Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the subject of this Special Order.

The Congressional Black Caucus, better known as the CBC, is proud to anchor this hour. My name is Marcia Fudge, and I represent the 11th Congressional District of Ohio, and I'm currently the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. CBC Members stand firm as the voice of the people and as the conscience of the Congress. We are dedicated to providing focused services to the citizens who elected us to these offices.

Tonight, the CBC will focus its attention on the culture of violence. With no end in sight, the culture of violence continues to permeate and define our society, Mr. Speaker. We cannot hide from it. It is everywhere we go.

Merriam-Webster defines an epidemic as ``something affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time.'' It is clear the culture of violence is an American epidemic. It is time for us to face the music.

We are complicit in the violence that takes place in our Nation if we fail to strengthen our gun laws, if we fail to invest more resources into our mental health services, and address the issue of bullying. We must take meaningful and immediate action to eradicate the culture of violence in our country.

Mr. Speaker, this evening I am joined by a number of members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and I now yield to the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Danny Davis.

I thank my friend from Illinois for those words and for bringing us the words of young people who are affected by this violence every day.

Mr. Speaker, we are joined by the former chair of the CBC, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

I thank you so much.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from California because, as she was the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, it was she who gave me the opportunity to anchor this hour for my first 2 years as a freshman in this caucus, so I thank you.

My friend from Texas, Congressman Al Green, it is a pleasure to have you with us this evening.

I thank my friend. Thank you so very much.

I now yield to the vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and my good friend from New York, Representative Yvette Clarke.

I thank the gentlelady from New York.

Mr. Speaker, I want you to know that the gentlelady from New York has been a strong and steady voice in our caucus, and I so much appreciate it.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield to my colleague from Ohio, who I'm so pleased has joined this House, the Honorable Joyce Beatty.

I so much thank the gentlelady from Ohio for participating. We certainly know how difficult this is going to be as we move forward, but I am pleased. Thank you very much.

I now yield to the gentleman from New Jersey, who has joined our caucus and we are so pleased to have him, the Honorable Representative Donald Payne, Jr.

Thank you so much. I thank the gentleman. I certainly am pleased to know how supportive you are of efforts to make this a safer country for our young people.

Mr. Speaker, each year, in its Uniform Crime Report, the FBI compiles a list of the cities with the most murders per capita. According to the most recent report, which uses data from 2011, there were over 3,300 murders that occurred in just 15 cities. There were 515 murders in New York City in 2011; 431 in Chicago, Illinois; 344 in Detroit, Michigan; 324 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 297 in Los Angeles, California; 200 in New Orleans, Louisiana; 198 in Houston, Texas; 196 in Baltimore, Maryland; 133 in Dallas, Texas; 117 in Memphis, Tennessee; 116 in Phoenix, Arizona; 113 in St. Louis, Missouri; 108 in Washington, D.C.; 108 in Kansas City, Missouri; and 104 in Oakland, California.

Now, some people may think that violence is only prevalent in urban America, but that is just not true. Recent mass murders have occurred in places like Tucson, Arizona; Aurora, Colorado; Oak Creek, Wisconsin; and Newtown, Connecticut. Violence is truly all around us. It is at our movie theaters, our shopping centers, colleges, places of worship, and even our elementary schools.

During the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, a gunman took the lives of 26 people, including 20 children as young as the age of 5. The victims of this heinous crime were killed at a place that we all consider to be safe.

Since 1982, there have been more than 60 mass murders carried out with firearms across this country. We have had 19 mass shootings in the last 5 years alone. That is a rate of more than one every 4 months. The uptick in these types of crimes should be enough to push our Nation forward on reassessing our gun laws. Unfortunately, our country appears to be at a standstill. Each year, 30,000 Americans lose their lives as a result of gunfire, and about 80,000 Americans were wounded in that same period of time.

The number of gun crimes continues to be high; and yet, we, as a Nation, are hesitant to take immediate action to address this issue.

Thirty-three Americans are murdered with guns every single day. Our Nation has the distinction of having the highest rate of firearm violence in the world.

Proponents of gun rights say that there is an absolute right to bear arms. Mr. Speaker, I disagree. All rights are subject to reasonable restrictions. One can support the Second Amendment while also advocating for policies that keep guns out of the hands of criminals and other dangerous people. We must act immediately on creating a comprehensive, national gun policy that eliminates loopholes in the laws, bans assault weapons, and places limits on high-capacity magazines.

Under current Federal law, background checks are only required for gun sales at licensed dealers. According to Mayors Against Illegal Guns, approximately 6.6 million guns are sold each year in America by unlicensed private sellers. That translates to 40 percent of all U.S. gun sales. These transactions typically occur online or at gun shows without the buyer having to pass a background check.

