Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to read a letter from my constituent, Pastor Dr. Ronald S. Williams.

Mr. Williams writes: ``A mobster, con man, gangster in the White House? I think so.

``This past week, Special Counsel Robert Mueller gave a verbal synopsis of his 2-year investigative report. He is quoted as saying: `If we had confidence that the President clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.' He also said: `The Constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting President of wrongdoing.'

``This process would be impeachment. The question is, why hasn't the United States Congress started a formal impeachment investigation?

``In our Nation's Pledge of Allegiance, we state that the United States of America is `one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.' Many of us have been taught to recite this pledge since elementary school. Today's society compels one to ask the question: Are we truly one nation under God?

``Nancy Pelosi is a woman who I respect. However, I do believe her hesitancy to impeach this President is her opinion, based upon polls and her belief that it would further polarize the country. However, the country is already divided and polarized, which can be greatly contributed to the madness of the present executive administration of the country.

``As a pastor, a father, a grandfather, and a friend of many, my answer to this question is, no, we are not.

``I recently engaged in a conversation with a pastor's wife who resided in the small community that I attended graduate school. I knew the town was small and malignant with bigotry, ignorance, and racism. As we conversed, I discovered that she, too, was a bigot. She stated that the present administration was the `smartest and most intelligent to ever reside in the White House.'

``I asked her if she was out of her mind. `What about Roosevelt and Kennedy?' she asked. I responded by asking her what was she talking about. She responded by saying, `They exploited women, and it was Obama that divided and polarized the Nation.'

``I knew at that point that she was steeped in her ignorant opinion. I responded by telling her that I was not alive during the Roosevelt years and during the administration of John F. Kennedy we did not have internet and the means of communication that we have today. Regardless, at least they both were sophisticated statesmen who publicly presented themselves as leaders. Secondly, the rightwing went after Clinton for his indiscretions and Obama was scandal free.

``It is glaringly apparent that many who support the present administration are either racist, steeped in religious beliefs, ignorant, or, as my mother used to say, `just plain dumb.' They have chosen to support a president who has a proven record of being sexually condescending to women, will not oppose the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan and other hate organizations, is indecisive, condescending to anyone who challenges him, and hides behind his Twitter account, rather than dealing with the real issues in our country and around the world, and, to put icing on this cake, he is a proven liar.

``I believe the crooked ascension of Trump to the Oval Office is a gauge that measures the declining patriotic and moral values of many of the citizens of America, as well as being the revelation of the hidden bigotry, judgmental attitudes that yet exist in many of those who call themselves evangelicals.

``This President has surrounded himself with yes-men and -women who apparently refuse to challenge his madness for fear of his wrath. I believe I can safely assume that the United States is no longer a democracy. A democratic government is one that is governed by the people or their elected representatives. In 2 years, this man has turned the tide and the Nation is spiraling downhill quickly.

``My growing concern is that the Congress and Senate of these United States have more of a personal interest for themselves rather than a patriotic duty to the people they represent. The Republicans appear to have become a Trump cult, and the Democrats refuse to move against this man in a collective, decisive way.

``I remember the time that we were guided by principle and not by party. Congress, Senators, you were not elected to collect a paycheck, you were elected to be women and men of principle and maintain the health of a Democratic nation.

``It does not take a genius to discern that this man wants to be a dictator in the truest sense of the word. He appears to be drawn to the evil of tyrannical dictators and is alienating our country from our closest and most trusted allies. This President praises the leaders of Russia and North Korea, while at the same time has been condescending to the leaders of Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany, just to name a few. Something is wrong with this.

``Despite all of this, there are still many, including evangelicals and people of color, who are resolute in their support of this administration.

``Thomas Paine wrote:''

Men must conquer their own spirits. Even in the shadows of

the guillotine, we must preserve and endure in spite of the

threat.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of Senate Concurrent Resolution 14, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of Senate Concurrent Resolution 6, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, Charles Nunzio DelPizzo was one whose life and service enriched us and whose passing continues to leave a void in the community. He is sorely missed.

Mr. DelPizzo's service in the United States Army demonstrated his devotion to our nation. We will be forever indebted to him and all the brave men and women who have put their lives on the line for our beloved country. It gives me great pleasure to give him one final salute.

Mr. DelPizzo modeled a life of love, sustaining a 63-year marriage to Palma Antonia Santoro DelPizzo.

The pleasure of having known Charles DelPizzo is carried in the hearts and minds of his family and friends. Mr. DelPizzo's memory is forever cherished by his daughter Paula; Son-in-law Andrew; Grandchildren Angela, Melissa, and Andrew; great grandchildren Anthony, Talia, and Larissa; and all who knew and loved him.

