Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 361, a bill that will authorize a number of projects which will improve irrigation and water conservation throuhgout the Rio Grande Valley. I want to thank Chairman Rahall and Chairwoman Napolitano as well as my colleagues from the Texas Border Region, Congressmen Ortiz, Reyes, Rodriguez, and Cuellar for their support in bringing this vitally important legislation onto the House floor.

I represent a region of the country that is experiencing phenomenal population growth yet is subject to severe periodic droughts. The 2000 Census showed that the population of Hidalgo County, in my district, increased by 48 percent. On the Mexican side of the border, millions have come to work in the maquiladoras and to take advantage of the economic boom that has come from NAFTA.

This growth has placed an enormous strain on water delivery systems throughout the Texas-Mexico border region. Water intended for irrigating crops flows through open dirt ditches where much of the precious water supply is lost to seepage and evaporation. Municipalities also rely on the water from these inefficient and outdated irrigation delivery systems to meet the water needs of growing communities.

H.R. 361 will authorize 19 projects that will allow border water districts to continue upgrading and modernizing our antiquated water delivery systems through the installation of water pipes and canal linings. Similar projects were authorized in the 106th and 107th Congresses.

The Rio Grande Valley has already made a great deal of progress because this has been a collaborative effort. The irrigation district have provided matching funds. The Texas Water Development Board and Texas A&M University have paid for many of the engineering studies. Federal appropriators have provided more than $10 million. As a result, we are seeing water savings of almost 80 percent in the projects that have been completed.

Most importantly, Federal authorization has allowed us to tap into the resources of the North American Development Bank. To date, NADBank has approved almost $24 million for these projects and passage of H.R. 361 will make these new projects eligible for NADBank assistance.

These funds are being put to good use. Numerous projects are already underway and some are almost completed.

When the metering system is fully installed, irrigation districts will have a much clearer picture of water usage and water savings. This data will be vital to improving water management throughout the region.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, today I am offering an amendment to the housing counseling amendment that I passed in committee. Today's amendment will permit States to seek a waiver of the in-person pre- purchase housing counseling requirement if the person obtaining the mortgage lives in a remote area of the country, which includes the majority of rural America.

I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

Mr. Chairman, during the Financial Services Committee mark up of H.R. 1427, I offered an amendment to the Affordable Housing Fund section of H.R. 1427 that requires that homebuyers who fall below 50 percent of the median income obtain pre-purchase in-person housing counseling. The Committee adopted the amendment by voice vote.

My amendment recognizes the fact that we have a very unstable housing market at the moment.

It also acknowledges that minorities are becoming victims of predatory lending, and that the poorest of the poor, which includes a considerable percentage of my congressional district and other rural districts, need financial literacy in general--and in-person housing counseling in particular--before they enter into any kind of loan agreement.

The amendment that passed in committee does not require any funding from the Affordable Housing Fund. The funding for such counseling usually comes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development or the States. My amendment merely requires that existing counseling information be provided in-person for those who fall below 50 percent of the median income, which tends to be renters.

Today, I am offering an amendment to the housing counseling amendment that passed in committee. Today's amendment will permit states to seek a waiver of the in-person pre-purchase housing counseling requirement if the person obtaining that mortgage lives in a remote area of the country, which includes the majority of rural America.

The alternative forms of housing counseling may include interactive telephone counseling, on-line counseling, interactive video conferencing, or interactive home study counseling. A complete waiver of the counseling requirement under Section (g)(2)(d) may be granted only for borrowers for whom it is not possible to provide such alternative forms of counseling. Very few households meet this criteria.

Mr. Chairman, I believe that this amendment No. 21, provides states with the appropriate waiver authority they need to take into account the difficulties of providing in-person housing counseling, Financial Literacy Education, to those living in remote areas of the United States.

I urge my colleagues to support amendment No. 21.

Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer).

Offered By: Mr. Hinojosa

Amendment No. 21: Page 140, line 3, before the semicolon

insert the following: ``; except that the Director may, at

the request of a State, waive the requirements of this

subparagraph with respect to a geographic area or areas

within the State if (i) the travel time or distance involved

in providing counseling with respect to such area or areas,

as otherwise required under this subparagraph, on an in-

person basis is excessive or the cost of such travel is

prohibitive, and (ii) the State provides alternative forms of

counseling for such area or areas, which may include

interactive telephone counseling, on-line counseling,

interactive video counseling, and interactive home study

counseling''.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor to take this moment to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the founder and acting director of the Carlos Rosario School here in Washington, DC, Ms. Sonia Gutierrez.

