Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, I rise to speak on H.R. 4486, MILCON-VA Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2015.

The bill provides a total of $165 billion in FY 2015 to fund military construction projects and programs of the Veterans Affairs Department-- $7 billion (4 percent) more than current funding.

This total includes $93.5 billion in mandatory spending (all for VA benefits) and $71.5 billion in discretionary funding.

Sequestration has caused significant problems for the VA in meeting the needs of our nation's veterans.

Unfortunately, H.R. 4486, does not provide the President's budget request for Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) medical care and includes unnecessary restrictions that could have negative consequences for benefits to our veterans.

I am disappointed with the funding level for VA Medical Care, which is $368 million below the President's request.

This funding level could delay the timely delivery of health care services to veterans and impede the Administration's efforts to end veterans' homelessness in 2015.

I hold our men and women of the armed services in the highest regard. I have fought for them to receive pay raises, affordable and safe housing, family support services, and the best possible medical care.

The Dr. Michael DeBakey VA Medical Center is in my District, and I am proud to say that Harris County is home to 187,717 veterans and Texas is called home by more than 1,618,413 veterans.

Our veterans never fail to respond to the call to serve their country. That is why we cannot and must not fail to serve them. And that begins by eliminating the back log. Veterans should not have to wait months to receive the care they need.

We must continue to fund programs to end veteran homelessness and increase benefits for veterans to assure they have access to healthcare, education and good paying jobs.

My support of veterans has been consistent and strong over the time I have served in the House of Representatives. I know firsthand how painful it is for Veterans to seek assistance for medical care-- especially PTSD or Traumatic Brain injuries.

The VA has made important progress on the disability claims backlog which was at 900,000 last year, but the agency despite sequestration has made progress in reducing.

I will not be satisfied until the VA disability claims backlog has been eliminated.

VA funding should not be reduced from the amount requested by the Administration especially in light of the continuing backlog in disability claims.

Further, the bill provides $50 million below the request for Information Technology operations and maintenance programs, which may result in delayed technology infrastructure improvements that ensure continuity of operations for services that support all of VA's services and benefit delivery.

I appreciate the funding level provided for electronic health record interoperability and VistA Evolution, but I object to restriction on obligations for VistA modernization efforts.

Interoperability between the DOD and VA recordkeeping systems could significantly reduce the number of Veteran disability claims that are waiting processing.

Interoperability can also lead to significant cost savings by reducing inefficiencies that are created when the capacity for computing systems to automate benefits management and track claim submissions are not available.

Furthermore, interoperability among systems that are key to our men and women in uniform transitioning to civilian life makes sense for them and their families.

The Administration is committed to achieving seamless data integration and interoperability between the Department of Defense, VA, and also with private healthcare providers.

Meeting the challenge of interoperability must be addressed to make sure that Veterans receive the necessary and appropriate care in a timely manner.

The level of discretionary funding for FY 2015, which includes $55.6 billion in advance funding from prior-year appropriations, is $1.8 billion (2 percent) less than current comparable funding and $398 million less than requested.

I do thank the Appropriations Committee for its decision to provide $58.7 billion in advance FY 2016 funding for VA medical programs.

The measure boosts discretionary spending for the VA, providing $64.7 billion for FY 2015, $1.5 billion (2 percent) more than the comparable current level, while cutting military construction by $3.3 billion (33 percent) to $6.6 billion, equal to the administration's request.

The administration, given current budget caps on defense and nondefense spending,

elected to propose reductions in military construction in order to preserve funding for defense readiness accounts in the Defense appropriations bill.

With defense and non-defense spending caps in place for FY 2015, House and Senate appropriators expect to avoid the gridlock on spending bills that occurred last year.

Mr. Chair, it is my hope that my colleagues in the majority will place the best interest of the American people first during the deliberations on the budget to ensure that Federal government nor the American people have to endure another shutdown.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the Rule for H.R. 4486, the ``Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2015,'' which supports our military and their families and provides the benefits and medical care that our veterans have earned for their service.