Federal law carves out a broad exception for private gun sellers who only make what are called ``occasional sales'' or who sell from a ``personal collection.'' What is problematic about this is that there's no set standard for what is considered an ``occasional'' sale.

In a national survey of inmates--listen to this--in a national survey of inmates conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, it was found that nearly 80 percent of those who used a handgun in a crime acquired it in a private transfer. In another troubling statistic, a 2009 New York City undercover investigation at seven gun shows in three States found that 63 percent of private sellers at those shows were willing to sell to someone who admitted that he couldn't pass a background check.

The private-sale loophole has made it far too easy for criminals to exploit the system to obtain guns. For example, in October 2012, Radcliffe Haughton was able to purchase a gun from a private

seller even though he was federally prohibited from doing so. His wife had initiated a restraining order against him. He used the gun that he purchased online to go to a spa where his wife worked. He killed her and two other people and injured four other people before killing himself.

Requiring uniform, criminal background checks for every gun sale is something that has garnered broad support. A 2012 survey by Republican pollster Frank Luntz revealed that 82 percent of gun owners, including 74 percent of National Rifle Association members, support requiring criminal background checks for potential gun owners. This is a prime example of a sensible gun regulation that should be implemented now.

Failing to fully enforce current laws can be just as bad as not having any laws at all, Mr. Speaker. Since its creation in 1999, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, better known as NICS, has prevented more than 1.7 million permit applications and gun sales to felons. The seriously mentally ill and drug abusers have also been stopped in some instances. But despite its success, NICS has a number of gaps and limitations that still enable firearms to be sold to dangerous people. Many prohibited purchasers are able to get their hands on guns because NICS is missing millions of relevant records due to lax reporting by State and Federal agencies.

Twenty-three States and the District of Columbia have submitted fewer than 100 mental health records to NICS--100. Seventeen States have submitted fewer than 10 mental health records, and four States have not submitted any mental health records at all. State substance abuse records have always been significantly underreported. Forty-four States have submitted fewer than 10 records to the Federal database, and 33 States have not submitted any records at all.

Federal agencies have also dragged their feet in fulfilling their reporting responsibilities. Despite being required to do so, many Federal agencies have shared very few mental health records. Only nine of the 60 Federal agencies listed in relevant FBI data have submitted any mental health records.

Incomplete records have allowed dangerous killers to purchase guns. In 2007, Seung Hui Cho shot and killed 32 people at Virginia Tech before taking his own life. Cho had been found mentally ill by a judge; and, as a result, he should have been prohibited from buying a gun. He was able to slip through the cracks and pass a background check at a licensed gun dealer because his mental health records were never submitted to NICS. It is clear that our background check system is broken and needs to be fixed.

The prevalence of assault weapons is another issue that raises great concern for me. These military-style weapons with high-capacity magazines tend to be the weapon of choice in mass shootings and police murders. Those kinds of weapons have been used to inflict the greatest amount of pain in the shortest amount of time.

In a study of high-profile shootings over the past 4 years, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has found that at least one-third of those shootings involved assault weapons and/or high-capacity magazines.

They were used in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012, to kill 26 people; in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, on August 5 to kill six people and wound three others; in Aurora, Colorado, on July 20, 2012, to kill 12 people and injure 58 others; in Tucson, Arizona, on January 8, 2011, to kill six people and wound 13 others; in Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009, to kill 13 people and wound 34 others; and in Binghamton, New York, on April 3, 2009, to kill 13 people and injure four others.

Assault weapons are also a threat to our local law enforcement. On June 8, 2009, in Chesapeake, Virginia, a gunman shot two police officers with a semiautomatic AK-47 assault weapon, firing at least 30 rounds.

In St. Louis, Missouri, on January 7, 2010, Timothy Hendron entered the ABB, Inc. factory with two handguns, a shotgun, and a semiautomatic AK-47 rifle with high-capacity ammunition magazines. He fired approximately 115 rounds, killing three and wounding five before taking his own life. After the shooting, the police chief of St. Louis, Daniel Isom, said:

Our officers didn't have sufficient weapons systems to

engage a person with an AK-47.

On January 26, 2011, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a police officer was ambushed by a teenager who fired a semiautomatic weapon 26 times. Responding to the crime, Oklahoma City Police Chief Bill Citty stated:

There are just more and more assault rifles out there, and

it is becoming a bigger threat to law enforcement each day.

They are outgunned.

Reinstating the assault weapon ban must be a priority for our Nation. It is estimated that there are nearly 18 million assault weapons in circulation in the United States. A 2010 survey by the Police Executive Research Forum revealed that there has been an increase in criminal use of assault weapons since the Federal ban expired in 2004. Thirty-seven percent of police agencies have reported noticeable increases.