I hope Paula continues to take comfort in the memories she has made with her beloved father. A person that departs from this earth never truly leaves, for they are still alive in our hearts and minds; through us, they live on. May she continue to find solace in the memory of Charles DelPizzo's love and the celebration of his life.

On behalf of the constituents of Ohio's Eleventh Congressional District, I extend sincere condolences. May God bless and keep the family.

Mr. Speaker, let me begin by thanking my good friend and the ranking member, Collin Peterson, as well as my fellow conferees and the staff for their leadership in negotiating this conference report.

The farm bill conference report is a good bill. It is not a perfect bill, but certainly worthy of our support. I am pleased Members on both sides of the aisle and across the Chamber were able to reach consensus on how to show the American people that Congress can work together.

This agreement protects SNAP by rejecting proposals in the House farm bill that would have severely weakened the program and taken food assistance away from nearly 2 million people.

This agreement increases access to healthy foods in underserved communities and takes steps to tackle food waste, which we know is a major problem.

This agreement builds new opportunities to improve soil health and water quality in the Great Lakes.

This agreement provides beginning and minority farmers and ranchers additional tools and resources needed to own and operate successful businesses.

This agreement authorizes $350 million per year for rural broadband coverage.

This agreement expands investment in low-income, urban, and rural communities.

Finally, this agreement provides certainty and sound agricultural policies for America's producers and consumers. I encourage my colleagues to join me and vote ``yes'' on the final conference report.

Mr. Speaker, the conference report for the 2018 Farm Bill continues our safety net for farmers and maintains a safety net for struggling Americans. I would like to share with my colleagues a little bit more about how the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the 2018 Farm Bill, makes key improvements to protect the integrity of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, while still preserving critical food access for millions of families.

The bill does not accomplish everything on this front that I and many of my democratic colleagues might have wanted. Many of us would have been looking for ways to make needed investments in this vital food benefit for tens of millions of Americans. But, the provisions related to SNAP, the nation's most effective nutrition program, make modest and useful improvements in this essential weapon in the fight against hunger in our nation. Just as important, the bill protects SNAP by rejecting proposals in the House Farm Bill that would have severely weakened the program and taken food assistance away from nearly 2 million people.

First, I would like to talk about the SNAP improvements in the bill, one of which will help people who are experiencing homelessness to get better food assistance. SNAP's benefit formula assumes that families will spend 30 percent of their net income for food. In determining their net income, households can deduct certain expenses that limit the funds they have available to pay for food, including housing.

Like other individuals and families, those who are homeless often face housing costs, like paying for a motel room or reimbursing friends or family for a temporary home. Congress created the homeless shelter deduction to give them access to additional SNAP benefits by allowing them to deduct their shelter costs. The 2002 Farm Bill improved the deduction by allowing states to set it at a flat $143 rather than requiring them to collect and submit the paperwork needed to verify their shelter costs. My own state of Ohio adopted this option years ago. I cannot understand why all states haven't taken this easy step to assist homeless households obtain food assistance that reflects their actual out of pocket costs. I am pleased the conference report requires all states to adopt the deduction and raise the $143 figure each year to reflect inflation, so the deduction keeps its value over time.

In setting the homeless shelter deduction as a standard part of the program, the Farm Bill also maintains its key features. States will have flexibility to decide what kinds of documentation they will accept from clients claiming shelter costs, including the client's statement of what they have been spending. And, states must continue to help homeless households claim the regular shelter deduction rather than the homeless deduction if that would get them more SNAP benefits.

Another SNAP improvement in the conference report will set the stage for future, much-needed improvements in the basic SNAP benefit. The bill includes a House Farm Bill provision requiring USDA to revise its Thrifty Food Plan--which reflects the cost of a basic, nutritionally adequate diet--on a regular basis to reflect the latest information on food costs, actual consumption, and dietary guidelines. This is an important step because SNAP benefit amounts are based on the Thrifty Food Plan.

When USDA updates the Thrifty Food Plan to reflect current consumer choices and newer healthy food guidelines, the Administration has always required that USDA's new Thrifty Food Plan food basket cost the same as the old basket. That means that USDA has had to make unrealistic assumptions about what a typical household can actually do to buy and prepare food. Academics, including the National Academy of Sciences, have noted how distorted the current package is relative to what is realistic about what households typically buy, how much time it takes them and how much food that meets the dietary guidelines actually costs--even when it is a very bare bones diet. I want to make clear that our provision does not have that cost limitation and we fully expect the Administration to report out to us what the cost of a modern Thrifty Food Plan would costs. I expect that means that the cost will increase and as a result that SNAP' s maximum allotment will also increase, an adjustment that is long overdue.

