Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of January 18, 2007, I call up the bill (H.R. 475) to revise the composition of the House of Representatives Page Board to equalize the number of members representing the majority and minority parties and to include a member representing the parents of pages and a member representing former pages, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, as chairwoman of the Committee on House Administration, I am delighted to call up this important bill to reform the governance of the House Page Program.

I trust that all Members recall the circumstances that led to this bill coming up during the first days of this new Congress, so that there is little need to deal with them here. Suffice it to say that the events of last September have been abundantly clear that the House Page Board can no longer be constituted as it was during the last Congress with two Members of the majority but only one from the minority. Such a ratio potentially raises the specter of partisanship and political considerations where they have no place.

Mr. Speaker, the House Page Board has the statutory responsibility to govern and oversee the Page Program. The Board must not only be free of partisanship, it must function so all of its members have access to the information necessary to discharge their responsibilities and do what is right for the pages. These delightful pages, whose parents send them here, trusting that they will be safe, become the responsibility of this House.

If structural changes are needed to ensure that members of the page board can properly oversee the programs, free of extraneous concerns, then we must make such changes.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Michigan has written an excellent bill that changes the page board's form and function. First, it enlarges the page board to include a second Member of the House appointed by the minority leader, thus equalizing the number of Members between the two parties. I must say the Speaker of this House is using her nonpartisan efforts to try to bring equity to this board. This alone could strengthen the board dramatically by making the minority full partners on the board.

But the bill goes further. It adds two outside members of the board, one to represent parents of current or recent pages, and another one who represents a former page to represent the pages themselves. These two outside board members must be appointed jointly by the Speaker and the minority leader for a 1-year term, but can be eligible for reappointment if they continue to meet the requisite qualifications. These additional representatives for pages and parents will infuse the board's deliberations with perspectives that only they can bring.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, to ensure that the page board gives the program the attention it deserves, the bill requires regular board meetings on a schedule established jointly by the Speaker and the minority leader. This bill, which would be permanent and effective immediately, authorizes reimbursement of the outside board members for the expenses of attending meetings. I am confident that Members agree that the benefits of a parent and a former page representation will be worth the modest cost.

I commend the gentleman from Michigan and the gentlewoman from West Virginia for introducing this excellent bill, and I commend the Speaker for scheduling this the first days of this landmark 110th Congress.

I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 3 minutes to one of the authors of this important bill, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee).

Mr. Speaker, now I would like to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt), a former page.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the ranking member on the Committee on House Administration for his stewardship and his leadership in the Page Program. I would like to thank all of those who were responsible for this great legislation.

Mr. Speaker, this House must pass this bill. The Page Program is a treasured institution that offers youngsters from across this country the opportunity to serve and to learn firsthand about the Congress, while helping us to conduct the Nation's business.

As I said this morning to the pages when I was coming in, this is your bill. Of all the bills you have heard throughout the years you have been here, this one is yours, and we are happy to introduce this bill today.

Recent unfortunate events have shown that the governance of the Page Program needs reform. The House minority must be brought into the process as full partners with equal representation, eliminating any hint of partisanship. This is why I applaud the Speaker of this House. She wants to make sure, as much as we can, to have nonpartisanship in conducting the business of the People's House.

This board will benefit from new representation of parents and former pages themselves, and that is an added incentive, Mr. Speaker, because when you have parents and when you have former pages, they can have input that will benefit these pages who are here with us.

These and other reforms proposed by the gentleman from Michigan and the gentlewoman from West Virginia, who have served diligently on the Page Board, will greatly improve the program. I think also the increase in meetings will be an additive as well, Mr. Speaker.

So I am proud for all of those who have been part and parcel of this legislation, as well as I am proud of our new Speaker, who has made these reforms part of the agenda for the first days of the new Congress.

I urge all Members now to support this legislation and to protect these young folks who come from all areas of this country, coming here to do a part and to serve us as we do the people's business.

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

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous matter on the measure just considered.

Madam Speaker, last week, Congress received the body of the late President Gerald Rudolph Ford, our 38th President, to lie in State in the Rotunda. He was the second President for whom I felt such an endearment that it felt as if I'd lost a friend.

I first met President Ford along with President Carter several years ago when I called on both men to support legislation I had introduced to give those who had been incarcerated, paid their debt to society, and had become productive citizens a restoration of their voting rights. In speaking with him, I found him to be very sensitive and understanding of that important issue. He said that it was the decent thing to do and signed a letter (along with President Carter and myself) asking President George W. Bush to submit a proclamation to all States to ensure these citizens' voting rights.

Two years later, I had the opportunity to meet with him and his beloved wife, Betty, at Rancho Mirage along with Governor Schwarzenegger and others to discuss federal legislation for California. We continued our discussion on voting rights, and I became further impressed with his modesty despite the fact that he had served at the highest level in this country.

Gerald R. Ford was a man of character and integrity, with many accomplishments to his credit. He was a Boy Scout, and the only President who has ever attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He was a football star for the University of Michigan where he majored in political science and economics while leading his team to two national titles. He studied at Yale Law School and opened his own law practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan before joining the Navy where he served as an officer during WorId War II and earned several medals.