Weapons with the ability to carry out such deadly force do not belong on our streets, Mr. Speaker. There is no justification for the use of these weapons anywhere but on the battlefield for which they were designed. I firmly support banning assault weapons of all types.

A ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines has been endorsed by several organizations, including Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Major Cities Chiefs Association, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the Police Executive Research Forum, the Police Foundation, and the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.

The culture of violence doesn't necessarily start with guns. It can often be traced back to mental health concerns and bullying.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's 2009 national survey on drug use and health, there were an estimated 45.1 million U.S. adults living with a mental illness. That is 20 percent of all American adults. Sadly, only 17 million of these adults received services to address their illness. A significant number of the country's inmates also have mental health problems. According to the Department of Justice's 2004 survey of inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities and its 2002 surveys in local jails, nearly 45 percent of all inmates in Federal prison have a mental health problem; over 55 percent of the inmates in State prison have a mental health problem; and nearly 65 percent of inmates in local jails have a mental problem.

We cannot continue to ignore the fact that we need to do more to address the issue of mental health. Turning our back on this problem will not make it go away.

The issue of bullying has become rampant in our society. Too many of our children are being bullied during and after school and on the Internet. According to Stomp Out Bullying, it is estimated that one out of four teens is bullied during their lifetime. Fifty-eight percent of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than 40 percent say it has happened to them more than once. Fifty-three percent of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful to another person online, and more than one in three has done it more than once. Fifty-eight percent have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them online.

Many believe that bullying is a right of passage. I'm here to tell you that it is not. Bullying is intentional, it is cruel, and abusive. It can set the tone for a lifetime of hurt. Many people are never the same after being bullied. Depression, anxiety, and many other psychological problems can result from bullying. Some turn to substance abuse, even suicide.

Bullying is no joking matter. It is not something to be taken lightly. We must inform our children of the consequences of bullying. We must be attentive and listen to their cries for help. How many of our children need to fall victim to this cruel behavior before we are moved to act? We must address this issue now.

Mr. Speaker, as I close, it is very clear that we live in a culture of violence. The culture of violence has ravaged our communities, taking the lives of innocent Americans, ripping apart American families, and destroying families along the way. We must act now because our Nation is depending on us. Anyone who believes that it is okay to use a gun in an open theater is not really thinking very rationally. Someone who believes that you can put a police officer at every single entrance into a school is really not thinking very rationally.

We have to do something. No matter what our personal beliefs are, we are all here to work for the American public, not ourselves. We may have a personal opinion as to what should be done about guns, but the people of America are speaking, and we need to listen to them.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to salute Emanuel Cleaver, II, my chairman and my friend, the Congressman from the great State of Missouri who was unanimously elected to lead the Congressional Black Caucus for the 112th Congress. As we move closer to adjournment of this Congress, I rise with my colleagues to thank Emanuel Cleaver for his stellar leadership and sacrifice during the last 2 years.

From councilman to Kansas City's first African American mayor to Member of Congress, and most recently our leader, Chairman Cleaver has continually represented the interests of both his constituents and scores of underrepresented Americans with an undeniable zeal and passion.

The leader of the Congressional Black Caucus carries the burden of modeling that which makes us the ``Conscience of the Congress,'' and he has succeeded. A man of fine intellect and unwavering integrity who daily exhibits his deep-seated belief in civility, Chairman Cleaver is firm in his convictions based on what is right rather than what is expedient. As an ordained minister with many years of pastoral experience, Emanuel Cleaver has not only served as chairman of the caucus but has served as our spiritual adviser as well. He is a friend on whom we can all depend. He is selfless and unassuming, yet powerful, respected, and a trusted leader on both sides of the aisle. Chairman Emanuel Cleaver has earned the respect and admiration of citizens throughout this Nation and many beyond our borders.

Today, I salute Chairman Emanuel Cleaver. Today, the Congressional Black Caucus salutes him. We thank him for his dedication to our people, his devotion to the highest standards and his undeniably effective leadership. Our caucus thanks Chairman Cleaver, our country thanks him, and I thank him.

Madam Speaker, it is with great sorrow that I rise today to address the senseless murders that took place in Newtown, Connecticut, this past Friday. Mass shootings are always difficult to bear. This one is exceptionally disturbing due to the loss of so many children and those who bravely tried to protect them.

The massacre that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School will forever be embedded in our memory, as will the photos of 20 children as young as 5 years of age who perished in that school, a place that should be safe, a school. These innocent children will never have the opportunity to enjoy their teenage years, to go to a prom, or have families of their own. We owe a debt of gratitude to the teachers who lost their lives trying to shield our children from this senseless crime.

