Floor Statements

Thank you so very much, Mr. Speaker. It's an honor to come before the House once again. I can share with you, as Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee just finished speaking about, the wonderful ceremony that we had today, but sad ceremony, reflecting on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King some 40 years later. To see Democrats and Republicans standing side by side, to have reflection from those that worked beside Dr. King, like our very own John Lewis and Majority Whip Clyburn, who talked about his experience and first meeting that he met with him in 1960 in Morehouse University, to Majority Leader Reid reflecting on, the Senate reflecting on how he worked here in the Capitol at that time as a part of the crowd outside; and others that shared stories of their time when Dr. King walked the Earth; his son, Martin Luther King, III, who reflected on his father's death and his memory and charged the House and the Senate to carry out efforts against poverty, also to deal with the issue of war and conflict, and also looking at the very issue of making sure that we

stand up for the least of these, as many of us are very, very familiar with. Mr. Speaker, I also believe that it's important in that light to have Americans, and as leaders of this great country of ours, have Americans remember the past, but look forward in a forward leaning way to the future.

I had the opportunity to talk to the National Association of Black Realtors or African American Realtors over at Union Station just about 30 minutes ago. It reminded me of a story, and I shared it with them, of when my mother served here in the House of Representatives and I had the opportunity as a State legislator to come up to see her sworn in once again. While I was up here, I had a chance to run into one of my good friends, Reverend Jesse Jackson.

He spoke to a group of folks that were here that day when his son was sworn into Congress for the first time. He said that he could not help but to get emotional. He got emotional when he was sharing with us how that experience was a moving experience for him because he reflected on the story of his father, who fought in World War II, and after World War II was over, came back to the United States. But he was taking the train going south and riding behind the prisoner of wars when they went through Union Station. And his father couldn't help reflect that he saw the United States Capitol, but even though he fought on behalf of his country, felt that he did not move forward because he was behind prisoners of war in his own country. And that God would have him live long enough for his grandson to become a Member of Congress is an example of how this country can correct itself over time. We still have a long way to go and a short time to get there. I shared that with them because many of us are professionals and have an opportunity to take part in this democracy and be a part of the change in America.

I can say that tomorrow will be a day for the country to pause and to recognize the contributions of one of the greatest Americans that ever walked the Earth, and that's Dr. King. I look forward to participating in that reflection like I did today.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to share just a few thoughts with the House, as we have now broken for the week and will be back next week and the business of the people of the United States of America will continue. The New Direction Democratic Congress are about working with some of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle about solutions, Mr. Speaker, and not just conversation.

I think it's important for us to look at what has taken place under the Capitol Dome. I was on the floor yesterday evening and I spoke to the Members on how we are going to have to work together to be able to help everyday Americans work through their real life issues that they are facing now. Long ago, we knew of not only predatory lending practices, but we also knew of the fact that there are a number of Americans that are going to hit hard times, and many pieces of legislation passed off of this floor riding on the backs of everyday Americans, individuals that punch in and punch out every day, those that try to carry out the American dream by purchasing a home and getting their piece of the American pie.

For many Americans, that is the only savings they have. A home is a way to be able to allow their blood line, wherever they may be in rural America, urban America, wherever their background may be, if they are a citizen or resident of this country, to be able to educate their children, to be able to borrow money to be able to educate their children, or to be able to allow their children to have something that they can call a piece of the rock or a piece of the American pie.

I can tell you right now, Mr. Speaker, that a number of those families, and I mean they are in the millions, are in jeopardy right now of losing the very thing that they can hold on to. They may not own their car, they may not necessarily have a lot of money. But what they do have are homes. Many of these individuals are up in age. They have fewer tomorrows than they have yesterdays. They are finding themselves in a situation of not having the financial means to be able to protect their home.

One of the cornerstones of public service is to make sure that we come up and we protect those individuals and that we make sure those Americans are not left behind. I do know that this Congress in the past, not this Democratic Congress, but Congresses before, have attempted to stimulate the economy through tax breaks for the very super-wealthy and the super-rich, saying it will trickle down to the everyday American. That hasn't happened. This is a perfect example that it hasn't happened.

This week the Senate worked very hard, Leader Reid and others, with Senate bill 2636, the Keep Families From Facing Foreclosures in Their Homes. This ``new direction'' Congress came here saying that we are here to represent the American people; not just Democrats, not just independents, not just Republicans, but the American people, and we have done that. We have been able to enact measures into law expanding affordable mortgage loan opportunities through the Federal Housing Administration for families that are in danger of losing their home by increasing the FHA loan limits up to $729,750 within the economic stimulus bill which passed recently.

Also we have passed a measure to prevent homeowners from facing a tax bill at the same time they are losing their homes through H.R. 3638, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Act. We also expanded Federal counseling for families in danger of losing their homes through foreclosure through the FY 2008 omnibus appropriations bill.

I think it is important for us to talk about what we have done in this Congress versus what we haven't done. But I can tell you that since I started out with what has already happened, and more has to happen, because we still have individuals that are out there that are hurting. It is not enough in my district, the 17th Congressional District, that we are going to have a foreclosure prevention workshop, where we are going to have lenders and counselors there to be able to talk to them. My constituents need more than that. The American people need more than that. By the fact they voted for me on a given Tuesday, early one Tuesday, by federalizing me, allowing me to come to Congress and other Members of Congress to come here, we are here to represent their best interests. So we have to continue to move forward.

These are measures that have passed the House but have not become law. Strengthening consumer protection against risky housing loans in the future; H.R. 3915, the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act; expanding affordable housing mortgage opportunities for families in danger of losing their homes through the Federal Housing Administration reform, which is H.R. 1852. This bill passed both House and Senate and is supported by the White House, I must add, but has been held up by one Senator due to his opposition to the temporary FHA loan limit increase.

I think it is important that everyone understands that this has to be a group effort. Back home in my district, folks don't understand one individual having a problem with it, but that is going back to the rules in one of our chambers here in Congress. Also it strengthens regulations of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and raised the loan limits and increased the amount of the loan through H.R. 1427. It goes on and on and on of efforts that we have tried to pass here in the Congress and become law, but for some reason, have not.

So next week the House, under Chairman Frank's leadership and the Financial Services Committee, will work very hard to address these issues through legislation. The act we are bringing forth will be comprehensive legislation to address the housing crisis that we face here in America, and the legislation will help stabilize the housing market, which is the first step to rebounding our economy. The measure will do many of the things that I just talked about that are held up either in the legislative process or procedural maneuvers that have taken place or objections by the White House.

It would also prevent the value, as it relates to homes, the value of homes going down. It will work towards that. Chairman Frank's legislation will loan $10 billion to States and localities to purchase and rehab foreclosed properties.

This is very, very important, Mr. Speaker and Members. As we talk about 1 million Americans losing their homes in the last year, with a prediction that 2 million will lose their homes this year, imagine how back home America is going to look, need it be small or large. Homes that are vacant, Americans not able to receive loans to be able to buy those homes. In rural America, homes vacant without having individuals able to move into those homes. You know they will fall into disrepair. This $10 billion will stimulate the economy, and that will increase American jobs. They are not jobs overseas, but are jobs right here.

I think it is very important that we pay very close attention to this. I want to commend the Democratic leadership for continuing to push this measure forward in light of so many accomplishments that have taken place since the Democratic Congress has been put into place.

I want to mention just a few of them so that my time on the floor today just won't be about describing what our problem is in America, but to talk about how we are making real change here in Washington, DC. I have been here 6 years. I have seen more happen in the last year than I saw in the 4 years prior to this time, the 4 years prior to this Congress.

There was the minimum wage increase that was signed into law that passed in 2007. There was stem cell research enhancement, which was sent to the President's desk in June of 2007. Also we implemented all of the 9/11 Commission recommendations, which were recommendations that came out of a bipartisan commission. They were all implemented by this House and by the Senate and sent to the President and he signed it. Also repealing subsidies to big oil and reinvesting in renewable energy.

I want to stop right there. That is a major accomplishment. Just yesterday I noticed that a number of the independent truck drivers went on strike. They went on strike because of the high cost of diesel fuel. I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, if we were doing the kind of things that this Congress has done 4 years ago, this country would not be as dependent on Middle Eastern oil as we are now. The President's response to what needed to happen 2 years ago or 3 years ago was ``America is addicted to oil.''

Well, to talk about something and blame the American people saying we are addicted to oil is not an answer and not a solution. I can tell you, this legislation that passed this house by 264-163 is the kind of Congress that the American people voted for to be able to lead this country in a new direction and to move this country in a new direction, or, as a matter of fact, let me put this way, move this Congress in a new direction, which has happened and will continue to happen.

We also are making college more affordable. I think that is very, very important. It was one of the first pieces of legislation that we passed in this new Congress, to cut student loan rates in half.

I think it is very, very important that we look at these measures as accomplishments and not as wedges that will cut Democrats from Republicans, because the American people ultimately are counting on us to move in the right direction.

Since we know what is going to happen next week, and it will be one of the major actions that will take place, when Chairman Frank will have a chance to start considering the markup for his piece of legislation out of this committee, we also have to reflect on the reports that we will be receiving on the status of what is happening in Iraq.

As many of the Members know, recently we had an uptick in violence. That should not be shocking, because one of the leaders of one of the insurgent groups over in Iraq said they were going to take 6 months off to regroup.

The American people have put a lot of money, or this Congress has put a lot of money on the ground in Iraq, and I am talking about outside of the money that we have supplied to protect our troops and the men and women that are over there that are civilians, but I am saying cash money on the streets in Iraq.

Now, here is where the rub comes in and here is where the leadership has to begin. We have to start not only having the discussion, we have to take action and make sure that we bring our men and women home and that we bring them home faster than what the President is looking to bring them home, the timeline he is looking to bring them home. As a matter of fact, he is not looking to bring them home any time soon. There are members of the Senate that are talking about 100 years or what have you.

But I had the opportunity, Mr. Speaker and Members, when we broke for Easter to go and spend 2 days at Camp Pendleton, which is one of the largest Marine bases we have in the country, over on the West Coast in California. I stayed on base purposely so that we would have an opportunity to interface with those that are in uniform and their families.

Of course, the word gets around that there is a Member of Congress on base. That is not an everyday event, because there are only 500 and some Members of Congress. I think that it is important that we have a chance to interface, because I think that this Congress needs to understand and the Bush White House needs to understand that this is not just about buying smart bombs. It is not just about buying MWRAP vehicles. It is not just about making sure that they have the ammunition that they need and the kevlar that they need to protect themselves. All of those things that I mentioned are very worthy, and they are the reason why we have the number one military on the face of the Earth.

But I think there is also a human side to this and that we should be just as excited about trying to assist those individuals, and that is on the family side and the human side of what is happening to our men and women in Iraq.

When I first got on the base, Mr. Speaker, I noticed a billboard that was an electronic billboard that had on there, if you are in need of counseling or if you are in need of group therapy, please call this number. I was pleased to see that, because so many times we feel that the only injury that could possibly happen when we see one of our patriots come back is one of losing an arm or a leg, or those that have Purple Heart tags that are traveling throughout America.

But many of those injuries from this conflict are between the ears of the stress and also some of the concussion bombs that are going on over in Iraq. And these Americans have fought more than any other American soldier, marine, sailor, airman, Coast Guard, than any other time in the history of the republic; longer than World War II, longer than world World War I, longer than Vietnam, longer than Korea and the other conflicts, and on and on. These Americans are special because they are unique, and we have to make sure that we do what we have to do.

Now, let me just say this: The Democratic Congress has made sure that the VA received the most money that it has ever received in the history of the Republic, in the history of the VA, making sure that our men and women get what they need when they come back. And as they continue to come back, that is there for them. We have to make sure that we take action as we look at this budget and as we have the debate about this war in Iraq, that we bring our men and women home more sooner than later.

Now, I have heard some Members on the floor talk about things that Iraqi children and women and men and boys and what have you, that they don't have the opportunity to do or they didn't have the opportunity to do until we got there.

Let me just share something with you. It is good to have goodwill and all of those things throughout the world, but right here in America, Mr. Speaker, and as a Member of Congress I think it is important that we also understand, that there are Americans right now, women, children, boys, men, girls, our seniors that don't have; because $70 billion, $100 billion, $200 billion are on the ground in Iraq and on and on and on, and we are sitting here thinking, we have Members running around here talking about we need earmark reform. Well, guess what. Reform has happened. There are fewer earmarks than there were in the previous Republican Congress and the Congress before that. And, that we have disclosure. Americans can go on Members'

Web sites and can go and can see exactly what the request that they are making.

You want to talk about reform. More has happened in the last 14 months in the Democratic new direction Congress than at any other time since I have been in Congress. So when we look at these issues and they stand here and talk about a $250 project, as Mr. Ryan talked about yesterday, an EPA mandated project on the local government, complaining about that; meanwhile, looking and not even paying attention to the mountain of debt that we have in this country that was built up by the Bush administration and his friends here in Congress on the Republican side, but not even looking at the $70 billion that individuals voted for to continue this effort in Iraq saying that we have to help the poor people of Iraq.

Now, let me tell you something. I may feel a little warm and fuzzy about the $70 billion, saying maybe that is right, if the Iraqi government was working under the same light that we are working under here. I think it is important that we reflect on what is happening right here in America, what is happening two blocks away from this Capitol; that we have individuals that are in poverty, we have individuals that don't have health care. Not individuals, but Americans that don't have health care. We have veterans that are sitting right out as I speak now in front of the Lincoln memorial at the last outpost that are in need.

I was out there, and sometimes, Mr. Speaker and Members, I take my children and we ride our bikes down the mall here, and we pass by the Washington monument, and then we move on and we go by the World War II memorial, and then we go by, we go down to the reflection pool and go down to the Lincoln memorial. And every time we are there, we stop to talk to those veterans. And there is one, they are there, veterans from Korea and veterans from Vietnam, and sometimes every now and then you will get a Gulf War I veteran that is out there. And I start talking to them about health care and many of them don't even know I am a Member of Congress or what have you. What is happening at the VA? What is happening with you in your everyday life? And you would be shocked how many times I have been there, in that very short time talking to them taking a break, and they pull pills out of their pocket into their hands because it is time for them to take one of the cocktails they have to take to be able to deal with those demons they have been having to deal with all of those years.

Now, I am going to say, those individuals allow us to salute one flag, those individuals allow me to sit here as an American congressman and speak my mind in this democracy, and I salute them. Beyond mentioning their commitment to this country and the fact that their comrades, some of them did not make it back, which are also there in the various memorials that are on the mall.

I say all of this because Members are taking this time lightly. And I have shared many times that I have come to the floor, as I move towards a close here, Mr. Speaker and Members, that this time in our country is like no other time in the history of the Republic. We owe foreign countries more money than we have ever owed them in the history of the Republic, some of the countries that we have concerns about, security concerns about. They have a part of the piece of the American pile because we have had an administration and a White House that has said we have got to give these tax cuts, even we can't even afford them, to individuals that are not even asking for them. And that strategy failed, because now we are in an economic downturn. And it ain't just about housing. It is the fact that jobs have not been created here. Jobs have been shipped overseas. And that seems to be the kind of global piece of saying, oh, we need to do that, because there is this importance that we have a strong global economy. I agree with that. But, at the same time, we have to have a strong America.

So as we look at what our veterans are going through and the more and more veterans that are going to be passed on because of some of the bad decisions that have been made in the past doesn't mean that we have to continue to make those bad decisions. It means that we should learn from those bad decisions, and then have the kind of paradigm shift that Democrats, Republicans, and Independents are looking for.

So, I feel that as we continue to look at our time here in Congress, as we continue to look at our responsibility, we have to take every living moment to make sure that we bring about that change.

When I first got here, we used to talk about not leaving the responsibility on our children and grandchildren. Now, we can say not leaving the responsibility on ourselves. There was a time we thought that the debt, folks would, our children will have to bear the responsibility of our bad decisions or inaction or lack of action. And now, it is about those of us today bearing the brunt of the bad decisions that were made in the past and decisions that are being made today by some Members of Congress. Luckily, we have this new direction Congress that are here to stand up on behalf of the American people and not the special interests.

So I say that, Mr. Speaker. In the light of saying that, I hope, and I want to commend some of my friends on the Republican side that have saw the light, that have gone to the wizard, that have asked for courage and they have stepped out and they voted with Members on the majority side to bring about the kind of paradigm shift. But there are some that are here that are not willing to do that. And that is fine. Because, as far as I am concerned, the American people spoke in the last election, and that is the reason why I can say I am a member of the majority now.

And, guess what. Some of them were Republicans that were very frustrated with the fact that fiscal responsibility was not carried out, that decisions that should have been made as relates to the war in Iraq were not made, that the economy was going south, that they didn't have what they used to have in their bank accounts and investment in their family and their bloodline and no longer had it, so they had to bring about the kind of change. The American spirit will rise beyond partisan politics every time when this country is in jeopardy.

So when we come around to the next election, Mr. Speaker and Members, I want you to reflect on that individual that is going to go on a given Tuesday to vote for the kind of representation that he or she expects to have. And if they don't see when they look at the report card, because we have four 24-hour channels that are dedicated to news or close to the news, we have public television that is dedicated, gavel- to-gavel coverage of county commission and city commission and State legislators and also here in Congress, dedicated for the American people to take an opportunity to take a look at it. We have our cyber space that is available.

We used to have, Mr. Speaker, a digital divide in this country, so that when I was in the State legislature, it was thought, where would the DSL lines go? Where will the phone company allow those lines to be put on by the cable company? And now we have moved to the technology of Blackberries and I-phones and all of these things where individuals get news like that.

When the report card is mailed to the home or when they look at those, they go on-line or they look at television, they listen to the radio or they read the paper to find out, where were you standing on these very issues that are before Congress that are dealing with them, the foreclosure of their home, the economy, health care for children as we look at the SCHIP legislation which we call CHAMP here that provides for children with health care; as we look at what happened with oil subsidies, of bringing about alternative fuel to allow us to be able to invest in the Midwest versus the Middle East. When we start looking at biofuel that is, for instance, in my State, sugarcane that has already been extracted of its sugar, but the leftovers of that turn into fuel to run those sugar mills and to be able to go into tanks of Americans that are trying to make a living. We start looking at that. We start looking at why we are paying per gallon for fuel as we pay for a gallon of milk.