In 1948, Gerald R. Ford was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served until 1973. He was the Republican Minority Leader from 1965-1973. During his years in the House, Ford was, as the New York Times described, ``a negotiator and a reconciler.'' On October 12, 1973, Ford was appointed Vice President of the United States after Spiro Agnew resigned. He became President after the resignation of Richard Nixon on August 9, 1974. President Gerald R. Ford is the only person to ever serve as both Vice President and President without being elected to either office.

As President, one of Ford's first actions was to pardon President Nixon, allowing the nation to heal and move on. Although this action was highly criticized at the time and may have cost him the election in 1976, it helped to restore Americans' faith in the office of the President. President Ford successfully addressed high inflation and unemployment while ending American involvement in Vietnam and pursuing international human rights through the Helsinki Accords, helping end the Cold War.

President Ford's legacy extends far beyond his accomplishments, however. More than anything else, President Gerald R. Ford will be remembered for his character, integrity, and humility. Gerald R. Ford was a very decent and humble human being. As Americans, we mourn more than the loss of a former President--we mourn the loss of a truly great American.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, introduced by my esteemed colleagues, Representatives Diana DeGette and Michael Castle. As a longtime champion of stem cell research and an original cosponsor of this legislation, I cannot stress enough how important this bill is to the future of medical research and to the health and well-being of Americans and people worldwide. Embryonic stem cell research holds unique promise for the treatment of illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, muscular dystrophy and many other degenerative conditions. We Members of Congress have the responsibility to ensure that this promise is realized.

The expansion of federally funded embryonic stem cell research is supported by a majority of Americans and by Members of Congress from across the political spectrum. Therefore, I was disheartened by President Bush's decision to use his first and only veto to strike down stem cell legislation passed last year. However, I have fresh hope that we will see the enactment of this legislation this year. I am confident that we will pass this bill overwhelmingly today and that the Senate will do its part to secure final passage. I am also optimistic that President Bush will respect the wishes of the American public and will refrain from vetoing this important legislation yet again.

Countless lives could be saved with the passage of this legislation, and I therefore urge each one of you to vote with foresight, with optimism and with respect for life in favor of the Stem Cell Research and Enhancement Act of 2007.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my pleasure that the House has passed H.R. 2, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. Nearly nine out of ten Americans believe that it is time to increase the minimum wage, and I could not agree more.

An increase in the minimum wage is long overdue. The minimum wage has not been increased in almost 10 years. This is the longest Americans have had to wait for an increase in the minimum wage since the original law was enacted in 1938.

While Americans have been waiting for an increase in the minimum wage, the cost of most necessities has risen. The fact is, the real value of the current minimum wage is the lowest it has been in over 50 years. Meanwhile, the costs of health care, gasoline and a college education are rising, and families in my District are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet.

An increase in the minimum wage will have a particularly beneficial impact on women, especially single mothers. The majority of minimum wage earners are women and common

sense tells us that a single mother cannot effectively provide for her children on $10,000 a year. Because many of these mothers are forced to work extra hours or a second job to afford food and rent, their children end up spending most of their time without a parent at home to raise them.

If America is indeed the Land of Opportunity, we must reward those who pay their dues. A parent working full-time at the current minimum wage of $5.15 an hour is likely living below the federal poverty level, and is often unable to afford what their children deserve: rent in a safe neighborhood, decent child care, and enough food on the table.

The minimum wage issue is ultimately a question about our fundamental values as Americans. Do we value hard work? Do we believe that people who work full-time should be able to support themselves? To support their families? Isn't it our job to support those who want a hand up, and not a hand out?

I believe the answer to these questions is yes, and I believe that most Americans agree with me.

I am pleased that the House of Representatives, under the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, brought this bill to the Floor during the first 100 hours of the 110th Congress. The priorities of working Americans are truly the priorities of this House of Representatives.

I am hopeful that the United States Senate will also make a minimum wage hike a priority and pass this bill as soon as possible. I am encouraged by the President's recently expressed willingness to cooperate with Democrats on this issue. The President's signature cannot come soon enough; the bill's initial 70 cent increase does not take place until 60 days after H.R. 2 becomes law. Mr. Speaker, nearly 13 million hard-working Americans have waited long enough.

No, I am not.

Mr. Speaker, Speaker-designate Pelosi has indicated that she intends to usher in a new direction and spirit in this House, a spirit which opens doors and encourages mutual recognition, trust and respect among all Members and their staffs. Likewise, she has signaled that this House, as a two-century-old institution, is held in trust for all Members as a place to debate and formulate national policy and to carry out the people's business.

Mr. Speaker, on November 7, the American people spoke loudly with their votes, and they said that they wanted a new direction in this national legislature. For many years, the sharp edge of partisanship and party interests have permeated the very fabric of this very body, its rules and its operations.

