Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009.

The Armed Forces Tuition Assistance program offers active duty personnel in our Nation's Armed Forces an annual stipend to enroll in college courses during their off-duty time.

Unfortunately, low awareness of this program and the rigorous and inflexible schedules of our troops have prevented the full utilization of these programs. While the education of our veterans deservedly garners much of our attention, it is important for us to remember that our servicemembers' educational pursuits should not be suspended while on active duty.

Our modest amendment will authorize military installations to enter into partnerships with educational institutions to help provide a richer and more flexible course schedule for our men and women in the armed services.

I wish to thank Mr. Castle for joining with me in this effort and hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting this amendment.

Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably detained in my Congressional District in Texas on Tuesday, May 13, 2008. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall votes 306, 307, and 308.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 317, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Stated against:

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the underlying bill, H.R. 3221, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, and in particular H.R. 5830, the FHA Housing Stabilization and Homeownership Retention Act of 2008, which is part of this housing rescue package.

I am proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 5830. I believe that it is a well-balanced measure that will go a long way towards turning around the housing crisis and address the issues that have resulted in a nationwide economic crisis.

Mr. Speaker, I am especially pleased with title II of the bill which establishes a long-needed Office of Housing Counseling within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. I commend Chairman Frank and Ranking Member Waters for including it in their bill.

I sincerely appreciate the fact that community-based organizations with expertise in the field of housing counseling will be given a voice in the development of such policies. I am pleased that the bill provides for the building of capacity to provide housing counseling services in areas that lack sufficient services such as large parts of my district in the Rio Grande Valley and in rural America in general.

Moreover, I applaud Chairman Frank and Congresswoman Waters for including in the bill the authorization of $3 million for public service announcements as part of the act's national public service multimedia campaign. This campaign will help persons facing mortgage foreclosure, elderly persons, persons who face language barriers, and low-income persons.

I want to take this opportunity to thank them for increasing the availability, affordability, and quality of housing in rural America. And I believe this bill will do more of the same.

Mr. Speaker, I believe the product Chairman Frank and Congresswoman Waters have brought to the floor will result in more homeowners remaining in their homes and help stabilize the housing market. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Coastal Bend College, in Beeville, Texas on its 40th Anniversary. Bee County Junior College District was created by election on November 2, 1965. The election resulted from several years of work to establish a community college for Bee County. Support was shown by residents in an overwhelming five-to-one majority for the creation of the district. The desire for a community college was again demonstrated on December 7, 1965, when district citizens approved a tax to support BCC, and bond issues to build the college. Bee County College opened in September 1967 with 790 students, 24 full-time instructors and 11 part-time teachers. Its first class graduated in May of 1968.

In 1998 Bee County College changed its name to Coastal Bend College to reflect its expanding role in the region. Today, the Coastal Bend College service area includes Karnes, McMullen, Live Oak, Bee, Duval, Jim Wells and Brooks Counties, and parts of Atascosa and Kleberg Counties with campuses in Alice, Beeville, Kingsville and Pleasanton. Enrollment in academic, workforce education and continuing education classes during the spring of 2006 was 3,534. More than 100,000 students have passed through at least one of the four campuses over the past 40 years.

Coastal Bend College's current president, Dr. Thomas B. Baynum, came to the college in 2007. Under his leadership, the Texas Coordinating Board recently approved the opening of a full nursing program at Coastal Bend College. This new nursing program will help the school provide training that will not only offer graduates good paying jobs, but will also help alleviate the severe nursing shortage which this rural region faces as well as our State of Texas.

As a Hispanic Serving Institution, Coastal Bend College plays a critical role in graduating Hispanic students who will make up a large portion of our future workforce. The Higher Education Reauthorization Act, which is currently being negotiated in Congress, will help colleges like Coastal Bend increase their recruitment of minority students.

