Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 11, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. And I want to thank Chairman George Miller for his continuing leadership and dedication in bringing this bill to the floor.

H.R. 11 is needed because the U.S. Supreme Court, in 2007, ruled in Ledbetter v. Goodyear that did not take into consideration the reality that discovering discriminatory pay at the outset is difficult for employees. The Court's imposition of 180 days to file a discrimination claim is totally unrealistic and unfair.

When Lilly Ledbetter came to testify before the Education and Labor Committee in 2007, I was moved by her story of justice denied. Ms. Ledbetter was deprived of lost wages compensation because she did not know she was being paid less than her male colleagues until many years had passed since her employers made the initial decision to discriminate.

This bill restores fairness to any employee who has been paid less than their coworkers. I urge my colleagues to support the Lilly Ledbetter Fair

Pay Act, as well as the Paycheck Fairness Act also being debated this morning.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 12, the Paycheck Fairness Act of 2009. As a member of the Education and Labor Committee and an original cosponsor, I am glad to have the opportunity to speak in support of this important bill today.

While women have made tremendous strides in the workplace since the passage of the Equal Pay Act 43 years ago, their earnings have not kept pace with that of their male coworkers. In the United States, the average full-time working woman earns just 77 cents to every dollar earned by her male colleagues. This discrepancy in earnings throughout a woman's career may cost her hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars in lost income and retirement savings.

I urge my colleagues to protect the rights of women against pay discrimination and ensure that women are treated fairly in the workplace. Please support equal pay for equal work and vote yes on the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Madam Speaker, the emergency financial rescue package I am supporting today, while far from perfect, contains noticeable improvements on the Paulson Plan we considered on Monday. This package is much more balanced in favor of helping everyday people, middle-class families, and small businesses. The bailout package we considered on Monday was simply too geared toward Wall Street and the corporations whose irresponsible practices helped create this crisis in the first place.

This new financial rescue package raises the cap on FDIC-insured bank accounts from $100,000 to $250,000, which will assist families and small businesses while restoring Americans' confidence that their savings are secure.

The new package provides tax relief for middle-class families and tax incentives designed to create new jobs and economic opportunities in Hawaii, where people have been hit hard by the economic downturn that preceded this financial crisis. The majority of the tax relief, tax credits, and tax extenders added to the package will provide direct relief and economic assistance to middle-class families and working people--such as the Alternative Minimum Tax, AMT, relief provision and tax credits to speed research, development, and use of renewable energy sources like wind and solar.

The AMT fix, for example, will prevent some 40,000 constituents in my second district of Hawaii from having to pay higher taxes that were originally intended only to affect wealthy taxpayers.

The renewable energy tax credits are critical to encourage investment in the alternative energy projects Hawaii needs to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

In addition, the bill reauthorizes for 2 years the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds, QZAB, program, which helps school districts with low- income populations save on interest costs associated with financing school renovations and repairs. Hawaii received about $1.3 million in QZAB allocations in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

Another significant provision of this bill requires insurance mental health parity legislation that advocates in Congress have been trying to pass for the past 10 years. I am an original cosponsor of this legislation. These provisions, included in the financial rescue package, will make sure that families struggling with mental illness do not have that challenge compounded by inadequate coverage of mental health care costs.

I have voted for these energy, business, and middle-class tax relief measures earlier in the House. These provisions will help 30 million homeowners, create 500,000 American green jobs, and provide tax relief for well over 25 million middle-class families. Including those tax relief proposals as part of the financial rescue package has made the overall proposal more balanced, and more likely to help everyday people get through these difficult economic times.

The economic downturn we are facing, resulting in loss of jobs, foreclosures, and families having difficulty paying for life's necessities, will not be fixed by this relief bill. The economic provisions added to the bill will help. But we need a broader economic stimulus package to get our economy going in the right direction again.

I am disappointed that it appears the Senate is not taking up the economic stimulus package (H.R. 7110) recently passed in the House, which will create jobs, extend unemployment benefits, help States with Medicaid reimbursements, and support our Food Stamp program. This bill represented some $222 million for Hawaii.

I did talk to Senator Obama about his perspective and my concerns about this bill. We both know that much more work remains to be done to address the underlying economic and regulatory problems that won't be fixed with this bill. We agree that new Federal investments are needed in transportation and clean water infrastructure as well as in education to enhance our Nation's competitiveness and to put people to work. Senator Obama also shares my concern that the cost of this rescue plan will not ultimately fall on the taxpayers, and he reassured me of his commitment to impose financial service fees to make taxpayers whole. With the right leadership in the White House, I am confident that we can make the changes needed in future legislation to protect homeowners and taxpayers and to reform our financial markets.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership on this very important issue.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6867, the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008. We heard this morning that the national unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in September and 9.5 million Americans are out of work, 2.2 million more unemployed workers than just 1 year ago.

