what this Congress has already spent.

What are the facts? Since 1917, the debt limit has been raised 103 times. In recent history, it has been raised 45 times. As you have heard my colleague state, 18 times during Ronald Reagan's Presidency.

In 273 years since our country's founding we have never defaulted on our financial obligation. Yes, never. But if Republicans refuse to increase the debt limit by October 17, the Secretary of the Treasury has indicated very clearly that we won't be able to pay our outstanding debts on time. Quite frankly, this is unthinkable.

The ``full faith and credit'' clause of the United States Constitution directs that the United States will pay all its debts in full and on time every time.

America's full faith and credit has been the basis for our global economic superiority for at least 100 years. Like ordinary Americans, if the Federal Government does not pay its bills on time, then when it comes time to borrow in the future, the interest rates we pay will be much higher. If the debt limit is not raised, Americans will feel the impact immediately, both directly and indirectly.

Who loses? Payments owed to our soldiers and veterans for their services will be delayed. Nearly 4 million disabled veterans receive monthly payments in recognition of their sacrifice. If we default, they will not receive their benefits on November 1. In my home, the great State of Ohio, 1,183 veterans receive disability compensation. It would be unthinkable for us to fail to pay them, and the benefits that they have earned for their services.

Who loses? If the debt ceiling is not raised more than $36 million, Social Security recipients will not receive their earned benefits. In Ohio, over 2 million residents rely on Social Security to make ends meet. A default in our obligations would force them to choose between paying their rent or buying groceries. It is not a choice that Congress should force on our constituents to make.

Americans will also see a sharp spike in interest rates offered on home mortgages, credit cards, car payments, and student loans. The spike will have an immediate, devastating negative impact on our Nation's housing recovery, which has been a driving force in recent economic growth.

If Americans default, the average homeowner will pay an extra $100 a month in increased interest rates. This will cost families $36,000 over the life of a typically 30-year home loan.

As the stock market reacts to the most significant defaults in modern history, you can expect steep drops in your IRAs and your 401Ks.

Just last week, the Secretary of the Treasury reported that if our Nation were to default on our debts, the consequences would be ``catastrophic''--yes, catastrophic--``with many private sector analysts believing that it would lead to events of the magnitude of late 2008 or worse.''

We are still recovering from the worst recession in 80 years. We simply cannot afford to go backward, to go to double-digit unemployment, declining housing values, the financial markets declining, and a climate of economic uncertainty for businesses.

Americans deserve swift action. I implore House Republican leadership to bring to the floor a bill which will raise the debt limit so the Treasury can continue to pay all of its bills on time.

And lastly, I turn to the other imminent crisis: reopening the Federal Government.

Throughout this hour, you have heard my colleagues talk about the choices that you force Americans to make when you try to piecemeal our funding. It is worth me repeating to say: it is like having a family and having parents having seven children, and

decide that you are only going to feed three of them and watch the other four children starve before your eyes.

We stand on this floor as Democrats and Republicans every day and we talk about how we care for this America, how we want to provide services, but yet we are making Americans make a choice between NIH funding for children who are cancer patients, who need to be in clinical trial, and we make a decision to pull the funding, Federal funding, in 11 States that they are losing their Head Start grants. The list goes on and on.

This is not the America I know, this is not the America I love. Americans deserve better.

Let's reopen the doors of government, and let's raise our debt ceiling.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, to open government and go to conference on a budget so we can end this unnecessary Republican government shutdown that hurts veterans and children and American citizens. Let's open up the government now.