Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price) may be recognized only on the legislative day of Thursday, September 23, 2010, to offer the resolution that he noticed on Thursday, September 16, 2010, without further notice under clause 9(a)(1) of rule IX.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H. Res. 1611, a resolution designating the week beginning September 19, 2010, as National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week. As never before, our Nation's Hispanic-Serving Institutions, known as HSIs, play an invaluable role in educating millions of Latinos and low-income students. It is critically important that we recognize their contributions to our Nation's higher education system.

As subcommittee chairman for Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness, it is indeed a privilege for me to congratulate HSI college presidents who strive for excellence and support our students in reaching their full potential, and to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of HSI faculty, administrators, and students.

In these tough economic times, it is imperative that youth and adults receive a high quality education and are equipped with the 21st century skills to thrive in our Nation's economy. By providing accessibility and affordability to Latinos and other minorities in higher education, HSIs are creating pathways out of poverty and access to high-skilled, family-sustaining jobs and lifelong learning.

On March 30, 2010, it was an honor for me to join President Obama for the signing of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. For the first time, Congress has provided $1 billion for HSIs over the next decade to increase the representation and boost the academic achievement of Latinos in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, known as STEM.

This is a big, big deal for the Latino community. I wish to thank Congressman Raul Grijalva from Arizona for being the original sponsor of this resolution, H. Res. 1611.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, I respectfully ask President Obama to issue a proclamation designating the week beginning September 19, 2010, as National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week.

Madam Speaker, as our Nation strives to build a world-class educational system, increase graduation rates at all levels, and improve college access, persistence and completion, this resolution commends HSIs for preparing youth and workers for success in work and in life.

I strongly urge my colleagues in Congress to support this resolution and ask all Americans to observe National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week.

Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 500, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today for two reasons. The first is to thank my colleagues here in the House of Representatives, and, secondly, to ask for their continued assistance.

As many of you may know, Hurricane Alex hit south Texas the first week of July. It was followed by a subsequent tropical storm that dropped more than a foot of rain on my region, which is represented by Congressmen Ortiz, Cuellar and myself. Even more rain, 30 inches, fell in the mountains of Monterey, Mexico, and over the next 2 weeks, the Rio Grande River swelled to record levels, causing flooding along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas.

The Texas border, from Laredo to Brownsville, is home for over 2 million people. The international bridges in this region carry the bulk of U.S. land trade between the United States and Mexico. The border region is primarily protected by a Federal levee and floodway control system operated by the International Boundary and Water Commission, better known as the IBWC.

Although it is responsible for over 500 miles of levees just on the U.S. side and seven dams, for decades it received approximately $5 million a year for maintenance of those levees. As a result, a Corps of Engineers assessment in 2005 showed that hundreds of miles of the levee system were inadequate, too low or to weak to be certified. Several of the dams were also of great concern.

When the report was published, my border colleagues and I knew we had to work hard and fast to protect the millions of people we represent. We began working with the IBWC, the Corps of Engineers and local officials to get the information we needed to make our case to Congress. We thought outside the box.

Hidalgo County, with 750,000 people, one of the fastest growing counties in the Nation, worked with IBWC and the Department of Homeland Security to develop an ingenious plan to combine the Federal effort to fix the levees with the effort to build a new border fence. The resulting border-wall concept met DHS's criteria for a fence and reinforced the IBWC levees.

The county believed so much in this project and its urgency that it raised bond money and gave $82 million to the IBWC to expedite the repairs, even though these structures were totally a Federal responsibility. Hidalgo County is one of the poorest in the Nation and should not have had to spend their scarce resources on a Federal project. They deserve to be reimbursed.

In Washington, we met with the appropriators from both sides of the aisle to make our case. I want to particularly thank Congressman Frank Wolf, Congressman David Price, Congressman John Lewis, Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Congressman David Obey for understanding the need and providing us with $400 million over the last 4 years to make the badly needed repairs.

As a result, the river levees in Hidalgo and Cameron Counties were repaired. Dams and floodways near Presidio were repaired, although not before we suffered flooding that cost the lives of U.S. and Mexican heads of the International Boundary and Water Commission who died in a helicopter crash while surveying the damage. All along the U.S.-Mexico border, repairs have been made.

I have a few pictures that demonstrate what this meant during Hurricane Alex. Here is a map showing what we would have experienced in Hidalgo County if the levees had not been repaired. Everything in blue would have been a humongous lake of approximately 150 miles. It would have looked like New Orleans did under Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Katrina. This blue area of water would have covered most of the major population area, endangering hundreds of thousands of people and causing billions and billions of dollars worth of damage.