This weekend, Coastal Bend College will be celebrating this important 40th anniversary with a variety of events, including musical performances, art exhibits and most importantly, the graduation of students in its 40th graduating class. I want to again congratulate Coastal Bend College for reaching this important milestone and wish every graduating student success in their future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 280, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Madam Speaker, on this Cinco de Mayo, it is quite appropriate that the City of Edcouch, in my Congressional district, is repealing a 1931 city ordinance that should have never been approved. This ordinance segregated the city into two portions based strictly on racial and national origin. It was this type of prejudice, sanctioned by local government, which created fear and insecurity among the residents of Edcouch and the surrounding region. It was this type of discrimination that caused my family to move from Edcouch to Mercedes, Texas.

I recall how my brothers and I had to attend segregated schools in Edcouch. It did not matter that my parents and family were upstanding citizens of Edcouch or that my father started and ran a business. It didn't matter that we were hardworking and wanted to help the community grow, and it did not matter that we were U.S. citizens. No, it was our last name and family lineage that defined who we were and where we could live. That type of treatment stays in your mind forever. That is why this Nation has to constantly strive to improve civil rights for everyone in 2008 and beyond.

The struggle for civil rights by Mexican-Americans and other Hispanics throughout the southwest is well documented. In my district, it was the 1968 Edcouch-Elsa high school walkouts that sent a loud message that justice had not yet been achieved for all. Those walkouts eventually led to a Federal court declaring the ban on Spanish speaking in schools to be unconstitutional. That demonstration and legal action led to the establishment of bilingual education in public schools.

Back in the 1930s and 1940s, little did anyone expect that a Mexican- American, born in Edcouch, would one day be the U.S. Congressman representing the Edcouch community. But, we should not focus completely on the past. We must look forward, because many challenges remain.

The ugly head of prejudice still shows itself, especially against immigrants. My parents

were immigrants and many others like them are greatly responsible for much of the Nation's economic growth. That is why comprehensive immigration reform is so important.

At the local level, much remains to be done to help Edcouch and the surrounding Delta region reach its potential. Projects such as the Mercado Delta and the future Gran Parque will raise the quality of life in this community to another level.

I congratulate the City of Edcouch for being a full partner in these projects and for seeing a greater future for itself. Today, it has taken a very symbolic and significant step to correct an injustice from its past. For that, I commend the community and its city leaders and am confident that Edcouch will become a model of success in the Rio Grande Valley region.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5715, the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act. I especially want to thank Chairman George Miller and ranking member Buck McKeon and all the others who have worked with us to be able to resolve the challenge of access and affordability to higher education to all those who wish to go to that level of education.

This is urgent legislation, and I thank the leadership in both the House and the Senate for ensuring its swift passage. We are all united in our commitment to provide every assurance to students and families that there will be no disruption in the Federal student loan programs, regardless of what is happening in the financial markets in our country.

As of today, no student has been unable to find a lender for a Federal student loan. However, we are not going to wait until students and families are denied loans before putting safeguards in place. Today is the day that many incoming freshman students must decide which college they will attend in

the fall. Financial aid is a critical consideration for that decision process. We can leave no doubt in the minds of students, families or campuses about the availability of that aid. That is why we must send this legislation to the President for his signature without delay.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation will provide much-needed liquidity to the student loan marketplace by authorizing the Secretary of Education on a temporary basis to purchase student loans so that lenders have the funds to make new loans. The legislation clarifies the lender-of-last- resort option so that, if called upon, guaranty agencies will be able to fulfill their role as lender of last resort as required under the Higher Education Act.

The legislation will reduce the reliance on private loans to fill the gap between Federal student aid and the cost of college by increasing the amount a student can borrow in the unsubsidized loan program.

This contingency plan for the student loan marketplace will come at no cost to the taxpayers. In fact, any savings that may be generated will be directed to the Academic Competitiveness and SMART grants that are available to needy students who complete a rigorous program of study in high school and those students who are pursuing majors in high-need fields, such as science, engineering, technology and foreign languages.

Finally, with H.R. 5715 we are signaling that we will bring all of our tools to the task of guaranteeing access to student loans. This legislation also calls upon Treasury and our Federal financial institutions to do their share to ensure that there is sufficient capital in the Federal student loan marketplace.