H.R. 4486 provides the facilities and infrastructure needed to house, train, and equip our military personnel to defend this Nation, both in the United States and abroad, provides the housing and military community infrastructure that supports a good quality of life for them and their families, and allows the military to maintain an efficient and effective base structure.

The bill also funds programs to ensure that all veterans receive the benefits and medical care that they have earned as a result of their sacrifices in the service to our Nation.

Just as our military pledges to leave no one behind on the battlefield, Democrats in Congress have pledged to leave no veteran behind when they come home.

The bill provides a total of $165 billion in FY 2015 to fund military construction projects and programs of the Veterans Affairs Department, an increase of $7 billion (4%) over current funding levels. This total includes $93.5 billion in mandatory spending for VA benefits and $71.5 billion in discretionary funding.

The bill provides a total of $64.7 billion in discretionary funding for the VA in FY 2015, a 2% increase over current funding and I am pleased that it increases mandatory funding for veterans' compensation and benefits by almost 10 percent.

Mr. Speaker, although there is much in this bill that I support, I wish to note two major concerns.

First, I disagree with the funding level for VA Medical Care in the bill, which is $368 million below the President's request and the amount I support. This underfunding for VA Medical Care could delay the timely delivery of health care services to veterans and impede our efforts to end veterans' homelessness in 2015.

Second, the bill provides $50 million less than the President's request for Information Technology operations and maintenance programs. The result is likely to be a delay in making the necessary improvements to technology infrastructure that ensure continuity of operations for services that support all of VA's services and benefit delivery.

Third, I do not support section 411 of the bill, which would prohibit the use of funds to construct, renovate, or expand any facility in the United States to house individuals held in the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. I do not support this rider because it unduly constrains the flexibility that the our Armed Forces and counterterrorism professionals need to best protect U.S. national security.

Mr. Speaker, the VA serves nearly 48.5 million people: 22 million veterans and 26.5 million family members of living veterans or survivors of deceased veterans, so in in my remaining time let me highlight some of the positive aspects of the bill:

$1.2 billion for family and military personnel housing--equal to the administration's request;

The bill contains an advance appropriation for FY 2016 of $58.7 billion, continuing the trend started in the Democratic-led 111th Congress of providing advance appropriations to the VA for the medical services, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities accounts.

This is a significant benefit to the veterans served by the VA at the 152 hospitals, 107 domiciliary residential rehabilitation treatment programs, 133 nursing homes, 300 Vet Centers, 70 mobile Vet Centers and 821 outpatient clinics, which include independent, satellite, community-based and rural outreach clinics.

$589 million is provided for for medical, rehabilitative, health services and prosthetic research--$3.3 million above current levels and recommends that a proportionate amount of funding for prosthetics should be focused on prosthetics for females, who outnumber male amputees by 3 percent.

In addition to veterans medical benefits, the bill provides $93.7 billion, an increase of $8.84 billion, in mandatory funding for other veterans benefits--primarily veterans compensation and pensions, and readjustment benefits.

$78.7 billion for veterans service-connected compensation benefits and pensions, an increase of $7.2 billion (10%) over current funding levels.

These funds are used for service-connected compensation payments to an estimated 4.6 million veterans, survivors and dependents and pension payments to 519,000 veterans and survivors.

$14.8 billion for veterans readjustment benefits, an increase of $1.6 billion (12%) over current funding levels. These funds include education and training assistance to veterans and service personnel; vocational rehabilitation; special housing and transportation grants to certain disabled veterans; and educational assistance to eligible dependents of deceased and seriously disabled veterans, as well as dependents of servicemembers who were captured or are missing in action.

This is not a perfect bill but this piece of legislations addresses the most critical needs of our service members, military families, and veterans.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I want to thank Mr. Culberson and Mr. Bishop for doing an outstanding job as they have done and make a bipartisan statement that as the first bill of the appropriations season comes forward we stand in solidarity against veterans waiting, against veterans' claims not being processed, and against veterans dying because they have not been treated.