Speaker-designate Pelosi intends to change that in the legislative arena, while acknowledging the improvements made in the administrative arena during the last decade. The House has enhanced its bookkeeping and become more efficient in its operations. These are important improvements, irrespective of which party controls the House. Retention of House officers during transition recognizes continuing institutional interests which transcends party interests. That is a new direction.

And this resolution, sponsored by Chairman Ehlers and myself on behalf of our respective leaderships, is a new direction as well. This resolution recognizes that the displacement attendant to a change in majority is unpredictable and beyond the control of individuals.

This resolution further provides for up to 60 days of severance for leadership and committee staff displaced by a change in majority party status. This resolution follows the Senate model, promotes civility, and acknowledges the direct institutional contribution made by displaced House leadership and committee staff.

This is the kinder, gentler side of an institution weakened over the last decade by partisan strife. This is just one of many new directions intended to begin the process of healing in the House.

This is a sign that good faith and bipartisanship or nonpartisanship can help bridge the gap of past partisan differences. This is an acknowledgment that people matter as much as systems, that outcomes are as important as processes.

This is a small step toward a greater goal, and Speaker-designate Pelosi intends to achieve that goal, while acknowledging and respecting each Member's beliefs and values and perspectives.

I am pleased to be on the ground floor of this institutional rebuilding process, and I thank my chairman for his able, fair and balanced leadership on this resolution. It is a new direction worthy of all Members' support, and I urge passage of this resolution.

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

Mr. Speaker, this resolution parallels the Senate resolution. I am amazed that here we are at Christmastime and staff is moving, transitioning on to unemployment, that we cannot at least be sensitive to giving them some type of severance pay. We are talking about staff that has worked so hard in this House and has helped us have the successes that we have had.

So I urge my colleagues to not defeat this bill. This bill is to suggest to those staff members and leadership staff that we appreciate the work that they have done. Many of these staff members might get the job the next day so we will reduce that severance pay, but at least it is a step in the right direction. I urge support for this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy).

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind my colleagues on the other side that many bills have been passed in the cloak of night that were adverse to the American people. What we are saying tonight is that this resolution is for those hard-working workers who have given so much to this House, and for us to deny them, and especially these are Republican staff members, not Democratic staff members that we are talking about, and to deny this, to me is just absolutely unconscionable at this Christmastime.

I will urge you to reconsider this resolution and pass it as the Senate has passed their resolution to try to address those who are transitioning out because of a change in majority.

I yield to the Speaker-designate, Ms. Pelosi.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 73 and thank Representative McCrery for introducing this very important concurrent resolution which encourages our Nation's youth to register to vote. There are few rights as Americans that are more sacred than the precious right to vote. Discussing this resolution today gives all of us in Congress the opportunity to express our support for the goals set forth by the great State of Louisiana to provide the opportunity for all high school seniors to register to vote at school and to encourage their participation in the political process.

Madam Speaker, you and I and many Members very frequently visit our high schools and speak with our students, and it is so important for the high school seniors to register to vote. A lot of them are very much interested in what goes on in this House, and it is important that we continue to engage in dialogue with them so that they will be participants, active participants in this political process.

In the spring session of 2002, the Louisiana legislature ratified House Concurrent Resolution 20, declaring the first Tuesday in May as Louisiana High School Seniors Voting Registration Day. This resolution encourages students to participate in our political process and in making democracy work. In my home State of California, the legislature passed the Student Voting Registration Act of 2003, which gives the Secretary of State the power to annually provide every high school, community college, and California State university and the University of California systems' campuses with voter registration forms to expand the number of youth participating in the voting process.

The goal of California's law is to ensure that every high school and college student receives a voter registration card with his or her diploma. California is achieving its goal by providing voter registration forms at the start of the school year, including voter registration forms with orientation materials, placing voter registration forms at central locations, and including voter registration forms with graduation materials. I am so pleased and so proud of the State of California for expanding this type of service to our high school students, and I hope that all States follow these models to enfranchise all of our Nation's youth.

I hope that this resolution on the floor today will encourage our youth to participate in our democracy not only by registering to vote and voting, but by becoming poll workers. To facilitate youth involvement in our elections, this summer I offered an amendment to H.R. 5576, the Transportation-Treasury-HUD appropriations bill, to double the funding to the Election Assistance Commission to administer the College Poll Workers Grant program. This amendment was accepted to the bill without objection. I realize that the resolution under consideration today only speaks to high school students, but it highlights an important first step in increasing youth civic engagement and strengthening American democracy.

I support this resolution and the continued goals and ideals of National High School Seniors Voter Registration Day and encourage all eligible students not only to register to vote but to exercise that franchise as well.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I applaud the gentleman from Louisiana for this very interesting and important resolution. I support the resolution.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased the House and Senate were able to come together and address port security through the passage of H.R. 4954, the SAFE Port Act. This may be the most important piece of legislation we pass in the 109th Congress.

Clearly our Nation's ports are critical to America's economic vitality. A major attack on the U.S. maritime transportation system would simply devastate the U.S. economy. Some 95% of American trade enters the U.S. through one of 361 seaports on board 8,500 foreign vessels and makes more than 55,000 port calls per year, which total worth is nearly $1 trillion dollars. Securing these and the rest of America's ports as well as the economic contributions they make must remain a top priority for each of us.