I stand here today unable to make sense of what is a completely incomprehensible situation. We may never know what compelled the shooter in this tragedy to use such high-powered weapons to inflict pain on so many innocent people, but what we do know is that these kinds of crimes are on the rise in our society.

Gun violence, and the culture associated with it, has become so prevalent that now our babies can't even go to

school without fear of being gunned down in their classrooms. We've seen this kind of violence on a college campus in Blacksburg, at a high school in Columbine, and now at an elementary school in Newtown.

Since 1982 there have been more than 60 mass murders carried out with firearms across this country. In the last 5 years alone we have had 19 mass shootings. That's a rate of more than one every 4 months. These are alarming numbers, and we as a Nation must be willing to do something about it.

There have been calls by some for meaningful action, but I implore my colleagues that what we really need is immediate action. The issue of eradicating gun violence is ripe, and we must act now.

The first thing we must do is ban assault weapons of all types. Their only purpose is to kill the largest amount of people in the shortest amount of time. Tragically, the Newtown shooter used a military-style weapon to perform his evil deeds.

Weapons with the ability to carry out such deadly force do not belong on our streets. I challenge anyone to justify the use of these weapons anywhere but on the battlefield for which they were designed.

Proponents of gun rights say that there is an absolute right to bear arms. I disagree. All rights are subject to reasonable restrictions. But what is absolute is that I have a right to leave my home without being shot. People have the right to worship their God without being massacred. The children of Sandy Hook Elementary had an absolute right to go to school without being gunned down. No one sends their child to school expecting that they won't come home.

I understand there are many factors that contribute to these unforgivable acts of violence, but we must start somewhere. It is time for us to have a serious and deliberate conversation about a comprehensive national gun policy that eliminates loopholes in the laws and requires uniform background checks. Enforcing current laws is not getting the job done. We must do more to ensure that our citizens feel safe and secure in their homes, schools, movie theaters, shopping malls, and neighborhoods. We cannot wait for another Tucson, Aurora, Oak Creek, or Newtown massacre. We must take action now.

I ask my colleagues, where do you stand? Whose side are you on? I'm on the side of every man, woman, and child killed in senseless violence. Who in this House can be against commonsense gun safety regulations? Anyone who is is on the wrong side.

Thank you very much.

I rise to pay tribute today to my faithful Ohio colleagues who will be leaving our ranks at the end of this Congress. Three of them represent districts that border mine, and all will be missed by our delegation.

At the beginning of 2011, I pulled together a long list, with my friend Mr. Renacci, of our delegation for dinner. This experience showed everyone who attended that we can work and play together, despite our party affiliations. This isn't true of all delegations. Simply put, it is because of the people who make up the Ohio delegation. Those departing will be deeply missed. I will miss their collective experience, their outstanding wit, and unrivaled passion in serving the people of Ohio. Their departure will truly be a loss to the region, our State, and the Nation.

Dennis Kucinich is one of the most enduring public servants in Cleveland history. From city council to what we used to call ``boy mayor,'' to a Member of Congress, Dennis has represented the city of Cleveland and its citizens with undeniable zeal and passion. First elected to Congress in 1996, Dennis Kucinich is the kind of fighter you want on your team, be it fighting for labor rights or against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He left his mark for being fiery, outspoken, and incorruptible, and the city of Cleveland loves him for it. Dennis was proud to champion liberal causes even when being liberal wasn't popular. He is bright and unflappable in his convictions, traits that earned him admiration from citizens throughout the Nation. Congress will not be the same without him.

Betty Sutton is a leader who has and will undoubtedly continue to make a difference in northeast Ohio. She ran for city council during her first year of law school and won. She is the youngest woman to ever serve in the Ohio State House. She fought hard for the middle class by representing unions and their members as a labor attorney. Betty played a critical role in the passage of the Nation's health care reform bill. She championed the Cash for Clunkers program, helping thousands of Americans afford new cars and helping to revive the economy with this successful program. Betty has been unwavering in her support of America's veterans of all generations. Notably, she always found time in her schedule to greet World War II veterans from Ohio visiting our Nation's Capital. Betty's congressional service to Ohio and the Nation will be missed.

Steve LaTourette. July 30, 2012, was not only a sad day for the State of Ohio and the Ohio delegation, but it was a sad day for all reasonable, level-headed Americans. July 30 marked the day that Steve LaTourette, my good friend, announced his retirement from Congress. Steve is and always will be a champion for all of northeast Ohio. The impact he made on his district and the State cannot be disputed. He is hardworking and easy to work with. Steve is a master of bipartisanship. He wrote the book on working across the aisle. He and I recently introduced the Restore Our Neighborhoods Act, and we are working together to ensure this bill is included in an end-of-the-year bill. We need more Members of Congress like Steve. He is one of the few Members I could always rely on to be objective. He was one of only seven House Republicans to vote against defunding NPR. He was only one of two House Republicans who voted against holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress. Words cannot begin to describe the void Steve's departure will create. We're going to miss him.