When we start looking at those issues, I think they are going to look

at and they are going to say, listen, I am an Independent, I am going to have to vote for the folks that are about the solution; I am a Republican, I am going to have to vote for the folks that are about the solution. In my house, I am a Democrat, I am going to have to vote for the folks that are willing to move this country in a new direction. And the evidence has spoken over the last 14 to 15 months that the new direction Congress has moved in that direction; and, that through the fact that we have been empowered by the American people to lead this country in a new direction, the President on bills that he said he would not sign had to sign because we kept that pressure on.

So I say all of this, Mr. Speaker, in closing that what we are facing right now are real issues. Our responsibility is great. Historians will write about this time in Congress. And I share with the Members, as a matter of fact I beg the Members to be on the right side of history and making the right decisions right now.

I will close with the information that I received as of April 3 as it reflects in Iraq: 4,011 Americans that have died in the line of duty; total number wounded in action and returned to duty 16,364; total number of wounded in action and have not returned to duty is 13,264.

As we break for the next couple of days and over the weekend, come back hopefully with the heart and the mind to be about the solution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it's an honor to come before the House once again.

As you know, in the 30-Something Working Group, we work very hard to put forth the agenda of the American people. We have been consistent over a number of years in doing this. And I think that it's important for the forward progress of not only the House of Representatives but also for the American people.

The good thing about coming to the floor and sharing what's happening here in the Capitol Dome, or what's not happening, is its importance in strengthening our democracy and also strengthening our economy and strengthening the faith in government by the American people. And I think that some of the information, especially as it comes in a bipartisan fashion, that it allows our friends on the Republican side of the aisle to be able to take part in legislation that the American people support wholeheartedly.

Case in point: increasing the minimum wage, adopting all the 9/11 recommendations, and also looking at the issue of the greening of America, putting forth incentives of saving our Earth as we move forth, fighting for community police officers for local law enforcement agencies, State law enforcement agencies, and also the Federal outlook of being able to deter crime in this country; also assisting children and getting a level of health care that they deserve in a universal sense as it relates to S-CHIP, or what we call CHAMP here on the floor; and to also have hearings, to open up this government to the American people, of transparency.

As we started talking about Member projects, Mr. Speaker, in the appropriations process, we brought about the transparency that the American people have been looking for, disclosure, to make sure that these projects are worthy projects, and also having what we call reform, and we have shown that.

I want to just talk about a few things, Mr. Speaker, if I can, before the rest of the 30-Something Group is recognized, of what is happening now, not only in America, but overseas. We know that a number of officials from the Bush administration have been asked to come to Capitol Hill to testify before various committees, be they House or Senate. Today's news is the economy. When we start looking at testimony that took place here today, where it was first mentioned, not that we were trying to make history, a Bush administration official saying that the country is in a small recession and that recovery will be soon, and very soon, well, it reminds me of the debate when we talked about what was going on in Darfur, in Africa, if we want to call it genocide or not. We already knew it was genocide so we didn't necessarily have to wait for the President or the Bush administration to say it was genocide. But it did help when they said that it was.

Well, since now the Bush administration has come around to find out that their policies of tax breaks for billionaires and millionaires did not help the economy, and now has testified that we are in a recession, or a small recession, using the R word, maybe we can start

dealing with the solution as a unified government.

One example of how we have worked together in unity has been what was shown when we passed the small stimulus bill that was passed, and I know that the Speaker and Democratic leaders are looking, and also hopefully Republican leaders, are working towards a stimulus package that will create jobs, U.S. jobs here, and would allow those from the GED education to the post-graduate education, doctoral, those that have gone beyond in their education to be able to take part in new job creation here in the United States. So we have these forward leaning initiatives that we are ready and willing to work on.

The second point, I think it's also important as we look at the housing crisis that we are in right now. Mr. Speaker, I am actually in the next couple of weeks holding a ``save your home'' or recovery effort in my district. I am asking my constituents to come forth, those that are trying to make their mortgages, and bringing lenders together, along with credit counselors, to be able to assist them to save the only thing that they have, and that is their home.

I think it's so very, very important that we continue to work very hard. I know that Chairman Frank, the Financial Services Committee, will be having a hearing in response to what has been happening in the housing crisis. I know that the Senate is working very hard to have some product come before this House soon, and very soon, to deal with this.

I think it's important that those of us in Congress not only support the public efforts that are going on, but also encourage the banking community and the lending community to step forward and try to assist as much as they can in saving the piece of the pie of the American dream. With so many Americans, that dream is now turning into a nightmare. It's our job to be able to stand up for those individuals.

I think that it's also important to know the chair of the Federal Reserve is continuing to warn us of a possible recession. I think that it's important for us to look at it as a reality where it is now.

Now for individuals that have substance abuse problems, or whatever the case may be, first you have to admit that you have a problem for us to get to the recovery, or to recover from that problem, to be able to receive the kind of treatment that is needed. As it relates to the decision makers in Washington and in the lending community, admitting that there is a problem is important. Many of us have, but we still have some holdouts for the sake of holding out. I think that as we move on, that we press on in a bipartisan way to make that happen. There will be efforts to make that happen. I ask my Republican friends on the other side of the aisle to be a part of the solution and not just the argument.

I think that when we also, Mr. Speaker, and I just want to share some of these thoughts because we have had 2 weeks off and I have had an opportunity to focus on some of the things that I wanted to share with the House of not only the observations, my personal observations, but what I have read of what others have written of their concerns about the lack of leadership on recovering or bringing about the kind of recovery we need on this economy. That there are certain things that have to be in place.

I know the first stimulus package we did gives some relief to homeowners through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and FHA loans and raising that ceiling so they can be able to assist individuals to save their homes. But we have got to go further than that. We have to be able to create the jobs that individuals need to be able to save their homes.

The second point I wanted to make, Mr. Speaker, that I think is vital, General Petraeus is going to be here on the Hill within a week. We know that we are starting to see violence again in Iraq. We know that we have put a large investment on the ground in Iraq, not only in our men and women that are over 140,000, that are there, but also we put a major cash investment on the streets of Iraq in hiring a number of Iraqis with U.S. dollars, cash dollars that they are paid in to help keep the peace in certain neighborhoods that have been a part of the uprising and the insurgency.

If I had the dollars that we have on the ground in Iraq in my district, there would be no crime. We would be able to hire those individuals that some may say are unemployable, that are out doing things that we don't necessarily agree with. Some justify their actions on the lack of being able to be employed, some justify their acts on the fact that they are not able to, even if they are employable, there are no jobs for them to get to be a productive member of society. Of course, there is a lack of job training dollars in our States and in our communities. There is a lack of bridge dollars to be able to introduce these individuals back into society, especially those that have made youthful indiscretions.

But as we start looking at General Petraeus' testimony when we come back before Congress, we have to look at it from the standpoint of where are we going from this point. I think that the American people are ready for the Iraq experience to be over as it relates to street- to-street, neighborhood-to-neighborhood protection of the Iraqi people. I think that it's time for our government to be able at the highest levels, and I know many Members of the House, including myself, have personal editorials on this issue. But we are looking forward to General Petraeus' report. We are also looking forward to Ambassador Crocker's report.

We are also looking forward to hearing not only from other experts that are in the area of Iraq, and I know the Armed Services Committee is going to be dealing with that, but I ask the Members in a bipartisan way to look at it not with a partisan eye, but look at it from a standpoint of what is best for the United States of America. So when we deal with the economy and we deal with Iraq, I mean there are two major issues that are going on in the country. For those that write books and for those that are historians, they are paying very, very close attention to what is going on.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to be joined by my colleagues. I am just going to do it in order of seniority and order of people that are next to me. Even though I am going to recognize Mr. Altmire, since he made it here first, we have Mr. Ryan from the great State of Ohio, and represents Niles, Ohio, Youngstown, and has been doing great work here when we first started the 30-Something Working Group. We do have what I mentioned at the beginning of my comments, Mr. Speaker, is what we look for is consistency and accuracy on what we share with the Members and also the American people.

I have my good friend Ms. Clarke, Yvette Clarke from the great State of New York, and representing Brooklyn in a very proud way. I have been to her district and seen her work, and she has worked on the local government level and brings a flavor to this body that all Members should appreciate, and I know that will continue to be a force here in Congress. And Mr. Jason Altmire, he and Mr. Ryan speak of very fondly, in the same television market, media market. Mr. Ryan actually participated in Mr. Altmire's election. I am glad that Mr. Altmire is here. He is a great voice here in Congress and has passed bills on this floor that are substantial to the very fiber of our democracy.

Mr. Speaker, with that, just these opening comments that I have made, I know that with us being off 2 weeks, many of these Members have a lot to share. But as we look at the next couple of weeks and beyond, there is going to be a lot going on here in the Capitol dome, and the American people are going to be paying very careful attention to it, and we need bipartisan support in making that happen.

Mr. Altmire.

If the gentlewoman will yield for a second, I want to share something with the Members and also with those of us here on the floor.

During the break, I took the privilege of going out to Camp Pendleton in California. As you go through the gate off of I-5, there is a billboard that is there, like you would see out in front of a drugstore or something, but it is an electronic billboard and it talks about if you need counseling. They have folks coming back every 4 months or so, some folks who have gone on their third and fourth tour.

Think about it. You have families that live on that base. You have individuals the age of 18 or 19 years old, just single, that are living there.

I had an opportunity to go through a simulator there at Camp Pendleton like you are in an Iraqi village or in a city, in Baghdad, in Fallujah. I have walked the streets of Fallujah. Mr. Altmire and I have done it. Mr. Ryan and I have been to Iraq on another trip. The ground, the structure, the folks dressed as though you are in Baghdad, it is a true simulation, and they have gunfire and IEDs and all of these things kind of going off in this simulator.

Just walking through that was an experience for me, and that was just an enactment of what could happen or what should happen and giving our troops, our Marines, units going through there, a real flavor of what is going on.

I can imagine being in the situation. I knew that I could walk out, the sun will be shining, it will be California weather. But when you are in that kind of situation, some folks feel that this is just some sort of made-for-television kind of thing.

I love the troops. Mr. Ryan and I, we have been hearing this since we have been in Congress, because when we first got here, the war just started. We weren't here for the vote to go or not to go, but we got here right as soon as the war actually started. Some of the statements that are littered throughout the Congressional Record are, you know, ``our troops, we'll show 'em,'' and carrying on.

We do have the best and the greatest and the most able military on the face of the Earth, by far. But when you start dealing with the real human issues of our men and women that are in combat, they go through a lot and their families go through a lot.

What you said, Ms. Clarke, about we should take under consideration what happens to those individuals, it's not a game.

Mr. RYAN OF Ohio. Just to share a little bit, Mr. Speaker. We were up at Walter Reed on Monday. And you want to talk about the issue of war smacking you right in the face, when you see someone just a few years younger than we are without legs, traumatic brain injury. You hear stories from parents who say, ``I got a call from Iraq, and my son or daughter, all they told me was he had a brain injury, and hung up the phone,'' and they don't hear back for 4 days.

I mean, when you put all these stories together, that one particular mom waiting there 4 days not knowing, the unknown of whether or not your kid is going to live or die; or you hear the stories about the soldier we had in Batavia, Ohio, where you didn't know; the body was missing, you couldn't find it, and then you find it.

When you add all of this stress up and you put it into our families and you put it into the soldiers that are there, and you talk about the long-term health care costs of this war, not to mention what is happening there day-to-day there now, but the long-term effects when at some point this is all settled hopefully, one way or the other, at least our portion of it is and our troops are back home for the most part, the effects are still going to be left with us. And I don't know if any of you have had the opportunity to see, Phil Donahue has this new documentary out called Body of War, and it is all about the actual physical injuries that these families are going through. And I think it is important for us to remember that. And when you hear and read in the paper that 10 or 15 civilians or four troops, those are real people. And those kind of situations, when you have all these civilian deaths in Iraq, from a very practical standpoint, one is they are civilians and that is a whole other issue, but from a very practical standpoint it makes it very difficult for us to solve the political problems over there when everyone who is a part of the government are losing brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles who are getting killed by these bombs that are going off over in Iraq. It makes it very difficult.

Mr. Altmire, I can tell you, it is a breath of fresh air. I want to differ with you all just for a minute.

I don't mind our colleagues on the Republican side giving misinformation. I don't mind it, because American people have a lack of trust in what they say and very little understanding of what they do.

We speak here in the 30-Something Working Group, Ms. Clarke, about fact, not fiction. We spend a lot of time working with the Speaker's staff, working with our personal staffs to make sure we are accurate when we come to the floor, because it does mean something when you come to this floor and share with your colleagues about what we should be doing, how we should be doing it, and what we have done. And I am glad you focused on what we have done.

When I was in the State legislature, there was a gentleman by the name of Alzo Reddick that represented Orlando, Florida; I represented Miami, Florida. And I will never forget, I was like in my second year of public service or something and all of this debate is going on in the legislature; it was a great melting pot of opinions.

We were going back and forth, and folks were spending a lot of time describing the problem. And he got up and he said, ``I just want to remind the members that we were not only elected to describe the problem, but mainly to do something about it. Okay? And now we are trying to do something about it with this bill.'' And he went on from there.

And it was very profound, because I have a lot of folks in my district who spend a lot of time describing problems, and a lot of them I run into when I am at the grocery store or what have you, and there are a lot of folks who are on the sideline who don't want to get in the game. This is a contact sport in many ways in this legislative body. And when we were in the minority, we talked about what we would do if we had the opportunity. Remember that, Mr. Ryan? And I know that you all remember it because you were watching and a part of it and running for office at the time. So you were out there echoing ``what I would do once I get there.'' And I am glad you talk about that, because there was a laundry list. And, Mr. Speaker, you know prior in this hour we talked and I talked about some of the accomplishments we have made. And we have done it, Ms. Clarke, in a bipartisan way.

We don't stand up here and dance in the end zone and say where are Democrats only passed this piece of legislation. There has been some legislation

that Republicans have not seen eye to eye and it has become law. And we don't want to dance in the end zone on that, because the American people want to win.

So I say all of that to say this. I very seldom make reference to what my colleagues say on the other side, because as far as I am concerned, I don't want to echo inaccurate information. But we do need to clarify it so that folks don't get concerned and start saying, ``Oh, my gosh. Do you mean to tell me that's true? Is it really true?'' So we're trying to build faith, because right now Congress is not where it should be as it relates in the minds of the American people that they feel good and warm and fuzzy. Polls have shown that they do feel more comfortable with Democratic leadership in Congress than Republican leadership in Congress. But as an institution and as a government, I guarantee you that Suzy whoever and Johnny whoever would like to see a government that works in a cohesive way toward the common good.

The gentlewoman, Yvette Clarke, came to the floor with a purpose today. She came to the floor with the purpose of talking about the realities of life. And you know that we have Members here thinking that our commitment and our loyalty to the military comes in the form of smart bombs, guns, and some sort of grenade. But, guess what, it also comes in the form of thinking about their families.

We just can't use and abuse and just say, well, we don't want to deal with that part that is after the fact; that is dealing after. Because when I was at Camp Pendleton, I stayed on base, as I do when I went to MacDill Air Force Base, as I do when I go to any location. I have been down to Norfolk, Virginia and big Navy. I stay on base so we can hear the stories from these families of what they are going through. And they say, well, we understood a Member of Congress is on base, and you bump into them: Sir, I just want to let you know how I feel as an individual. And that is important. And we have taken that, because we have had hearings in the Armed Services Committee, we have taken that into consideration in the Appropriations Committee. Mr. Murtha has done an excellent job by making sure that we pump dollars in on the family side and doing some of the things in our MILCON appropriations trying to do things to help those kids deal with the shock and the trauma of dad or mom coming home screaming in the middle of the night and they don't understand what is going on.

So when we look at these issues, I am glad that we are addressing those issues, but we have to look at retooling this whole Iraq debate and how we got into this in the first place, because we are going to have Ambassador Crocker here, we are going to have General Petraeus that we have met with, we have met with all of these individuals before in the past. We want the real deal from them. But, as Members of Congress, we have got to stand up on behalf of the American people, be they Democrat, Republican, or Independent.

You can do whatever you want to do. It's a free country.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Ryan and Ms. Clarke. I am glad you both are in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, it's an honor to be before the House once again. As you know, the 30-Something Working Group, we have been coming to the floor now for some 5 years to not only share with the Members but also with the American people on what's happening here in the Capitol.

I'm going to do a short segment because we have other Members that need to come to the floor. And the hour is late, and tomorrow we're going to be working pretty hard past this hour tomorrow, I'm pretty sure. And we want to make sure that everyone is able to make it home and do the things that they need to do to prepare for that day.

Mr. Speaker, with that, I just would like to say that we've been in debate now for a couple of hours on the budget, the 2009 budget. And I can tell you, Federal budget, as it relates to the House version, I can tell you what I've read and seen of the President's budget, we have a lot of patching up to do in that budget.

Tomorrow we will have a number of different caucuses coming to the floor presenting their budget, their ideas. Some of them came before us today to talk about some of those issues to be considered before the full House, and I'm glad that we are providing that opportunity for the Members to participate in that process; also, to be in debate with the Republicans on Democratic new ideas, moving in a new direction. And I think it's so very, very important not only for the Members of the House to be a part of that exercise, but also for the American people to witness that exercise so that they will know, firsthand, who has the best priorities for the working American people that are out there, and those that are retired and those that are yet unborn, preparing this Nation to be able to bring them up in a way and to be able to have the resources in place so that they can see the kind of strong America that I witnessed when I came about.

Now, let me just share a little bit about this budget. And it supports fiscal responsibility and also accountability on government. I think a lot of the frustration with so many Americans right now is based upon a lack of accountability, a lack of oversight, a lack of restraint as it relates to spending. And I think when you have accountability, you're going to save money. I don't think it, I know it.