As the proud Representative from California's 37th District, it is my responsibility to enhance the security at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the largest port complex in the Nation and the third largest in the world. In fact, over 52% of all waterborne cargo moves through the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles alone.

This is a bill rooted in sound policy. Many provisions of the SAFE Port Act was language in my legislation H.R. 478, the United States Seaport Multiyear Security Enhancement Act, which I introduced in February 2005. It was imperative that Congress passed a port security bill which included multi-funding and a broad approach to securing the entire international supply chain.

I urge the President to sign the SAFE Port Act as soon as possible, as America's ports and those who live around them can wait no longer.

Madam Speaker, as Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, which favorably reported this important legislation along with the Resources Committee, I urge my colleagues to move quickly so that the bill can become law this year and we can begin the process of planning a National Museum of American Latino Heritage here in Washington, D.C. I congratulate Rep. Becerra and Rep. Ros-Lehtinen for their leadership in introducing this legislation and for their hard work in pushing it forward.

Persons of Hispanic, or Latino, descent have lived in the Western Hemisphere since the 16th Century. In the United States, they have become the largest minority group, and their impact will only grow stronger in the future. The culture of the Americas reflects a unique mixture of what was inherited from Europe, retained from the indigenous Native American inhabitants, contributed by Africans brought here during the era of slavery, and stirred in the melting pot of interaction with later immigrants from all around the world.

I am pleased to support consideration of a Latino Museum which I hope would undertake serious scholarly research as well as create and display exhibits to tell the story of the American Latino to an ever growing population, which will be increasingly exposed to such cultural influences in the years ahead. This is a project which all Americans can enthusiastically embrace.

Our Committee on House Administration worked for years with the gentleman from Georgia, Rep. John Lewis, to establish the Smithsonian African American Museum which finally became law in 2003. That legislation worked its way through Congress over a period of 17 years, passing the House and the Senate in different forms during that time, and then being successfully revived and studied by a Commission appointed by the President and Congress.

Madam Speaker, that Commission worked through 2002 and early 2003 to compile information and recommendations for Congress to use in considering whether to finally establish the Museum, and in what form. While we did not accept all of the Commission's recommendations, I found that it provided invaluable focus and momentum in moving the project forward.

H.R. 2134, and any future legislation to establish a new Museum which may spring from it, will hopefully enjoy a less tortuous path to a successful conclusion. The Commission to be created by this bill relating to the Museum of American Latino Heritage is largely patterned after the African American Museum Commission, and this time we are considering establishing the Commission at the beginning of the process of studying a Museum rather than near the end.

The new Commission will examine, among other issues, whether this new Museum should be part of the Smithsonian Institution, as is the new African American Museum. The Smithsonian has unique expertise in both museum governance and successfully presenting information which tells a story in both educational and entertaining ways.

Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I never thought as a girl growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, that I would meet, again, a present-day poll tax. My goodness. My father would be really amazed.

Therefore, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 4844, the so- called Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006, which requires all States to demand that voters provide government-issued identification in order to vote in the 2008 election and proof of citizenship in order to vote in the 2010 election.

The Republican Party has acted without expressing any concern for the millions of American citizens who currently do not have the necessary documentation and consequently will be denied their right to vote. Further, the majority has not been moved by the realization that the burden of this legislation falls disproportionately on the elderly, the disabled, and ethnic minorities. Unfortunately, the Republicans made no effort to determine how many would be affected and be disenfranchised by this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, with H.R. 4844, this Republican legislation devises a modern-day poll tax in the form of a proof of citizenship requirement that will keep some eligible voters from voting and make it harder for all American citizens to vote. No citizen should have to pay in order to exercise his or her constitutional right to vote.

I have heard today on this Floor that President Carter's and Secretary of State Baker's reference to IDs fit within the intent of this bill. Allow me to clarify this assertion. Their ID proposal does not have requirements for citizenship, and they wish that everyone, not just those who can not afford IDs, possess them free of charge. They have not endorsed this piece of legislation.

Proof of citizenship requirements place on the voter the difficult, time-consuming and costly burden of obtaining the necessary documentation to prove citizenship or identity in order to cast a vote. For example, our State Department reports that only 23 percent of all Americans possess a passport, and the cost of obtaining one exceeds $100. A majority of Americans do not currently possess the identification required by H.R. 4844, and requiring them to obtain one imposes an unconstitutional burden on their right to vote.

Additionally, some Americans may be unable to acquire the necessary documents at any cost because they lack a birth certificate. We recognize that there are many minorities, especially African Americans, who were delivered by midwives, who did not have and do not have a birth certificate. There are some rural Americans who do not have birth certificates. We recognize that the State of Georgia indicates that 40 percent of their seniors would be denied their right to vote if this piece of legislation passes.