Carlos Manuel Rosario was the founder of the Program of English Instruction for Latin Americans in 1970, and was based out of the Columbia Heights neighborhood here in Washington, DC. In 1972, he met a woman named Sonia Gutierrez, a professional educator who had just recently moved to Washington from Puerto Rico, and persuaded her to work for PEILA.

In October 1972, Ms. Gutierrez became the Director of PEILA and transformed the small, underfunded English as a Second Language (ESL) program into a comprehensive adult education program. In 1974, the Office of Right to Read of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare designated it as one of the best literacy programs in the nation.

At Ms. Gutierrez's request in 1992, the city council renamed the school after Carlos Rosario, who founded PEILA. The program provides 4,500 students per year with the necessary language, cultural, vocational and job skills to become functional and productive members of society. Their current waiting list stands at 2,000.

The school became a national and international model, and delegations from other states and other nations frequently visited the center to review its operations and curriculum, with hopes of replicating the success of the program.

In 1996, the District of Columbia faced a financial crisis that brought about the elimination of all DC Public Schools adult education programs, including the Carlos Rosario Adult Education Center. Ms. Gutierrez vowed to rebuild the school for the benefit of her students and her community.

From August 1996 to March 1997, Ms. Gutierrez worked tirelessly out of the basement of her home and raised $100,000 dollars from local foundations to reopen the school as the non-profit Carlos Rosario International Career Center. The new school opened its doors in April 1997 with Ms. Gutierrez as Executive Director & Founder.

Realizing that there were still many in the community who were not being served, Ms. Gutierrez actively sought for Public Charter School funding to increase the number of classes and opportunities available. She succeeded and in 1998 the school became the first Adult Public Charter School in the nation.

Today, the non-profit Carlos Rosario International Career Center and Public Charter School provides more than 1,200 students with English as a Second Language, GED in Spanish and English, courses in different areas of technology, citizenship classes, culinary arts, family literacy and Spanish classes.

Ms. Gutierrez has also been very involved in the social and economic development of the Latino Community. In 1977, she founded the Council of Latino Agencies. She was instrumental in establishing the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs and presided over the Latino Festival. She is the past President of the Metropolitan Association of Adult and Continuing Education and also for both DC Commission for Women and the Latino Community Development Commission.

These are just a few of her accomplishments as a community organizer and leader. Ms. Gutierrez should be an inspiration to us all, and should serve as a reminder that one person can make a difference in the lives of many.

I am honored to have a moment to recognize her 35 years of service to the Latino community of Washington, DC.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 890, the Student Loan Sunshine Act. This is the legislation that cannot wait. Given the daily revelations of scandals, conflicts of interest and cozy relationships that undermine public confidence in our student loan programs, it is imperative that we act now to restore integrity.

I would like to thank Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon, as well as the ranking member of the subcommittee from Florida, Ric Keller, in approaching this legislation with urgency and bipartisanship. It is time to take a stand and put the interests of students and families first. This legislation is an important signal that we in Congress are committed to doing just that.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation will ban the most egregious practices that have been uncovered by Attorney General Cuomo in New York. Just read the New York Times this morning and you will see all that has been uncovered. It will require lenders and institutions alike to adhere to a strict code of conduct. It will ensure that preferred lender lists are based on the best deal for students. It will ensure that students and families have accurate, unbiased information about their loan options. It will ensure that borrowers are able to exhaust their Federal loan eligibility before being steered to pricier private loan packages.

The crisis of confidence in our student loan programs shines a light on a larger problem. We have a crisis in college affordability for our low- and middle-income families. College costs are rising rapidly, and Federal student aid has not kept pace. According to the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, paying for a 4-year public university costs our lowest-income families 87 percent of their income. We are expecting these families to come up with over $10,000 per year through work or loans to pay for college.

Quite simply, we have left low- and middle-income families to fend for

themselves when it comes to financing a college education. After 4 years of stagnation, the maximum Pell Grant stands at only $4,310. We have left families rudderless when it comes to navigating the explosive growth in the student loan programs. We have not looked after their interests.

After listening to many representatives of Federal and private college loan programs, I am convinced that we here in Congress must take this bipartisan action to restore integrity to this important program. The Student Loan Sunshine Act is a first step in restoring faith in our student aid programs and fulfilling the promise of the Higher Education Act.

Mr. Speaker, we have more work to do, but let's get this job done today. I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 890, the Student Loan Sunshine Act.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to say that this work that has been done by Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Buck McKeon has been something that I have really appreciated.

This is an $85 billion industry, and when you take the for-profit groups that are lending money, it exceeds $100 billion. I foresee that, with this legislation, we are going to see an increase as a result of that. We should be looking at $110 billion being lent, because it will be easier and much more acceptable to be able to borrow money at a lesser cost to the families.