The conference report also has provisions to help more food retailers support SNAP. Nearly 9,700 Ohio food stores participate in SNAP. In my own district, the 11th District, it is just over 800 stores, ranging from large superstores to local farmers' markets. The new bill will enable retailers to offer incentives for SNAP participants. Stores will still have to treat SNAP participants like other customers, but with one exception. Stores will now have the option of offering them modest incentives, such as targeted coupons.

As I mentioned earlier, the conference report is as important for what it does not do regarding SNAP as for what it does do. The Conference Committee rejected all the harsh benefit and eligibility changes in the House bill, which means SNAP will still be available to the tens of millions of Americans who use it to help them afford a decent diet.

Most notably, the conference report rejects the House approach of taking away SNAP benefits from those who struggle to work. Instead, it seeks to improve clients' job outcomes by focusing on job training. It encourages states to work more directly with local employers, expands the options that states have over the types of programs they can offer through their SNAP employment and training programs, and reallocates funds to states with existing pilot programs and states with programs that target specific populations with barriers to work, such as the formerly incarcerated. While job search will no longer be allowed as an allowable stand-alone activity, states will be able to continue supervised job search programs as they see fit, including online job search that meets state supervision requirements and definitions.

The Conference Committee also rejected House provisions that would shorten SNAP's three-month time limit to one month and expand the population subject to the rule to a broader group of recipients. We also rejected the House's proposal to limit states' flexibility to waive high-unemployment areas from the three-month limit. Contrary to statements by some House members, governors are aware of the waivers their state SNAP agencies seek, but the conference report clarifies current practice by stating that states seek should waivers with the authority provided to them by their chief executive. We specifically directed USDA that this clarification should have no impact on the current waiver process and that the agency may not add additional steps or clearances to the application process.

We also rejected the House's proposal to undo a long-standing state option called categorical eligibility. Under this option, states can import the gross income or asset tests from a TANF-funded program into SNAP. States can simplify and streamline SNAP eligibility and enrollment processes but easing these rules and they can expand who is eligible for the program including more working poor, recently unemployed with modest savings and more senior households with savings above the federal limits. This House proposal would have eliminated benefits for some 2 million people in nearly 1 million households. I appreciate Senator Stabenow's leadership in fighting back against this proposal.

Another House proposal the conference report wisely rejected would force all states to require SNAP participants to cooperate with child support enforcement--something that's now a state option as a condition of SNAP eligibility. Given the deep concerns about the current option we heard from community groups representing grandparents and victims of domestic violence in states that have adopted it, we could not mandate the option. In fact, we included a study on this option to better understand its impact. USDA can help us gather more information about the damage this option is causing particularly by gathering the perspective of those individuals who avoid SNAP out of fear of having to cooperate with child support enforcement.

In contrast to the issues I have discussed above, strengthening SNAP's payment accuracy and reducing fraud is not a partisan question, and the conference report reflects that fact. For example, it requires all states to implement a pilot program called the National Accuracy Clearinghouse, which uses data matching to ensure an individual or household doesn't receive SNAP from two different states simultaneously. This is relatively rare and can occur due to state error or deliberate fraud. It usually is not due to fraud--instead, it generally happens when SNAP participants move to a new state and apply for benefits there, after notifying their former state that they were leaving, but the former state does not expeditiously take them off the program. Nevertheless, it is a problem that needs addressing, and this new interstate data matching will help states do that by making their processes for disenrolling families more efficient and accurate. This will only be an improvement to the program if USDA ensures that this process happens seamlessly for applicants, including resolving any issues with a state that shows the clients remain enrolled. SNAP participants are by their very nature struggling to afford food and life's necessities. They cannot afford time of work, long distance phone calls or attorneys to settle bureaucratic nuances. The sensible approach would be simply to disenroll the client from the state claiming dual enrollment and let it end there. Without evidence the client was trying to commit a crime by enrolling twice, USDA and states should assume innocent error and leave it at that.

One change that might surprise my colleagues is that we discovered that by dropping a Senate pilot program on income verification

we might actually advance state efforts to streamline verification. The Senate bill included a provision to test using third party data sources, mostly run by private companies to verify income. Large employers like big box stores or fast food chains employ many workers who are also eligible for benefits. They often use a third-party vendor to verify income for programs like SNAP and Medicaid. You would think we would have been anxious to sort how best to move forward with helping states to use this type of verification. The Conference Committee came to understand that many states are already using these private vendors to verify income. As it happens, states are paying for these services for SNAP with a federal match, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is also paying the same vendor for the same data to assist states with verifying income for health benefit determinations. States have access to the HHS data for Medicaid but cannot use it for SNAP under the limits of the contract. Fortunately, HHS can elect an option under the contract to share the same income verification data they provide to Medicaid with SNAP. This would be an extraordinary advancement in simplification and accuracy and it ought to provide the federal government monetary savings. This type of economy of scale in procurement would be a real windfall in contract payment and improve benefit accuracy.