I believe, Mr. Speaker, that the Help America Vote Act, HAVA, strikes the appropriate balance between voter-ballot access and system-ballot integrity, and it was accomplished with bipartisan effort. The Committee on House Administration worked tirelessly to enact HAVA as a solution to the problems associated with the November 2000 general election. As a result of HAVA, $3.1 billion was appropriated to

the States to improve the voting process. My alternative calls for the $800 million in shortfall funding to ensure full funding of HAVA.

The question of citizenship was directly addressed head on in HAVA whereby Congress mandated that the mail-in registration form includes a box that asks the question, ``Are you a citizen of the United States of America?'' If you answer no, your form is rejected automatically. If you answer yes, and you are discovered not to be a citizen, you are subject to Federal prosecution.

Mr. Speaker, we have laws on the books that if someone votes illegally, he or she will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The penalties are stiff and have successfully served as a deterrent to misrepresentation.

The voter ID question was asked and answered by HAVA. HAVA provided a broad range of ID options for the narrow circumstances of first-time voters who register by mail or appear in person at the polls to cast their vote. A photo ID is only one option. All the other options include employment ID, student ID, a current utility bill, bank statement, paychecks, or a government document showing the name and address of the voter.

Neither voters nor States are required to comply with a one-size-fit- all Federal mandate. The unavoidable consequence of enacting H.R. 4844 will be the decrease in the number of American citizens who are able to vote. H.R. 4844 will do far more to suppress turnout and intimidate voters than to prevent voter fraud, the purported objective of the majority.

Now, we say to all of us here in Congress, if we know of fraud and of persons voting illegally, we should tell our district attorneys. We should not tarry on this type of thing, and I suggest to the majority, if they know of any fraud, please call their district attorneys. We do not need this type of bill to accomplish this task.

We should be, as Members of Congress, representing the people and this people's House to do just that. For all the concern that the majority expresses about protecting the right to vote, this bill does nothing to stop voter suppression or correct the numerous administrative problems that are plaguing our elections and robbing our citizens of their right to vote.

I also previously heard that Andrew Young is in support of this bill. In fact, we understand that Andrew Young is not in support of this bill and that his remarks have been taken out of context. He is opposed to this bill.

H.R. 4844, as amended, will do nothing to stop the intentional forms of voter suppression such as the instances in 2004 when unsuspecting voters were misinformed about the time or place of the election or about the qualifications for voting. This bill will not remedy the long lines, misallocation of voting equipment, voting registration rules, or other election procedures that deny citizens their very critical opportunity to vote.

These are the real issues that this Congress should be addressing. To that end, I have offered a substitute piece of legislation that addresses some of the problems of voter suppression and voter fraud that are not addressed in H.R. 4844. Our Congress should be improving voter access to the polls, preventing election fraud, paying for and supporting election integrity, but it was not made in order. In fact, this is a closed rule, which is what happens when the majority does not want us to bring real legislation to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, because of the critical adverse impact of this bill and the affect it will have on our citizens' constitutional right to vote, I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing H.R. 4844. Instead of making it difficult to vote, our job should be, in the people's House, to promote civic participation more broadly.

There are 40 percent of registered voters who are not voting in our elections. This issue is what we should be addressing. Instead of erecting new barriers to voting participation, we should be devoting our resources to prosecuting the illegal intimidation tactics and solving the election irregularities which continue to surface with each election cycle.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Zoe Lofgren), a distinguished and outstanding member of the Committee on House Administration.

The gentleman from Georgia is absolutely right. If we need to go after fraud, we need to get some quantitative information before we bring this bill to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I now would like to yield 1 minute to our distinguished minority leader.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to a great civil rights leader and icon from the great State of Georgia (Mr. Lewis).

Mr. Mica, perhaps you do want to consider not voting for the bill because 60 percent of new registrants in Pima County, AZ who are all eligible voters, were initially rejected. And for every 1 percent of individuals who do not have the necessary documentation of citizenship, 2 million voters are disenfranchised.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to a man who does know about all of this, a former Secretary of State, the Honorable Jim Langevin from Rhode Island.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. Speaker, this just shows you how flawed this bill is. This bill should have remained in committee so we could really crank out and clear up some of these problems. We have heard two colloquies from the majority on issues that are not a part of this bill, for heaven's sake.

At this time I would like to yield 1 minute to the gentleman whose State has thrown out a similar type of law, the gentleman from Missouri, the Honorable William Clay.

Mr. Burton, you are speaking about an immigration bill at this point; so perhaps you should get that bill out.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 1 minute to the great gentleman who walks in the footsteps of his great father, the Honorable Charles Gonzalez.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 1 minute to a great leader from the great State of California, the Honorable Sam Farr.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 1 minute to another great leader out of the State of Texas, the Honorable Sheila Jackson-Lee.

(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the chairman how many more speakers he does have.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have heard many folks on the floor talking about fraud in our election process. We have heard various speakers talking about getting rid of this alleged fraud. There is no Member on this floor who does not want to get rid of fraud. But, Mr. Speaker, this bill does not address real fraud. This is not a good bill.