Finally, in the area that I come from, were it not for these student loans, the Pell Grants and the Perkins Act loans that are available, many minority families' children, boys and girls, would not be able to go to college.

So we are pleased with the leadership of these two gentlemen, and I look forward to seeing its passage.

I thank Chairman Miller for extending time to me.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1429, the Improving Head Start Act. This legislation is long overdue. I would like to commend Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon and Subcommittee Chairman Kildee and Ranking Member Castle for working together to craft bipartisan legislation that will significantly improve the Head Start Program, especially for Hispanic and migrant farm worker families.

It is my hope that this spirit of bipartisanship will carry the legislation all the way to the President's desk for his signature. I strongly urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 1429.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1429, the Improving Head Start Act.

This legislation is long overdue. I would like to commend Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon and Subcommittee Chairman Kildee and Ranking Member Castle for working together to craft bipartisan legislation that will significantly improve the Head Start program-- especially for Hispanic and migrant farm worker families.

It is my hope that this spirit of bipartisanship will carry the legislation all the way to the President's desk for his signature.

It is also my hope that this body will reject any attempts to allow discrimination to infect the Heat Start program--whether the discrimination is based on religion or on the language that is spoken at home.

The bill before us today strengthens ``Head Start'' for Hispanics and families whose primary language is not English.

Here are just a few of the highlights: The bill increases the base funding for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start to a minimum of 5 percent of the overall Head Start funding, which means that more farm worker children will be in preschool instead of in the fields; the bill sets standards for communications with limited English proficient (LEP) parents so that language is not a barrier to Head Start access.

It instructs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study of how Head Start programs serve LEP populations. It enhances Head Start transitions for LEP children to kindergarten.

It provides technical assistance resources for improving the quality of Head Start services for LEP populations, particularly in communities that have experienced a rapid and large increase in Head Start eligible LEP children.

It improves ensures that LEP children have access to linguistically and culturally appropriate instructional services that support proficiency in the English language and gains in other domains important for school readiness, including pre-literacy and numeracy skills.

It addresses the shortage of qualified teachers with expertise in serving LEP children by establishing a teacher career ladder demonstration program at Hispanic-serving Institutions and tribally- controlled Colleges and Universitites.

Tehese are significant improvements to the Head Start Program. Again, I would like to thank the chair and ranking member for working with us to include them in the bill before us today.

I strongly urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 1429.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 1867, legislation to reauthorize the National Science Foundation, and of this amendment that will give Hispanic-serving institutions, what we refer to as HSIs, the support they need to prepare our next generation of scientists, engineers and mathematicians.

I would like to thank my colleagues, Congressman Jerry McNerney of California, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, and Congressman Joe Crowley of New York for bringing this amendment forward. It will make a great difference.

The McNerney-Giffords-Crowley amendment allows the National Science Foundation to establish a competitive, merit-based program to award grants to HSIs for science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. This program seeks to enhance the quality of undergraduate science, mathematics and engineering education and increase the retention and graduation rates for undergraduate students pursuing STEM degrees at 2-year and 4-year HSIs. The initiative will support curriculum and faculty development in STEM areas; stipends for undergraduate students participating in research; and funding for instrumentation purposes.

HSIs are the gateways for post-secondary education for most Hispanic students. Despite having fewer resources than other institutions, HSIs are among the top producers of our new Hispanic STEM professionals. Yet, these vital institutions are often overlooked, or at best, seen as junior partners in our national research and education enterprise. This amendment helps give HSIs the attention they deserve.

I applaud the leadership of Chairman Gordon, of Chairman Baird, Ranking Member Hall and Ranking Member Ehlers for their bipartisan commitment to ensuring the United States remains competitive in science, technology engineering and mathematics, better known as the STEM fields.

The Science and Technology Committee has acted with the sense of urgency that we should all share in order to put our Nation back on track to lead the world in the STEM fields. The National Science Foundation is central to developing our national capacity for research and innovation.

I am particularly pleased that this bill emphasizes our need to develop our human capital in the STEM fields. I would also like to thank my colleague and friend Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson for her work in including an amendment to require strategic planning for the education and human resources mission of the foundation so that we fully develop our STEM talent across all fields and all communities, especially those that have been historically underrepresented.

Mr. Chairman, this amendment for HSIs strengthens that education and human resources mission.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support this amendment and the underlying bill, H.R. 1867.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 334.

Community colleges are the institutions that make things happen for our communities. They are the gateway to higher education for most of our students. They provide the opportunities that give lifelong learning real meaning. They are central to workforce development.

In short, they are the rapid response system, the innovators, and the engine for economic development for communities across the Nation.