Jean Schmidt. I know Congresswoman Schmidt is exceptional. To be the first woman elected to represent southern Ohio in Congress is quite a feat; and to be a grandmother and still run marathons is something that I don't know that anyone else could do.

Although we have not always agreed on policy, we can agree on the importance of promoting female athletes and women in general, and we agree on family values. Jean understands the importance of representing all of the people and all of the parts of her district. We will miss her kindness and her sincerity.

Good luck, my friend.

And Steve Austria, he is one of the five that I did not get an opportunity to know very well, but I have watched him. He has an impressive track record. He served both in the State house and the senate, serving as the majority whip in the senate. He was the first first-generation Filipino to become a Congressman. Steve quickly shot up the ranks to serve on the Appropriations Committee and helped bring much-needed funding to the State of Ohio and to our military installments. He is a principled man, deciding not to run for a third term because he did not want to leave his Beaver Creek home of 20 years as a result of redistricting.

As I have watched him, I know him to be a gentleman. I can tell by a person's demeanor what kind of person he is, and he always carries himself with dignity and respect.

I am sorry that I did not get an opportunity to know you better.

I will close by saying that this House is better and stronger because all of you served here.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to welcome Dr. Leslie D. Callahan to serve as our guest chaplain today. I have known Dr. Callahan since she was a toddler and am proud to say that she is the dedicated senior pastor of St. Paul's Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, its first female leader in 119 years.

Dr. Callahan is a religion scholar who received her bachelor of arts in religion from Harvard University/Radcliff College, a master of divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York, and doctor of philosophy in religion from Princeton University.

A native of Gary, West Virginia, and resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dr. Callahan has been publicly preaching since the age of 19. She is noted for her dynamic preaching and teaching gifts and as a minister who plays a major role in shaping the future of the African American church. She is the mother of 2-month-old Annabelle, or Bella.

Reverend Callahan's character is captured in her favorite scripture from Psalm 27:4:

One thing I desired of the Lord, that I shall seek; that I

may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek God in God's

temple.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in opposition to H.R. 5912. H.R. 5912 terminates the public financing of nominating conventions. The Presidential Election Campaign Fund was created and designed to restore public confidence in the political process in a post-Watergate world. Since 1976, both parties have requested and received public funds to finance their nominating conventions, including as recently as this year. The aim of H.R. 5912 is to inject more private influence over elections, even though the current level is already appallingly high. This bill turns over another electoral function to private interests. It invites the very corruption the Presidential Election Campaign Fund was created to combat. This system needs to be reformed, not repealed, and we ought to be having a serious debate about the outsized role money plays in our politics.

Because the majority has failed to act, the ranking member of the House Administration Committee, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, was forced to have his own forum on the poisoning effect of money in politics. We have not considered the DISCLOSE Act or any legislation of substance to deal with the secret money influencing our politics. The Voter Empowerment Act was introduced months ago. Yet absolutely nothing has been done to address the threat of millions of voters being disenfranchised this November. Most appalling, Mr. Speaker, is the fact that

this Congress is making its own history as the least productive Congress in a generation.

This Congress has already considered the substance of the measure before us--at least twice--in November, 2011, and again this past January. To be blunt, Mr. Speaker, this is simply a waste of time. Unemployment insurance and Medicare physician payment rates need to be tackled. Middle class tax cuts are set to expire and we need to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. This bill does nothing to address deficit reduction, but here we are considering it while ignoring the looming sequester. We voted to repeal ObamaCare more than 30 times without voting on a serious jobs bill once. This piece of legislation further intertwines our political process with the private interests while pleas from the middle class are blatantly ignored and the economic future of this country hangs in the balance.

For almost 2 years now, serious issues have been ignored in favor of politically convenient empty gestures. And this is more of the same. It is time to get serious and it is time to get to work. We can start by opposing this legislation and urging the majority to address the real issues facing this country.

I urge a ``no'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Just to be clear, let me first say it will not reduce the deficit. This is a voluntary checkoff. This does not come from taxpayers' dollars. It will not reduce the deficit. So let's be clear.

Secondly, when he talked about the Senate having passed this on a 95- 5 vote, he doesn't say it was an amendment to the farm bill. It was not a standalone bill for this purpose.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Let me be clear again: This is a voluntary checkoff. They check the box because they want the money to go to conventions and/or political activity. It is not something that we require them to do. It is voluntary. So if, in fact, we are going to stop and give the money back, the money should go back to the American people, not to reduce the deficit, because that is the purpose for which the money was sent to us in the first place.