We have heard many speakers on the floor today delivering colloquies, trying to see whether or not this will fit or that will fit, when, in essence, this legislation merely does not get to the bottom of the real fraud, the problem of voter suppression.

Mr. Speaker, I will be submitting for the Record letters from the National Association of Counties and local election administrators who are objecting to this piece of legislation because they say it imposes a fee on themselves and voters all of whom assert that they cannot afford to comply with this legislation is mandate.

We have heard from the chairman and others on the other side who say that if one cannot pay for the ID, it will be paid for. But what they are doing is establishing an unfunded mandate with this piece of legislation, which is why NACO is objecting to this bill.

We also have heard from the election commissioner and county clerk out of Fairbury, Nebraska and the administrator of elections from Anderson County, TN. I will submit these letters opposing H.R. 4844 for the Record.

Mr. SPEAKER, the proponents of H.R. 4844 characterize this legislation merely as an administrative protection that it is simple to implement and necessary to prevent fraud. The truth is, H.R. 4844 is a misguided measure that will suppress voter turnout and undermine laws that Congress has already passed to assure all citizens will have a full and equal right to participate.

We know, Mr. Speaker, that HAVA is in place now, which is a bipartisan bill that was passed out of this House with bipartisan support.

To enact this law would be an affront to that bill, to all Americans who take pride in the progress our country has made in extending the franchise to all of its citizens, and to all individuals who take offense to the political manipulation of the majority.

Partisan attempts to burden our Nation with troublesome proof of citizenship requirements are not the direction this Congress or this country should be taking. We know that the States of Georgia and Washington, have already thrown out legislation similar to this one.

Democrats, along with well-intended Republicans, have fought for and won the extension of the Voting Rights Act for eligible Americans. During the last century, our country has expanded the right to vote to millions of Americans with the passage of the 19th amendment, gives which women the right to vote. The Voting Rights Act (VRA) was reauthorized on this floor just a couple of months ago, and we know that the VRA prevented institutional voter suppression. The 26th amendment, which gives 18-years-old the right to vote, is another bill that we have passed. Why should we consider a bill like this that does nothing to address voter suppression? This is an intimidation-type bill. It is a partisan attempt to allow the Republicans to maintain the majority.

I tell you, this bill violates State constitutions and the U.S. Constitution because it disenfranchises citizens who are otherwise qualified to vote. The Democrats will not shirk our responsibility to defend the gains put forth by the bills already on the books. We will not shirk our responsibility to ensure that every eligible American has the right to vote. And we will not let these gains be lost to undocumented allegations of fraud that have not been quantitatively proven and have not proven by any empirical data that reveals this so- called type of fraud is widespread.

The right to vote, Mr. Speaker, is too precious to allow any citizen's vote to be sacrificed by those who would treat it carelessly. I would hope that the other side thinks about this and not vote for this bad bill. This is not a good bill. It does nothing but hamper the American people.

This bill creates a poll tax. I want the American people to know that Democrats are against all types of voter fraud and we are against your paying a poll tax to be able to vote. So I say to the other side that if you really want integrity, then let's look at these electronic voting machines that voters are worried stiff about because they do not know whether their votes will be counted.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask that every Member who really has good intentions of trying protect the laws that are on the books will vote this legislation down.

National Association of Counties,

Washington, DC, September 19, 2006.

Re H.R. 4844, the ``Federal Election Integrity Act of 2006''

Hon. Dennis Hastert,

Speaker of the House, House of Representatives, Washington,

Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

I am opposed at this present time, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, if the House is going to vote out a proof-of-citizenship requirement to allow citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote, then we should consider who will be disenfranchised by this new requirement, and we should ensure that the States have both the funds and have determined their needs to implement this mandate.

Of course, we should exempt those who will be greatly burdened and are least likely to fit the straw man profile which the majority has thrown up as its excuse to pass this bill, voting by noncitizens. There is no showing that this straw man is a problem of sufficient proportions to justify a 21st century poll tax.

There is no empirical data on which to justify this unfunded mandate, and the personal financial burden and, in some cases, the sheer impossibility of citizens to obtain the required documentation must be taken into consideration.

I therefore offer a motion to recommit, which does the following things to the Republican proof-of-citizenship photo ID obstacle to voting.

First, the motion to recommit exempts all military voters and their families from the requirement of submitting a copy of their photo ID when mailing in an absentee ballot, not just those uniformed personnel overseas, as the underlying Hyde bill allows.

Second, my motion exempts all elderly and disabled voters from having to provide their photo ID at polls or when mailing in absentee ballots. They have financial and access obstacles which ordinary citizens simply do not have, and we need to recognize and adjust for that.

Third, the motion prevents the bill from taking effect in any State and during any fiscal year in which the Federal Government is acting irresponsibly by not providing sufficient Federal funds to cover the State costs of the unfunded mandate of making photo IDs available.

Fourth, my motion to recommit empowers the States by requiring that this new proof of citizenship photo ID provision will not take effect until the State's chief executive, chief election officer, and attorney general have each certified to Congress that voting by noncitizens in the State is a persistent and significant problem that can't be resolved by existing State and Federal laws.