Now, 13 years in public service, and 8 years at the State level, I think it's important that we embody that. And this budget, it brings the budget back to balance by 2010, and our House budget, unlike the President's budget that he has proposed, not only to the House, but to the Senate, also the budget follows PAYGO rules which you say pay as you go, something that we adopted in our rules to say if we're going to spend it, we're going to show how we're going to pay for it. And I'm glad to see that we're still embracing not only that rule, but also that philosophy as it relates to the American people, of what they ask for.

The administration also continues in the fiscally irresponsible practices. And in this budget we bring it back to being responsible. And it's a real contrast, because since January 2001, a $5.6 trillion, 10-year surplus has been converted into a record deficit. And as you know, Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor almost every night to share how that deficit has crippled America and hasn't allowed us to be able to do the things that we need to do back in our districts.

I think we look at the wasteful spending; this administration is littered with examples of wasted spending and lack of accountability. And I'm glad that Chairman Spratt of South Carolina has embraced that in his budget that he's bringing to the floor. Our budget that we're bringing on the Democratic side, we're looking at not only strengthening the economy, but creating jobs and at the same time energy, education, jobs, infrastructure and innovation will be the watchwords as we move through this process as basic principles. And so many Americans can, and also the Members, can go on www.budget.house.gov to look at the Democratic budget because I think it's important that we have that level of transparency so that they can take a look at the proposals that we are going to put forward.

So many of my constituents and so many Americans are challenged by the cost of energy. And we do know on January 22 of 2001, gas prices were at $1.47. And now, today it's at $3.13 per gallon. And I know many of my constituents and many of the Americans that are paying attention to the proceedings here on the floor, they're saying, well, Congressman, you're a little bit off of that $3.13, because as I moved around Washington, D.C. today I saw it as a lot greater.

We provide, with our budget, as it relates to dealing with some of these gas issues, it provides a $6.1 billion funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency and other energy programs, which is $1.1 billion, 21 percent more than the 2008 level.

So we are moving in that direction making those kinds of investments, and some may translate that into saying that we are pulling ourselves out of Iraq, out of the Middle East and investing in the Midwest and trying to not only push private sector but also Americans in the direction of being more energy efficient so that we don't find ourselves continuing to depend on the big oil companies.

If I can have my big oil company chart, I would appreciate it, because I think it's important to be able to reflect on it. Also, it rejects President Bush's budget cuts of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, including the cuts to solar energy power, and also what the President did in terminating the weatherization-assistance program. We are replacing all of that, and I think it's important for Americans to understand what is happening here.

These big oil companies have reaped record profits under the Bush administration, and as you can see here in 2002, it was first $30 billion in record-breaking profits. It then kicked over $59 billion, $82 billion, $109 billion, $118 billion and $123.3 billion of these oil companies raking in these profits. And as you know, Mr. Speaker, we have moved legislatively to make sure that we call back some of those giveaways that the Republican Congress gave these oil companies.

And this has resulted in what I talked about a little earlier, $1.47 when the Bush administration started in January 22, 2001, and it almost sounds like an inauguration date, and what we face now at $3.13. The barrel of oil continues to go up.

So this energy investment and being efficient is very, very important to the country, also very, very important to national security.

We also invest in hundreds of billions of dollars in new investment and green jobs, green-collar jobs. These are jobs, Mr. Speaker, that we can't ship overseas. When we make our building greener, when we make our homes greener, these are jobs that anyone who can even be a high school dropout

with a skill would be able to participate in to that individual that became an engineer.

These are jobs that you just can't send overseas. And this is a real economy and not a credit card economy, not a second mortgage economy, or not an economy where one has to go out and continue to borrow to live. This is real money coming in for real working Americans that are here so that we can put folks to work and get them off the unemployment role.

I'm going to end right there, Mr. Speaker, as it relates to the energy investment because there are so many other investments in here as we look at education, transportation, and infrastructure. And today, just today, the Speaker had an infrastructure meeting in the Speaker's office with many individuals that felt that they had a way to not only incentivize an economy but also build on the infrastructure of America.

So many of my constituents and so many Americans are very concerned about the investment that's going on in Iraq right now. Crumbling bridges, railways are not what they should be as it relates to moving transportation. We have trains that can move freight almost 430 miles on one gallon of diesel fuel. I mean, these are things that we have to continue to work on to not only save our environment but also create American jobs.

And that's what I'm very excited about in this budget that we are putting forward, to give us the guideposts that we need in this country to not only do away with the debt by 2010 but also get the country moving in a direction so that it can be a safer place for our children and grandchildren.

With that, Mr. Speaker, we always want in the 30-Somethings to not only hear from the Members but also hear from the American people on various issues that are facing the Congress. Next week we are going to be on Easter break for the next couple of weeks once we finish our business this week, But the 30-Something staff continues to work to come up with the great ideas that we put forth on behalf of the American people. And we are talking about Democrat and Republican, Independent, those that are thinking about voting and those that can't even vote yet.

Our e-mail address is [email protected]. Again, 30- [email protected] .gov. Or if you want any of the information that we shared with you tonight about the budget, we know that you can go on www.budget.house.gov. Again, www.budget.house.gov. And any general information that you may want, what Democrats are doing here in Congress, www.speaker.gov, and I think that's easy enough to remember.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Tanya Martin Oubre Pekel of Miami, Florida.

On Monday, May 22, 2006, this great pioneering young woman succumbed to a nearly 3-year battle with breast cancer at the age of 41. Her untimely passing will truly leave a deep void in our midst.

A native of Miami, Mrs. Martin Pekel was born on October 3, 1964. She graduated with honors from North Miami Senior High School. During that time she served as a page for U.S. Representative William Lehman and worked as a clerk for attorney H.T. Smith. Later, she earned a bachelor's degree from Duke University, and in 1989 she received her juris doctorate from Duke's School of Law.

Mrs. Martin Pekel continued on to work as a corporate attorney before being appointed a White House Fellow by President Clinton in 1995. Under this appointment, she became an associate director of Education and Policy Planning in the White House. In 1999, she accepted the position of Chief of Staff to Superintendent Patricia Harvey of Saint Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, Minnesota and served in the position for 6 years. In 2003, she was named one of that city's up and coming leaders.

Her commitment to public service and her community was evident from a young age. Throughout her life, she taught music, drama, dance, and Sunday school to children in an inner-city ministry. In addition, she volunteered as a tutor and mentor for at-risk youth.

Tanya Martin Oubre Pekel's life was a triumph. She was blessed with a loving family who took pleasure in every aspect of her life and her interests. Though she was taken from them far too early in her life, memories of her will live on in the heart of her family forever.

I pay tribute to Mrs. Martin Pekel, and I mourn her loss. She will be missed by all who knew her. I offer my heartfelt condolences to her family--her mother, Marcia Saunders; father, Montez Martin Jr.; husband, Kent; daughters, Lauren and Victoria; son, Adam; sisters, Terrie Rayburn and Emily Martin; brother, Montez C. Martin III; and grandmother, Elise Martin.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to come before the House once again. As you know, the 30-Something Working Group comes to the floor every week to discuss issues that are at the forefront of what is going on in the country, and there are a lot of good things that are happening here under the Capitol dome on behalf of the American people.

As you know, many times we focus on the issue of Iraq, and just to continue to keep the Congress focused on that very issue, and also to keep the American people tuned in on what is happening, as of March 4, 2008, total deaths in Iraq, U.S. casualties, are 3,973; total number of wounded in action and returned to duty is 16,211; and the total number of wounded in action when not returning to duty is 13,109.

As we look at these issues and continue to focus on trying to get out of Iraq more sooner than later, I definitely want the Members to continue to focus on the sacrifice that many of our men and women are carrying out on a daily basis, and their families, I must add.

Just a case in point, Mr. Speaker, just yesterday I returned. I went to the opening of the Florida legislature. Because of bad weather, I ended up finding myself traveling through Atlanta, and I ended up getting here late yesterday evening. There was a soldier on the plane with us, and I noticed him sitting a couple of seats up ahead of me. I didn't have the opportunity to have a discussion with him. As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I always enjoy talking to our men and women in uniform.

He was ahead of me. When he came out of the gate there at the Delta terminal, there were about 30 of his family members there that were just happy to see him. Tears and prayers being answered for this young man coming back home. I understand he is from Virginia.

I did have the opportunity, I had one of my congressional coins in my computer bag, and I had the opportunity to shake his hand after 5 minutes of celebration from his family. Many of them were thanking God for his return. This kind of love is really, if one was to use biblical terms, almost close to agape love, the fact that family members had an opportunity to see their son, nephew and father and husband return back.

I think we should have the resolve every day, even on weekends, to figure out how we can bring our men and women home. I personally don't have a close relative or family member that is in theater right now, be it in Iraq or Afghanistan, but I want the Members to keep the conscience of those that do have individuals that are in harm's way.

There are a number of families on military bases, a number of families that are in subdivisions and communities. There are young people that their fathers and mothers were members of the Army Reserve and members of the National Guard that have their family or their father that is serving in Iraq.

Even though we see more peaceful days in Iraq and we don't see the political achievement that the Iraqi Government was supposed to make, I still want to share with the Members of how long can we keep that peace, and at what cost, not only in life but in U.S. taxpayer dollars.

As we talk about infrastructure issues here in this country, as we talk about the economy in this country, in Iraq we are financing new infrastructure for the Iraqi people. Here, in the United States, we still have crumbling bridges, projects that are still on the drawing board to be carried out, and they are not being carried out.

So as we get into this big discussion with the White House over the budget, as we have the debates in committees, I just want every Member, Democrat and Republican, to think about those that are living in the real world that are looking forward to a celebration that I witnessed last night.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk a little bit about rebuilding our economy and the economic forum on Wednesday that the House Democratic leaders hosted, our second economic forum, the forum which convened national experts on economic and financial issues. It will address the state of America's economy. I think as we look at this whole New Direction Congress, it's important that we look at that we have already passed a bipartisan stimulus package that wasn't all that it should have been or all that it could have been, if I can say that, but it was something. I know that we are going to be working very hard to do even more. It will help create 500,000 American jobs. The plan was targeted as a temporary fix to allow rebates for those families that are most at risk in this bad economy, in this bad economic turndown. I think later this spring, the recovery rebates put hundreds of dollars, up to $600 per individual and $1,200 per married couple, plus a $300 tax credit in the hands of more than 30 million Americans. That is a bipartisan piece of legislation, and I think that it's very, very important that we continue to march in that direction.

I also think that it's important that when we look at these record oil prices and we look at some of the things that we are pushing for here on the House floor, and as we work on the Senate side, I think it's important that the Bush administration works with us as we continue to rebuild this economy. Many of the Presidential candidates are out there talking about different proposals, different packages. But I can tell you right now, there's a lot of work to be done, Mr. Speaker and Members, until that actually takes place.

I know that the American people are building a lot of hope and enthusiasm around this very issue of the economy, and there are many States that are voting now that are looking at this as a primary action that they would like to see take place.

As we also start looking at the economy, we have to also pay attention to what some U.S. families are going through these days. For many of them, it used to be an unaccepted practice to even purchase a car if you couldn't pay for it in cash. It was almost an unaccepted practice to use your credit card to pay your light bill or to buy food at the grocery store. We are having more Americans that are doing that now.

More credit card companies are sending many of our constituents credit cards at very, very low interest rates at the beginning, and then 6 months later, kicking in a number of penalties that they are going to have to pay. I think it's important that we keep our eyes on this very issue.

This bipartisan feeling and structure that we have here on the floor that we built with the economic stimulus package will also help us offer a new long-

term vision to not only lower fuel prices but to lower health care costs and increase health care quality. That is something that we tried to do, Mr. Speaker, before the closing of the first session of the 110th Congress, and something that we are going to continue to work on.

We have made several attempts to be able to lower energy prices and create thousands of new green jobs, providing incentives for clean and renewable energy. I think that it's very, very important that we do that because OPEC knows that we are forever more dependent on them. I encourage those cities and counties and States that are moving more towards clean burning fuel and flex vehicles and hybrids.

I was recently in New York and I was very excited to see many of the taxicabs are now transferring over to hybrid vehicles made by Ford. I personally purchased a Ford Escape, and it's a hybrid. Things have gotten better in the Meek family. I think that it's important that we all embrace this concept because it is a national security issue, Mr. Speaker. I think it's also important that we empower American ingenuity and also business tools to win in this global economy.

Also, I talked a little earlier about the issues of Iraq getting a big part of the dollars. But the dollars are not necessarily coming to our country and not coming to benefit U.S. families. Just to paint a picture so folks don't feel that I am just talking about energy or talking about it just for the sake of talking about it, Americans are paying more than double for gas than they did when President Bush first took office.

You look at January 22, 2001, it was $1.47. I remember those days when I used to fill up the tank. Now, on average, a price of a gallon today is $3.13, and some of my constituents would say, That is a low number, Congressman. I am paying a lot more than that.

I think it's important we pay attention. This information is from the Energy Information Administration. Again, these are not charts that someone made up in the back room and said, This looks good, let's put it on the floor. As it relates to gas and oil and home heating costs, they have skyrocketed, and so have oil companies' profits. When you look at the price of gas here, like I pointed out in 2001, at $1.47, you look at 113 percent as relates to the profit line. You look at the oil companies, what they have done over the years goes all the way over to 2008 and the 310 percent profit, in the billions. I think it's important that everyone understand what is happening here as it relates to who's paying and who's benefiting. Profits are not a bad word. But greed is.

Mr. Speaker, I don't blame the oil companies, I blame the Republican minority that was once the majority, and also I blame the White House for giving these oil companies an unfair advantage over the U.S. taxpayer. As we start to balance the playing field in a bipartisan way, I am encouraging my colleagues, especially on the Republican side, to think about the price that their constituents are paying at the pleasure of many of these oil companies that are celebrating not only record-breaking profits in the billions, but it is really sad for what is happening, especially right now in the economy.

This data was compiled by the Center for American Progress. I think that it's important that we look at and also note that there was a meeting that I had in my folder, and I need to pull that information out, in 2001, with Vice President Cheney and many of the oil executives there at the White House, which is the best public housing in the United States of America and has the most famous office on the face of the Earth, that there was a meeting, and that happened in 2001.

Well, I can tell you, it must have been a great meeting, because there was an energy bill that was passed shortly thereafter that gave many of our oil companies an unfair advantage over the U.S. taxpayer and what they pay at the pumps.

These are the facts here: $30 billion in 2002 as it relates to profits. If a small business saw this kind of jump, it would no longer be a small business. I don't know of a small business outside of probably a dot.com company or some sort of search engine that picked up a niche and ended up really shooting through the roof as it relates to profits. But they are few and far between. But it seems like all of the oil companies hit the jackpot after this meeting and the endorsement of the Republican Congress.

In 2002, $30 billion in profits; 2003, $59 billion in profits; 2004, $82 billion in profits. Meanwhile, we are paying more at the tank, and it is inching up. In 2005, $109 billion in profits; 2006, $118 billion in profits; and 2007, $123.3 billion in profits that many of these oil companies have earned.

So when we start talking about turning green, when we start talking about making sure that the U.S. taxpayer gets their fair share and has a balanced playing field, then we have to talk about investing in the Midwest versus the Middle East. We have to talk about creating more green opportunities through biofuels and clean burning fuel here in the United States that will put people to work here in the United States and will maybe turn these companies into investing in the U.S. versus the Middle East. I think it is safer. I think it will get us more out of the conflicts that we find ourselves in in the Middle East, and I believe that it will help our economy beyond what we have seen thus far.

The economy right now is based on how much you can borrow. As you can see, the Fed has cut interest rates by half a percentage point, and then they cut it again by half a percentage point. So it really has been built on how much you can borrow, or how much can you take out of the home, which is your financial security.

Many U.S. taxpayers and many U.S. citizens have found themselves in the situation where they have to rob Peter to pay Paul and not have those dollars to be able to assist their families in receiving a higher education, or being able to assist their families or young people in their family, assisting them in starting a new business.

I think that, Mr. Speaker, when we look at that, we have to look at the way that we are digging ourselves out of this hole. Unless we get out of Iraq more sooner than later, we will find ourselves continuing to see the image of the United States of America financially deteriorate in international markets. I think it is important that every American pays attention to this.

I hope I can get my chart that talks about the deficit, because I think that it is important that we focus on that, because even when we look at the economic stimulus package, it was based on borrowed money. It wasn't money because of good financial controls. It wasn't because the President and the Office of Budget and Management have done such a great job. It is not because we had discipline with the Republican Congress that was the Congress before this Congress as it relates to fiscal discipline. We now owe foreign nations more than we have ever owed them in the history of the Republic.

I would couch it this way: You have a neighbor that comes over to you and knocks on your door and says, can I borrow $40? And you say, well, this is my neighbor, I believe he is pretty good for it. I will give him the $40. Well, every time you see that neighbor, you are going to think about that $40. I don't care if it is the next day. And when they are talking to you and they don't necessarily mention anything about the $40 that they owe you, now you become a little bitter. Now you don't even want to listen to what that person has to say, unless they are saying they are going to give you your money back.

That is the position we are in now in the United States of America. We owe China money. We owe them. We owe OPEC countries money. We owe them. We owe Iran money. Even though folks run around here talking about Iran is a threat, Iran, we owe them money. So when we start to think about these issues, we have to think about them as it relates to making sure that we move in a way that is fiscally sound, and I think that it is important that every Member of Congress pays very close attention to that.

When you look at this war, because it is the 800 pound gorilla that is in the room, you have to look at it from the standpoint of saying the money that we are spending there, and I have been there three times in Iraq, the money we are spending there, what is the return? They say, well, who is winning?

Well, I know that my district is not winning, because I am not able to even bring the dollars home I need.

We have Members running around here on the floor on the Republican side saying, oh, we need earmark reform, or we need Member project reform, when Republicans ran rampant when they were in charge with all kind of projects, bridges-to-nowhere and all kind of meaningless projects that are out there.

Meanwhile, I have a community back in South Florida, they are concerned about road money. They are concerned about mass transit. They are concerned about health care. They are concerned about education. And they want the Federal dollar to be able to make it down there so that we can educate the next generation. Not only in what you may call a pre-K through 12th grade experience, but also higher education. They are concerned about that.