With that, I urge a ``no'' vote and yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of America's 12\1/2\ million obese youth. I stand on behalf of America's 3.7 million low- income children between the ages of 2 and 4 who are either overweight or obese. Millions of our children depend on school meals and the generosity of food pantries for most of their nutrients. These are the children I've come to speak to you about today.

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, the month when Americans are reminded of the plight facing our children if we don't ensure they receive better meals and build an environment that promotes physical activity.

It is time to get involved in the well-being of every child in America. So join me. Make a difference in a child's life during National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and all year long.

Thank you so very much, and thank you as always for anchoring this CBC hour week in and week out. Thank you, Mr. Whip, for supporting this very important issue.

Mr. Speaker, this is America. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave. I, too, sing America, land of the free and home of the brave, Mr. Speaker. America, the light on the hill, the standard, the example, a country built on democracy and inclusion. America,

a country of men and women willing to give their lives to ensure the rights of all people to elect their leadership. But some right here in America are now doing all they can to restrict the ability for us to do the same. They're chipping away at the very foundation upon which all of our rights rest, and that is the right to vote. Yet 31 American States have begun limiting the rights of their citizens to participate in our democracy's most important function, and that is voting.

If things remain as they are today, Mr. Speaker, by the 2012 election, 11 percent, or 21 million American voters, may not be allowed to cast their ballot. Twenty-five percent of them will be African American and 18 percent of them will be our Nation's elderly. This is a national shame. The fact that this was a coordinated effort is a national scandal.

Recently, the Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Mike Turzai told the State's Republican committee, ``Voter ID, which is going to allow Governor Romney to win the State of Pennsylvania--done.''

They can't win without cheating? Have they no shame? Mr. Turzai and others are blatantly and boldly attempting to encumber the rights of the American people. They do not want a level playing field.

A trend that began in just a few States like Pennsylvania has now sparked a wildfire. In Texas, you can face prosecution for registering voters. Five States--Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, Kansas, and Wisconsin--all have passed laws requiring voters to produce a government-issued ID before casting a ballot. In Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and West Virginia, early voting and absentee voting have been cut short. Even in my home State of Ohio, we're still fighting. We are fighting restrictive actions taken by our State legislature.

Time and time again, Ohio Republicans have tried everything in the book to keep voters away from the polls. Ohio's current legislation will keep as many as 54,000 legitimate voters in my district alone from voting. It could restrict 4 percent of all voters in our county from voting, the county with the highest percentage of minorities.

I'm quite a sports fan. In sports, if somebody wants to change the outcome of a game, they do something that they call ``point-shaving.'' What this is is point-shaving. If we can shave off enough points in every State, even if it is one or two points, this election can be up in the air. It's point-shaving.

Sometimes I think it is time for America to be angry. Sometimes someone needs to know we won't lay down without a fight, that we won't just throw in the towel in defeat. If we fail to act, if we ignore the vicious attack on the right to vote, if we don't do what we need to do to educate voters and fight these suppressive laws, it will have an effect in November and many years beyond.

If we stand idly by, how many voters will be disenfranchised due to changes in voting rules? If we sit on the sidelines, how many people will come to the polls with a utility bill and be turned away because they need a government-issued ID? If we say nothing, how many people will be erroneously purged from the county voter rolls? In my county, that's many people. If we do nothing, how many people will be denied the opportunity to register to vote because community and religious groups can no longer hold voter registration drives?

In the past year, more States have passed more laws punishing more voters out of the ballot box than any time since the rise of Jim Crow.

Join my colleagues and me. Get angry, America. The time for action is now.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose H.R. 6079.

Republicans in Congress need to stop the political grandstanding, stop wasting this House's time and the taxpayers' money, and start doing the work we were elected to do. There are critical issues facing the American people that desperately need our attention.

The middle class is asking Republicans: Where are the jobs? And what is their plan to stop outsourcing American jobs?

We should and we must focus on legislation in this House that will strengthen our economy. Yet it seems like Groundhog Day, the same thing over and over and over again.

The American people should know what it's going to mean to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Let me tell you what it means.

It means that the Republicans support legislation that will make insurance company CEOs and executives richer.

It means that Republicans support legislation that will deny the right of young adults to remain on their parents' insurance until age 26.

What it means is that the Republicans support legislation that will deny individuals with preexisting conditions the right to affordable health care.

It means that Republicans support legislation that will raise prescription drug costs for our seniors and eliminate provisions that hold insurance companies accountable for double-digit premium increases.

It means that Republicans support legislation that will raise the taxes of hundreds of thousands of small businesses by eliminating the small business health care tax credit, which helped them afford health insurance for more than 2 million workers.