Fifth, the motion seeks to enlighten the Congress on the impact of this law by having States issue a report to the Election Assistance Commission on the number of individuals who are

disenfranchised because of a photo ID requirement.

Sixth, the motion seeks to temper the likely effects of this harsh new statute by holding its application in abeyance until the Election Assistance Commission reports to Congress that 95 percent of the voting-age population has acquired a photo ID which meets the requirements of this act.

Seventh, my motion prevents the law from taking effect until the Election Assistance Commission studies and reports to Congress that the photo ID law will not disproportionately disenfranchise the elderly, disabled, minority and Native Americans.

Finally, the motion exempts Katrina victims whose records were destroyed and who were unable to obtain the requisite documentation, as long as they certify under penalty of perjury to the appropriate State election officials.

These are major concerns but by no means the only ones.

I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, this week we celebrate National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Week, and all that they have done for our country. While I did not attend an HBCU, I have reaped the benefits of these institutions, as have all Americans.

Historically black colleges and universities were founded at a time when segregation was often the norm, whether officially sanctioned or not. These institutions offered African-Americans the opportunity to pursue an education that may have otherwise been out of their reach. Education is very often the key to a successful and productive life, and HBCUs continue to provide this invaluable asset to thousands of African Americans and other Americans.

HBCUs have helped many students who have gone on to become leaders and who have left a positive and lasting effect on society as a whole. In law and politics, HBCUs have yielded great minds such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Thurgood Marshall. HBCUs have educated cultural and literary greats such as Toni Morrison, Langston Hughes, and Ralph Ellison. Many talented entertainers and athletes have attended HBCUs, including Oprah Winfrey and football great Walter Payton. These individuals and countless others have gone on to make a significant contribution to society after attending an HBCU. For all that HBCUs have done to improve the lives of African Americans, and for all that these African Americans have in turn done to improve society, we are eternally grateful.

Mr. Speaker, this week we mark the fifth anniversary of the tragic and unprecedented events of September 11, 2001. On this fateful day, we lost not only thousands of our fellow citizens, but a piece of our innocence as well.

On behalf of my constituents of the 37th District of California, I affirm that we will not forget those who lost their lives on that dreadful day. We offer our heartfelt prayers to the families of the victims, and assure them that time has not dulled our deepest sympathies. We shall never fully recover from the loss of so many of our best and bravest and brightest.

This attack on our homeland showed us that great vigilance and effort are required to prevent terrorists from realizing their murderous aims. This important lesson was paid for dearly, and we owe it to all those who lost their lives to continue to work to protect our country from another attack.

In particular, I am acutely aware of the need to secure our Nation's ports, as my District is adjacent to the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles, which are among our Nation's busiest. Some 95 percent of American trade enters the U.S. through 1 of 361 seaports on board over 8,500 foreign vessels and makes more than 55,000 port calls per year, which total worth is nearly $1 trillion. It is our duty to protect America's ports which remain highly vulnerable targets. In fact, over 52 percent of all waterborne cargo moves through the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles alone. Securing these and the rest of America's ports as well as the economic contributions they make must remain a top priority for each of us.

As such, I am pleased that Congress is finally working on a bipartisan basis to address this gaping hole in our security. I am a proud supporter of the SAFE Port Act, which would appropriate a dedicated stream of port security funding. I look forward to continuing to work on this important issue with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle.

I appeal to all Members of Congress to work toward these goals in the spirit of unity that we felt so poignantly 5 years ago in the wake of the terrorist attacks. This is really the greatest honor we could offer the victims of that day.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak out of order.

Mr. Speaker, a year ago last week, Americans saw one of the most devastating natural disasters in our country's recent history. Hurricane Katrina ravaged the gulf coast and overwhelmed the levees of New Orleans, resulting in near total submersion of that city. A year later, the flood waters have receded, yet the devastation sadly remains.

One area where this devastation is most readily apparent is in the city's public schools, many of which were destroyed beyond repair in the storms. However, the system which has arisen in the wake of Katrina is fragmented and poorly organized. More than half of New Orleans' schools remain closed a year after the storm. Of those that are open, some are run by the city, others are run by the State, and others are run by private companies. As a result, area schools may have different application procedures, admission rules, and starting dates. That is no way to educate children.

Further complicating this problem is the fact that more students are returning than were ever previously expected, putting an additional strain on a system already stretched to the breaking point. Parents have expressed frustration at the difficulty of navigating this system, and many have been unable to enroll their children in school, despite their best efforts.

These barriers to education are intolerable, Mr. Speaker, anywhere in America. However, it is particularly egregious that we have allowed such barriers to exist for a population that is already so challenged. We must do better, especially for an area with a high minority population, high poverty levels and historically poor academic outcomes.

The consequences of the failure to improve the education system in New Orleans are all too real. Without drastic improvement, we will surely see higher dropout rates and substandard education for those who manage to remain in school.