Meanwhile, here in Washington, D.C. there is a spending spree on how much money can we send to Iraq? The last $70 billion I voted against going into Iraq. It didn't have any strings attached, it didn't have any accountability measures attached to it.

I remember when I first got here about 6 years ago, there was a discussion about we are doing this on the backs of future generations. Now the discussion is we are doing it on our own backs right now. We are weighing ourselves down and our chin is hitting the ground because we have so much weight on it. How much weight? Let me just point it out here. Hopefully the chart will make it here before I finish this segment of what I have to say.

When you look at it, and I have a smaller chart right here, hopefully we will have the bigger one, 224 years, 1776 up until 2000, 42 presidents, 42 presidents were only able to borrow $1.01 trillion from foreign nations. That is $1.01 trillion from foreign nations.

In 7 years, 6 years of a Republican Congress that was rubber-stamping everything that the President brought to this Chamber, President Bush and that Republican Congress were able to run up $1.33 trillion. That is in 7 years, versus what U.S. presidents in 224 years were able to accomplish.

Why do I point that out? I point that out to shed light on this deficit issue. When you pass tax cuts that you can't afford for the very super-wealthy when they are not asking for it, you have two wars going on and you really don't have a plan to take yourself out of the first war in Iraq, I think former President Bill Clinton says it best when you talk about Iraq. I will go back to the neighbor scenario, Mr. Speaker.

If there is a fire and your neighbor's house burns, it is the neighborly thing to do for you to accept that individual into your home, and probably their family. All of us would do it. We are all people of goodwill. You will probably let them stay. If you didn't have an extra room, you would let them stay in the living room on the couch, pull the sleeper couch out and let them stay there. Maybe a month will pass and they will still be there. Maybe some will even allow them to stay 6 months. Maybe even a really nice person would let them stay a year-and-a-half. But 5 years later, it is no longer about the fire.

So I think it is important that we look at this issue of getting out of Iraq more sooner than later, because it is no longer about the fire, it is about something else.

So when we look at this, as I just pointed this out and I want to make sure Members can see it, $1.01 trillion, $1.33 trillion. Seven years, this is what happened under not only the leadership of the Bush administration, but also the Republican Congress. Where did this come from? The U.S. Department of Treasury, which the Secretary of the Treasury is appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. I think it is important that people understand that I am not on the floor sharing fiction, that I am actually sharing fact.

As we look to make these hard decisions, I think it is important that Americans understand that we are paying more on the debt service on the money that we owe these foreign nations and that we owe overall on the debt, we are paying more on that than we are putting into homeland security. So when you have folks coming here waiving arms and carrying on saying that, well, you know, we have got to protect America. I am more standing for protecting America. Oh, I am with the troops. No, I am with the troops. I got a tattoo on my chest saying I am with the troops. When they come here and make these bold statements and giving these great floor statements, I think folks really need to understand what is really going on.

Here is a picture, Mr. Speaker. You talk about the 110th Congress and the boldness of Democrats when we came here. With some few Republicans voting with us, we voted to stop the President on the surge. When you look at the surge, it is costing the U.S. taxpayers billions and billions and billions of dollars that, again, from the first chart, that we borrowed.

This is the President and some of our Republican colleagues on the other side, as a matter fact, a supermajority of them that were there saying, Mr. President, we are going to be with you. We are 40-plus. They cannot override you, because we are going to stand with you in harmony.

Here is a picture to make that point, to make it visual for you, because I just want to make sure that Members don't feel that there is anything that is being shared here that is not true.

This is the chart, again, talking about the dollars. Look at Japan. This is actually in the billions of dollars, $644.3 billion that we owe Japan. China has a double margin here. They are up there at $349.6 billion. I think it is important that everyone understands what is happening there. Then it goes on to the U.K., $239.1 billion. These numbers are actually higher now. But these are the numbers that I just wanted to make sure going across.

You see this other red bar here that talks about OPEC nations? Those are nations that are oil producing nations. They sit in a room and talk about what a barrel of oil will cost, and it will affect our neighborhoods and heating oil prices and all.

So when we start talking about the management of the country and start talking about how we are going to move in the right direction, I think it is important that everyone pays attention to who is getting what they want and who is not getting what they need.

Here is another example. The President proposed deep cuts in key priorities, in the COPS Program, which is Community Oriented Policing. I used to be a state trooper. I can tell you that many of my colleagues in law enforcement, there are a number of sheriffs, the National Association of Sheriffs, the National Association of Chiefs, they all fight for this Community Oriented Policing.

What does it do? Well, it actually makes communities safer, and it allows them to be able to put bike patrols and foot patrols in neighborhoods where usually you will have crime. It allows them also, Mr. Speaker, to be able to go and create after-school programs for young people that are at risk. But that has received a 100 percent cut.

Talk about weatherization assistance. When we look at the whole issue of heating oil prices and what it costs to heat a home right now, Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for everyone to understand that those individuals that are financially challenged, especially those receiving Social Security benefits, are not able to receive any assistance whatsoever. A 100 percent cut in that program.

When we look at the Department of Homeland Security, First Responder Grants, they took a 78 percent cut. What does that mean back in the hometown or the parish or what have you? It means that 78 percent of what the Federal Government would have given to your local government to protect the homeland has now been cut, and those dollars are hard to find.

When you look at EPA Clean Water Grants, that has been cut by 21 percent. When you look at Community Development Block Grants, that has been cut by 20 percent. When you look at the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, that has been cut by 17 percent.

I give those examples and I am making those points, Mr. Speaker, to say that when you look at $70 billion in Iraq and you look at no- strings-attached, they seem to be able to get away with what U.S. taxpayers and U.S. cities and U.S. mayors and governors cannot get away with.

This past Tuesday, and I mentioned earlier at the top of this hour, I had

the opportunity to go to the opening session of the Florida legislature. I heard the House Speaker talk about the deficit in the State of Florida, some 4 billion plus dollars that they have to be able to fill the gap, because they are not like those of us that are here that can be able to take out a high interest credit card and say, let's put it on that card, whatever it costs. We will worry about it later, but we just need to do it now whatever we feel like doing.

In the States, they actually have to balance. Constitutionally, they have to balance their budget. So that means something has to be taken from someone else to fill that gap. And so when you start filling that gap, I want to make sure that everyone in America understands that you are talking about cutting assistance to seniors, you are talking about higher tuition rates in colleges. Even though we cut student loan rates here on the Federal end as relates to interest rates, they are going to end up seeing higher tuition because they have got to make ends meet. You are going to end up seeing many of our youth programs cut. You are going to end up seeing many assistance for small businesses at the State level cut. They are going to have to find that $4 billion in Florida from somewhere.

So I think it is very, very important, we started looking at this whole issue of Iraq and accountability and all of the things that we talk about here on the floor. You have got to think about how these decisions trickle down to local government. When you start looking at the Bush tax cuts for those that are the connected and the wealthy, we start looking at that as devolution of taxation. We've cut your taxes up here in Washington, blah, blah, blah. You look at the previous Republican Congress, oh, this is what we've done. Apparently the American people caught on to it and that's why the Democrats are in the majority now. It's devolution of taxation.

What does devolution of taxation mean? It means once you cut something here, you're going to have to balance in the local government area. So the State government has to cut what it gives to local governments and school boards and parishes. And then, when it gets to the local government, they're going to have to make cuts to be able to fill the gaps, the obligation that the State is not making.

So when you look at those gaps being filled, I can guarantee you that many of my constituents and many of us who know what it means to punch in and punch out and have a 15-minute break in the morning and a solid half-hour for lunch and if you get a 15-minute break in the afternoon. But those individuals that know what that means, then they know that they're going to end up getting the short end of the stick, or the messy end of the stick as we may say down in Florida.

I think it is important that people understand what is happening here and what is not happening here. What is not happening here is that the President is not moving in a responsible way to get us out of Iraq. There is great debate as it relates to the Presidential candidates. The picture that I showed you of a number of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who stood with the President and said that they will not allow him to be overridden and there they are there standing in the picture, are standing in the schoolhouse door as it relates to the kind of reform that should be happening.

What is happening here, to give you a report on that, is that there is a great attempt to be able to try to bring ourselves back into fiscal control as it relates to the budget and start working on knocking down this deficit. We are paying more on the debt service than we pay on Homeland Security. That is a problem. If the debt service is in competition with what we invest in education, that is a problem.

So when you look at these issues and you look at 2010 and the sunset of these Bush tax cuts, when you look at what first responders are not getting, 100 percent cut as relates to the COPS program, community- oriented policing program that many law enforcement officials called for and endorse 110 percent; when you look at these issues and you say that there is no money, when you have crumbling bridges here in the U.S. and you have bridges that are being built in Iraq by U.S. contractors and Middle Eastern contractors, you can't help but question who is doing the right thing and who is doing the wrong thing. Because, I am going to tell you right now, it is not happening. In all of the Congressional districts that you look around, I don't see any Congressional district saying, Oh, we're happy with what we have. We don't need anything else. We don't care about infrastructure and making and creating U.S. jobs. We don't care about investment and green collar jobs to where if we wanted to put sod on the top of the Capitol building, that won't be an overseas job. If someone dropped out of high school, they have an opportunity to take part in that. If someone went on to college, if someone went on to post-education and became an architect and they would have a part in that. Will it build our economy? Truck drivers will make money. You will have individuals in the agriculture field that will make money and will be able to stimulate our economy for real jobs. We would no longer have the discussion that took place in Ohio just last night as relates to the Presidential primary on who is shipping jobs overseas and who is creating jobs on land here in the United States.

So as we look at that, Mr. Speaker, I think that we should look at it from the standpoint that we have to win. The U.S. taxpayer must win. We are here to represent that individual. I didn't come to represent anybody else on another continent; I came here to represent, not only my constituents, but by them voting for me to be here, Mr. Speaker, they federalized me to be able to deal with the issues of the United States of America and be a part of board of directors of the greatest country on the face of the Earth. We want that to continue to be the case.

What we don't want is what we are seeing, the downward spiral, irresponsible spending, and the cuts that the Bush White House has said that has to be made to be able to carry out a mission in Iraq that has no end in sight as far as they are concerned. I think that the American people will rise up once again in the upcoming election in saying that we are willing to put in the people who are going to put an end to this practice.

I beg my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to please join us, those of us on the Democratic side that are trying to find a way to not only bring about accountability in Iraq, but bring our men and women home so that they can be reunited with their families; so that they can actually go to some of the programs that I go to of my kids. I get an opportunity to see them. I had an opportunity to have dinner with my family this afternoon earlier. I just want them to have that opportunity. I want the men and women that serve in uniform to have that opportunity. I want that State Department worker that has had to volunteer to go to Iraq to have that opportunity. I want that church or that synagogue or that mosque to be able to spend that spare time in trying to build families versus trying to comfort families of what is going on with their loved ones in harm's way. I want that kind of America that we are used to seeing.

Like I said earlier, it is no longer about the fire, it is about something else. And I think that it is important that the Members, their number one priority should be every day that they hit this floor is how they can reunite these families and to be able at the same time save the U.S. taxpayer money or their investment. If we can come to the floor and put $70 billion like that, and that is without my vote, over into Iraq to continue what the President would like to see carried out in Iraq, then we should be able to do the same in stimulating our economy here domestically and making U.S. families stronger and making Americans stronger.

With that, Mr. Speaker, as usual, the 30-Something Working Group, we do want to hear from the Members. I want to make sure that the Members share information with us and staff share information with us. You can e-mail us at the [email protected]. That is [email protected]. Also, we encourage the Members, and all of the charts that we have here are also on www.speaker.gov/ 30something.

I think it is also important to note, Mr. Speaker, that we look forward to the coming days as we start to tackle

these issues every month of this year, I think, leading up until maybe about 4 or 5 more months, the Members will have an opportunity to go back to their districts for a week and have these district work weeks. I encourage all of our constituents to engage us on these issues and to continue to keep the pressure on so that we make the right decisions here in Washington, DC.

Mr. Speaker, it was an honor to address the House once again. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Murphy, it is an honor to be on the floor with you. We appreciate all that you have done during your time here in Congress.

I can tell you, Mr. Murphy, one of the very important measures that passed today on the House floor was the energy bill, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act, and I think it is important as we look at this piece of legislation because it is actually paid for, and we pay for it with the subsidies that previous Congresses gave big oil companies, those subsidies they didn't ask for. Well, maybe they did ask for them.

I had a chart, Mr. Murphy, in previous Congresses that I used to bring to the floor. I am talking about the meeting Vice President Dick Cheney had in 2001 in his office with all of the major oil executives, and in that chart it showed how profits went up from that point on.

``Profits'' is not a bad word, but when you look at it, especially in how the big oil companies increased prices on individuals that were not only paying taxes, U.S. taxpayers that were paying for the subsidies they were getting, but also were paying more at the pump, and it is so very, very important that we identify that and reverse that.

This piece of legislation that we passed today actually does that, H.R. 5351. So many times in America, Americans, they look at Congress and they look at what we do and how we do it and they don't quite understand how it happens to them twice: A, we are subsidizing big oil companies; and, B, why are they paying more for gas.

What we have done in this Congress and in previous energy bills that we have passed, we have focused on green and focused on innovation and focused on how can ethanol, and we focused on making sure that cars can go further with less.

We have also stood under the banner of investing in the Midwest versus the Middle East. And I think it is important that we continue with that theme. Today's legislation that passed the floor continues that theme.

I talked a little earlier about the big five oil companies that recently reported record profits in 2007. Exxon earned $40.6 billion, the largest corporate profit in the history of the United States of America. Some of that came about because of the tax dollars being generated back into dollars that they didn't have to spend. Usually with profits of any business, you take those dollars out to be able to do more and better in the future. Well, we don't have a problem with that happening, but we don't want it to be on the backs of the U.S. taxpayers.

I also think, Mr. Murphy, one other point that I want to make, with the economy now and how these energy prices continue to squeeze American families, I think it is important that since August, when the House took up the bill, and the price of oil has risen almost $25 per barrel to a new record high of $102 per barrel today. Gas is up 17 cents a gallon in the last 2 weeks, and up 75 cents from a year ago. Gas prices also doubled on home heating costs, and tripled on American families since 2001.

When we start looking at those statistics, we have to do something about

them, and today's legislation does something about them. I am proud to be a Member of the 110th Congress that is turning this ship around as it relates to how the U.S. taxpayers view Congress, one; and two, making sure that we can reverse some of those cake and ice cream giveaways that were given under the Republican-led Congress.

I encourage Members to continue to head down this track of assisting U.S. families. And in the 30-Something Working Group, we work hard towards promoting that kind of philosophy, not only within the Capitol building talking here on the floor, but also back in our districts, to talk about the good things that we are doing that will assist U.S. families talking at their dining room table and when they get together for Little League games and whatever, talking about gas prices and talking about making America greener and talking about investing in the U.S. so we can have U.S. jobs.

With that, I yield back, but I think it is important that we continue to head down this track. Even though we have had some objections from the other side of the aisle, this is the right thing to do because we are on the side of the American people and not the big five oil companies.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Members, I think that this amendment is well in order. First of all, I want to thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. Frank, and also Mr. Sires, who has been a leader in this, my friend from New Jersey, and also Chairwoman Waters.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment simply, on page 3, line 23, gives those individuals who find themselves in the middle of a dispute between the Department of Housing and Urban Development and a local housing authority, when that particular local housing authority falls into receivership, all agreements that have been agreed upon as it relates to tenants and that housing authority should be honored when that takes place.

Case in point: In south Florida we were awarded a HOPE VI grant, and the housing authority failed the residents in being able to implement that grant, and then the residents and housing authority came together for the better good to make sure there weren't a number of homeless individuals, and those agreements ended up going south. And I think there are other communities that will be going through this in the very near future.

I am offering this amendment, and hopefully the Members will accept this amendment in good faith and it will help us move forward as we look at these situations in the future.

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

Mr. Chairman, I would like to recognize the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Sires) for 1 minute.

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

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

Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Carol P.W. Weatherington on the occasion of her retirement from the Miami-Dade County Public School System (MDCPS) after over 30 years of service and dedication.

Mrs. Weatherington's original ambition was to serve her community in the healthcare field as a nurse. Yet, after she interned as a teacher for the MDCPS she quickly realized that she had a gift in uplifting and building positive relationships with young people in an effort to prepare them for a bright future.

A native Miamian, she grew up in Coconut Grove and attended George Washington Carver Senior High School. After graduating from high school, she decided to break her family's tradition of attending Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University and matriculated to Bethune-Cookman College. She then obtained her master's degree in education from Nova Southeastern University.

She complimented her educational achievements with her involvement in various organizations such as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Miami Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Educational Excellence School Advisory Committee (EESAC), Language Arts Chairperson, Eighth Grade Team Leader/Eighth Grade Activities Advisor, and President of the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Bethune-Cookman University Alumni Association.

She began her career as a Language Arts teacher at Brownsville Middle School. During her 15 years at Brownsville Middle, she witnessed her students' reading level scores soar dramatically. Today, many of her students continue to thank her for teaching them their reading fundamental skills. Following her tenure at Brownsville Middle, she went on to continue teaching at Rockway Middle School where she received numerous accolades, including a nomination for ``Teacher of the Year''. Presently, she is teaching Language Arts and Reading at Charles R. Drew Middle School, and is successfully meeting the challenge of educating the needs of her community's young people.

This public servant has shared over 20 years of marriage bliss with Major Arnie Weatherington, and has one daughter, Argatonia. She has been a diligent and dedicated steward at Greater New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church where she devotes countless hours to the Youth Ministry, as a Sunday school teacher and assisting with other church activities and projects.

It is an honor to have the privilege of knowing this valued educator and leader of the Miami-Dade County community and beyond. I salute Mrs. Carol P.W. Weatherington on behalf of a grateful community that she truly loves and cares for. Now, in retirement, she embarks upon new challenges in life and I am certain her legacy of greatness will only grow and develop as she enters this new phase of life. I wish her every happiness and success.

Mr. Speaker, it's so good to see my friends on the Republican side talking about making sure that we help people and help the economy. And today, you know, we had a bipartisan piece of legislation that the President signed, which is good, this stimulus package. Of course all of the pieces in that package did not turn out the way everyone wanted it to turn out, but we knew that we had to get it in the hands of American people. It puts hundreds of dollars into the hands of almost 130 million Americans, disabled veterans, also seniors, who will spend these dollars immediately.