And just for the record, The Washington Post Fact Checker has also concluded, and I quote, ``The health law will provide more tax relief than tax burden for middle class families.''

Again, it says, ``The health law will provide more tax relief than tax burden for middle class families.''

This repeal would mean that Republicans support legislation that will prevent eligible constituents from receiving the same health care coverage as Members of Congress. And I'm not sure why Republicans feel their constituents do not deserve the same access that they enjoy themselves. But by voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act, that is exactly the message being sent to the people we represent.

Thank you so much. I thank you for yielding, and I thank the gentlelady for all of her work on the Affordable Care Act.

People seem to believe that this was something done in haste. They don't understand that for almost a year or more, people like you, people like members of the CBC worked very, very hard to make sure that we could come up with legislation that would be not only a good piece of legislation for the people of this country, but that would be something that would befit this Congress.

So I thank you for your work. You know that you have been our leader, especially with the CBC, but as well as in this House. You have been our leader on this, and I thank you for that.

Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues to express my strong support of affordable health care for all Americans. The Supreme Court has spoken, upholding landmark legislation that ensures all Americans have access to affordable, quality health care.

Millions of Americans across the country are already realizing the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, and the numbers are impressive:

Eighty-six million Americans have received free preventive screenings, free physical exams, mammograms, and other cancer screenings;

Seventeen million children with preexisting conditions can no longer be denied coverage, and 6.6 million young adults now remain under their parents' insurance plan until the age of 26;

Seventy thousand previously uninsured Americans with preexisting conditions now have the security of coverage through the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance program.

The act pays for actual care--this is something that people don't understand. The act pays for actual care, not the overinflated salaries of CEOs and executives. As a result, 12.8 million Americans will receive more than $1.1 billion in rebates because their insurance companies spent too much of their premium dollars on administrative costs or CEO bonuses.

Let me repeat that in another way.

They are required to spend the bulk of your money--at least 80 percent--on actual care. If they don't spend it on actual care, then you are reimbursed, and that is what is happening. So now we are going to be rebated more than $1 billion.

Further, the law makes enormous headway toward closing the gap on health disparities--of which my colleague knows so much. It includes increased funding for community health centers, which are so often a critical part of the health safety net in underserved communities.

We should be focusing on creating jobs rather than voting to repeal a law that is estimated to provide health care coverage to up to 32 million Americans. The highest court in the land has ruled, and the American people won. Let's stop this foolishness and focus on jobs.

Thank you, and I thank you again for your service.

Mr. Chair, I rise today to address the dire need to provide resources to repair our nation's infrastructure and put Americans back to work.

One of the best ways to create jobs today is to invest in American transportation and infrastructure through the fiscal year 2013 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, approximately 35,000 jobs are created for every $1 billion spent on highway and bridge construction. If Congress can spend a billion dollars each month fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, then we should be able to invest in America's workforce and infrastructure.

The very foundation of America, our infrastructure, is crumbling beneath our feet. The current condition of the infrastructure in the U.S. earns a grade of ``D''.

One-third of our roads are in poor, mediocre or fair condition and nearly 70,000 of our bridges are structurally deficient.

China and India have outpaced the U.S. with respect to infrastructure spending. Among developed countries, we rank 23rd in the world, behind South Korea, Taiwan and Barbados.

Now is not the time to short change our future; now is the time to repair our infrastructure.

In addition to repairing America's infrastructure, it is imperative that I address the lack of funding for housing in the Transportation- Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill. Allowing drastic cuts in the HUD budget squanders the opportunity to create jobs and address the nation's affordable housing needs.

Simply stated, vulnerable Americans will lose their housing if Congress passes this bill in its current form. This bill will ``short fund'' project-based Section 8 contracts, which will force HUD to straddle fiscal years to shift costs from FY2013 to FY2014 and beyond. Because contracts are currently funded for 12 months, the proposed $1.1 billion in ``savings'' will have to be made up in the next fiscal year.

If the funds are not replenished in fiscal year 2014 and beyond, the consequences will be dire:

1.3 million families, 53 percent of whom are elderly or disabled, face losing their housing;

100,000 jobs will be in jeopardy;

$460 million in local tax receipts could be lost; and

$13.6 billion in Federal Housing Authority insured debt will be at risk.

If funding for contract renewals under the Tenant Based Rental Assistance program is not increased, 58,000 low-income households will lose rental assistance in fiscal year 2013.

The reality is that millions of low-income families, who need a strong safety net, are assisted by HUD to help them through difficult times. By eliminating this funding, we are pulling the safety, net from underneath them allowing more Americans to fall into poverty and homelessness.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this Appropriations bill.

Mr. Chairman, today I rise to speak in opposition to the House resolution to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress.