Also, to explore new ways SNAP can help low-income populations, the conference report authorizes USDA to work with states to set up longitudinal data sets using SNAP administrative data and other sources that would allow states, USDA, and researchers to study caseload dynamics and other issues over time. While our preference would be to capture states' entire caseload for the dataset, perfection should not be the enemy of the good. The goal is to pursue research, not to build a perfect dataset. States can decide what will work best for them with respect to how to construct the dataset--whether they want to use a sample of their caseload or some other approach. By contrast, there must be consistent federal rules ensuring the highest degree of data privacy and security for clients. This data is meant to be available to researchers and the public to use, so all personal identifying information must be removed from the records.

That brings me to the issue of quality control. The conference report includes several changes designed to create more consistency among states in how they measure payment accuracy. In the past, FNS has not evenly applied the rules in this area across states; the conference report changes largely codify steps USDA is taking to help address this problem. Going forward, FNS and the states must work together to improve consistency in measuring payment accuracy. For its part, FNS must strengthen federal review of state quality control procedures.

On a related issue, the final conference report eliminates bonuses to states for high and improved performance in key aspects of program operations. States are always expected to deliver high quality services through SNAP to participants. This is required by law and is expected by Congress and taxpayers. Quality, timely and accurate delivery of benefits to eligible households is the basic standard. Eliminating bonuses does not change that. Nor should it change USDA's scrutiny of state performance on these fronts. Payment accuracy, including improper denials, program access and timeliness are all standards against which states must be measured, and when states to not perform to expected standards, USDA must and will continue to take corrective actions.

In sum, while this legislation is necessarily a compromise, overall it will make SNAP stronger and better able to help millions of Americans put food on the table--including families with children, persons with disabilities, and seniors. SNAP is more important to our nation's seniors than many realize.

The typical SNAP household with an elderly member includes a single elderly person with income of about $11,000 a year, or a little below the poverty line. In fact, nearly 3 in 4 SNAP households with an elderly member live in poverty. SNAP households with an elderly member receive an average of about $1,500 a year in benefits.

The House Farm Bill would have cut SNAP eligibility for seniors, made it harder for grandparents informally caring for their grandchildren to participate in SNAP, and subjected older workers to work requirements despite the difficulty they face in the labor market. One of the main strengths of the conference report is that it does not include these and other negative House proposals. That rejection, along with the conference report's modest positive changes, will help SNAP continue to fulfill its role of supporting needy families in our nation.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following Proclamation on this 4th day of September 2018:

Whereas, Judge Carl J. Character departed this life August 24, 2018, and was funeralized September 1, 2018 at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio; and

Whereas, Judge Character was appointed the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas in 1987 by former Ohio Governor Richard Celeste, was elected to the bench in 1990 and retired in 1997; and

Whereas, Judge Character's distinguished service on the bench was typified by his philosophy that everyone appearing before him deserved his time and full attention while receiving a fair hearing or trial; and

Whereas, Judge Character, prior to serving on the bench, practiced law with former Congressman Louis Stokes and former Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes, representing welfare recipients, Fortune 500 companies, criminal defendants and clients who simply needed a will or help with a workers' compensation claim; and

Whereas, Judge Character was a past president of the National Bar Association, member of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections and the Ohio Commission on Racial Fairness, board member of many organizations, including University Hospitals and the Cleveland Bar Association, and former Vice President of the National Legal Aid and Defender Association; and

Whereas, Judge Character was a veteran of the United States Army, having served in Korea and Japan during the Korean War; and

Whereas, Judge Character was a product of Cleveland Public Schools, graduating from Glenville High School, and received his bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University and law degree from the University of Michigan; and

Whereas, Judge Character was a member Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; and

Whereas, Judge Character is survived by his wife, Dee Ann, two daughters, Dea L. Character and Darla Character-Johnson, eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren, and leaves a legacy of legal and judicial excellence, committed community service and the respect of his peers;

Resolved, on behalf of the residents of the 11th Congressional District of Ohio, we acknowledge, salute and celebrate the life of The Honorable Carl J. Character, his contributions to Northeastern Ohio this 4th Day of September 2018, and in honor of his service to Northeast Ohio and our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express deep concern and opposition for the President's U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh. I appeal to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to recognize the threat Judge Kavanaugh poses to Americans' most fundamental rights and the impartiality required for any jurist filling a Supreme Court seat.