I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this critical stopgap legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the students of South Texas High School for Health Professions in Mercedes, Texas for once again excelling in the Health Occupations Students of America state competition. This year 13 Med High students scored first or second among all Texas students in competitions testing their knowledge of subjects ranging from nutrition to personal care to first aid techniques. The hard work of these South Texas high school students is to he commended, as is their involvement with HOSA.

As our Nation struggles to find and train a sufficient number of health care workers to meet the needs of our aging population, HOSA has endeavored to play a leading role in training high school and post- secondary students for futures in health care careers. To date, over 90,000 students have participated in the HOSA program through approximately 2,600 secondary and post-secondary chapters across the country.

By expanding the number of students receiving training and instruction in health care careers, our Nation would be investing in the futures of both our students and our communities. This Congress, I have introduced H.R. 3618, the Safe Schools and Health Care Professional Pipeline Act, to facilitate the expansion of health care and medical education in our secondary and post-secondary institutions. This bill will create a pipeline of trained students into the health professions, where they will be able to provide for the medical needs of their communities. By introducing these students to health care careers at an early age, our high schools and universities will join in our effort to sustain an adequate supply of medical professionals while developing the skills of our young people.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in commending the accomplishments of the students of Med High and in supporting the Safe Schools and Health Care Professional Pipeline Act.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the

resolution (H. Res. 1079) supporting the goals and ideals of Financial Literacy Month 2008, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

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

Mr. Speaker, personal financial management skills and lifelong habits begin to develop during childhood. It is essential that we begin preparing our youth as early as possible to make informed financial choices, as well as manage money, credit, debt, and risk, and become responsible workers, heads of household, investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and citizens.

We need to begin working closely with the Department of Education in States and localities to ensure that we begin the financial literacy learning process at least by the time a child enters kindergarten, and we need to work with the States to encourage them to require some form of financial literacy as a required part of the education curriculum.

Policymakers of both parties at the local, State, and Federal levels recently have increased their focus on financial literacy and economic education issues because national surveys from such groups as Jump$tart, the National Council on Economic Education, and the National Federation for Credit Counseling reveal troubling gaps in students' and the public's knowledge of these subjects.

Economic competency and financial literacy skills are critical for individuals to make sound decisions regarding home ownership, in savings, investment, credit and borrowing, as well as retirement planning. An educated and literate populace will strengthen the national economy as individuals improve their own economic well-being.

Mr. Speaker, our government should lead by example. We should coordinate and communicate a unified message on financial literacy across this Nation. We should authorize and appropriate such funds as necessary to create a broad-based public awareness campaign comprised of a substantial mass market, multimedia effort in support of a national financial literacy initiative on the scale of the ``Truth'' campaign developed through the Public Education Fund to discourage smoking among young people.

Furthermore, I believe that the National Endowment on Financial Education and several other financial literacy nonprofits and community-based groups would agree with me. In 2004, Congress passed a bill known as the FACT Act. One of the provisions in that act required Treasury and a Financial Literacy Commission to create such a campaign. It is now 2008, and Treasury has failed. So now it's our turn to take back control of the situation.

We can introduce legislation authorizing funds for such a national multimedia financial literacy campaign. The National Endowment on Financial Education recently completed one that was a success. I hope that all of my colleagues will support such legislation once it has been introduced.

Mr. Speaker, some disturbing facts. The personal savings rate in the United States was a negative 1 percent at the end of 2006, and it was zero percent at the end of the fourth quarter of 2007, which puts it among the lowest level since the government began collecting

the savings rate data in 1959. Although more than 42 million people living in the U.S. participate in 401(k) plans, a Retirement Confidence Survey conducted in 2004 found that only 42 percent of workers surveyed have calculated how much money they will need to save for retirement, and only 37 percent of workers say that they are not currently saving for retirement.

Even more disturbing is the fact that the average baby boomer has only $50,000 in savings, apart from equity in their home, and the first wave of baby boomers have already entered their retirement years. This is unbelievable and dangerous to our economy and our way of life.