Despite historic levels of 20 and 30 feet over flood stage, which makes the Rio Grande cresting at 59 feet, the cars on the new Anzalduas Bridge show the daily traffic coming north from Mexico. As you can see the Anzalduas Bridge, it shows that the water all around us is holding up very well because of the wall and the strengthening of the levee system.

Look at this. Unfortunately, despite our progress and historic funding, IBWC internal floodways north of the river still have not been repaired. Levees in this area did not hold and communities have been flooded.

This picture shows a section of the Rio Grande River with no levees and the resulting flooding that occurred.

This final picture is of the Anzalduas Dam. Record river water flows forced the IBWC to divert river water into the spillway that leads to the floodway. For weeks, water releases from all of the upstream dams have been diverted into the floodway because there was too much water for the dams to hold back. The record river flows have weakened dams like Amistad and Falcon which were of concern to the Corps back in 2005. Although they held this time, they may not the next time.

In conclusion, I want to thank Congressmen Ortiz, Cuellar, Reyes, Doggett, Rodriguez and the other members of the Border Caucus for their help. I appreciate the assistance Chairman Barney Frank and his staffer Tom Glassic provided with our flood mapping and insurance issues.

I close by saying that I want to thank all the Members of this body who responded to our pleas, and I urge them to help us finish the job and complete the system. It is much less expensive than cleaning up after a natural disaster.

Madam Speaker, I request a leave of absence from the House of Representatives for July 13, 2010 and the balance of the week, due to the effect Hurricane Alex and the tropical depression that quickly followed are having on my district, TX-15, in South Texas.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 416, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 1434, recognizing June 2010 as National Homeownership Month. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this important resolution, and I commend my good friend and colleague, Congressman Gary Miller from California, for its introduction.

This year's theme is Protecting the American Dream. American families deserve the opportunity to achieve and sustain the dream of home ownership. This administration and Congress have been taking the necessary measures to help existing homeowners stay in their homes, to offer a second chance to millions of responsible families, to encourage wise and affordable home purchases, and to stabilize our households, neighborhoods, and communities.

The House of Representatives passed the Federal Housing Administration Reform Act of 2010. Sponsored by Chairwoman Maxine Waters of California, the bill also helps families realize the American Dream of home ownership, protects Americans from mortgage fraud, and saves taxpayers money. The legislation ensures that the Federal Housing Administration remains viable and continues to provide qualified borrowers with access to prime credit.

FHA insurance has been particularly important for minority communities, for low-income families, and for first-time home buyers, and will continue to help my congressional district, which is 80 percent Hispanic and poor.

The Homebuyer Tax Credit the House has extended several times has increased home sales and helped stabilize the housing market. Estimates suggest that this credit and several extensions will have resulted in 1 million additional home purchases and saved an average of $21,000 in equity for American homeowners who indirectly benefited from the stabilization of house values.

In my capacity as chairman of the Congressional Rural Housing Caucus, I have managed to collaborate with my colleagues in obtaining a substantial amount of money for the USDA Section 502 Single Family Direct Loan program. Recently, I worked closely with the USDA's Department of Rural Housing Service on additional commitment authority for the Section 502 Single Family Guaranteed Loan program. The House of Representatives and USDA's Rural Housing Service have done our jobs. It's my sincere hope that the Senate will act quickly on the 502 Single Family Guaranteed Loan program so that banks can close on loans.

The House has passed antipredatory lending legislation and is now in conference with the Senate on legislation that will increase consumer protection by reforming our financial services regulations and legislation. Moreover, the House of Representatives has passed legislation reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program that will help Americans in their times of need. Hundreds of thousands of first time home buyers will be unable to close on their homes if they are located in floodplains and require flood insurance. I humbly ask that the Senate reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, dozens of communities across the Nation have planned events and activities throughout June to highlight the benefits of home ownership and share information on ways families can remain successful homeowners.

I am glad that we are in Congress acknowledging their efforts through this resolution.

I urge all my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Congress of the

United States,

Washington, DC, June 17, 2010.

Hon. Nancy Pelosi,

Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Hon. John Boehner,

Minority Leader, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington,

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5569, extending the National Flood Insurance Program until September 30, 2010, making it retroactive to May 31, 2010.