Furthermore, the effects of this neglect will not rest solely with the young and vulnerable. A poorly educated population promises a bleak future for the entire City of New Orleans and for this country, one characterized by poverty, crime and broken families.

We cannot leave the victims of Hurricane Katrina to fend for themselves twice. President Bush has promised to stand with the victims of Hurricane Katrina until the job is done, yet the persistent problems with New Orleans schools are a disheartening sign that the job is far from done.

In Congress, we have approved four emergency spending bills that together provide more than $110 billion in Federal aid for rebuilding these areas. However, less than half of this money has actually been spent by Federal agencies, with hardly any accountability. Much needs to be done to help New Orleans recover from the disastrous effects of Hurricane Katrina. However, we must prioritize children in our efforts to rebuild this city, making them first priority.

Therefore, I call on the Bush administration, as well as relevant State and local agencies, to promise the children of New Orleans that they will have access to safe, high quality schools this year. As part of this, the administration must exercise the oversight and follow- through necessary to ensure that Federal funds are appropriately spent and schools are built.

Our children can wait no longer. While Hurricane Katrina resulted in much destruction along the Gulf Coast, it has also given us an unprecedented opportunity to completely remake underperforming schools. We must do that for the children of America. We must do that for New Orleans children. I demand that this administration and other relevant persons not let this opportunity slip through their fingers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the House Republican minimum wage legislation which is not a clean bill. A clean bill would not have poison pills in it.

Mr. Speaker this is a sad day. The American people need our help. From coast to coast, the lowest paid Americans are clamoring for assistance as they struggle to live off of wages not suitable for this decade. It is obvious that an increase in the minimum wage is sadly overdue.

Unfortunately, when the majority finally provides the opportunity to vote on increasing the minimum wage, it comes to us bloated, filled with provisions harmful to the American worker and which ensure that this legislation is never enacted.

While it is unfortunate that the majority leadership has not seen fit to bring legislation to the floor that neither the American people nor most of my colleagues have had a chance to review, it is downright insulting that the legislation on the floor today was written knowing that it will never pass out of the Senate. This bill is dead on arrival in the Senate.

For the last two-years, the Democrats have fought to increase the minimum wage. The effect of the last minimum wage increase in 1996-97 has been completely eroded by inflation, which, when factored in, the $5.15 minimum wage today is lower than the $4.25 minimum wage level before the 1996-97 increase. At the same time fuel prices have continued to skyrocket, housing prices are soaring and health care continues to be out of reach for those whose jobs do not provide it for them.

If the Democrat minimum wage initiative would come to the floor, an estimated 14.9 million workers would receive an increase in their hourly wage rate if the Democrat minimum wage were raised. Over half a million of these workers reside in my home State of California. But this Republican bill does not provide the minimum wage increase American workers need. It delays the increase and nullifies wage protections for tipped workers.

Mr. Speaker, in the almost 10 years since the last increase in the minimum wage, the purchasing power of the minimum wage has deteriorated by 20 percent and the value of the minimum wage is at its lowest level since 1955 when adjusted for inflation. This is clearly unacceptable. The American people need us more than ever. I urge my colleagues to only support a clean bill focused solely on the minimum wage and to vote against this Republican legislation in its current form.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak out of order.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize an intelligent, gifted and courageous young man, Jonathan Strickland, who is a 14-year-old African American California resident who began his training to fly airplanes and helicopters at the age of 10 at Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum. This museum is located in my district at the Compton Woodley Airport in Compton, California, and is a nonprofit organization that strives to give adolescents the opportunity to reach their goal of flight. All program participants are able to receive free training, as long as they perform local community service. The museum director and an accomplished flight instructor, Robin Petgrave, saw fit to create this program that would serve youth in poverty stricken neighborhoods and provide them with a positive alternative away from the streets.

Jonathan Strickland has clearly benefited from Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum. I am proud to recognize his incredible achievements. He broke four world records in June, including being the youngest person to solo both a plane and a helicopter on the same day, being the youngest African American to solo a helicopter, and to fly a helicopter internationally. He also flew a helicopter round trip internationally.

On July 1, 2006, Jonathan successfully landed back at Compton Woodley Airport and was greeted by his family, friends, the Compton Mayor Perrodin, well wishers, the media, as well as the original members of the Tuskegee Airmen. He was also presented with an application for future employment with the Los Angeles County Fire Department Operations Division.

Ambitious and brave, Jonathan Strickland was able to live his dream because of Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum. I am proud that this wonderful program is in my Congressional district, and that it is changing young people's lives and creating ways for them to reach their potential and excel.

Jonathan's future goals include becoming a test pilot, attending the Air Force Academy, and eventually becoming a commercial pilot. And as already a world record setter, I am confident that he will surpass every goal he sets for himself.

He has recently graduated from St. Francis Cabrini School, and will enter

Cleveland High School as a freshman in September of 2006. I am anxious to see what records he will set and break as a high school student.

I join with his family, friends, his community, his supporters, and the Nation who are rightfully very proud of his accomplishments and have recognized him for his outstanding achievements.

The President has also received a letter outlining those achievements. We are extremely proud of this young man.