I know first hand what a difference a community college can make. it was my great privilege to be the founding chair of South Texas College. When I was first elected to Congress in 1996, the unemployment rate in my district topped 22 percent.

In 1996, South Texas College was a couple of years old and just beginning to build from its initial enrollment of 800 students. Today, our unemployment rate is less than 6 percent, and South Texas College is enrolling over 18,000 students each year. That is the difference a community college can make.

Community colleges have also stepped up to offer new and exciting opportunities for students while they are still in high school. Community colleges are on the cutting edge of high school reform.

For example, in my district, Texas State Technical College in Harlingen is hosting a new Early College High School that will enroll its first class of 100 freshmen this fall. Students graduating from this new school will have a head start in college, earning a possible 60 credit hours along with their distinguished achievement high school diplomas.

In our rural communities community colleges are critical pieces of the economic infrastructure.

Consider the results of an economic impact study that found that the instruction provided by Coastal Bend College, in Beeville, Texas resulted in an accumulated contribution of $48.5 million in annual earnings to the Rural Coastal Bend Economy. That is roughly the equivalent of 2,087 jobs, which is a significant number in our rural economies.

I would like to thank my colleague from North Carolina, Congressman Miller, for bringing this resolution forward.

I wholeheartedly join him in supporting the goals and ideals of National Community College month. I urge my colleagues to support H. Res 334.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 347, and also I rise to honor a true hero who gave his life to free his country from foreign oppression.

Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin was born in 1829 near what is now Goliad, Texas, a community in my congressional district.

In 1862 French troops began a march to capture Mexico City. They met the Mexican forces led by a courageous and well-trained 33-year-old general at the city of Puebla, Mexico, in a battle that lasted the entire day of May 5, 1862. Under General Ignacio Zaragoza's leadership, the vastly outnumbered Mexican Army forced the withdrawal of Napoleon III's army, the premier army in the world.

French Army losses were heavy, but Mexican troop casualties were few. The costly delay in Puebla, Mexico helped shorten the French intervention. It also helped preserve the American Union as it kept the French Army too busy to directly aid the Confederacy with troops during the U.S. Civil War.

General Zaragoza and his troops received a hero's welcome in Mexico City. While visiting his sick troops, Ignacio contracted typhoid fever and died on September 8, 1862 at the age of 33, only a few months after the great battle against the French.

President Juarez declared May 5, Cinco de Mayo, a national holiday in his country. Today, we celebrate Cinco de Mayo throughout Mexico and around the world, but I hope that as we celebrate it, we remember the courage and sacrifice of this true hero.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 362, the 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Act.

Today, this body will take up two bills that represent a bipartisan effort to implement the recommendations in the watershed report, ``Rising above the Gathering Storm.''

I would like to thank Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall for their leadership in bringing these critical measures to us today.

H.R. 362 will address our competitiveness crisis at its foundation, our acute shortage of teachers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, commonly known as the STEM fields.

Low-income, rural and minority communities bear a disproportionate share of the national shortfall of highly qualified STEM teachers. We must reverse that inequity. The 10,000 Teachers, 10 Million Minds Act will help us do exactly that.

H.R. 362 also addresses a quiet crisis in our high-need high schools, the lack of quality laboratory science opportunities.

The National Research Council's report on America's high school labs found that experience in high school labs was poor for most students and practically nonexistent for students in low-income or minority communities. We will never produce enough STEM professionals if we do not address this issue and invest the correct amount of money.

I am very pleased that the legislation before us today includes the provisions of my bill, H.R. 524, Partnerships for Access to Laboratory Science Act. This legislation will establish a pilot program that will partner high-need school districts with colleges and universities and the private sector to improve high school laboratories.

Through these pilot programs, we will be able to develop models and test effective practices for improving laboratory science in high-need schools. We will leverage resources from the local community and the private sector and build on our base of knowledge of what works in teaching science.

I would especially like to thank my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman

from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), for working with me to move the PALS Act forward.

I want to close by saying that through the leadership of all of these gentlemen on this committee, we are going to be able to pass this legislation with your help.

Mr. Speaker, I submit the following letters regarding H. Res. 273, ``Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Financial Literacy Month.''

Countrywide,

Calabasas, CA, April 12, 2007.

Hon. Ruben Hinojosa,

House of Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Judy Biggert,

House of Representatives, Longworth House Office Building,

Washington, DC.

Re: Support for H. Res. 273.

Dear Congressman Hinojosa and Congresswoman Biggert: On

behalf of Countrywide Financial Corporation I want to commend

you and your colleagues in the House Financial and Economic

Literacy Caucus for the introduction of H. Res. 273, which

supports the goals and ideals of Financial Literacy Month.