If my colleagues truly want to know how Judge Kavanaugh will rule on cases addressing Roe v. Wade, voting rights, affirmative action, Brown v. Board of Education and affordable health care, all they need to do is review his track record.

On the Affordable Care Act (ACA)--Judge Kavanaugh wrote in a 2011 decision that the ACA could be considered a tax because it requires individuals to buy health insurance. In his opinion, as a tax, the ACA is unconstitutional because it violates the Anti-Injunction Act-- limiting the jurisdiction of federal courts over tax-related matters. What Judge Kavanaugh and Republican supporters seeking to repeal the ACA ignore is the ACA's success in: keeping insurance companies from charging women more than men; stopping insurers from denying coverage to individuals with pre-existing conditions; and preventing seniors from having to choose between their medications or daily meals.

On Voting Rights--Again in 2011, following the Obama administration's findings that a South Carolina voter ID law would disenfranchise tens of thousands of minority voters, Judge Kavanaugh sided with South Carolina government and expressed his approval of states enacting stronger voter ID laws.

On Roe v. Wade--The President said he will not ask his nominee how they would rule on Roe v. Wade, and there really is no need. The President clearly stated he would nominate ``pro-life judges'' who would overturn Roe. We already know how Judge Kavanaugh will rule in any case regarding a woman's reproductive rights. In 2015, he sided with religious groups refusing to provide contraceptive coverage, as required through ACA. Then, in 2017, he dissented from a decision that permitted an undocumented immigrant teen to have a legal abortion.

That brings me back to my earlier statement of the threat to impartiality on the bench. Judge Kavanaugh stated in a 2009 law review article that sitting presidents should receive ``a temporary deferral of civil suits and of criminal prosecutions and investigations.'' With the continuing legal implications mounting against the President in the Mueller and Cohen investigations and the emoluments lawsuit filed by 200 congressional Democrats, if it were left up to Judge Kavanaugh, he would make the President untouchable. It is clear why Judge Kavanaugh would be a great pick for a President experiencing an unprecedented number of legal woes while in office--great pick for the President, but terrible for America and the progress we've made.

I urge Republicans in the Senate to reject this nomination and uphold their responsibility--stop avoiding vetting protocols put in place to ensure qualified jurists protect the fundamental rights of all citizens, and not just the chosen few.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Margot James Copeland and acknowledge her achievements. She is known for her commitment to improve the local economy and foster inclusive multicultural and multiracial relations in Cleveland, Ohio. Mrs. Copeland is an integral force for change in shaping an inclusive urban community that welcomes constructive change by means of intercultural dialogue and cooperation.

A native of Richmond, Virginia, Mrs. Copeland graduated from Hampton University with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. She went on to receive her Master of Arts in Educational Research and Statistics from the Ohio State University.

Mrs. Copeland began her corporate career at Xerox Corporation, Polaroid, and Picker International. She later served as Executive Director for Leadership Cleveland before becoming President and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Roundtable.

Currently, Mrs. Copeland is Executive Vice President and Director of Philanthropy and Civic Engagement at KeyBank, one of the nation's largest bank-based multi-line financial services companies. In her role, Mrs. Copeland also serves as Chair and CEO of the KeyBank Foundation, where she guides strategic philanthropic investments promoting affordable home ownership, high quality education, and small business growth. By supporting organizations and programs, she helps make dreams become reality. Mrs. Copeland has been a proven leader in a number of community organizations and sits on several boards. She is the 15th National President of The Links, Inc., serving from 2010 to 2014. She served as President of the Junior League of Cleveland, sat on the Kent State University Board of Trustees, acted as a Protege Program Advisor for Morehouse College, and was a member of the Business School Advisory Board at Hampton University. Mrs. Copeland's public service is marked by her appointment as Vice Chairperson of the Cleveland Bicentennial Commission and, subsequently, the Cleveland Millennium Commission by former Mayor Michael R. White, whose second term Inaugural Committee she chaired. She also served on the Transition Committee for current Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson.

Mrs. Copeland's extensive record of excellence in service to her community makes it truly an honor to know her, and it gives me great pleasure, Mr. Speaker, to celebrate her today

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to appeal to my colleagues once again to take a stand against gun violence in this country. We cannot continue to refuse to protect our children and our communities and seniors. It is time for the Members of this House to come together and simply do what is right.