I commend Chairwoman Maxine Waters for introducing this timely bill. Congress must extend authority for the National Flood Insurance Program to write or renew flood insurance policies which are required in order to obtain a mortgage in a 100-year floodplain.

Now that the National Flood Insurance Program authorization has lapsed, property owners in federally designated areas across nearly 20,000 communities nationwide are unable to obtain a mortgage or flood insurance to protect their properties. We are well into hurricane season. Congress must pass this legislation. Congress must reauthorize as soon as possible the National Flood Insurance Program to provide my constituents in Texas and all other constituents across the United States access to a program they will need should they become victims of a hurricane. I encourage my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Madam Speaker, I would like to submit a letter from the American Bankers Association in support of H.R. 5297, the Small Business Lending Fund Act.

American Bankers Association,

Washington, DC, June 9, 2010.

To: Members of the U.S. House of Representatives

From: Floyd E. Stoner, Executive Vice President,

Congressional Relations & Public Policy

Re: H.R. 5297, the Small Business Lending Fund Act

On behalf of the members of the American Bankers

Association (ABA), I am writing to express our support for

H.R. 5297, the Small Business Lending Fund Act. As proposed,

Treasury would invest in community banks through a new

program that would be separate and apart from the Troubled

Assets Relief Program (TARP). This legislation will serve as

another tool for community banks to meet the needs of small

businesses in their communities, and we urge the House to

pass this legislation.

Even with the general economy starting to improve, there

are still many areas of the United States that struggle under

the weight of the severe downturn. Since banks are a

reflection of their communities, they are suffering with the

communities they serve. Yet even in areas beset by poor

economic conditions there are strong borrowers.

Meeting the needs of these borrowers has been made more

difficult as regulators pressure many banks to increase their

capital-to-asset ratios. Given the severity of the downturn,

it is difficult if not impossible for community banks to find

new sources of capital. Thus, the only option for many banks

is to shrink, which can mean making fewer loans. H.R. 5297

would allow banks to avoid that result and continue meeting

the needs of their communities. With an improving economy and

public investments, such as those proposed in H.R. 5297,

lending can increase faster in some of the hardest hit areas

of the country. Community banks, which are the life blood of

many communities, can provide the needed capital.

While we are supportive of this legislation, we believe the

fund could be more effective if it recognized the dynamic

nature of a bank's loan portfolio. Roughly 20 percent of a

community bank's small business loan portfolio is repaid each

year. Under H.R. 5297, a bank would not be viewed as

increasing its small business lending until it made enough

loans to replace that 20 percent. Recognizing all of a bank's

small business lending would make the program more attractive

to many community banks.

The program's success also will hinge on whether it is made

available to banks who actually need the capital. If the

program is made available only to those banks who do not need

it, the program will fail. There are many viable community

banks that would benefit greatly from a comparatively modest

investment by the government to help them weather the current

economic storms. Past initiatives have left this group of

banks on the sidelines and, in many cases, have made it more

difficult for them to attract private capital. We encourage

you to support making the Treasury program available to banks

that are viable on a post-investment basis.

The bill also includes a State Small Business Credit

Initiative, which we find very promising. Efforts like this

in Michigan, for example, have shown great promise over the

years they have been in place. Under the Michigan Strategic

Fund (MSF), the MSF deposits the cash into an interest

bearing account with that lender and this account will then

be pledged as collateral on behalf of the borrower. Based on

an amortization schedule, the MSF will draw down the account

as the loan principal is paid. In the event of full default,

the lender will have rights to the account less a liquidation

fee. The proposed State Small Business Credit Initiative

would function in a similar manner and, we believe, could

provide much needed support for loans made by participating

banks. As with the Small Business Lending Fund, ABA

recommends that all viable community banks be allowed to

participate.

While we shall continue to work with Congress as this

legislation moves forward, we believe that the legislation

can serve as a real tool to help community banks meet the

credit needs of their communities. We support passage of H.R.

5297.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5297, the Small Business Lending Fund Act of 2010. This legislation will help small businesses survive and thrive in the current economic climate by providing the Secretary of the Treasury temporary authority to make capital investments up to $30 billion to banks and savings associations with assets of less than $10 billion and to their parent holding companies, provided they also have assets of less than $10 billion.

Mr. Chairman, H.R. 5297 increases the availability of credit for small businesses. It provides funding to eligible institutions that serve small businesses that are minority- and women-owned and that also serve low-and moderate-income, minority, and other underserved or rural communities. This legislation ensures that all eligible institutions may apply to participate in the program established under this title, without discrimination based on geography, which is very important to the great State of Texas.