Founded in 1969 on the belief that all Americans should

have the opportunity to own a home, Countrywide has become

the largest home mortgage lender in the nation and a leader

in providing home loans to first-time buyers, minorities and

low- and moderate-income families. Today, Countrywide has

grown to more than 54,000 employees with 900 retail offices

nationwide. We at Countrywide share the sentiments and

concerns expressed in H. Res. 273, and we strongly support

the goal of improving the quality and reach of financial

education in America, particularly to lower- and moderate-

income individuals and families.

To that end, in conjunction with Financial Literacy Month

Countrywide has launched its Home Ownership Mortgage

Education (H.O.M.E.) program. The H.O.M.E. program is a

comprehensive online reference tool, available at

www.HomeBvCountrvwide.com. providing consumers with

information on all aspects of homeownership, from basic

personal finance to life as a homeowner. By offering this

financial and homebuyer education program, Countrywide

supports consumers' ability to make well-informed financial

decisions as they pursue the dream of homeownership.

The H.O.M.E. program is a further extension of

Countrywide's founding mission and one of several education

initiatives that Countrywide supports. In January 2005,

Countrywide announced a $1 million, five-year commitment to

the U.S. Conference of Mayors' DollarWi$e Campaign. As a

founding sponsor of the campaign, Countrywide supports

Capacity Grants, a component of the campaign that makes

grants to cities that are developing or expanding local

financial education strategies for consumers. More than 100

cities now conduct local DollarWi$e campaigns and Capacity

Grants have been awarded to the following cities: Pleasanton

(CA), Quincy (IL), Bowling Green (KY), Quad Cities (IL, IA),

Detroit, Savannah and Miami.

Again, I want to express my personal support and that of

our employees for H. Res. 273, and for the goals and ideals

of the House Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus.

Sincerely,

Angelo R. Mozilo,

Chairman and CEO.

Mr. Speaker, I submit the following letters regarding H. Res. 273, ``Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Financial Literacy Month.''

Girls Incorporated,

New York, NY, April 12, 2007.

Hon. Ruben Hinojosa,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Judy Biggert,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative Hinojosa and Representative Biggert:

Girls Inc. is proud to join you in supporting H. Res. 273,

and the ideals and goals of Financial Literacy Month.

Financial education is critical to ensuring that individuals

gain the skills necessary to assess financial opportunities

and successfully manage their money. We applaud you for your

leadership on this important bill.

Through our affiliates across the country, Girls Inc.

teaches girls and their families important finance skills

that help them to understand topics such as banking, saving,

and investments, thus helping their future economic security,

success, and well-being. We believe girls in particular

benefit from opportunities to learn these essential skills. A

survey we conducted in 1998 of teenage daughters and their

mothers, found that the

number one concern of mothers was they would not have enough

money at one point in their lives. Other surveys have shown

that girls are less likely than boys to consider themselves

``very knowledgeable or confident'' about financial issues

and money management. Economic and financial literacy is

critical to helping girls plan for and achieve economic

independence.

We thank you for your commitment to this issue and your

understanding of the necessity of such a bill as H. Res. 273.

Sincerely,

Joyce M. Roche,

President and CEO.

Mr. Speaker, I submit the following letters regarding H. Res. 273, Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Financial Literacy Month.

Freddie Mac,

McLean, VA, April 16, 2007.

Hon. Ruben Hinojosa,

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Congressman Hinojosa: On behalf of Freddie Mac, I am

writing to express our support for the bi-partisan

Congressional resolution (H.R. 273) supporting April as

``Financial Literacy Month,'' cosponsored by 115 Members of

the House of Representatives.

As a secondary mortgage market entity, Freddie Mac has made

home possible for one in six home buyers and more than four

million renters in America. We greatly understand the

important role financial literacy plays in obtaining and

maintaining good credit. Credit records affect everything

from renting an apartment to buying a home, paying for a

college education to purchasing a car. Poor credit histories

limit the ability of many consumers to attain financial

security, particularly those in under-served communities--

including low-income consumers, minorities and immigrants.

Without good credit, it's difficult to save money, become a

homeowner, and accumulate wealth.

In response to the need to increase financial literacy and

awareness, Freddie Mac developed the CreditSmart',

and CreditSmart' Espanol consumer education

curricula. CreditSmart is designed to help consumers

understand, build, and maintain good credit. Since its launch

in 2000, the CreditSmart program has reached in excess of one

million people through its outreach network of Community

Based organizations, conventions, initiatives and web access.