Mr. Speaker, I must also say, here in the 30-Something Working Group we talked a lot about the bipartisanship. And my good colleague, Yvette Clarke from the great State of New York represents Brooklyn, and was a part of that bipartisanship that we shared here on this floor.

Here in the 30-Something Working Group, we talk about how we can work together on behalf of all Americans, not just Democrats, power Democrats or power Republicans, but also independents. And I think it's important when we work together we're able to achieve goals on behalf of the American people. That's what we're looking for.

But, Ms. Clarke, one the things that I guess, or two of the things we're going to talk about tonight, not only the President's signing the stimulus package that the House and Senate worked on in a bipartisan way, but we also have to talk about the budget a little bit tonight. I was hoping, since it's one of these cold nights in Washington, DC, that maybe we can accomplish this in a record time of being able to allow folks who, the Federal Government was delayed 2 hours today in opening, but pretty much everyone showed up at my office, and we know that folks have to get home.

But I think it's important, because so many Americans, when the tax rebate comes in, which will be a separate check, their stimulus check will come in and hopefully it will be able to help folks be able to make ends meet.

This tax credit has also offered a one-time rebate of $300 per child. I think that's very, very important for those that are eligible to be able to get that one-time rebate per child.

Also, it expands financial opportunities for Americans in danger of losing their homes because of the mortgage crisis. And as you know, Mr. Speaker and Ms. Clarke, we have to make sure that we bring about the comprehensive reform that we need. A number of Americans are losing their homes. A lot of us back in our districts, you know, I'm going to have not only a workshop, but an ongoing working group in helping the folks in my district be able to keep their homes. That's the number one investment tool that we use when we do need money. Having that home and owning that home and having equity in that home is very, very important. Also it promotes small business investment in plants and equipment, and it helps create 500,000 jobs by the end of this year.

And I think that just looking at some of the points in this economic stimulus plan, this is a temporary fix. It's not what all of us here wanted. But on behalf of the American people and on behalf of our economy, we have to make sure that we make these ends meet.

One other thing I just want to add, and this is an AP story, Ms. Clarke, that the President acknowledged today that the country is suffering a tough period of economic uncertainty. We're going to talk about that when we talk about the Federal budget a little later on, a couple of these charts. You know I love charts. But we're going to talk about that, this economic uncertainty and how we get there because I think it ties into what our colleagues were talking about on the other side of the aisle, talking about all and every last tax cut is a good tax cut. And some tax cuts, especially when you're borrowing the money, I mean, we've got to talk straight to the folks, Ms. Clarke, this economic stimulus package that's going to benefit 130 million Americans, is borrowed money. Let's just go ahead and put it out there now. It's borrowed. I think it's important that we, if we're going to stop borrowing so much

money, then we have to be able to set the stage to allow Americans to see exactly what's going on, especially during the political scene. Folks have all these great proposals. Is it paid for? That's my question.

When I got here, Mr. Speaker and Ms. Clarke, it was, we're selling the future generation. Now I can honestly say that we're selling today when we talk about some of these charts, especially with the President releasing this budget.

But with those opening statements, I yield to you, Ms. Clarke, at this time.

Well, let me just say, I think it's important that you talk about our stimulus package, talk about the realities of the stimulus package, this bipartisan package. And I think it's important that everyone pay very close attention to not only what we are saying but what we must do. This is a perfect example of how we worked in a bipartisan way. And I have always said bipartisanship is only allowed when the majority allows it to happen. And how we came off of the recess, came back here to Washington, DC, to respond to the crisis that's facing the country. It is not over. It is a temporary fix. You have a Band-Aid box. This is one of the medium-size Band-Aids in the box. It is not one of the big Band-Aids that's there.

I think it's important, and you gave the numbers out, on what happens in New York. But we have 8.3 million households on average that will receive $819 for those that are eligible for this stimulus package. And, Mr. Speaker, it was targeted towards the working families and seniors and those that fall under certain thresholds that we will be talking about in further detail here on the floor when we can talk about the stimulus package and talk about some of the benefits, especially for some of the working Americans who are trying to figure things out.

A lot of the folks, they like to sit down at their dining room table and kind of work this whole piece out on their taxes. Everyone doesn't go into

what you may call an H&R Block or something like that to get their taxes done. Some folks sit right there at the dining room table and try to work it out themselves.

So I think it's very important that it's really no secret when we provide tax incentives for rebates for small businesses so that they can grow, and also when we provide those rebates for those families that are eligible, especially the tax child credit, because a lot of folks miss out on that. They're not paying attention to what is going on. And even sometimes individuals that are preparing your taxes, you have to kind of know something when you sit down at that table.

There are Americans in all parties and those that are nonaffiliated parties and those who have not even started voting yet, there are a number of people that you sit down with your tax person, you don't want to sit there with your mouth hung open not necessarily knowing what is going on. You need to know a little bit about what is happening. It is almost like walking into a car lot. You want to know something about the Blue Book value of the car. You want to know the sticker price. You want to know list. You want to know all of those things so that you will have at least some level of knowledge and edge on what is happening.

So many Americans leave money on the table, and I think, Ms. Clarke, I have asked some of my staff members to get with the Ways and Means staff to talk about how much money is left on the table every year that Americans are eligible for, working Americans are eligible for, small businesses are eligible for that they're not aware of.

So they sign that tax document, not the person that's preparing. I mean, they do, too, but ultimately, the taxpayer has to sign it. And you are responsible for what is on it and what comes back to you, if you have anything that's coming back.

Mr. Speaker, I always enjoy when the two of us, Ms. Clarke and I, are on the floor because I like that New York-Florida thing going on, and I tell a lot of folks, Mr. Speaker, whenever I'm in New York, I will always smile at New Yorkers because I think eventually they're going to be my constituents one day in Florida. But it's always good to work with Ms. Clarke who is a public servant and who has served in the local government and where the rubber meets the road as it relates to that.

Mr. Speaker, as we start to talk about the budget, I want the Members to have the information that I am providing and Ms. Clarke is providing here on the floor. And all of this information can be found on-line on www.majorityleader.gov. It is a budget clearinghouse that's there. Everything that we show here on the floor will be eligible on www.majorityleader.gov. And they will be able to pull this information down. And I think it's important to share and have transparency as we look at this budget. I think the success of the 30-Something Working Group that we have had over the years is that we've shared the good, bad, and ugly as it relates to not only budgets, but also to initiatives that we are trying to push through Congress.

But like I said, just 2 weeks ago we were talking about holding the line on bipartisanship and making sure the stimulus package passed, and I'm glad we were able to do it and we can all stand under one flag.

I'm going to try to kind of zip through these charts real quick because I know Ms. Clarke and I have some back-and-forth to do in discussing this budget and what it means, but I just want to frame the debate here.

As you look at this dramatic deterioration in the budget picture, you have to look at the deficit in the billions. These numbers you see are in the billions. The last Clinton administration, when you look at after President Clinton left office, there was a $1.28 billion surplus that's there. You can see that right after President Bush took office, we automatically started deficit spending. This chart is not a chart that was put together by me independently. This is what the Office of Management and Budget has put forth. These are the numbers from the Office of Management and Budget that is overseen by the President's administration, and so these are their numbers.

When you're looking at $158 billion in 02 deficit; $378 billion in '03; $413 billion in '04; and in '05, $318 billion; '06, $248 billion, '07, $162 billion; and here we are in '08, for the FY09 budget, the President is looking to carry us to $110 billion. And then following in '09, $107 billion. This is his proposed budget.

Now let's just talk about this one chart just for a second. I just wanted to shed some light, and then we will move to the next one very quickly.

It's important that Americans understand what we're talking about. So when you hear folks on the floor start talking about tax cuts for the very wealthy and those who did not ask for tax cuts and saying that has to stay alive to be able to help our economy, I want you to reflect back to this chart here. This chart can be seen on majorityleader.gov.

Ms. Clarke, I know you're familiar with this chart. This chart has been an ongoing chart in the 30-Something Working Group. We talk about President Bush more than doubles the foreign-held debt. It took 42 Presidents 224 years to build up $1 trillion of foreign-held debt. What do we mean by foreign-

held debt? This means that foreign countries like China, OPEC, oil- producing countries, this means that Taiwan, this means that Japan, this means that India, this means that countries that we may have issues with, Argentina, a number of countries, they have bought our debt and we borrow money from them.

What does this mean? Forty-two Presidents, $1.01 trillion, 224 years of history in the country, from 1776-2000; 7 years of George W. Bush, some of it is with a rubber-stamp Congress until recently, until the American people spoke in the last election, and we're looking at $1.33 trillion in foreign-owned debt.

What does this mean for the country? I can tell you exactly what it means. It means that countries now look at America in a totally different light. It's almost like you having a friend, Ms. Clarke, and you borrowing some money. If I was to come to you and say, goodness, Ms. Clarke, Yvette, can I borrow $20? Okay. But you see me 3 weeks from now and on your mind, right here in the center of your forehead, you're thinking about that $20. You're thinking if I am ever going to pay you that money again. So, now my influence as it relates to being a ``Member of Congress'' has been altered a little bit because you're now judging my ability to handle my own finances. We make the same money and all that kind of stuff, and you're saying, why does he have to borrow $20, and, better yet, has no real will or desire to pay me back? So that's where we are right now as it relates to the country. I think that people need to pay very close attention to that chart. And that was just updated in December of last year.

What's left out of Bush's budget? The cost of the war beyond 2009. I think that's very, very important because when you look at this cost of the war, it is not included, and budget analysts have said that it will be $489 billion over the next 5 years. But then again, the President says he is going to balance it very soon.

The AMT, which is alternative minimum tax reform, beyond 2008 is not there. That means that those middle-class families that you're not even recognizing in the President's budget, the spending policy details and beyond of 09 as relates to discretionary is not there. So it's kind of like saying we're going to balance the budget, but we're going to leave major ingredients out to be able to balance it and show how we're going to do it.

The President may only have one more year in office, but the responsibility as chief executive officer goes beyond that to be able to set the stage. What you want to do when you come into a job or you're leaving a job, just for anyone, if you're leaving a job, what do you do? You get everything in order for the next person to come in and to be able to have something to work with when he or she gets there. I think that it's important that the President does that. You're talking about the chief executive of the United States of America.

So look at what he was left with, a $128 billion surplus. And look what he is proposing to leave for the next woman or man to take office. So he had a very ideal situation. And now I'm not blaming this on the President, I'm just saying the Republican majority that we're trying to work with to get out of it now proposing to leave for the next woman or man that deficit.

So when we look at the President's proposed deep cuts and key priorities, I want to make sure that every law enforcement officer, which I used to be a State trooper, Ms. Clarke and Members, when you look at the COPS program, that's the Community Oriented Police, these are your bicycle patrol, these are your individuals that prevent crime, don't show up after it's done, but prevent it, and provide other alternatives to youth so that they don't get into trouble. The President cuts that 100 percent. And so when you look at that in the 08 budget, and what we fought for here, we started out with $587 million, I think it's important that everyone understands that that has been cut 100 percent.

Weatherization, and this is important in Ms. Clarke's area especially. This is the home heating and all the things that our seniors and financially challenged folk need, 100 percent cut. When you look at Department of Homeland Security, State first responder grants, 78 percent cut. First responders, police officers, pay attention to what I'm saying because I want to make sure when folks around here are ho-humming and talking about, well, you know, I'm in support of the present situation as it relates to the White House, I want you to pay attention. This is not my budget. This is the President's budget that I'm talking about here that is not reflecting the priorities of the American people.

The EPA clean-up for water grants, 21 percent cut. When we look at community development block grants, these grants build fire stations, they build community centers that allow local government to be able to do something with Federal dollars for the betterment of their community, a 20 percent cut. And the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which is again for those that are financially challenged in the country, they're receiving these deep cuts.

I'm coming in for a landing here and I know, Ms. Clarke, you're going to take it home for me. What Bush inherited and what Bush is leaving behind. I started to tee that up, and that's a golf term, before I got to this chart. A record $1.6 trillion surplus. $400 billion annual deficits. You've got to look at it from this standpoint, and this is available from that Web site I gave you. On track to pay down all publicly held debt when he came in. Exploiting debt burden, short term, so that folks can understand what's going on. The strongest economy in three decades. Economic slowing down sharply, on comparisons. When you look at a robust job growth, and then also when you look at what Bush is leaving for the next person, the weakest job growth since the Hoover administration.

I think when you look at this, I am teeing this thing up, and the way I'm trying to line it up, and Ms. Clarke is going to share with us, also, is the fact that the only way we can bring about change is in a bipartisan way that Democrats and Republicans work together and do what we did in the economic stimulus plan. Everyone didn't get what they wanted, but the American people are going to be the short-term winners of being able to receive those dollars and being able to make ends meet. And it was an emergency situation. But I think as it relates to our fiscal situation, that is an emergency. And I think it is something that so many folks should be able to pay attention to.

The costs that weren't there, as I turn it over to Ms. Clarke, the $187 million that was left out of the President's budget. Also alternative minimum tax costs not included, some $408 billion over the next 5 years. The costs for the war not included, $489 billion over the next 5 years.

Again, all of this information is on majorityleader.gov ``budget clearing house'' for you to see this information, Democrat, Republican, individuals that are concerned about what's going on here in Washington.

Ms. Clarke.

Ms. Clarke, you are a proud member of the 30- Something Working Group.

And, Mr. Speaker, as I mention a lot on the floor, we just don't come to the floor and say, hey, let's go to the floor and talk to our colleagues, let's give a floor speech. Actually, there are is number of meetings that take place in gathering this information to make sure that it is factual. And I think the reason why we are a solid tree in the forest, the 30-Something Working Group, on both sides of the aisle and dealing with the executive branch is that we do our homework. We don't just come to the floor to say things that we think sound good. It's actually something backed up by fact, not fiction. And I think it's important. If we were to play more in the fact versus fiction arena, I think we would get a lot more done here in Washington, DC.

Some of the things that we talked about in the stimulus package, just to recap, are things that are not there. There were some unemployment issues that folks wanted in there. There were some infrastructure issues and putting Americans to work, need it be building bridges or building roads or what have, to put Americans to work.

Also, there was a great discussion about green collar jobs. When you talk about green collar jobs, a lot of folks hear that out in the political world, but I don't think people really break it down to what it really means. And those jobs where we can reduce energy costs in many of our communities. For instance, if you have a flat or an angled roof, trying to put sod on the top, seal it off and put sod on the top to bring that heating and also cooling cost down, that will be a green collar job. That won't be an overseas job. That will be a job where someone could have dropped out of high school or graduated from high school, those that went on and received a 4-year education, those who went on to a master's, doctorate's, architect's, all of these folks will be employed through those kinds of efforts.

We have had an economy, Mr. Speaker and Ms. Clarke, that has been really based on borrowing, when you think about it. The economy has been set towards your taking out that second mortgage to keep the economy going, cutting interest rates to encourage more borrowing. Back in the old school not too far along, I remember when folks wouldn't buy a car unless they could pay for it. Now it's just common to say what's that interest rate, or is this the rebate I get back from the company? And then now I'm all into this thing for 5 or 6 years, and in some instances for some Americans so they can have transportation to move their kids around and make it to their job, 9 years. I have some constituents that are out there for 9 years on a car loan. So it's a serious situation, and it is something that is an accepted practice now.

When you have a home, of course, getting a loan, you know you will get some equity. Hopefully, that value will go up. But because of the economy, because of the slowdown in the housing market, values are not going up on homes. So some people are losing, and that's the reason why we have this whole mortgage piece. Folks got excited again with subprime mortgages, getting people into homes that they couldn't afford, and we are in this situation on a borrowed economy. So I think it's important to be able to break that, to be able to have an economy based on jobs, not borrowing.

And that's the reason why it's important that folks pay very close attention on whom they elect to be the next President of the United States, that they pay very close attention to those they have already elected to be able to govern here in this House and in the Senate, because you shouldn't forestall this off to January of next year when the next President, he or she, raises their hand on the west side of the Capitol and swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States. We know that the President sets forth the budget. We know we also have a say here in the House. The Senate has a say. We should exercise that.

I think, Ms. Clarke, your presentation was right on target. And I'm glad you said that I was being kind, because I am glad that Brooklyn is represented once again, making sure that people know what they need to know.

With that, Mr. Speaker, we're going to continue to work on this issue of the budget. We want to come back and get into further detail as it relates to incentives that are out there for small businesses and also for families that are eligible for rebates, working families, and also continue to shed light on the Bush tax cuts that are out there. I think it's important that people pay very close attention. How did we get to those recordbreaking deficits, giving people tax breaks that they didn't ask for. And that is not turning over into the economy, because if it was turning over into the economy, we would not have had to pass a stimulus package. We wouldn't be on the floor talking about some of the issues that we are facing right now.

So we are about solutions. That's why we come to the floor this time of night, with the Democratic majority that's willing to work in a bipartisan way with the Republican minority to be able to do what's best on behalf of the American people.

With that, Mr. Speaker, we would like to encourage the Members, if they have any comments or anyone has any comments based on the presentation tonight, to e-mail us at [email protected].

With that, Mr. Speaker, it was an honor addressing the House once again.

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 9 o'clock p.m.), the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, February 14, 2008, at 10 a.m.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute and congratulate the Miami Northwestern Senior High School varsity football team on being crowned the 2007 National Champions voted by ESPN's High School Football Super 25 and winning the 2008 Florida Class 6A State title.

The Bulls have concluded the 2007-2008 season with a 15-0 season record and a second consecutive Florida Class 6A State title. The Bulls won back-to-back State championships for the first time in the School's 50-year history. They are only the fourth team from Miami-Dade County to achieve the feat since 1963.

Since opening in the fall of 1955, Miami Northwestern Senior High School students and faculty have had a sense of pride unlike any other school in South Florida. The School opened its doors as a learning institution, and nearly 1,050 Black students who attended the School during its opening year were bused daily from Black communities throughout Dade County. Indeed, during this time period segregated schools were still existent and subsisting; thus, Northwestern became the first new high school for Miami African-Americans in a generation.