I don't think any Member of Congress would adhere to that kind of abuse of our veterans, and I hope that we find solutions in a bipartisan way. I also believe the administration and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, a military retiree himself, would stand in solidarity to stop this kind of treatment of our veterans.

One of the groups that we have a solidarity and commitment to are the Nation's homeless veterans. We know that there are over 100,000 homeless veterans and 1,000-plus homeless veterans in Houston, Texas.

My amendment reinforces and reaffirms our commitment in looking to ensure that funds are not cut in subchapter 3, dealing with homeless matters, enhancement of comprehensive services, in particular, hospital, nursing home, and domiciliary care, which used to be only for homeless veterans who were suffering from mental health issues, now access to all veterans. So the Jackson Lee amendment is here to ensure that reducing, eliminating homelessness among veterans is of paramount responsibility and commitment to those who risk their lives to protect our freedom.

My amendment will remind us of our obligation to provide our veterans the assistance needed to avoid homelessness, which includes adequately funding for programs, Veterans Administration's support of housing that provides case management services, adequate housing facilities, mental health support, and address other areas that contribute to veterans' homelessness, such as the homeless matters, enhancement of comprehensive services.

Mr. Chairman, our veterans deserve the best service available, and I believe that we could do much for them. I know that in this particular appropriations bill there has been a standard of excellence to put our veterans first. Many other veterans are considered homeless or at-risk because of their poverty, lack of support from family and friends, and dismal living conditions. So that means the number of 107,000 goes up.

Contrary to popular belief, ending homelessness among veterans remains a big challenge. My own city of Houston has its own share of homelessness.

Let me take note of the homeless centers in my community: Salvation Army, Joshua House for Men, Magnificent House, Modest Family Health Care, Open Door Mission, Salvation Army, Harbor Light--of which I participate in their Thanksgiving ceremonies or Thanksgiving dinner almost every year that I have served in the United States Congress-- Star of Hope, Ultimate Changes, and my good friend Mr. Jones who is on Lyons Avenue who has a facility that opens its doors to anyone who will knock, a man who needs the resources that have been cut over the years.

My amendment is to reinforce that, as this bill is passed, we will ensure that the provisions given to us under title III, section 301 that emphasizes the utilization of facilities for veterans who happen to be homeless, all veterans, would not be diminished. That is at least our minimal responsibility--minimal responsibility.

But as we approach this Memorial Day where we honor those who lost their lives, let us not leave their fellow brothers and sisters along the highway of despair.

On a personal note, let me indicate that as a member of the local elected government, for many years I used to participate in the standdown, where you got to talk and interact with our veterans. I can tell you firsthand the experience.

Our veterans welcome our help and need our help, for they have helped this Nation.

Mr. Chair, Thank you for this opportunity to describe my amendment, which simply provides that: ``None of the funds made available by this Act for the Department of Veteran Affairs--Benefits for Homeless Veterans and Training and Outreach Programs may be used in contravention of the title 38, Part II, Chapter 20, III of the U.S. Code.

This amendment will help ensure that the rate of homelessness among veterans in the United States does not increase.

I thank Subcommittee Chairman Culberson and Ranking Member Bishop for their hard work in shepherding this important legislation to the floor.

I offer the Jackson Lee Amendment because I believe reducing and eliminating homelessness among veterans, those who risked their lives to protect our freedom, should also be one of the nation's highest priorities.

Homelessness among the American veteran population is on the rise in the United States and we must be proactive in giving back to those who have given so much to us.

My amendment will help remind us of our obligation to provide our veterans the assistance needed to avoid homelessness, which includes adequately funding for programs Veterans Administration Supportive Housing (VASH) that provide case-management services, adequate housing facilities, mental health support, and address other areas that contribute to veteran homelessness.

VASH is a jointly-administered permanent supportive housing program for disabled Veterans experiencing homelessness in which VA medical Centers provide referrals and case management while Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) administer the Section 8 housing vouchers.

Mr. Chair, our veterans deserve the best services available, and I believe that we could be doing much more for them.