(www.freddiemac.com/creditsmart)

CreditSmart is used in numerous communities across America

and is taught to consumers by college instructors, nonprofit

counseling agency staff, consumer and community group staff,

police officers, employers, lenders, real estate

professionals and mortgage brokers. Just two months ago,

Freddie Mac launched CreditSmart Asian a new three-part

series of multilingual guidebooks focused on helping Asian

Americans become more informed consumers. This program will

be available in Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and English.

Freddie Mac has also been a leader in sponsoring a

successful consumer awareness campaign to help consumers

avoid predatory lending practices. Don't Borrow

Trouble', is a national award-winning campaign

that combines public education and counseling services to

help homeowners avoid lending practices that strip away their

home's equity. Pioneered in Boston by Mayor Thomas M. Menino

and the Massachusetts Community & Banking Council (MCBC),

Freddie Mac has expanded the campaign to communities

nationwide to almost 50 cities and states throughout the

country. These campaigns have helped inform more than 100,000

consumers across the U.S.

Freddie Mac commends you for your bringing this resolution

to the House of Representatives to continue to draw awareness

to the need for financial literacy and we are grateful for

your leadership of the Financial Literacy Caucus.

Sincerely,

Kirsten Johnson-Obey,

Director, Congressional Relations.

Madam Speaker, I first want to express my deepest condolences to all of the families who lost loved ones in yesterday's tragedy at Virginia Tech University. This horrific event has affected Americans all over this country and we all mourn for those who were lost and pray for the swift recovery of those who were injured.

Tonight I join my colleagues from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in paying tribute to the thousands of Hispanic veterans who have fought and died defending this country. My Congressional district has lost many young men in this most recent conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.

They are but the latest in a long line of patriots from South Texas who have given their lives in the defense of America.

Tonight I want to pay tribute to a young man from my district who received this Nation's highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez, known to his friends and family as ``Freddy'', was born in 1946 in Edinburg, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. His mother was a waitress, who had to raise her son alone.

Freddy worked in the cotton fields as a teenager to help his mother. He attended Edinburg High School, where he was an outstanding football star.

After graduation, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. After his initial training, he was sent to Vietnam in 1966 where he served as a rifleman and squad leader. He was quickly promoted from private to lance corporal to corporal.

He returned to the States in 1967 where he was given the task of training recruits in guerilla warfare. Freddy told his mother and friends he did not want to return to Vietnam and would not re-enlist.

A few months after his return from Vietnam, he learned that an entire Marine platoon had been killed, including a group of men who had served under him during his first tour of duty. He was saddened by their loss and immediately volunteered for a second tour of duty.

On July 1, 1967 he was promoted to sergeant and shipped back to Vietnam.

On January 31, 1968, Sergeant Freddy Gonzalez and his men were assigned the task of protecting a truck convoy that was bringing relief to a major Vietnamese town. The truck convoy was attacked by the Viet Cong with mortars and machine gun fire.

Although Sergeant Gonzalez was wounded, he ran through heavy fire to rescue a wounded Marine who fell off the tank.

On February 3, Sergeant Gonzalez was wounded again but refused medical treatment until all of the other wounded Marines were treated.

The next day, on February 4, Sergeant Gonzalez and his Marine platoon were pinned down by the Viet Cong, who were firing at the Americans with rockets and automatic weapons from a church.

Sergeant Gonzalez, utilizing a number of light anti-tank assault weapons, fearlessly moved from position to position, firing numerous rounds at the heavily fortified enemy emplacements, almost single- handedly neutralizing the enemy.

All appeared quiet and Sergeant Gonzalez approached to make sure that the church was secure when the hidden lone enemy survivor killed him. At the age of 21, Sergeant Freddy Gonzalez had given the ultimate sacrifice for his country.

In 1969, his mother, Dolia Gonzalez, was escorted to the White House to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor awarded to her son posthumously because of his tremendous heroism in saving the men in his platoon.

He was also awarded numerous other medals including the Purple Heart, the Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with 2 bronze stars and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm.

Long after his death, his courage, his patriotism and his sacrifice are still remembered. In the Rio Grande Valley there are schools, roads and parks named after him.

In 1996, the Navy commissioned the USS Gonzalez, a guided-missile destroyer and the first modern destroyer named for a Mexican American. Freddie was one of 13 Hispanics who were awarded the Medal of Honor for their service in Vietnam.

Hispanics have a proud tradition of patriotism and have always been willing to answer America's call to duty, often when they were not even citizens. Freddy Gonzalez' story is just one of the many thousands of stories that make up the heritage of our Hispanic veterans.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in thanking all of these brave men and women, as well as their families and loved ones, for their service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 273 that the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) and I introduced earlier this year. The legislation supports the ideas and goals of Financial Literacy Month, which falls in April of each year.