I believe in the Constitution. I believe in the 2nd Amendment. I have taken an oath to protect and defend both. I believe Americans have a right to defend themselves.

But, the Constitution does not guarantee citizens the right to carry weapons of war. It doesn't guarantee any of us the right to have and use a magazine that will shoot 100 bullets in less than 30 seconds. Those who say the 2nd Amendment provides those guarantees are not only wrong, but they ignore the rights of our children and communities to be free of fear in school, at worship, at concerts and in restaurants.

The 2nd Amendment doesn't give anyone the right to make our children afraid to leave the house. I have the right to walk out of my house without fear that I might be shot. The 17 students, teachers and staff who lost their lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida had the right to go to school and work that fateful morning and not expect to be shot.

The parents and families of the 8 students and 2 teachers killed at Santa Fe High School had the right to expect their sons, daughters, and mothers to come home the night of May 18th. And, let me remind you of the Waffle House Shooting near Nashville last month, the Las Vegas shooting, Orlando Pulse Night Club shooting, and the Sutherland Springs church shooting, all within the last two years. We cannot keep offering people our thoughts and prayers without doing something. ``Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.'' (James 2:17)

Let us show the White House, the National Rifle Association and anyone else who wants to put guns before the safety of our people, especially our children, that we still have a backbone. Democrats and Republicans can still stand with the hundreds of thousands of students who took to the streets of America in March. They demanded accountability from legislators for the lives lost and gun reform policies to save lives in the future. Now let's stand for them.

This is not a mental health issue as the White House and NRA suggests. This is, without question, a safety issue. I stood before the House of Representatives in February of this year and I will repeat what I said then. Republicans cannot claim that mental illness is to blame, while simultaneously cutting funding for mental health treatment, undermining Americans' health insurance, and stripping schools of the resources needed to employ a guidance counselor, social worker or more teachers to reduce class sizes and give children more individual attention.

What will it take for us to get angry? How many more have to die before we act? Martin Luther King said, ``There comes a time when silence is betrayal.'' Let us not turn our backs on our young people, families and communities across this nation looking to us to pass common sense legislation.

Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman so very much for the fight he put up during this process.

Mr. Chair, I stand today with my Democratic colleagues fighting for the very soul of America. Inscribed on the Statue of Liberty are these words:

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning

to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

We have lost our way, Mr. Chair. There is no longer a lamp, nor a golden door. And if we fail to protect the weak, the frail, the poor, the children, the seniors, and the disabled, we have lost our soul. We no longer live up to the promise of America and the true meaning of our creed.

Mr. Chair, it is just cruel to American families and food producers, those who rely on farm bill programs, to put them at risk, only to carry out a hateful, demeaning, and mean-spirited partisan agenda. It is dishonest to promote the idea that SNAP recipients are undeserving; that we are lazy.

Sixty-five percent of our SNAP recipients cannot work. They are children, seniors, and disabled. And most of the others do work--some of them in the very building in which we stand today.

Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues: What have poor children ever done to you? What have seniors done to you? What have the disabled ever done to you? Republicans are paying for the $2 trillion debt they created in the tax bill on the backs of the poor. It is just sad, Mr. Chair. Really, really sad.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight the legacies of some Black history makers as a tribute to them during Women's History Month.

I speak of women who paved the way for other Black women and me to stand in the U.S. House of Representatives advocating for the benefit of our constituents. Women who stood their ground, fought for justice and broke through glass ceilings.

Black women like Ida B. Wells, who fought against lynching in the south during a time when remaining quiet would have been easy and a lot safer. Ida B. Wells saw what we called ``low hanging fruit'' and waged war against the murderous practice and the hooded cowards who hung those fruit. She gave new meaning to the phrase ``the pen is mightier than the sword.''

Women like Barbara Jordan--the Gentlewoman from Texas--who was the first Black woman to be elected to the Texas Senate (1966) and to later serve as State Senate President Pro Tem. She was also the first African American woman from the Deep South to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Like Ida B. Wells, Congresswoman Jordan saw injustice and took action. She helped create the first minimum wage bill in Texas, and the state's Fair Employment Practices Commission. As a member of the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate hearings, Barbara Jordan showed the world her strength as a guiding figure on the committee despite being a freshman member. She stood her ground among her colleagues, strongly advocating for the sanctity of the Constitution and President Nixon's impeachment.

Another of my sheroes is Shirley Chisholm--unbought and unbossed. The first Black woman elected to the United States Congress (1968), Shirley represented Brooklyn, New York for seven terms and was a founder of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1969. She broke through the presidential candidates' glass ceiling in 1972 when she became the first African American to seek a major party nomination--the Democratic Party--for President of the United States.