Something I want to discuss at length, Mr. Speaker, is the plight of what are known as the ``unbanked.'' As many as 10 million households in the United States are unbanked, without access to mainstream financial products and services. This is a very common occurrence in my congressional district. People tend to operate in a cash society along the Texas Mexico-border. If these individuals were to buy their goods and services by drawing down funds from a checking or a savings account, they would eventually be incorporated into the entire mainstream financial system. By doing so, they would establish credit. Lenders would have access to their credit reports and scores, and this would hopefully result in these previously unbanked persons attaining the American Dream of homeownership.

Unfortunately, even when these formally unbanked individuals finally have the ways and means to purchase a home, they quickly discover that they have to protect themselves from predatory lenders. I believe that the legislation that Chairman Frank and the Committee on Financial Services is crafting will help low-income individuals who have been duped by unscrupulous salespersons, which has resulted in the current economic crisis. Chairman Frank definitely has his finger on the pulse of this problem, and he will make sure the train stays on the track.

I salute Congresswoman Biggert for her work on this issue. Six years ago, to address all of these financial literacy problems, my colleague and good friend and staunch supporter of financial literacy, Congresswoman Judy Biggert, and I cofounded and currently cochair the Congressional Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus. The caucus seeks to address these issues head-on by increasing public awareness of poor financial literacy rates and working to find the ways and means to improve them.

The caucus has helped promote policies that advance financial literacy and economic education. Together, we have done so by connecting Members of Congress with Federal agencies that can help them teach financial literacy at town hall meetings, through financial literacy e-newsletters, financial literacy fairs, financial football, the stock market game, and many more activities.

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to commend my colleagues and friends, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and Congressman Don Payne, for all that they are doing to improve financial literacy. With a solid background knowledge of financial literacy, America's youth can become responsible employees, heads of household, investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders.

Parents and teachers need to teach our youth to start saving young, stay insured, budget their money, not borrow what they cannot repay, and especially avoid excessive credit card debt and the credit card sharks that prey on students on every college campus across the United States.

Before I close, Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank Congresswoman Biggert for working with me over the years on financial literacy. It is a pleasure to work with you and to be able to accomplish so much in just a few years.

I also want to commend her staff, Nicole Austin and Zach Cikanek, for their dedication to the financial literacy cause. I want to also express my sincere appreciation for the assistance Denise Wilson of our Committee on Government Reform provided my staff. I applaud the staff from America's credit unions, who made presentations to young people at local schools on financial topics such as student loans, balancing a checkbook and auto loans during National Credit Union Youth Week, which was held the week of April 20 of this year.

I also want to commend the American Bankers Association Education Foundation for holding their annual Teach Children to Save Day. Today, April 29, just happens to be Teach Children to Save Day. It is my understanding that over 12,000 bankers from 1,100 bank branches signed up to host financial literacy events today. Furthermore, I understand that tomorrow is El Dia de los Ninos, and they too will be exposed to financial literacy education in English and in Spanish. Many American children will share financial literacy lessons with approximately 435,000 students, which is quite an endeavor, but one which they can accomplish under the direction of Kathryn Kelly.

I include the following extraneous material for the Record:

NFCC and MSN Money Release Consumer Survey Results on Capitol Hill--

2008 Survey Reveals Serious Gaps in Financial Literacy

Silver Spring, MD.--The National Foundation for Credit

Counseling (NFCC) and MSN Money today released the results of

their 2008 Consumer Financial Literacy Survey during a

Congressional Briefing on Capitol Hill. The purpose of the

survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates

International, is to identify what Americans know about their

finances and to assess their overall financial health. Having

identified the key areas of deficiency, the NFCC and MSN

Money plan to target their financial education initiatives to

those Americans most at-risk.

While some results were positive, others revealed an

undeniable need for financial education. Key findings were as

follows:

Significant number struggle with mortgage payments and

complexity of buying a home. One in every 10 Americans with a

mortgage, or roughly 10 million adults, report being late or

missing a mortgage payment in the last year. Adding more

stress to the current housing market, almost one-quarter of

Americans say they do not know enough about owning a home to

consider buying one.