H.R. 5297 requires eligible institutions receiving capital investments under the program to provide outreach in languages other than English describing the availability and application process to receiving loans from eligible institutions through the use of print, radio, television, or electronic media outlets which target organizations, trade associations, and individuals that represent or work within or are members of minority communities.

The Small Business Lending Fund Act of 2010 contains provisions promoting financial education and literacy and would-be borrowers.

Most importantly, this legislation protects and increases American jobs.

Mr. Chairman, H.R. 5297 will help small businesses, community banks, the low- and moderate-income, minorities, and other underserved or rural communities, and all of our constituents. It will help our great country move further down the road towards economic recovery and expansion. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this important and timely piece of legislation.

National Association

of REALTORS',

Washington, DC, June 15, 2010.

U.S. House of Representatives,

Washington, DC.

Dear Representative: On behalf of the 1.1 million members

of National Association of REALTORS', and their

affiliates, I ask for your support of H.R. 5297, the ``Small

Business Lending Fund Act of 2010,'' introduced by

Representative Frank (D-MA). This bill will create the Small

Business Lending Fund Program (SBLFP) that would increase the

availability of credit to our nation's commercial real estate

and small business sectors.

Nearly $1.4 trillion of commercial real estate loans will

mature over the next several years, with a very limited

capacity to refinance. If not addressed, the swelling wave of

maturities could place further stress on already fragile

financial markets and slow our nation's economic recovery. In

addition to addressing the issues facing the commercial real

estate industry, improving access to capital for small

businesses--widely acknowledged as a critical part of growing

the American economy--is also greatly needed. In fact, the

percentage of small business owners holding a business loan

or credit line fell almost 20 percent last year.

Unappreciated is the fact that a significant portion of

commercial real estate is owned, leased, and operated by

small businesses.

Unlike the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the SBLFP

contains lending provisions that help ensure community banks

have both the incentive and greater capacity to increase

total loans to small businesses by decreasing the dividend

cost on the capital investment as lending grows.

Additionally, we support Amendment #4 (Minnick, D-ID),

which would allow commercial real estate loans for properties

for lease to be eligible in the SBLFP. As H.R. 5297 is

currently written, only owner-occupied commercial real estate

loans qualify for this program, which excludes commercial

real estate loans on properties for lease--a significant

portion of small businesses that need refinancing assistance.

In order to help spur small business hiring and growth, NAR

urges you to pass this important legislation.

Sincerely,

Vicki Cox Golder, CRB,

2010 President, National Association

of REALTORS'

I rise today in support of H. Res. 879. I want to thank the National Education Association, NEA, and its 3.2 million members for designating November 15 through November 21 as American Education Week.

I also wish to acknowledge and thank Representative Minnick from Idaho for introducing this important resolution, and I thank the gentlelady from California for giving me time to speak.

As subcommittee chairman for Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness, I congratulate all of our teachers, higher education faculty and staff, custodians, substitute educators, bus drivers, clerical workers, food service professionals, workers in skilled trades, health and student services workers, security guards, technical employees, and librarians for working tirelessly on behalf of our children, parents, and communities.

Our Nation's public schools and colleges and universities continue to be the great equalizer and the backbone of American democracy. They open the doors of opportunity to millions of graduates every year.

In order to access family-sustaining jobs in our economy, it is imperative that all children, all youth and adults receive a high quality education and are equipped with 21st century skills to thrive in our Nation's economy.

As our Nation strives to build a world-class educational system, increase graduation rates at all levels, and improve literacy for adult learners, we must recognize our teachers, our principals, our faculty, and school personnel for their professionalism and extraordinary commitment to care for and educate our children, youth, and adults for a 21st century workforce.

I commend President Obama, I commend Chairman Miller and my colleagues for making historic investments in education and for ensuring accessibility and affordability in higher education with the enactment of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.

I urge my colleagues and our Nation to observe American Education Week and the invaluable contributions of our Nation's educators. You all make a world of difference in the lives of our students and families. I thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1409) expressing support for designation of June 20, 2010, as ``American Eagle Day'', and celebrating the recovery and restoration of the bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States.

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

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

I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1409, expressing support for the designation of June 20, 2010, as ``American Eagle Day'' and celebrating the recovery and restoration of the bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States.