Before I proceed, I want to take this opportunity to thank my good friend and colleague, Congresswoman Watson from California, for managing time on this resolution for our side of the aisle. I also want to take this opportunity to thank all of my Democratic colleagues who cosponsored this important resolution this year.

Together with the tremendous number of cosponsors Congresswoman Biggert obtained, we broke our old record of 91 cosponsors and garnered the support of 118 Members of Congress for this bill.

I am very pleased with this development. It shows that an increasing number of Members of Congress are beginning to see the light and come on board

the financial literacy cause with me and Congresswoman Biggert.

It is imperative that we, in Congress, pay more attention to the financial literacy rates of our citizens from pre-kindergarten all the way to retirement. The sooner that a person begins to learn good saving habits, the better off he or she will be in the future.

I am especially pleased and honored to inform you that 18 cities and three counties in my congressional district have issued proclamations honoring April 22-28, 2007, as National Financial Literacy Awareness Week.

The cities, in alphabetical order, include the following: Beeville, Combes, Cuero, Donna, Edcouch, Edinburg, Falfurrias, Goliad, Harlingen, La Feria, La Villa, Mathis, McAllen, Mercedes, Pharr, Primera, Santa Rosa, Weslaco. It also includes three counties, which are as follows: Duval County, Jim Wells County and Karnes County.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to take this opportunity to thank several State legislatures for realizing the importance of financial literacy by taking action to address the diminishing understanding of basic finance by U.S. high school students.

A study completed in 2006 by the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy found that high school seniors know less about principles of basic personal finance than high school seniors did 7 years earlier, and the average scores in both years were failing. Our high school seniors are failing basic finance.

Add to that the fact that 55 percent of college students acquire their first credit card during their first year in college, and 92 percent of college students acquire at least one credit card by their second year in college, yet only 26 percent of people between the ages of 13 and 21 reported that their parents actively taught them how to manage money. Add all that together, and you have got a recipe for serious financial troubles down the road for college graduates.

Luckily, in recent years State legislatures around the country have increasingly recognized the importance and effectiveness of financial education. As a result, an increasing number of States now require financial education during high school. I hope my colleagues and their staff are taking note of this because the following States now require high school students to pass some form of financial education or literacy courses before they can graduate. Those States include the following: Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, my great State of Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.

I strongly recommend that my colleagues contact their State legislators and encourage them to impose similar requirements.

Mr. Speaker, every day consumers deal with money from balancing a checking account to shopping for a mortgage or auto loan, researching a way to pay for a college education, checking credit card statements, saving money for retirement, understanding a credit report, or simply deciding whether to pay cash or charge a purchase. The list goes on and on and on. Many consumers do not really understand their finances.

Now that we know that high school students are failing basic financial literacy exams, it is even more disconcerting to learn that adults are not faring much better. High bankruptcy rates, foreclosures on homes, increased credit card debt, data security breaches, and identity theft make it imperative that all of us take an active role in providing financial and economic education during all stages of one's life.

Every year we here in Congress discuss the future insolvency of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; and that concerns me considerably. But now that I have done some additional research into the demographics and financial standing of the baby boomers, I was shocked to learn that the personal savings as a percentage of income dropped a negative 1 percent in 2006, the lowest since the Great Depression. Even worse, the average baby boomer has only $50,000 in savings for retirement apart from equity in their homes.

These are very serious and disturbing facts that we and our State counterparts must address, and soon. To address these problems and others, I cofounded and currently cochair the Congressional Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus with Congresswoman Judy Biggert. 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 those rates. The caucus has provided a forum for my colleagues to promote policies that advance financial literacy and economic education.

It is my hope that through the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus we can continue to further educate Americans about financial and economic topics ranging from the importance of saving, reducing credit card debt, obtaining a free annual credit report, avoiding payday lenders, check cashers, and especially these days predatory lenders. Hopefully the caucus can teach individuals to take care of their finances, to lead them down the path to the American Dream of homeownership.

Mr. Speaker, I include for printing in today's Record letters in support of this resolution. They include letters from JA Worldwide; National Council on Economic Education; Financial Planning Association, Independent Bankers Association of Texas; MasterCard; the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; the National Association of Mortgage Brokers; Networks Financial Institute; North American Securities Administrators Association. It includes HSBC, the Independent Community Bankers of America; Housing Assistance Council; National Association of Federal Credit Unions. It includes Capital One; as well as Visa; Charles Schwab Foundation; Financial Services Forum; Financial Services Roundtable, National Association of Realtors; Girls, Incorporated; AFSA Education Fund; Countrywide, First Nations Oweesta Corporation, Native Americans. It includes National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders; America's Community Bankers; Community Bankers Association; Consumer Mortgage Coalition; Texas Credit Union League; State Farm Insurance Company, Freddie Mac; Wells Fargo; and the National Youth Involvement Board.