Despite the trials and tribulations the School often fought long and hard to get past, the School won its first State title before integration in 1963. After court ordered desegregation of 1970, Northwestern continued to strive within its football program. In 1995 and 1998 the School won two more State titles.

Northwestern, which has the best record of any Dade team (68-13) since 2001, boasts at least seven major Division I recruits on its roster with several others who could go to mid-major programs. Five of those seven have committed to the University of Miami. Among those is senior quarterback Jacory Harris (6-4, 170). He led an offense that scored no fewer than 28 points during the team's winning streak. It is a known fact that the State of Florida produces one National Football League player for every three of its high schools. Northwestern has played a major part in this contribution with 20 notable graduates including: OT Vernon Carey (Miami Dolphins), DB Torrie Cox (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), WR Antonio Bryant (San Francisco 49ers), RB Vernand Morency (Green Bay Packers) and LB Nate Webster (Denver Broncos).

William ``Billy'' Rolle, teacher and head football coach, graduated from Coral Gables Senior High School and later Florida A&M University. He began his teaching career in 1985 at Miami Edison Senior High School where he also began coaching football. Rolle guided Northwestern to its 1998 State title, and also led Miami Killian Senior High School to a State title in 2004. Rolle is the only coach in Miami-Dade County history to lead two schools to State championships.

Coach Rolle returned to coach the Bulls in 2007 and achieved compiling two of the three State titles the School held. He has been recognized as the 2007 Coach of the Year by American Football Monthly. Rolle is committed to preparing his team for post-secondary educational opportunities, and the world of work. The 2006 State Championship team featured seven stars that could sign with the University of Miami in 2008, as well as infamous star running back Antwan Easterling (Southern Miss).

To this day, there are still just as many devoted fans as there were when the School opened in 1955. Not only has the School's academic arena earned noteworthy and positive outcomes throughout the past 53 years, but the School's football program has demonstrated and become the highlight in Miami-Dade County that has continuously produced the best crop of talent in the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues for the very kind words they have given about this great piece of legislation, this resolution.

I think it is very, very important, Mr. Speaker, that we come together as a country and celebrate the contributions of other countries and the roles that they played in assisting us not only with our independence but making it concrete.

Mr. Speaker, as we look at House Resolution 909, I want to give my sincere thanks to the Committee on Foreign Affairs for bringing this resolution to the floor, and especially shed light on Chairman Lantos for his forward-leaning and making sure that this resolution made it through the process. And he will be forever missed here in this body. And hopefully his memory will continue on, not only on the committee, but here in Congress.

I think it is also important that we pause to not only thank staff but also thank Haitian Americans throughout this country that have fought very hard on behalf of this country, not only in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other theaters, but have contributed in many other areas. And that is where this bill came about.

The Haitian American Historical Society in Miami, Florida, moved forth with a monument in Savannah of the great battle, and I had an opportunity to go there recently. And there are a number of Haitians and those that care about the well-being of Haiti that wanted to make sure that the contributions of these soldiers were recognized in a way that will be able to allow not only this generation but future generations to understand Haiti's contributions.

When you start talking about 500 freed Haitian slaves traveling to Savannah, Georgia, to be a part of a multinational force to fight on behalf of this country against the Brits at that particular time, and to be in the same city where you had people who look like me that were enslaved, and traveling to Savannah is a very moving experience for every American, because so many battles have taken place there and it is such a historical and beautiful city that you can't help but pause to think about the courage.

So for us to be on the floor, Mr. Speaker and Members, to not only talk but to pass, hopefully, this resolution will be the first time in the history of the Republic that we have actually said thank you to Haiti, that we have said thank you to the families of the 300 to 500 troops that actually traveled to Savannah to fight on our behalf. I don't believe it is too late, but I think that it is very appropriate for us to be on the floor and allow the Members to show their appreciation for their contributions.

As we celebrate not only the contributions of these soldiers but we also shed light with our Members and Americans about the contributions that Haitians have made, I think, as we look at this debate and we look at what we are doing for Haiti right now, we must bring Americans up to speed on the history. The fact that these freed slaves came to Savannah and fought, and the fact that Haiti was one of the first countries to denounce slavery and to fight for their own independence, to fight Napoleon that pushed him to carry out the Louisiana Purchase with the United States of America, these Haitian fighters traveled throughout the Western Hemisphere and played a very strong role in allowing the United States to be who we are.

So when we start talking about assistance for Haiti, it is not like it is a one-way street; it is a two-way street. And I am proud to represent a constituency where we have more Haitians than anywhere else in the United States of America, but Haitians throughout the diaspora, this will be a very proud day for them; and I believe it will be a very proud day for them when we vote in the affirmative.

When we look at the contributions of Mr. Henry Christopher who fought in the American Revolutionary War, to use his experience from the first free government in the Western Hemisphere, and when we look at what the Haitian Americans Historical Society has spent a number of years to be able to not only bring the Haitian American history to the Congress but to also bring to everyday Americans, I think it is very, very important, Mr. Speaker, that Members share with their constituency the contribution of these great men, and to be able to make sure that we share the history of all communities that have come to this country to make us strong.

Once again, I want to thank the committee, and I want to also thank the staff that has worked very hard on it. I know that we have other Members that want to speak in affirming the passage of this legislation. But I am personally moved because I represent a number of individuals that, when we look at immigration policy, when we look at aid to Haiti, when we look at our interventions when coups have taken place in Haiti, as recent as the 82nd Airborne, when we look at those in the State Department that serve within the Foreign Service and the conditions that they have to work under, when we also look at the Peace Corps and other organizations like it, religious institutions, a number of NGOs, that we call nongovernmental organizations, and what they do and where they live in the rural parts of Haiti, providing not only education and food; when we look at their contributions and we look at the conditions they have to work under now as Haiti struggles with natural disasters and struggles with hard economic times, this legislation will help enshrine not only the contributions of Haitians towards the United States, but also Americans returning not only the favor but the goodwill back to the great country of Haiti.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge the Members to vote in the affirmative on House Resolution 909.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor to come before the House once again. As you know, the 30-something Working Group comes to the floor to share issues that are before the Congress not only with many of our colleagues but also with the American people.

But at this time, Madam Speaker, I am going to yield to Congresswoman Moore.

Thank you so very much, Ms. Moore. And I can tell you anytime we get a chance to come to the floor and honor our patriots is always a day that the Congress should yield and pay respect to not only that individual but also the family.

Madam Speaker, I think it's important we start to look at what the Congress is facing right now and the American people are facing right now as it relates to the economy. The news has been for the last 5 to 10 days the economy, stimulating the economy, and it is very important that we do so. And as you know, many news accounts have shown the President, also the Speaker of the House, and the Democratic leader in the Senate meeting. You have also seen meetings with the Republican leadership and Democratic leadership here in the Congress. The American people are counting on us working in a bipartisan way, and I just want to make sure that all Members know that this is nothing new for the Democratic House of Representatives, especially the majority of Democrats that are here, because we came in saying we wanted to work in a bipartisan way. As a matter of fact, Madam Speaker, I went back and pulled out a chart because so many times here in the 30-something Working Group it's important that we share with the Members what we have already done and what we can do. And I will use this chart all the way up to today.

Many of these acts took place in the first session of the 110th Congress, and it was the first time, with your help,

Madam Speaker, we were able to take the majority of the House:

Implementation of the 9/11 Commission recommendations, H.R. 1, passed with 299 Democratic votes with 68 Republican votes. Raising the minimum wage, H.R. 2, passed 315 with 82 Republican votes. The funding for enhanced stem cell research passed 253 with 37 Republican votes. Making prescription drugs more affordable, H.R. 4, passed 255 with 24 Republican votes. And cutting student loan interest rates in half, H.R. 5, passed this House of course with Democratic votes, all the Democratic votes, 356 with 124 Republicans voting with Democrats on that bill in a bipartisan way. And also creating long-term energy initiatives, H.R. 6, which passed 264 votes with 36 of those votes being Republican votes.

That's bipartisanship. Those are major pieces of legislation, Madam Speaker. This is nothing new to the Democratic majority.

I think it's also important to point to just today here on this floor maybe about 2 hours ago, Democrats and Republicans voted to override the President's veto, and that vote was a bipartisan vote, not enough to stop the President from stopping us from doing what the American people wanted us to do. A bipartisan vote, 265, and that vote was a very important vote. We had 43 Republicans voting with us on that.

I think it's important, Madam Speaker, as we start to move forth on this whole economic stimulus discussion that we continue to work in a bipartisan way, but we're going to need more bipartisanship. Democrats are there at the line ready to do it. And I have a document here that's very easy for any Member to get a copy of that was prepared by the office of the majority leader on June 5 of 2007: ``House Democrats' bipartisanship leads to progress.'' And I also would ask all of my Republican colleagues to grab a copy of it. But I think that it's important that we reflect back on this document to really pay attention to what we have already done and what we can do. But we don't want to end up getting ourselves in a situation where we start deal breaking. When I say ``deal breaking,'' we know that the President and we know that the majority leader has met and we know that the Speaker has met at the White House just recently, just yesterday, and they have been meeting and talking on the telephone. As you know, we try to break this down as much as we can. We also know that in the House, we have had a Democratic economic forum, which was December 7, closing out last year. This whole economic stimulus discussion and effort did not start when it started hitting headlines. We were already out there on these issues. Ongoing discussion between House leaders and Secretary Paulson, who is the Secretary of the Department of Treasury, that has been going on. So many dates, too many to note here on this chart. A Democratic leadership letter to the President dated the 11th of this month. Also the Speaker has met with the Federal Reserve Chairman on January 14 and also the Democratic leadership meeting with Republican leaders on January 16. And those discussions continue to go on, some that are documented, some that are undocumented. A Democratic leadership meeting with Republican leaders again the following day. We also had a Democratic and Republican leadership meeting with the Treasury Secretary that took place on January 22, just a day ago. Also a Democratic and Republican leadership meeting with the President that I mentioned a little earlier.

We're going to continue to pay attention to this bipartisanship, and when I say ``we,'' I mean those of us in the 30-something Working Group, because I think it should be encouraged. We have always talk about it. I, being a creature of two previous Congresses, always said that bipartisanship can only be achieved when the majority allows it to happen. We have a Democratic majority now that is allowing it to happen. If we start talking and going back and forth on retail politics, the only people that are going to lose are the American people, and I'm not in the business of seeing that happen.

I think it's important also to know that there will be statements made and we have to make sure that we clear those statements up so that we don't have misunderstandings and we start going off into another direction on this whole effort of bipartisanship. I'm saying that and I came to the floor with that theme here today because it's important. If folks want to prove the differences between the two parties, find another way to do it, not necessarily on this economic stimulus package because so many Americans, Democrat, Republican, independent, those that can't even vote yet, those individuals that are dealing with the muddiness of life, that don't have what they need to make ends meet, and our economy is not in the posture for us to play games for several months to come going back and forth. So as much as we can as Members of the House, we need to meet. We need to understand one another. When we misunderstand one another, we need to meet again to make sure that we can work together, something that everyone talks about during the election season that they want to go to Washington, D.C. and work in a bipartisan way. I don't care where you are, if your district is 89 percent Republican or 89 percent Democrat or what have you, independent, Green Party, you name it. You don't want to run on the platform that I'm going to Washington, D.C. to be a partisan. You don't run on that platform. You run on the platform that you're going to bring people together, that you're going to work across the aisle to get the job done for your constituents.

So I think it is very, very important, Madam Speaker, to put those words into action.

And what I am seeing here and what I have seen, Madam Speaker, of the last 4 to 5 days have been what one may see in a piece of campaign literature or what one may see when someone speaks on television about how they are going to do things better if they get an opportunity to do it. You have that opportunity. Don't let that opportunity slip through your fingers when others try to derail the process.

Today, I can say that what took place was an effort, and we tried to override the President on the children's health insurance bill, we may say the State Children's Health Insurance program. I think it is important with the 42 Republicans that voted along with Democrats, 218 Democrats voted in affirmative, it wasn't enough to override the President, but it was a part of trying to take some of the burden off American families, because those families that are hurting right now, we know that health care cost is a huge issue when you start looking at how we are going to move this ball forward and how we are going to help American families.

There are a number of organizations that are in support of the State insurance plan, what we call SCHIP, that are in support of this great piece of legislation. You have the AARP. You have the American Medical Association. You have Catholic Health Association, and Families U.S.A., along with a host of other organizations that I could spend 30 minutes on the floor reading every last one of them off. But that is not going to make a difference right now for this debate or the action that we were going to take, that hopefully we wanted to take place a couple of hours ago, to be able to allow children that are in need of health care insurance. We were denied that opportunity, and I can't say that the Republicans stopped us. I can say that 42 Republicans did what they had to do to be able to stimulate this, not only this economy, putting more dollars into the pockets, very few dollars into the pockets of Americans so that they don't have to spend those dollars in providing health care to kids that happen to be born into financially challenged families, and that would have been a way to assist them. But there were a number of Republicans that voted against the legislation that denied us from having that opportunity.

But I have hope, Madam Speaker, that before this 110th Congress is out we will be able to provide that level of health care. We talked about universal health care. Starting with our children first is very, very imperative for us to be able to head in that direction.

As we start dealing with the issues, when we move to the Senate, we have rule 22, that you have to have 60 Senators to be able to bring anything to the floor in an appropriate way or to be

able to procedurally get it there. I think it is important because I am trying to look down the road because I have been down this road before. We get that warm and fuzzy feeling in our heart and start believing what we are reading and start saying, Wow, this is unbelievable. People are working together and we are actually going to move something through the process. Republicans are happy. Democrats are happy. And then we run into a handful of Senators, and the Senate may very well say, Well, we are not happy. And the reason why we are not happy is that I want to make sure that I can make some of the tax cuts that have been put out there now that are not right put into the moment, because that is what this is about.

This stimulus package is not about stimulating the economy 8 months from now. It is about stimulating the economy right now. And it's important that we get it to the target audience that is going to help us do that. And so I think that any other great ideas that may come out of, independently of the bipartisan discussion that has been going on for almost double-digit days now will be counterproductive to us moving this piece of legislation forward. We know that when we come to final rest on this legislation, we know a lot of things are on the table that are going to create right-now jobs, that are going to create right-now investment, and it is going to be able to get into the hands of Americans that are going to spend those dollars to be able to jump- start our economy, to be able to bring it out of the, quote, unquote, I don't want to use the ``R'' word, but the recession that folks are talking about and that economic indicators some feel we are in, some feel we are not. We have some individuals saying technically we may be in one.

The bottom line is the economy is not what it needs to be to be able to continue the United States of being in the position that we are in right now, well, in a better position, a position we have been in the past, of being not only the largest economy in the world as it relates to a nation but also being very strong and very vibrant.

We know that we can get in these very high altitude conversations of saying that it is important for us to be able to have trade, it is important for us to see small business start-ups, it is important for American people to be able to buy things at an affordable cost. But it is also important for us to pass this economic stimulus package within days, not weeks, not months. So I want to make sure, speaking to all of my colleagues here in the House, that we move with the spirit of saying that we are going to deal with the target audience that we are trying to reach right now, and that we are going to do it in a way that is bipartisan and that we won't have any last-minute legislative Hail Marys or amendments or procedural maneuvers that will stop us from achieving the goal of carrying out at least one major act at a time of urgency on behalf of the American people. We have done it before with other major pieces of legislation, but this economic stimulus legislation is very, very, very important.

Now, Madam Speaker, I think that as we start to look at this, because I want to make sure the Members are able to communicate not only with the 30-Something Working Group but also with me independently, or any staff or what have you that wish to do so, can be reached at [email protected]. The reason why I give that Web site out, Madam Speaker, we have to call it out when we see it. It is almost like we are in the football season right now, and there is a lot of replays, and some of the replays are called within the last 2 minutes from the officials' box in what you may call the sweet area in a football stadium. And I think it is important that if you see this kind of activity that will derail this bipartisan spirit that we have right now, we need to call it out. We need to be able to say that that is going to be counterproductive. We already know that the agenda in trying to continue the tax cuts that were brought about under President Bush, and I believe the President is in the position of saying we don't need that part of tax legislation to be a part of this stimulus package, that is for another date, that is for us to deal with, that is for us to hash through in the Ways and Means Committee, which I am proud to be a member of, that is another day's debate. It is not a debate on this economic stimulus package that we are going to hopefully bring to the floor within days. I want to be able to head that off so that we don't have to waste the American people's time to really get into this issue of another debate as it relates to the tax issue. So I think it is important as we continue to move through this process that Members communicate with Members because a lot of folks say, well, it is just a lack of communication of the reason why we are not able to be successful in pushing some of these issues forward.

I can also shed light on another issue, Madam Speaker, and that issue is the fact that we have a number of different tracks that are taking place here in the House and also in this Congress. The campaign spirit that is out there right now amongst the Presidential candidates, Democrat and Republican, and what we do here, that spirit, the spirit that we have here in the House may very well be broken based on what someone may say, and many of those individuals are Members of Congress, may say as it relates to their plans. Making those political statements here on the floor through legislation or trying to push into an economic stimulus package because someone said it on the campaign trail and for them to be able to say, well, that was just introduced, you know, in the, in this discussion, may be counterproductive if it is not within the spirit of what we are trying to do here.

I also would like to share a statement that was made a little earlier today as we start talking about that spirit, and the Republican leader said, I hope that Democrats are not looking to give nontaxpayers rebates or what have you or incentives. I want to just clear it up. I am assuming that he is not speaking of those individuals that are paying payroll taxes, because they are. So many individuals, they don't have to pay because they pay so much in payroll tax, and we do have that. And also when we talk about a targeted audience, that targeted audience is the audience that will put the money into the economy versus saying, Well, I have received this rebate check, or, I have received some sort of incentive that will change my economic attitude towards spending, so I am going to go put it over here and invest it to deal with it at another time and another day. That won't be the kind of investment that will help us move this economy forward. I think it is important for us to pay attention to that, and just because someone is what I define as financially challenged, means that they cannot participate in what we are trying to do in stimulating this economy because we need them and we need them to keep this economy moving.