The American bald eagle has been a part of American culture for hundreds of years. In 1782, the Second Continental Congress established that the bald eagle was the official emblem of the United States because of its uniqueness to North America. It can be seen on the United States seals in public buildings, in schools and even here in the House Chamber. Over the years, the bald eagle has become a living symbol of the United States spirit, freedom, and continual pursuit of excellence.

Mr. Speaker, the bald eagle was on the endangered species list a little more than 45 years ago with only 400 nesting pairs in the whole United States. Through conservation, education and careful planning, the American bald eagle has thrived. As a result, the Department of the Interior has taken the bald eagle off both the endangered and threatened species list. The bald eagle has been a national symbol, and its recovery has been a national success story.

House Resolution 1409 will not only honor the now-thriving American bald eagle, it will also encourage support of the United States Mint Bald Eagle Commemorative Coin program, which has been a success for the past few years.

I want to acknowledge all that the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Roe) and his staff, Matt Meyer, have done to bring attention to the American bald eagle and commend Congressman David Roe for introducing this very important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, the American bald eagle is indeed an American icon. I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting H. Res. 1409.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5502) to amend the effective date

of the gift card provisions of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009.

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.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 5502, legislation that extends the effective date of the gift card provisions of the Credit Card Act of 2009 to January 31, 2011, 15 months after enactment of the Credit Card Act.

On March 23, 2010, the Federal Reserve Board issued final rules implementing the gift card provisions of the Credit Card Act of 2009. These rules, which appropriately restrict gift card fees and expiration dates, offer important protections for consumers. The rules become effective on August 22, 2010, just prior to the start of the 2010 holiday season. Because of the timing of the effective date of the rules and the approaching holiday season, as well as the technical disclosure requirements set forth in the Credit Card Act of 2009, millions of gift cards currently in the stream of commerce will be out of compliance with this law's disclosure provisions unless we pass this bill.

The challenges presented to retailers who rely on the sales of gift cards would be significant, as they would likely be faced with empty gift card displays for a period of time while the cards are removed, while they are destroyed and reproduced and redisplayed. And most importantly, Mr. Speaker, customers would be inconvenienced and dissatisfied.

Several of us here in Congress believe this is contrary to congressional intent contemplated when Congress passed the Credit Card Act of 2009 or when the Federal Reserve Board issued its final rules. Such waste and destruction is unnecessary, especially in light of the fact that there is an existing rule in place that the industry would be compliant with as it sold off existing inventory. A reasonable transition period is needed to sell through current card inventory and comply with the disclosure provisions in the final rules to serve consumers, to mitigate environmental impact, and reduce substantial costs incurred by the prepaid card industry and sellers, many of which are small businesses. Extending the gift card provisions by 15 months will address all of these concerns.

I want to take this opportunity to commend my colleague Congressman Dan Maffei of New York, as well as Jillian Martin on his staff, for authoring this important legislation and ensuring that it complies with all the other requirements in the Credit Card Act of 2009.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I also have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 286 and 287, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on both votes.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5116, the America COMPETES Act.

Chairman Gordon, I commend you and the members of the House Science and Technology Committee for bringing this legislation to the floor.

More than ever, our Nation must invest in the scientific and technological building blocks that bolster American competitiveness in the 21st Century global economy. The America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 achieves this and more by fostering innovation, supporting manufacturers and industry, preparing a STEM workforce, and creating jobs.

I want to recognize Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson, Ben Ray Lujan, Silvestre Reyes, co-chair of the Diversity and Innovation Caucus, and other members of the Tri-Caucus for their outstanding leadership in championing diversity issues in this bill. This bill represents a great leap forward in broadening the participation of underrepresented minorities and women in the STEM fields.

As subcommittee chairman for Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness, I am pleased that America COMPETES will more fully integrate our Nation's minority-serving institutions into research partnerships and Federal programs.

This bill complements our work on the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act known as SAFRA and our efforts to improve science and math literacy in our Nation's public schools.

In 2007, I introduced the Partnerships for Access to Laboratory Science Act, known as PALS, because our high schools needed to be properly equipped to provide low-income and minority students with laboratory experiences that will foster their talents and lifelong interests in science.

There is no doubt that we must redouble our efforts to engage young people in the STEM fields early on in their academic careers. I applaud Chairman Gordon and the committee for including this program in H.R. 5116.

I urge my colleagues to support the America COMPETES Act. Our Nation's future competitiveness depends on it.