Today, in our country, there are approximately 107,000 veterans (male and female) who are homeless on any given night. And perhaps twice as many (200,000) experience homelessness at some point during the course of a year.

Many other veterans are considered near homeless or at risk because of their poverty, lack of support from family and friends, and dismal living conditions in cheap hotels or in overcrowded or substandard housing.

Contrary to popular belief, ending homelessness among veterans remains a big challenge.

In my hometown of Houston for example, between the years 2010 and 2012, the number of homeless veterans increased from 771 to 1,162.

We must be vigilant and continue to fight for those who put on the uniform and fought for us.

Providing a home for veterans to come home to every night is the very least we can do.

Mr. Chair, you should know that programs like VASH have succeeded in changing lives. In 2012 alone, 35,905 veterans lived in the public housing provided by VASH.

I have seen the impact of such grants in my home state of Texas, and within my congressional district in Houston, and I am sure that this funding has positively impacted many communities across this country.

In Texas, there are committed groups in Houston, working to eradicate the issue of homelessness.

For example, the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center has been involved in changing veterans' lives in a mighty way by providing Veterans and their families with access to affordable housing and medical services that will help them get back on their feet.

Mr. Chair, we cannot let this issue of homelessness continue. I urge my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee Amendment and commit ourselves to the hard but necessary work of ending veteran homelessness in America.

National Coalition

for Homeless Veterans,

Washington, DC, August 7, 2012.

Bill to Reauthorize, Improve Critical Homeless Veteran Programs Signed

Into Law

Washington.--In mid-July 2012, the U.S. Senate unanimously

passed H.R. 1627, the ``Honoring America's Veterans and

Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012.'' As reported

by NCHV, (http://nchv.org/index. php/news/headline article/

senate_unanimously passes_bill_ to_reauthorize_

improve_critical_ homeless_Vet/). This bill would reauthorize

and improve several homeless veteran programs that are

critical to the success of the Department of Veterans Affairs

(VA)'s Five-Year Plan to End Veteran Homelessness. On July

31, the U.S. House of Representatives proceeded to pass H.R.

1627, and less than one week later, the bill was signed into

law by President Barack Obama.

This bill represents a comprehensive agreement between both

parties in both the House and the Senate. NCHV's most recent

Congressional Leadership Award recipients (http://nchv.org/ index. php/news/headline_ article/highlights_from_ the_

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my disagreement with last week's Supreme Court decision and at the same time I wish to condemn in the strongest terms, the inappropriate comments by NBA owner Donald Sterling and Cliven Bundy, the Nevada rancher who owes the federal government more than $1 million in grazing fees that he has not paid in 20 years.

America is a nation moving into a future and our diversity makes us better and stronger; and comments and attitudes like those expressed by Donald Sterling and Cliven Bundy have no place in our civic life and are a tragic illustration of why the Supreme Court reached the wrong decision at a most inopportune time in upholding Michigan's anti- affirmative action initiative.

With its decision in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, the Court has weakened the precedents that protected minorities from ballot initiatives that suppress minority civic participation.

This decision flies in the face of prior rulings of the Supreme Court that struck down laws and ballot initiatives that place extra burdens on the ability of minorities to participate on equal footing in the political process.

Also Mr. Speaker, let me add my voice to that of the President and so many other persons of goodwill in denouncing the racist and offensive comments of Clippers owner Donald Sterling. His remarks have no place in our society and are beneath contempt.

It is particularly unfortunate that these despicable remarks were made by an owner of an NBA franchise because the NBA has been leading the way in showing the world that America's diversity is its greatest strength and asset.

NBA teams are comprised of athletes from every race and background who work hard and in common purpose to achieve the shared goal of winning championship and thrilling their fans, who can be found on every continent of the globe. As an economic engine, the NBA generates billions of dollars to the national and local economy.

Americans do not disrespect or disparage African, Asian, South American, or European basketball stars because of their ethnicity or country of origin. They welcome them.