I am glad to see that the spirit of the majority, of Chairman Rangel, who put out a statement today, the economic stimulus package, must help lower and middle-income families, I don't think there is anything wrong with that statement, and I think that it is within the spirit of what we are talking about here. Mr. Rangel goes on to say that the intent of the economic stimulus package has not yet been written, but everything remains on the table; however, I would like to respond to suggestions that various Republican leaders have made to prevent the stimulus package from reaching hardworking families. I think that it is also important that as we look at that, as we look at that statement there, again, we are looking at responding, and we are looking at working within the spirit of this legislation that we are communicating.

Many times things are said, like I mentioned here earlier, like the Republican leader mentioned that he was concerned about that it is important to put it in black and white so that everyone can understand. I know, I know my Republican colleagues want to make sure these tax cuts meet lower and middle-class families. I hope that I am not proven wrong as it relates to any vote that may happen in committee or any vote that may happen here on this floor. But it is important that we put these statements out there and for it to be able to reach these hardworking families who work from paycheck to paycheck and make contributions to Social Security and Medicare, as Mr. Rangel goes on to say, or who may have recently lost their jobs, any argument on this issue that will be equally

met with vigorous discussion as it relates to tax incentives to businesses.

Now, here is another piece as we start to look at this very issue, dealing with businesses and dealing with individuals. The backbone of our economy are small businesses, and I guarantee you that small businesses will be a part of this economic stimulus package. But at the same time, let's not leave back in the dust those Americans that we know that will pump dollars into the economy and we know that have been paying payroll taxes and we know that have been paying into Social Security. So when we look at that, let's make sure that we work in a bipartisan way and that we understand each other.

Madam Speaker, I encourage rapid response. I encourage Members to say, Well, if this is the way I feel, I am going to say the way I feel, but at the same time, be able to receive that answer or, at the same time, continue to meet.

This chart I pulled out earlier, Madam Speaker, twice on this chart, and we will have it every time we come to the floor in the 30-Something Working Group, Democratic leadership meeting with Republican leaders, 1/16 of this month, Democratic leaders meeting with Republican leaders, 1/17. If they met in the a.m. and p.m., I would like to even put that down because I think it is important that we have that. Goodness gracious, if we were able to pull together this package in a way that American people will see that folks are actually talking daily in a meaningful talk, not just shooting shots over the bow of the ship, meaningful talk, hopefully we will be able to resolve issues like the impasse that we have had on the issue of health care, the impasse that we have had on the issue of Iraq and other various important issues that have come before this Congress.

This should be encouraged. I'm a Democrat. I enjoy being in the majority. And I hope that we are in the majority for as long as the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. I hope that happens.

But as long as we are in the majority, it doesn't mean that we can't also have that same spirit towards bipartisanship, and that's important. Because I have been in the minority before, and I know how it feels. I know how it feels when you can't get a bill agendaed in a certainty; you can't get a bill agendaed in the committee or you can't get your amendment heard on the floor. I know how that feels.

But I think it's very, very important that as we look at these very important issues that are facing our Nation, that we use that bipartisanship in a way that we haven't used it in the past. And we have passed bills in a bipartisan way, as I said a little earlier in the hour, but do it in a way that it will be a jaw drop for the American people. They'll say, wow, this is interesting how they came together and made this happen without trying to make a political stand.

I think that from what I'm reading and what I'm seeing, it seems like the President is on board. It seems like the Speaker is on board, seems like the majority leader is on board. It even seems like the minority leaders in both chambers are on board.

So as we look at rule XXII over in the Senate and we look at the 60 vote, the procedural piece that has to happen before you get to bring in any bill before the Senate, that that spirit lives within those Republican Members that will help us get to that 60.

When I say ``us,'' it's only 51 Democrats in the Senate, but let's continue to pay very close attention to it.

Mr. Ryan, I'm so glad to see you all the way from Niles, Ohio. We know the Republicans will be going to a retreat this week. So we have an opportunity to work off line and do some work and get back to the district and do some great things. But this whole issue about economic stimulus, I tell my friends, when I come to the floor, even when you're not here, I make reference to what I have seen in your district, what is happening in your district and how important this bill is for Ohio just as important as it is for Florida.

I yield.

It's still good seeing an appropriator speak in tax language, talking about tax issues. So it's good to see it. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate it.

I thank you, even though I talk about appropriations all the time.

And my constituents surely appreciate the help and assistance because they pay enough taxes, and we're up here making sure that if they pay their fair share, they get their fair share back.

That's correct.

You're right. You're right.

I was talking earlier before you walked in on cloture. I believe it's called cloture in the Senate, and it's an old French word for closure. You hear it all the time, but you don't necessarily know the meaning of it. It sounds like it was something as it relates to clothes, but that's what it means in English pretty much.

And I think that when we look at this issue and the fact that we always get to the point where even when we get our act together here in the House, it's either one or two Chambers. It's either the House or the Senate.

Let's look at the SCHIP override. The Senate has a veto-proof vote in the Senate: 68 Senators voting in the affirmative for SCHIP.

In the House, we fall short. I think here in the House that we may very well have the kind of bipartisanship we need to get this economic stimulus package passed. But in the Senate, I'm concerned. I'm very concerned because you have 51 Democrats and you are going to need 9 Republican Senators, and I'm hoping, just hoping, that we are able to get the nine for it to be true bipartisanship. So that means the Republican leader is just as important as the Democratic leader, and we are trying to move this process through.

And I think that we need to pay very close attention, and also pay attention to what is being said in the Senate, what's being said here in the House because this piece of legislation is too important. I don't think that Democrats can hang their hat and say, ``We passed the legislation to stimulate the economy.'' I don't think the Republicans can say it without saying Democrats, vice versa. So I think that is important that we pay attention. And I keep saying that because I know that in this building, and we are talking about the 500-plus Members of Congress and all of our great ideas that we may have, coming to the table with an amendment or making a procedural move through any one of the said committees could very well derail this spirit that we have.

We have a war that's going on in Iraq. As of today, we have 3,929 individuals that have lost their lives in Iraq, and we have had a number of them wounded in action, 15,996. And we have those families that are living in this economy.

That is correct. So we have a number of loss of life.

The point I'm trying to make here is that we even have numbers for Afghanistan and what is happening there, and we just had an Armed Services meeting a little earlier today, and there is discussion. One of the witnesses, a lieutenant general, said, ``Well, the Afghans are saying what, Americans, will you leave us?'' Well, this is a big question when we talk about spending, we talk about the economy.

Let me draw this picture here. You go to dinner with your friends and there's six of you, and the bill comes out to like, I don't know, 4- or $500. You have been there for a couple of hours, of course ordering several appetizers and ice tea and an entree, and it comes up to $600. Do you spend the time of divvying up the bill and collecting the money, or do you always have to get up and say, ``I have it. I'll take care of it?'' You know what I'm talking about?

That's what America has been saying to every conflict we have ever had. Afghanistan, for what needs to happen there, do we always have to be the people there who say, ``I got it?''

The euro is doing a lot better than the dollar right now, and there's a separation between NATO and EU, and they have their own account and they're making investments.

Afghanistan is the gateway to narcotics, illegal drugs into Europe. And so the fact that I know that they're playing a role already, but I'm saying that even a greater role, we are in it because of terrorism. We are in it. Madam Speaker knows exactly what I'm talking about. We are in it not only in the terrorist end, terrorism, trying to prevent terrorism not only in the world, but also domestically.

But I think it is important that the EU plays a greater role. There is going to be three reports released, from what we were told in committee today, and the next 10 days dealing with that variation.

I shared those two scenarios just to say that as we start looking at the bipartisanship spirit that we have, the bipartisanship spirit that we have and continue to build on, we have to do it in all economic issues, because we can talk about the war, and the two wars that are going on, it has a lot to do with economics that we are facing or the problems that we are having here in this country as it relates to our own economy because of the debt that we are spending, or that we are paying down on, and it is continuing to build.

It is continuing to build, even though we have spent several hours here on this floor talking about if you are going to spend it, you have got to pay for it. Then we find ourselves in a situation where we are pushed up in a corner of the wall where the American people have to pay for the fact that we are unable to work in a bipartisan way to get the job done in the time we should get it done before it becomes a crisis situation.

So this bipartisanship is just a lot bigger than just a word. You can just say I am bipartisan. It is bigger than that. It has a lot to do with how much we pay for something. It is almost like a plane ticket. I am breaking it down because I want to make sure, because here in Washington we have big, lofty terms and using acronyms. It is like a plane ticket. If you have to buy a plane ticket, and you buy it on the day of travel, you are going to pay more than you would have paid 30 days in advance or 2 weeks in advance or a 7-days-in-advance ticket.

Without bipartisanship, we find ourselves buying the ticket hours before the flight when it is imperative that we get on the flight, when we could have gotten on it cheaper and even probably better seating with a 30-day-in-advance or a 60-day-in-advance.

As we look at this, we have to not only clip, but we have to pay attention. I am asking all the Members to pay attention to it, because we pay more when we fight on these issues that must happen here in this country on behalf of the American people.

The bottom line is, you have your back up against the wall, you have to make a decision, you have to do it now.

You can't wait. You can't throw it off to the side. You can't, say, sling-shot in the end for a win. You can't do any of that kind of stuff. You have to do it in a very responsible way.

Again, if we keep saying it, if I look at the Congressional Record tomorrow and see bipartisanship, bipartisanship, and even more bipartisanship, that is fine with me, because it is almost like McDonald's. I mean, I feel like going and getting a number 3 after a football game because I have seen it eight times. I really think I actually like certain things at McDonald's, which I do. You can just look at me and tell.

But I think it's important that we continue to talk about what's happening right now and what the President has to say when he comes and walks down this aisle next week, I believe, when he comes in here to come talk to us about what's going to happen in this economic stimulus package, what's going to happen as it relates to the two wars going on, what's going to happen as it relates to health care. This opportunity that we have now, 10 days of discussion, bipartisanship, he stepped off the plane from the Middle East and had bipartisanship stamped on his lapel saying we have got to get this going. We have to make it happen even though there was a letter that the Speaker and the majority leader wrote him on 1/11 of this month saying, What's the plan? This is what we want to do. We have to stimulate the economy. Let's do it.

We had our economic summit on 12/7 of last year, having deep discussions as Democrats on this very issue. I think it is important, the President comes down. He has to almost give the speech of his life, but guess what? Action has to follow it. This reminds me, Mr. Ryan, I think we were both State senators at this time, when the planes hit the Twin Towers, the plane hit the Pentagon and one went down in Pennsylvania, that spirit that we had then when people were willing and looking for leadership on the issue of how we are going to come back together as Americans and how we are going to pick this country back up. We have this opportunity.

The President has this opportunity to lead. This is his last year in office. We have Republicans and Democrats that have an opportunity to change the opinion of the American people on how we can work together.

So in this last half of this 110th Congress where we are talking about bipartisanship, and I am just saying talking about it, let's show them some real action. We came together on economic stimulus. We came together on this issue of Iraq. This discussion that I am hearing the President, I want to go and have this kind of bilateral discussion and sign a piece of paper and lock our hands on Iraq for years to come, is not bipartisanship. There has to be some discussion in Congress on that.

It is important that as we start looking at Afghanistan and what we are going to do there, I think it is very important that the President can use that in a bipartisan way. So if we are going to make a deal, let's make a deal on bipartisan agreements as we move from this point on. This is the talk of the year that a lot of folks have made New Year's resolutions. I don't know. Maybe the President said, I am willing to be bipartisan, and he talked about it during his original campaign. I am not a divider. I bring people together. I make sure that folks worked together, I mean, united. I mean, that was the word that he used.

I think that if we want to do that, then we are going to have to do it in a way that does an even better job than we did in the first half of the session. We can't paint a clearer picture on how important this is.

In closing, Mr. Ryan, I want to ask you if you would, we still have time, a few minutes, if you would, and our colleagues, you see these ideas, that is how they come, being drafted or being mentioned, or something outside of the bipartisan discussions that have been going on that is here on this chart, and you are not bubbling your great idea to your leadership, and your leadership is not putting it on the table, and I see your leadership, Democrat or Republican, then it is going to derail what the American people want. That is an opportunity to stimulate the economy and stimulate the family economy and to make sure that we can remain strong and prosperous.

Thank you so very much, Mrs. Jones. Being a member of the Ways and Means Committee, we talk about the economy. I know that we will have a lot to do and say about that, and we talked about a bipartisan spirit. But we have, I think, like 2 more minutes left. But if you want to share anything as it relates to the economy that you would like to share with us, you can.

Thank you, Mrs. Jones.

We want to encourage the Members and also anyone who is watching us here on the floor, the 30-Something Democrats at [email protected] and www.speaker.gov/30something. You said something that I think is very, very important in this debate.

We are not here drinking the tea. I mean, we are not here saying, Oh, let's just all link up together and flowers falling from the ceiling and all and that we are working in a bipartisan way. What we are doing is saying that we are working like the American people would like for us to work on this very important issue. We are hoping that the President continues to do what he is doing as it relates to talking to Democratic leaders and real-time, Democratic leaders speaking with the President, Republican and Democratic leaders in the Congress continuing to work together in real-time, meeting day after day, morning and evening, so that we can put together a work product so that we can all work for it and get it out to the American people.

Mr. Ryan, days like this you just have to plow through it.

With that, Madam Speaker, it has been an honor to address the House.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong and unwavering support for H. Con. Res. 198 and am pleased to be a co-sponsor on this Congressional Resolution that draws attention to the approximately 37 million Americans who live in poverty. In particular, I am bound and determined to meeting the Resolution's goal of cutting poverty in half over the next 10 years.

The number of impoverished Floridians increased from 859,888 in 2000 to 943,670 in 2005, a 9.7 percent rise, representing almost 6 percent of the total population. Over those years, Broward County's severely poor grew from 77,942 to 82,327, while Miami-Dade's poverty rate of 6.8 percent was among the highest in the State.

African Americans and Hispanics have poverty rates far above the poverty rate for Caucasians. In 2005, 24.9 percent of African Americans (9.2 million) and 21.8 percent of Hispanics (94 million) had incomes below poverty, compared to 8.3 percent of non-Hispanic whites (16.2 million) and 11.1 percent of Asians (1.4 million). Although African- Americns represent only 12.6 percent of the total population, they make up 24.8 percent of the poor population.

And among those that are the highest of our country's poor are our children. In 2005, 12.3 million children (17.1 percent) were poor. For African American children, this statistic is even higher--in 2005, 34.2 percent of black children were poor (3.7 million). This is inexcusable in a country where so many live in great wealth.

Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom.

It is time to change these statistics. Our citizens with minimal education, and our citizens without a job are among those that are the most susceptible to poverty. Clearly, Americans need to work. We need to do what we have to do to make this happen.

And we need to do this soon, and not drag our feet on this important issue. This Resolution will motivate us to get moving and gives us a very necessary goal--to cut poverty in half over the next 10 years.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It is an honor to be here on the floor.

As you know, in the 30-Something Working Group, we come to the floor to share information not only with the Members, but also with the American people. And I think it's very, very important, now that we are in our second day of reconvening after the new year, to wish everyone a happy new year, and hopefully we will be very productive on behalf of this great country of ours.

A lot has happened, Mr. Speaker, since my last time on the floor. The 30-Something Working Group had the opportunity to adjourn the House for the year 2007. One of the Members of your class actually had the opportunity to hit the gavel, Ms. Yvette Clarke.

We left, and a lot took place. There are a lot of Presidential politics that have taken place since then on both sides of the aisle, Republican and Democrat. There has been a lot said. There has been a lot of media coverage on different issues. But I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, the issue of the economy and the issue of the war in Iraq continues to bubble up to the top. The issue of health care continues to bubble to the top.

And also, as we reflect on what took place last year, the closing part of last year, it was very frustrating for many Americans because one may think that we would have accomplished, when I say ``we,'' those of us here in Washington, D.C., I'm including the President of the United States and the Congress, to achieve some sort of sensible plan as it relates to Iraq, and that was not achieved. More accountability, because we have control of the Congress, and I say ``we,'' Democrats have control of the Congress, small majority, but control. I had a chance to put some accountability measures in an Armed Services mark and the Foreign Affairs legislation. We were able to do that, but very limited because the President continues to hold on to the 40 Republicans solid that he needs to withstand a congressional override when he vetoes legislation that the American people would like to see enacted.

Even though it had bipartisan support, many pieces of legislation dealing with Iraq, also dealing with a number of other issues that are important to the American people, the President was able to use his veto pen for the first time, many times, and not for the very first time, but for the first time that he has been consistent in doing so. Sometimes it actually has sent the country backwards when we start dealing with issues that we're facing right now.

I come to the floor with a new spirit and hopefully a new outlook in the year 2008 that we will have a better way of working in a bipartisan way here in this House and in the Senate and working with the President. We can't say that there has not been reaching out, especially on behalf of Democrats to Republicans, here in the Congress. I can tell you that we have had an opportunity to work with President Bush and also congressional Republicans in talking about various issues that are facing our economy. We came in and had discussions with Secretary Paulson, who is the Secretary of the Treasury, about the economy. You will be hearing a lot more from him, Mr. Speaker and Members, as we start to approach the date that the President is going to release his budget, which will be in the early part of next month. I believe it will be the 4th. On February 4 he will be releasing his budget, as the date stands now. Well, between now and then there's a lot that has to happen. And we're just 12 short days, I must add, Mr. Speaker, from the President giving the countdown to the State of the Union. Those are the days remaining, the 12 days.

I can tell you, also, Mr. Speaker and Members, that it's important what the President says at the podium just below where you are, Mr. Speaker; what he says is going to be very, very important. Not only will the United States and the people that work every day, those that defend our country that are abroad, but other world leaders will be paying attention to what the President has to say. And I'm pretty sure he is going to have to say a lot.

In past State of the Unions, and this will be my sixth opportunity to be a part of this Congress and to witness a State of the Union in this Chamber, there have been some highlights and there have been a lot of disappointments. And I think that we have to plow through that now, Mr. Speaker, in a bipartisan way in making sure we do what we must do on behalf of the country.