Millions have serious difficulties paying bills each month,

most notably Generation Y. While a majority of the public

reports that they pay their bills on time and do not have any

debts in collections, a notable minority has fallen behind

and is struggling, with seven percent, or roughly 15 million

adults, either getting calls from collectors or seriously

considering filing for bankruptcy. Higher income households

and older Americans are more likely to stay on top of their

bills. Whites and Latinos are more likely to pay their bills

on time and stay clear of collections than blacks.

Alarmingly, only 59 percent or roughly 23 million of the

young adults in Generation Y, those ages 18-29, pay their

bills on time every month. That translates into millions of

tomorrow's leaders, those who will drive the engine of our

economy for years to come, who are not practicing a most

basic financial principle. The previous generation of

consumers, those ages 30-49, also do not appear to be

modeling good financial behavior.

Only a minority keep close track of expenses/spending.

Financial experts generally agree that having a household

budget is sound financial management. However, similar to the

findings from 2007, only a minority of Americans say they

keep close track of what they their typical monthly expenses

are. Although a majority of the public has at least a

somewhat good idea of where their money goes each month,

nearly two in 10, or roughly 40 million adults, keep little

or no track at all. Contrary to some stereotypes, how closely

Americans manage their money does not vary by gender, age, or

income. Women continue to be as likely as men, younger people

as likely as older people, and lower income households as

likely as higher income ones to keep close track of what

they spend.

Savings and emergency funds lacking. A majority of the

public does not have a sufficient emergency fund, defined as

three to six months income saved. More than one-third, or

roughly 76 million adults, say they do not have any non-

retirement savings. Although a majority is currently saving

for their retirement, more than one-quarter are not.

Many Americans are under-insured, Latinos at higher risk.

Even though the baby boomer generation has come of age, only

a little more than one-quarter say they have long-term care

insurance. Another at-risk group is renters, with only one in

10 saying they have renters insurance. Latinos are also less

likely to have medical and life insurance than whites or

blacks.

Minority has ordered credit report. Financial experts

recommend that consumers check their credit history at least

once a year. Yet, only a minority of Americans has ordered

their credit report in the past year, in spite of the fact

that it can be acquired for free. And one-third, or roughly

72 million adults, readily admit that they do not know their

all-important credit score.

Parents and home the biggest influence on financial

education. A plurality of the public

says they have learned the most about personal finance from

their parents or at home. Almost half of those who closely

monitor their finances are more likely to say that they

learned about personal finance from their parents or at home,

underscoring the potential positive influence parents can

have on their children financially. To a lesser extent, some

say they learned the most about personal finance on their

own, followed by a financial professional, self-help sources,

school, work, friends, and their spouse or partner.

Americans worry about future income growth; Midwest has

greatest concerns. And matters are not likely to improve,

according to some Americans. Only one-quarter expect their

income to outpace inflation. More than half of all Americans

believe their income will shrink, not keep pace with

inflation, or stay even; this worry is greatest among

Americans in the Midwest at nearly 70 percent.

``If there were ever a time that Americans needed to

embrace financial literacy, it is now,'' said Susan C.

Keating, president and CEO of the NFCC. ``The NFCC is proud

to make public the results of this survey in hopes that it

will be a wake-up call to consumers. We live in a credit-

dominated society and it is important that consumers avail

themselves to the many opportunities to sharpen their

financial skills and avoid any traps along the path to

financial stability.''

``The findings of this study are staggering, especially

given the current economic outlook. We conducted this study

to get at the core of what financial issues plague Americans

and with this information we are now better equipped to help

consumers where they need it most,'' said Richard Jenkins,

editor-in-chief of MSN Money. ``The good news is that there's

an array of tools, expert advice and other resources

available to better equip Americans with the information they

need to stay on top of their finances. As a first step, I

encourage consumers to check out the NFCC and MSN Money Web

sites for tips and guidance on how to get their finances on

track and stay ahead during these tough financial times.''