With total disregard of the fact that the Attorney General and the Department of Justice have cooperated with each inquiry from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee during the last 15 months, Chairman Issa decided to pursue this extreme and unprecedented action.

To take action on this resolution is a gross misuse of this Chamber's time and energy, given that the information requested by Chairman Issa will shed no light on the person or persons responsible for the death of Agent Brian Terry, and that is where our time and energy should be focused.

Instead of wasting the time of the committee, the Department of Justice, and the American people with political distractions, the House should be addressing the issues important to the welfare of this country and its people, and that is jobs.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise on behalf of the women who are part of the fabric of our Nation's workforce.

Nationally, women working full time are paid 77 cents for every dollar paid to men. These disparities are even worse for women of color. In Ohio, my home State, African American women are paid only 62 cents, and Hispanic American women only 54 cents for every dollar paid to white males.

The gender wage gap not only hurts women; unfair wages hurt entire families. In nearly two out of three American families, a woman is either the bread winner or co-bread winner of their household. That means if women are not paid fairly, many families will not get fed.

I cosponsored the Paycheck Fairness Act because I cannot and will not stand by as pay disparities persist. Gender discrimination is shameless and intolerable, and it must be stopped.

Madam Speaker, today I rise on behalf of the millions of veterans who have returned home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

From joblessness to hopelessness, the readjustment to civilian life has been extremely difficult for many of our brave men and women. It is our responsibility to do all we can to lighten their already heavy load.

Today, my colleagues and I sent a letter to the Education and the Workforce Committee urging Chairman Kline to address the aggressive and deceptive targeting of servicemembers, veterans, and their families by educational institutions, particularly for-profit career colleges.

I've read reports of schools steering our vets and family members into expensive loans, rather than directing them to less expensive Federal student loans. This is egregious and appalling, and it must be stopped. Join me in calling for hearings and for the movement of legislation.

Madam Speaker, I hereby submit the enclosed letter:

Pittsburgh, PA, May 8, 2012.

Hon. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon,

Chairman, Armed Services Committee, House of Representatives,

Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman McKeon: On behalf of the United Steelworkers

(USW) union, I write to express our strong concern with

language included in the House Armed Services Committee's

FY13 National Defense Authorization Bill (NDAA). As we

understand it, the language will necessitate a change of

worker health and safety enforcement at Department of Energy

(DOE) weapons complex sites from the DOE's office of Health,

Safety and Security (HSS) to the National Nuclear Security

Administration (NNSA). In addition, this legislation would

shift the entire safety and health structure to performance-

based oversight based on Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA) standards. Performance-based oversight

effectively eliminates the current DOE specific health and

safety standards that provide the means for protections to be

implemented at these facilities and also removes the

enforcement mechanisms that are vital to ensure worker and

public safety.

The USW represents workers at several DOE facilities. Our

members at these sites are exposed to a variety of

radioactive and toxic materials. Many of the operations of

these facilities are completely unique to the DOE. These

unique hazards have resulted in specific worker safety orders

being issued to provide requirements for the contractors to

follow, and for the workers to understand proper workplace

protections.

Some of the protections that will be stripped from workers

are those included in DOE Order 850. DOE Order 850 provides

specific worker protections for exposure to beryllium.

Beryllium is an extremely toxic and dangerous compound. It

causes a devastating lung disorder called chronic beryllium

disease. The DOE Order is significantly better than the

current standard for beryllium from OSHA including an

exposure limit that is 10 times less than OSHA's. The OSHA

standard for beryllium was adopted in 1970; the beryllium

industry itself acknowledges that it is woefully inadequate.

In contrast, the DOE beryllium standard is far more

protective. Another example is the DOE's Order 851, which

requires the sites to have defined, proactive safety and

health programs. There is no equivalent OSHA rule. Most

important, the DOE can order a contractor to correct a hazard

immediately. OSHA can do so only in the most extreme cases.

An employer who contests an OSHA citation can delay abatement

until he or she exhausts every appeal up to the U.S. Supreme

Court, a process that can take years.

We are also extremely concerned with the consequences this

legislation would have on worker radiation safety. The

current standard within the DOE is to provide protections to

workers that are as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA).

This legislation would strip away the gains in radiation

safety that have been made over the past half century and

instead implement lesser protections that are as low as

reasonably practicable (ALARP). We know that ALARP

protections will increase the radiation exposure to workers

in these facilities. This will result in today's workers

being our next generation of occupational disease victims.

We urge you to remove this language from the FY13 NDAA as

it will serve to weaken critical health and safety protection

for workers. We stand ready to meet with you or other members

of the committee to explore this matter further and provide

information from the USW as a stakeholder in this process.

Sincerely,

Leo W. Gerard,

International President.