The unemployment rate in Hawaii has gone up from 2.7 percent in August 2007, one of the lowest in the country, to 4.2 percent in August of 2008. That increase amounted to 10,800 more people out of work in my State in just 1 year. The 28,100 unemployed men and women in Hawaii are struggling to pay their mortgages, health premiums and energy costs while they continue to look for work in the middle of an economic downturn.

Many Hawaii businesses have closed their doors or laid off workers in the last year, including Aloha Airlines, ATA, Maui Land and Pine, and Norwegian Cruise Line. The Hawaii economy is struggling. Tourism, agriculture and retail are all down, making it harder for people in our State to find new jobs.

Congress must act now to provide help for the 9.5 million Americans who are out of work. Nearly 800,000 of these workers are projected to exhaust their extended unemployment benefits this month. Over the next 3 months, over 2,400 unemployed workers in Hawaii will exhaust their benefits, leaving thousands of Hawaii families out of work and out of money.

We have before us an important bill that would extend these benefits for 7 weeks for the thousands of unemployed in Hawaii and across our country. I urge a yes vote on this measure.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1436, Congratulating the

Waipio Little League baseball team for winning the 2008 Little League World Championship. These young men from Hawaii won the World Series on August 24, after defeating Team Mexico with an impressive score of 12- 3.

As a member of the Hawaii Congressional Delegation and as an island resident I am delighted to distinguish these young men.

Waipio became only the second team in Little League World Series Championship game history to score in every inning. It was the second time in four years that a team from Oahu won the world title in what is arguably the biggest event in youth sports.

The Waipio Players have demonstrated skills in leadership, athleticism, and above all, team work. Through their example we can all recognize that with cooperation and hard work much can be achieved.

I join their family and friends in applauding them on this outstanding achievement. I would like to acknowledge all the coaches and players' families who make this program such a success. For the commitment, time, and expense it took to get the team from their home field in Waipio all the way to the World Series in Williamsport, PA.

As was evidenced by the hundreds of Hawaii residents that lined Kalakaua Avenue during the ``Parade of Champions'' earlier this month-- Waipio Little League, you make Hawaii proud.

I rise in support of H.R. 2786, the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act, NAHASDA. Reauthorization of NAHASDA through FY2012 will ensure that safe, decent, and affordable housing is available to low-income American Indian and Alaska Native families.

At the same time, I am very troubled by the obstructionist tactics of certain Republicans in

the Senate that resulted in stripping reauthorization of the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant and Loan Guarantee Program from the final version of this bill. Native Hawaiians, like other indigenous peoples of the United States, are members of traditionally underserved communities and deserve equitable participation in federal programs with American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Legislation will be reintroduced next year that will reauthorize funding for the Native Hawaiian housing program to ensure that the affordable housing needs of Native Hawaiians are addressed. Since the inception of the Native Hawaiian housing program in FY2002, $37 million has been awarded to Hawaii to support much-needed affordable housing activities for low-income Native Hawaiians who are eligible to reside on Hawaiian home lands. I believe in the importance of Native Hawaiian programs, and I will continue to champion these programs.

I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 2786, and I ask for your support to correct this unfair exclusion of Native Hawaiians.

Mr. Speaker, I am shocked that some in our community have implied that minorities are somehow responsible for the financial debacle our country is facing now.

Apparently, the argument is that minorities are getting loans through the Community Reinvestment Act on the basis of race, and often little else. I don't know what evidence there is for such a sentiment, but I do know that the vast majority of subprime market loans were financed by Wall Street, not by the commercial banks regulated under the Community Reinvestment Act.

Trying to shift the focus from the lack of oversight by this administration of our financial markets and the irresponsible behavior of so many brokerage firms by scapegoating minority families who are trying to realize the American Dream of homeownership is not only insensitive, but insulting.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 630, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in expressing great sympathy on the sudden passing of Stephanie Tubbs Jones.

Stephanie Tubbs Jones was a pioneer her entire professional career: She was the first African-American and the first female prosecutor in Cuyahoga County, Ohio; the first African-American woman to sit on the Common Pleas bench in Ohio; the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress from Ohio; and the first African-American woman to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee.

As a first term member of Congress, my service with Stephanie was too short, but I will fondly remember her bright smile and vibrant personality. Her leadership and passion will be sorely missed.

I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Stephanie's son, Mervyn Leroy Jones II, and her sister, Barbara Walker.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 560, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. King of Iowa

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4137, the Higher Education Opportunity Act. I want to thank my colleagues on the Education and Labor Committee and in the Senate for their commitment to this important piece of legislation. While this reauthorization is long overdue, I believe this compromise bill will provide millions of our nation's students with increased access to higher education.

This bipartisan bill will help provide families with critical information about the cost of college and student financial aid programs. By helping families better understand the true financial costs of higher education and how they can apply for student aid, families will be better able to make informed choices about their student's education.

The Higher Education Opportunity Act truly an investment in education at all levels. To provide all of our children with a high quality education that will better prepare them for success in school and in life we must ensure that there is a qualified, caring, competent teacher in every classroom, particularly in the early years. This bill makes great progress toward this goal by expanding student loan forgiveness and professional development programs that will help recruit, prepare, and retain teachers in the field of early education.