Survey Methodology. Princeton Survey Research Associates

International conducted telephone interviews between March

5th and March 15th, 2008 from a representative sampling of

1,001 Americans nationwide. The margin of error for questions

based on the total sample is +/- 3 percentage points.

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to be able to recognize and yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

Mr. Speaker, I submit the following extraneous material for the Record:

Financial Counseling: a Meaningful Strategy for Building Wealth in the

Latino Community

(By Beatriz Ibarra, National Council of La Raza)

summary

The report shows that current policies to improve financial

literacy for Latinos fail to include one-on-one financial

counseling programs, the linchpin of any strategy to close

the wealth gap for Hispanics. Financial Counseling: A

Meaningful Strategy for Building Wealth in the Latino

Community provides specific policy recommendations on how to

increase programs proven to improve financial decision-making

of Hispanics--especially the more than 14.5 million who lack

a basic checking account.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5715, the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008.

This is urgent legislation. I would like to thank our Education and Labor chairman, George Miller, and our ranking member, Howard ``Buck'' McKeon, as well as my good friend and ranking member of the subcommittee, Ric Keller, for working together to expedite consideration of this bill.

Nothing is more important than reassuring students and families that there

will be no disruption in the availability of Federal student loans, regardless of what happens in our financial markets. As of today, no student has been unable to find a lender for a Federal student loan. However, we are not going to wait until students and families are denied loans before putting safeguards in place. That is what we are doing here today.

Ensuring continued access to Federal student loans is of critical importance. In my congressional district, 40 percent of all student aid comes from the Federal Family Education Loan Program, and in my State of Texas 66 percent of all student aid comes through this program. The concerns that we are hearing from our constituents are real, and we need to address them.

Mr. Chairman, I include for the record a letter dated April 7, 2008, from Texas State Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair of the Higher Education Subcommittee, urging Congress to take action to avert any disruption in the Federal Family Education Loan Program.

Senate Higher Education Subcommittee,

Austin, TX, April 7, 2008.

Hon. Ruben Hinojosa,

Chair, Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, &

Competitiveness, House of Representatives, Washington,

The manager's amendment clarifies that loans purchased by the Secretary may continue to be serviced by the original lender so the process remains seamless for students and families. These efforts represent the tools at the disposal of the Education and Labor Committee. However, more can and should be done.

I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5715 so that there is no uncertainty for students and families about their ability to finance college education.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 143 and 144, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall Nos. 143 and 144.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2857, the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education or ``GIVE'' Act.

This legislation reauthorizes and strengthens our national service programs. I would like to thank my good friend Carolyn McCarthy, chairwoman of the Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee and Congressman Todd Platts, the ranking member, for their excellent, bipartisan work on this legislation.

The spirit of service runs strong in America. Many Americans--young and old, rich and poor--look for ways to give back to their communities and the Nation. Our national service programs nurture this spirit and ensure that all American have opportunities to serve.

The GIVE Act will increase the number of Americorps volunteers to 100,000. In my congressional district Americorps volunteers are promoting community development, improving education, and enhancing the quality of life for many of our residents. They bring a great deal of energy and contribute to a strong sense of community in our area.

The GIVE Act fosters an ethic of civic engagement in young people through a summer of service program that will enable students in middle and high school to volunteer and earn an education award for college.

The GIVE Act promotes service in areas of national need for global competitiveness, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The GIVE Act will ensure that we can effectively and efficiently mobilize volunteers in times of national disaster.

The GIVE Act strengthens opportunities for our seniors by providing flexibility to the senior corps programs. In my congressional district, we have very strong programs that engage our seniors in service and provide them companionship and support. Our seniors continue to make tremendous contributions to our communities. We cannot afford to let their talent or energy go to waste.

My home State of Texas is a big believer in national service. We have 48,000 senior corps members. Since 1994, 24,000 Texans have earned education awards by serving as Americorps volunteers; 48,000 students have participated in Learn and Serve America, linking service with academic achievement.

The GIVE act will make this great tradition of service even stronger. I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 73 and 74, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on No. 73 and ``aye'' on No. 74.