Last, but not least, I salute my dear friend and predecessor Stephanie Tubbs Jones. A former Chief Prosecutor for Cuyahoga County, Tubbs Jones was the first African-American woman elected to the House of Representatives from the State of Ohio. As a Member of Congress, she fought tirelessly to expand health care coverage, support the re-entry of the formerly incarcerated into their communities and halt predatory lending practices.

These women have left indelible footprints in the history of America, and exemplify the determination and courage of black women. Notably, they shared another common bond through Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. They were trailblazers whose labor too often goes unmentioned, but this month WE CELEBRATE.

I thank Ida B. Wells, Barbara Jordan, Shirley Chisholm, and Stephanie Tubbs Jones for their contributions to our country, and for being inspiring examples for so many, not just Black women.

I see them. I salute them. I honor them.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand today to congratulate my friend and colleague from the great State of Ohio, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur who on March 18th will become the longest serving woman U.S. Representative in U.S. history.

Marcy, for 35 years, has served this nation and the people of Ohio with distinction.

It is my honor to serve with someone that never backs down from a fight and leads on all the things that are important to Ohio and all Americans.

I applaud her for her commitment and dedication to revitalizing our cities, ensuring fair trade deals and good jobs for American workers, increased funding for defense and energy security, and protecting the Great Lakes.

She has accomplished and contributed so much yet never forgot where she came from or the people that have helped her to become.

On behalf of the people of Ohio's 11th Congressional District, I thank her for her service and congratulations on this historic achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Kerner Report.

In 1968, the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, known as the Kerner Commission, found that the civil unrest in the African American community was a result of white racism. From employment and housing discrimination to segregated and underfunded schools, racism was the root cause of systemic poverty plaguing African Americans.

In 1969, the theme for Delta Sigma Theta under the leadership of the late Frankie Muse Freeman was,``One Nation or Two?'' As we continue to ask ourselves that same question 50 years later, it is clear that civil rights is still unfinished business.

According to 2016 Census data, 12.7 percent of Americans live in poverty. For African Americans, the poverty rate is nearly double the national rate at 22 percent. And 33 percent of African American children are growing up in poverty.

The persistent racial wealth divide and lack of economic progress among African Americans is cause for alarm.

The Black unemployment rate has risen to 7.7 percent and continues to be nearly double that of White workers. In 1968, it was 6.8 percent.

The median net worth for Black families is $17,600, compared to $171,000 for white families. When it comes to homeownership, 71 percent of White households are homeowners compared to 41 percent of Black households--practically the same as in 1968.

On the campaign trail, the President said inner cities were more dangerous than war zones and repeatedly asked the African American community, ``What do you have to lose?''

Every day, the Trump Administration's economic policies make clear what African Americans and communities of color have to lose: economic opportunity and upward mobility.

The President's lopsided tax cut added at least $1.5 trillion to the national deficit with likely offsets to earned benefits and social safety net programs many families depend on like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP.

The President's budget would reduce funding for SNAP by $213 billion over the next 10 years and force 16 million households to survive on so-called ``Harvest Boxes'' that will cost more than they save in dollars and human capital. These proposed ``ration boxes'' are demeaning to families: shelf stable milk, ready to eat cereals, canned meat, fruits and vegetables, peanut butter and pasta. Is this what we have come to? This is the same Republican Party who told us that we couldn't provide our children healthy meals in schools.

While roughly 1 in 6 Black households spend more than 50 percent of their income on housing, the President's budget eliminates the National Housing Trust Fund and U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, the legal aid program which helps families avoid unwarranted evictions, the Community Development Block Grant program, and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program.

Republicans in Congress and this Administration have chosen to rob the American people of resources that could put people to work building infrastructure, improve public education, child care, and health care. Time and again, their proposals benefit the wealthy and hurt the working poor and communities of color.

It's no coincidence that the President wants to eliminate diversity visas and prevent immigrants from Africa and Asia from coming into this country. It's no coincidence that our fellow Americans in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are still suffering and can't get the resources needed to truly rebuild after Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. Black and Brown people are not wanted. They need not apply here.

As we look ahead to the next fifty years, will this be one America or two? One Black and Brown, one White? One rich, one poor?

America will only be great if we ensure our policies create opportunities for all Americans and address the structural racism that preserves the racial wealth divide. If we don't direct needed resources to communities of highest need, they will never catch up.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to find the courage to take action and eradicate gun violence in America.

While our children and families demand a vote on commonsense legislation to keep our communities safe, my Republican colleagues continue to turn their backs.

Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary, the House has observed 42 moments of silence--tonight makes 43--to honor victims of gun violence, but no meaningful action has been taken to strengthen our gun laws. After every mass shooting we offer our thoughts and prayers to the victims, their families, and first responders. Our thoughts and prayers are not enough. A moment of silence is not enough.

In the past decade, more than one million Americans have been shot. Every day, on average at least 35 Americans are killed with a gun and nearly 33,000 die each year from gun-related violence.

In my home state of Ohio, someone is killed with a gun every eight hours. This is unacceptable. There are no moments of silence on

the House Floor for these victims, and Congress is doing nothing to protect the next victim.

The White House and the National Rifle Association claim mental illness is to blame for this latest tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and that arming teachers will keep our children safe. Republicans cannot claim that mental illness is to blame, when they simultaneously cut funding for mental health treatment, undermine American's health insurance, and strip schools of resources needed to employ guidance counselors, social workers and/or more teachers to reduce class sizes and give students more individual attention.

The NRA claims any sensible action to strengthen our gun laws is an attack on the 2nd Amendment and the rights of gun owners. Nothing could be further from the truth. Democrats and Republicans must work together on meaningful reform to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, domestic abusers, and individuals in crisis.

Recent polls show that 97 percent of gun owners approve of background checks for all gun purchases, including those made at gun shows and through private sales. According to the Pew Research Center, 33 percent of gun owners oppose the NRA's prescription to make schools safer by arming teachers.

As I've said before, all citizens have a right to basic safety and life itself. Our families should not fear the possible massacre of their children in school or on playgrounds. Everyone should be able to go to a concert or place of worship and not confront a shooter armed with high capacity ammunition magazines and a weapon of mass destruction. It is up to all of us to protect our communities, schools, workplaces, and places of worship from senseless gun violence.

I have been encouraged by the courageous young people speaking out and taking action to effect change. I hope my Republican colleagues are listening.

Every day Congress fails to strengthen our gun laws, we are complicit in the violence that takes place in our nation. We can and must do more to end gun violence.

Mr. Speaker, during the State of the Union speech last week, many of us did not applaud the President as he assumed responsibility for the lowest rate of Black unemployment ever recorded. The simple truth is that while Black unemployment reached its lowest level in decades, the rate has been in steady decline for the last seven years, a credit to the Obama Administration President Trump so often maligns.

It is also true that while gains have been made, the Black unemployment rates fall short of that for White workers. The President has failed to acknowledge that just in the last month, Black unemployment jumped nearly a full percentage point, from 6.8 percent to 7.7 percent, and continues to be nearly double that of White workers.

If Black unemployment figures were the overall national figures, the country would be facing or nearly facing an economic recession, Yet, this Administration's policies continue to take aim at too many of us, especially African Americans and other communities of color.

Black unemployment has consistently been about double that of white employment. Sadly, other statistics mirror what amounts to a persistent racial wealth divide:

90 percent of White households live above the poverty line compared to 75 of Black households;

71 percent of White households are homeowners compared to 41 percent of Black households; and

In 2016, white families had a median net worth of $171,000, compared with $17,600 for Black families.

There is no doubt the persistent wealth disparity is rooted in federal policies that build and preserve the racial wealth divide since the institution of slavery. The Social Security Act of 1935 provides just one example. The Act's passage laid the groundwork to aid the elderly after the Great Depression. Yet, the Act excluded about one- third of all American workers, including farmworkers and domestic workers--who were predominately people of color. For African Americans, the cost of exclusion from the Social Security Act of 1935 resulted in a loss of benefits totaling $143.2 billion in 2016 dollars.

Similarly, federal housing policies from 1934 to 1968, which sought to make homeownership accessible to more families, shut out black families from homeownership through the practice of redlining.

Unfortunately, the racial wealth gap shows no sign of letting up under the Trump Administration. His economic policies offer dim prospects for African Americans and other communities of color.

The President's lopsided tax cut transferred massive amounts of wealth to those who are already wealthy at the expense of everyone else. The tax cuts add at least $1.5 trillion to the national deficit, with likely offsets to earned benefits and social safety net programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP--programs many families depend on. The cuts rob the American people of resources that could put people to work building infrastructure, or be invested in public education, child care, and health care.

Trump's first year budget was equally alarming. Proposed cuts to the Minority Business Development Agency, Community Development Block Grants, and the Economic Development Administration, among countless others, will almost certainly diminish the ability of underserved communities to get ahead .

These are not the actions of an Administration interested in helping all Americans. It is time the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress start acting on behalf of all Americans, and not just a few. It is time to turn words, cheers, and applause into meaningful action and help ensure economic justice for all.