I say that in the spirit that House Democrats in December had an economic forum, talking about the economy, talking about what we need to stimulate this economy. You've heard a lot of proposals on the campaign trail from Republicans and Democrats and Democrats and Republicans. And everyone has a great plan. But I think that it's important that those of us that are elected now to govern, that we govern, because I don't think the American people can wait until 2009 to get accountability and to get relief from this government.

Saying that, I want to commend the administration, the Bush administration, that they released $450 million from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. And I can tell you that it's very, very important to be able to assist some of our seniors and many of our low- income. But this money was made available because the Congress put $2.6 billion into that particular program and funding it in an

appropriations bill that passed in December and increased it by $400 million. So really, when you look at it, Mr. Speaker, thanks to not only a Democratic-led Congress, but also some Republicans that did vote in the affirmative to pass this work product out of this Congress, out of the $2.6 billion, within that we increased it by $400 million, the President released $450 million. I hope that we can continue in this spirit, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of Americans that are being hit the hardest in this economy as we move forward.

So many times that the administration, the Bush administration, and so many times within that 40 that we talk about that the President has been holding on to, on many issues that the Congress and Republicans here in the House, and we've passed bills with bipartisan support, are able to hold on to not being overridden. And I think that it's time, it's high time, especially for those Americans that are concerned about what happened on Wall Street yesterday, I believe it's 45 points down now, I don't know how it's going to close today, but I think it's very, very important that we look at what is happening right now, what's happening with the mortgage crisis right now in this country, and what we must do by leadering up and reaching across the aisle to one another to make it happen.

We have achieved that, Mr. Speaker, in the first session. When I say ``we,'' I always used to say in the 109th Congress and the 108th Congress, bipartisanship is only allowed when the majority allows it to happen. And I can say that what I witnessed in the first session of the 110th Congress, bipartisanship was achieved because you can see that there were a number of votes, major votes on major pieces of legislation, that was bipartisan in double digit numbers, and sometimes three digit numbers, of Republicans voting in favor of major pieces of legislation that has passed off this floor and was sent to the President. And in some cases, the President vetoed it because we fell short of achieving the 40 that he always counts on to help him withstand a veto.

I think it's important, when we start talking about the letter that the Speaker and Senator Reid, the leader in the Senate, wrote to the President on the 11th of this month talking about energy, talking about gas. And I think it's important that the President responds to that, because as the President is flying to Saudi Arabia and other places, really talking with those leaders because of this very issue here, Mr. Speaker. We've gone from January 22, 2001 per gallon price for gas $1.47 over today's average of $3.07 per gallon. Now, Mr. Speaker, some Members may be saying and some staff may be saying, and I know the American people are saying, excuse me, Congressman, you must have the wrong number with that $3.07 because just earlier today I've seen gas not only here in Washington, D.C., but back in my district that has been hit real hard in Florida, upwards of $3.33, and that's just for regular unleaded, octane 87. So when you think about it, especially those small business men and women that may have an F-10 or what have you, that comes up to a lot of dollars.

And when you think about gas prices, even for those that use mass transit and those that are driving hybrids and other vehicles that are high mileage vehicles, it hits them, too. But think about when you go to the grocery store. That means that milk is going to cost more because of transportation costs. Everything will go up. And that's when we start talking about an economy that's out of reach for Americans that are making just the same as they were making last year or the year before.

And speaking of a bipartisan victory, Mr. Speaker and Members, the passage of the minimum wage bill that some in this Congress said over their dead body will they see the minimum wage increase, that it was increased. And at the same time, because of the respect that the majority here in this Congress has for small businesses, that's the backbone of our economy, that we were able to also put a package onto the minimum wage bill that also provided some relief to small business people.

But I think it's important, Mr. Speaker, and I won't digress into how we got to this point because I think that's self-explanatory. I think we know that governance has a lot to do with it, and we're trying to bring about that kind of change with the passage of the energy bill that this House passed in the first session of Congress. But $3.07 is something that we must address and that we have to address. And until we get to the point, Mr. Speaker, that Republicans are able to work along with Democratic leadership, Democratic chairmen, Democratic leaders, and not really bringing about the difference between us and them and making a political statement, but kind of being under the same banner of ``we want to work together.'' And a good step towards that direction, Mr. Speaker, was today, seeing the Republican leader stand with Speaker Pelosi and also with the majority leader and the whip on the Republican side and so on and so on, it's good to see that. I hope that that relationship continues. I hope that that effort of coming together continues.

Definitely, the majority has shown, the Democrats have shown, we have shown, that we are willing and able to work in a bipartisan way as it relates to putting together a stimulus package that would work on behalf of all Americans. And I hope that the President shares in that theme and that notion that the American people would like to see. And we do know the American people would like to see us work in a bipartisan way.

Speaking of that, Mr. Speaker, I talked about the Dow closing yesterday, but today the market finished 34 points down, and I can tell you that it's been a roller coaster day. And many Americans don't have a great understanding of how important the opening and closing of the market is, but it has a lot to do with our economy and it also will make investors more fearful of going out and doing some of the things they have been doing. So we as the government have to step up and rise to the occasion on behalf of not only the American people but also in making sure that we stand up to keep our economy going for small and medium-sized and large businesses.

I think, Mr. Speaker, as we continue to head down the days to the State of the Union, we know that there will be a lot of things said, and we know that the American people are going to be paying more attention than they were paying even last year to the President's State of the Union for the following reason: States, come this February 5, Super Tuesday, will stand in judgment of those that will replace the President of the United States because of term limits, will be the nominee on both sides, and they will be paying attention to the issues. Well, I want to make sure that my colleagues know and all of my colleagues know in Congress and also in the executive branch, those of us that are ``working to make this government better,'' that we understand our responsibility, because I am a little concerned, Mr. Speaker, that some may feel that one can play Presidential politics as real Americans are going through real life issues, and I think that it's important that we don't allow that season to seep into this Chamber or seep into the Senate or seep into the President's office to logjam what we must do on behalf of the American people. It's okay to take a stand and say, This is what I would like to have, but it's another thing when one goes out of their way to stop progress, and I think that progress is something that we must work on very hard.

I want to, Mr. Speaker, share a couple of more points with you tonight. I think it's important that we look at the fact that we are still in a very difficult situation and we look at putting together this stimulus package, and I am speaking to the administration and those that are coming up with the budget, the Office of Management and Budget over in the President's executive branch. And also as agencies start to move their budget requests forward, there is a number of Members of Congress that are concerned about that very number to the far end, $1.19 trillion over the last 6 years, and the Federal debt continuing to rise, compared to the 224-year history of this country, from 1776 to 2000, $1.01 trillion. Forty-two Presidents weren't able to come up with that number, and we are about to double that number now. A lot of that number was brought about up until

2006, and we have worked very hard to bring that number down in 2007.

And as you know, there has been a great discussion on the pay-as-you- go mandate that we have put forth. And I know that the AMT, the alternative minimum tax, to avoid a tax increase on so many Americans was held to the last minute and Members had to vote to borrow the money to offset that. I'm hoping that as we move forth in the stimulus package and as we move forth in other tax reform packages, and I am speaking to my colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle that really strongly supported borrowing the money in both the House and Senate, I think that's important that we come together and think about not only the future but the present.

We used to talk about this debt dealing with the future, our children and our grandchildren. Well, guess what? The debt that's being accumulated now and the posture that this country is in right now in the fiscal sense today is dealing with our economy now, is dealing with how we are respected by other countries now. We owe more countries more money than we ever owed them in the history of the Republic. So that means that we are in a position now financially that we have never been in before. And so the President takes 8-day tours to other parts of the world, which he has done, and I think any world leader must do that. Everyone can't come here to the United States. You have to go visit them and take part in that cultural exchange and discussion. But I think it's also important, Mr. Speaker, when we think about that, when the Commander in Chief goes down those steps off of Air Force One, that that world leader should not be looking at that Commander in Chief and saying, First of all, you owe me money. You owe my country money. You borrowed money from us. That should not be the thought in that world leader's head. The vision that that world leader should have is, A, that I have communications with this world leader. We have a relationship. We have one that we can work together in making this world safer and also looking at our global economy. As this chart shows here, and you've seen it before, the largest foreign holders of U.S. national debt. When the Japanese leaders come to the United States or we see them abroad, any of our diplomats or what have you, they are thinking $644.3 billion and counting, and this number is higher now.

China as of 11-05 was at $249.8 billion. China now is at 349.6, and that number is a little higher than that now, and I know I need to get this chart updated. But I think when we look at that and we say that we want China to do things better than they are doing as it relates to providing products that will be safe for U.S. consumers, but as we look at China, I can't help but think about the conversation I had earlier today with my colleague Tim Ryan from Ohio, who said that he has had 1,100 jobs leave in the last 2 months from Youngstown, Ohio, or around that Niles, Ohio, area. But meanwhile, not only is China the benefactor of those jobs in many cases, but they also have the opportunity to use those dollars that they have accumulated off of commerce or what have you and use those dollars to buy our debt. So that's a win-win situation. Not only am I the recipient of your jobs that used to be your jobs, but I am also the recipient of being able to buy your debt where you have to pay me back with interest.

So as we look at this economic stimulus, you have to think about what's happening, and that's the reason why I hope that the President responds to Speaker Pelosi's letter and also Majority Leader Reid's letter, which if he doesn't respond to it, I will have it on the floor to ask the President or someone over at the administration to respond to it because these are very trying times for everyday Americans. And it's not trying times just for Democrats or independents or Republicans. We're talking about all Americans and what they are facing right now.

I was about to put this chart up, but let me just point out over here, OPEC nations, that's Saudi Arabia. So when the President is over there meeting with the leadership in Saudi Arabia, with the King, Prince, and what have you, they can't help but think, You owe me money. You owe Saudi Arabia money. So when you look at this debt that is record breaking at the $1.19 trillion, that's how we're getting there. We are getting there with an administration putting forth budgets that are still borrowing money and also holding the Congress hostage and getting us into a position to where now the American people will have to pay through the nose or lose tax benefits to continue that philosophy.

So I think the key would be a more bipartisan effort here in this House and in the Senate to pass a good stimulus package, hopefully in concert with the President. But if it's not in concert with the President and the administration, and Secretary Paulson is going to have a lot to do with that and a lot to say about that, the Secretary of the Treasury, and if that does not happen, since there have been committee hearings and there have been Budget and Ways and Means and Financial Services and other committee meetings and the American people have had an opportunity to hear hours and hours of debate on the committee level and also here in this Chamber, this may very well be a sign to put together a stimulus package and at least stand next to our work product and not whither under the President's threat of a veto. If he does veto it, that means we have to go back to the drawing board if there are 40 Members that are willing to stand with the President.

I would also add that in the 30-Something Working Group, we always take an opportunity to show illustrations of what we're talking about here. This is the veto where 40-plus Republicans went down to the White House and stood with the President when we put requirements on the administration to make sure that we have accountability measures on the Iraq spending bill. And this was something that the American people wanted, something that I believe had a big part of Democrats taking over the Congress, and we found ourselves in a situation being denied that opportunity to bring that kind of accountability to the issue in Iraq and the spending in Iraq and the lack of accountability in Iraq with 40 of our Republican colleagues plus going down to the White House saying, We stand with you Mr. President.

Now, I pulled that picture out just to say that it did happen and that it can happen. Do we want that to happen again? No. Can we work these issues out before we get to the point of the President saying, ``I have to veto,'' and a bus has to pull out in front of the Capitol and just over 40 Republicans get on that bus and go down to the White House and say, We stand with you, Mr. President, and God bless America and apple pie and Chevy trucks? We don't necessarily need to do that. We can head that off if we know that we need to work in a bipartisan way, and we are asking for that to happen here on the majority side.

The State of the Union is a very, very important time for the country, and also for the world. I took the opportunity today to pull some of the statements from the 2007 State of the Union. I think that it's important for us to look at what has transpired and what has not transpired; just some of the things that were said that have not come to reality or have not come to being a part of Federal law.

I think when you start dealing with issues such as health care, there's good lofty words that can be used, and during the President's talk on health care he said, a future hope and opportunity requires that all of the citizens have affordable and available health care.

The Republican record on that has been the President's tax deduction plan, which would do nothing to reinvest a majority of the 47 million Americans in his plan. And he also makes the health care problem even worse, a plan of raising taxes on many middle-class families and also undermining the employer-provided insurance health program over the next 6 to 8 years.

Now, I think it's important that we look at this issue, and we try to look at this issue, talking about a Democratic approach of dealing with that health care, and starting this issue with our very newly born citizens to this great country of ours through the SCHIP program. And our plan, looking at the direction that we were heading in, we were working to increase the availability of health care insurance to children, those that are in need the most,

and that was through the SCHIP program. And we were not able to do that, even after one, two, three attempts to get that SCHIP bill past the President's desk without the veto that he actually carried out and without a continued threat of a veto if we were to send it.

We did reauthorize the bill for another year, but that is not addressing many of the issues that are facing Americans right now, and I think as we start to look at this issue, Mr. Speaker and Members, we have to look at it from the standpoint of we have to start somewhere. What better place to start than dealing with our children? I think that it's important that we move in that direction.

Fiscal discipline and the economy. We talked about that, and some of that will be placed in this State of the Union, I am sure. I don't think the President can come in here in another 12 days or so and not talk about the economy. I mean it's almost like an elephant standing 3 feet in front of me, and I'm saying, I don't see the elephant. I don't see what you're talking about. That is the situation right now in dealing with the economy.

Another slogan issue, not really a plan, but a plan that's released nine times out of 10 in the budget or a piece of legislation, the President says, together we can balance the budget.

Well, let's look at that statement. ``Together we can balance the budget.'' Well, over the last 6 years President Bush has not put forth one balanced budget plan. First you have got to start with that. You have got to put on the table the work product that will actually balance the budget.

I think that when you look at historic numbers, where we are now, we turned a $5.6 trillion surplus into more than a $3 trillion deficit. The fastest growing item in the budget is interest payments to foreign countries that I have put up on this chart. It may not be the most exciting thing in the world, but I can tell you, once we start to really start moving down and paying down this debt, the goalpost continues to move further and further away because of the fact that we are not working together to make sure that we can balance this budget. The President said, Together we can balance the budget. Well, just because he says it doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to happen.

So when we start to move down the track, Mr. Speaker, in closing, looking at the economy; looking at the fact that the American people expect for us to work together, which we should; looking at the fact that this is not the centerpiece or peak of the political season, but there's a lot being said on both sides, Democrat and Republican, and I think it's important for us to look at the past, learn from the past, hopefully for a brighter future, looking at the past, what has happened and what has not happened, and looking at a brighter future.

The first session of the 110th Congress was a good session and a lot was done in the first session. I think it's important too, when we look at the past and start looking towards the future, in the first session of the 110th Congress, the 9/11 Commission recommendations to protect America from terrorism, passed, signed into law; the largest college student aid expansion since 1944; the GI Bill, that saved average students $4,400, that is in their pockets, passed, signed into law; the first minimum wage increase in a decade, there's a pay raise for 33 million Americans, that comes in handy now, passed, signed into law; Innovation agenda promoting 21st century jobs, passed, put into law. That is coming back towards making sure we are able to stay competitive with other nations.

The tough lobbying and ethics reform bill that was just held by independent reform groups, passed, signed into law; reconstruction and assistance of the Gulf Coast devastated hurricane areas, passed, signed into law. That was a long fought effort that was something where the people in the gulf coast asked for fairness, equity, and attention from this government. We were able to bring that to fruition through the first session of the 110th Congress, which is a Democratic Congress.

I can tell you there are a number of issues that have not been resolved, that were attempted to get resolved, but I think that some of those issues, we look at the expansion of research of stem cells, passed, was not signed by the President. Also, health care for 10 million children of working families, passed, not signed into law. Vetoed.

We also look at the other major, major pieces of legislation that were even threatened by veto that were stalled in the legislative process because the President issued a veto threat.

I think that as we look at the past success that we have had in a bipartisan way, and as we look at the future of what the American people are going through now and what they will be going through in the coming months, I think now more than ever in any other time since I have been in Congress, and it's now my third term, that the American people need us. The American people need us to work together like no other time in recent history.

Some forecasters have said this is going to be a pretty bad economic downturn. A lot of folks are using the R word, the recession word. We have to work together so that the American people don't suffer, and we will work together, especially on the majority side, in hopefully a bipartisan spirit to allow that to happen. But there has to be the will and the desire on behalf of the minority party, which is the Republican Party here in this Congress, and the spirit and desire on behalf of the administration to get something done.

I think the President should be more motivated than any other time in his Presidency to make this right and to be what he said he was in his first campaign, that he is a uniter and not a divider, a uniter and not a divider. I think the American people need to see that played out in this last year that he will be serving as President of the United States.

Once again, the majority in the House and Senate, the only way we can achieve bipartisanship is if the majority allows it. We know that the majority has the will and the desire to allow that to happen. The question is, the President and the administration, do they have the will and desire to allow bipartisanship to work between the legislative branch and between the executive branch?

I hope and I pray, especially on behalf of those that are punching in and punching out every day, on behalf of those that their only income is a Social Security check and what their family assists them with to keep the lights on, keep food in the refrigerator, I hope on behalf of those that are in harm's way, fighting on behalf of our country in Afghanistan and also in Iraq, and those that are deployed in military installations throughout the world, that their mother or their family members are able to survive here under this economy and the direction that it's headed in.

It's going to take bipartisanship. That means we need to rise up above Democrat and Republican, rise up over our differences, and stand on behalf of the American people who are counting on us.

With that, Mr. Speaker, it's always an honor to come to the floor and address the Members. The 30-Something Working Group will continue to work hard on behalf of the common good, and also bipartisanship in the House and in the Senate, and hopefully with the administration. But we ask for the Members, if they have any questions or anyone has any questions or would like to share a story, that they can contact us at [email protected], or just visit www.speaker.gov/ 30something, and we would love to have a conversation with you. Also if you wish to share your stories about what is actually happening in your hometown or happening with your business and what it will mean to you for us to work in a bipartisan way.

I think that is the spirit we want to pick up and the spirit that we want to have so that we can get something done on behalf of the American people.