This bill will also provide more low-income and minority students with support to prepare

for and successfully attend college. I am particularly pleased to see provisions in this reauthorization that provide much-needed resources to Native Hawaiian-serving institutions for programs to help Native Hawaiians meet the demands of careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Again, I want to thank my colleagues from both chambers for their tireless efforts in advancing this significant legislation. In particular, I would like to recognize Senator Ted Kennedy for his leadership and for his years of dedication to improving access to high quality education for all of our students.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support the Higher Education Opportunity Act.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1338, the Paycheck Fairness Act. This legislation is needed to strengthen the Equal Pay Act of 1963. I thank Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro for sponsoring this bill and fighting for its passage year after year and Chairman George Miller for championing this bill through the committee and on the House floor.

The Paycheck Fairness Act has garnered tremendous support from 230 cosponsors and over 200 national, state, and Iocal organizations. While the Equal Pay Act was intended to prevent pay discrimination in the workplace, 45 years after it was signed by President Kennedy, women, and especially women of color, continue to take home significantly less pay than men for the same work. Single women and female heads of households fare the worst in the current system. These women earn less than their male colleagues during their careers, which in turn adversely affects their ability to save and accrue retirement benefits.

As a representative of the second Congressional district of Hawaii, I have the great honor and responsibility of continuing the important work of my predecessor, Patsy Takemoto Mink. Congresswoman Mink's personal struggles as a woman in a culture dominated by men inspired her to work tirelessly for equal rights for women and girls. She faced obstacles in pursuing her education and career, but she was not deterred--instead, she broke down barriers, becoming the first Japanese-American woman admitted to the bar in Hawaii and the first woman of color elected to national office in this country when she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1964. Today, women continue to break down barriers in the workplace, but they still receive only a fraction of the pay men receive for the same work.

Although the Equal Pay Act of 1963 was passed to prevent pay discrimination based on sex, the law clearly has not had the intended result, even after 45 years. Women still make only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men for equal work. This bill will strengthen enforcement of the law, thereby fulfilling its intended purpose.

I strongly urge my colleagues to stand up for the right of women to receive equal pay and support the Paycheck Fairness Act.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of amendment number 22, offered by Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner, which would provide a one time payment to the courageous Filipino veterans of World War II.

Filipino veterans are those that honorably answered the call of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and served alongside our armed forces during World War II. They fought shoulder to shoulder with American servicemen; they sacrificed for the same just cause. We made a promise to provide full veterans' benefits to those who served with our troops. And while we have made appreciable progress toward fulfilling that promise, we have not yet achieved the full equity that the Filipino veterans deserve.

I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 760, The Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007, which was introduced by the Chairman to provide the necessary reclassification of the service of Filipino veterans to make them eligible for all the veterans' benefits programs administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs. In essence, H.R. 760 makes good on the promise our government made to these brave men over sixty years ago.

Today, out of the 250,000 Filipino World War II veterans, only 18,000 are left. Of that number some 2,000 reside in my home state of Hawaii. As Filipino veterans are entering the sunset years of their lives, Congress is running out of time to fulfill our obligations to them.

While there is no question in my mind that the appropriate action for Congress is to provide full veterans' benefits to the Filipino World War II veterans, this one time payment of $15,000 to those veterans who are now American citizens and a $9,000 payment to those veterans that remain Philippine nationals is a gesture that is a step forward in the little time we have left to thank and respect the promises made to these brave soldiers for their service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I missed three votes today due to an emergency dental procedure. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows:

Rollcall vote 524: ``yes'' on motion on ordering the previous question on the rule providing for consideration of motions to suspend the rules (H. Res. 1367).

Rollcall vote 525: ``yes'' on H. Res. 1367, the rule providing for consideration of motions to suspend the rules.

Rollcall vote 526: ``yes'' on motion on ordering the previous question on the rule for H.R. 5501--Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 (H. Res. 1362).

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1139, a resolution that recognizes the men and women of Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard for their service to our military on the 100th anniversary of its opening.

Established by the United States Navy in 1908, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard has a distinguished history of serving our country. Attacked on December 7, 1941, the workers of Pearl Harbor quickly recovered, returning fifteen of eighteen damaged ships to combat within half a year. On June 1, 1942, an extensively damaged USS Yorktown arrived in Pearl Harbor needing repairs that would normally take an estimated four months to complete. Shipyard workers performed these repairs in only 72 hours and returned the Yorktown to sea, where it played a decisive role in the Battle of Midway, the pivotal naval battle in the Pacific during World War II.

The Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard currently serves as the home port for seventeen Los Angeles-class submarines and twelve other naval ships. Workers at this shipyard have repaired ships successfully in every war from World War II to the present and are now preparing for the Navy's Virginia-class submarines that are scheduled to begin arriving in 2009. It is time for us to recognize this longstanding commitment to our country and celebrate the tireless contributions of the men and women of Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

I urge my colleagues to support this measure.