Mr. Speaker, several of these groups will be participating in the Financial Literacy Day Fair that will take place April 24 from noon to 4 p.m. here on the Hill at the Cannon Caucus Room. It is my understanding that over 50 different groups will present their financial literacy products, their programs, and ideas during the fair. The last time we hosted the event, over 500 people attended the event not only to take advantage of the free financial literacy advice but also to enjoy a wonderful buffet. I encourage my colleagues and their staff to attend the Financial Literacy Day Fair. Again, I repeat, it will be held April 24 from noon to 4 p.m. in the Cannon Caucus Room and lunch will be served.

On the same day, April 24, at 3 p.m. in room 2220 of the Rayburn House Office Building, the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus is collaborating with Visa on a different financial literacy event. Visa is bringing Jean Chatzky to the Hill to provide some financial advice and respond to questions. Both Members and staff are invited to this event at 2220 Rayburn from 3:30 to 5 p.m., which I believe will be beneficial and a huge success.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, our country is suffering financially, and our constituents are not armed with the tools they need to provide for a good future. For these reasons and more, I encourage my colleagues to support this resolution.

Junior Achievement

Worldwide Headquarters,

Colorado Springs, CO, April 9, 2007.

Hon. Ruben Hinojosa,

Rayburn House Office Building, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Hon. Judy Biggert,

Longworth House Office Building, House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representatives Hinojosa and Biggert: On behalf of JA

WorldwideTM and our 1,400 associates and 138,700

classroom volunteers around the country, I want to express

our full-fledged support for H. Res. 273. This resolution

supporting the goals and ideals of Financial Literacy Month

once again demonstrates your leadership in promoting

financial literacy and economic education.

With personal bankruptcies and debt continuing to soar, we

believe that it is critical

that financial literacy education continue to place a high

priority on targeting America's youth. According to the 2007

JA Worldwide Poll on Personal Finance, more than 75 percent

of teens nationwide say they influence their parents' buying

decisions, while nearly 29 percent of 18- and 19-year olds

say they already own and use their own credit cards. The

earlier we can provide youth with tools, tips, and strategies

to help them successfully manage their finances, the better

off our country will be.

I also would like to congratulate you both for your

continued leadership of the Financial and Economic Literacy

Caucus, and for your commitment to events such as this

month's Financial Literacy Day on the Hill. As the nation's

oldest and largest organization dedicated to promoting

economic education and financial literacy, JA Worldwide

stands ready to assist you and the caucus in advancing the

goals of H. Res. 273.

Thank you again for your resolve in championing the

importance of a financially literate society. We look forward

to working with you in the future to advance this critical

issue.

Sincerely,

David S. Chernow,

President and CEO, JA Worldwide.

Mr. Speaker, I submit the following letters regarding H. Res. 273, ``Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Financial Literacy Month'':

MasterCard Worldwide,

Washington, DC, April 13, 2007.

Hon. Ruben Hinojosa,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Hon. Judy Biggert,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Representatives Hinojosa and Biggert: I am writing to

communicate MasterCard Worldwide's strong support for House

Resolution 273, which highlights the goals and promotes the

spirit of financial literacy month.

MasterCard Worldwide shares your vision of increasing

financial literacy, illustrated by our various consumer

education programs. Specifically, MasterCard has developed

two programs called Debt Know How and Are You Credit Wise?

which target consumers at different stages of their financial

lives and aims to increase successful financial planning.

By offering consumers easy-to-understand tips and resources

to increase their financial planning efforts, MasterCard's

Debt Know How program helps consumers successfully manage

debt. The program was developed in conjunction with the

University of Minnesota Extension Service and is available in

both English and Spanish. Debt Know How is offered in both a

``trainer the trainer'' format for community leaders as well

as in a direct-to-consumer format design to reach families

currently struggling with debt.

Are You Credit Wise? is MasterCard's consumer education

program which aims to increase financial literacy rates among

America's college students by teaching successful financial

planning skills. The program employs a peer-to-peer teaching

model to maximize its effectiveness, as college students are

more inclined to listen and act upon information coming from

their peers than from parents, teachers or counselors. In its

eighth year, the Are You Credit Wise? program has reached

more than 420,000 students on 58 college and university

campuses in the U.S. and Canada.

We once again applaud your leadership and your tireless

efforts to improve the lives of the American people through

increased financial literacy.

Sincerely,

Joshua Peirez,

Group Executive, Global Public Policy.