Nigeria's Akeem Olajuwon, China's Yao Ming, Dkembe Mutombo from the Democratic Republic of the Congo are still revered in my home city of Houston.

I am encouraged by the announcement of NBA Commissioner Silver that the league and its owners take this matter very seriously and I am confident will take appropriate action to make it clear that when it comes to racism, the NBA has a zero-tolerance policy.

But last week we are unfortunately reminded that 50 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 there is still much work to be done in perfecting our union.

It is perhaps not a coincidence that the offensive comments of Donald Sterling and Cliven Bundy were made by persons who came of age during the pre-Civil Rights era and that their views are not shared by the vast majority of their children's and grandchildren's generation. Diversity in education has been indispensable in this transformation.

That is why the decision in Schuette by the Supreme Court upholding Michigan's anti-affirmative action initiative is so unfortunate.

The Court's decision perpetuates the direct harm to African-American, Hispanic, and Native American students and inflicts indirect harm to all other students, including those admitted as alumni legatees, which is just a disguised affirmative action program for the affluent.

They are all harmed is because as Justice Sotomayor pointed out in her powerful dissent, the Court's ruling handicaps Michigan's public colleges and universities in providing the campus diversity that ``ensures the next generation moves beyond the stereotypes, the assumptions, and the superficial perceptions that students coming from less-heterogeneous communities may harbor, consciously or not, about people who do not look like them.''

Mr. Speaker, America is a nation moving into the future. Our diversity gives us the unique opportunity to compete and win in a globalized economy.

But to realize that future, we must leave behind the long discredited beliefs and attitudes of the Donald Sterlings and Cliven Bundys of this world.

Mr. Speaker, when I think of most Americans, I know that one of the major components of our work ethic is that we believe in working hard. We are not standing in line for government subsidies or handouts. We simply want to be able to have an opportunity.

Last evening, I was on the floor speaking of the unfortunate circumstances of this past week, such as the mischaracterization of what affirmative action really means, which is an opportunity for all of our students to go to institutions of higher learning with a diverse student body that embodies and reflects America, responding to the decrease in numbers of African Americans since the dismantling of affirmative action at schools like the University of Michigan, Berkeley, and others.

We then follow that decision with untimely and unfortunate comments, first by an owner of a national basketball team. It baffles me when the owner indicates that he does not want to see Black people at his stadium. It amazes me because if he looks out onto the playing floor, he might see a lot of them. We find that sports is something that brings us all together, from all walks of life.

Then we have an individual that represents himself as one of the true traditions of America, a rancher--and much of that is done in Texas-- who wants to suggest that African Americans would be better off picking cotton and having gardens and chickens.

The reason I raise these issues today is because we have parts of our society that reflect those injustices. We have parts of society that ignore the ills that befall those who are more impoverished than others.

Many people don't realize that even though slavery ended in the 1800s, the 20th century found itself with individuals or segments of the population being treated unequally for more than half a century. Even when those laws changed, like with the 1964 Civil Rights Act, minds and hearts did not change. And so the inequities followed people of color: language minorities, like Hispanics, and African Americans in particular.

I have a document that reflects that inequity right in the city of Houston and the district that I represent.

Yesterday, we came out with the Children at Risk research on the level of high schools that were not functioning. They list North Forest High School, Madison High School, Jones High School, Wheatley High School, Sterling High School, Kashmere High School, and Worthing High School at the bottom of the list. Why? They are all in inner city areas. The investment in people is not there.

And so this wealth inequality is not about someone who wants to get a handout; it is to reflect what is happening.

The highest unemployment is among Latinos and African Americans, which are the red and purple bars. Because of the barriers to access to credit, the lowest number of business ownership in this country is with African Americans. It has the lowest number of business owners. When we faced the recession and mortgage collapse, the highest number of bankruptcy filings were among Latinos and African Americans.

No, they are not looking for a handout. We are looking for policies that in fact will invest in education and make sure that when we invest in people, we overcome the barriers that deal with race and racism.

When we lost all of the home equity, which was one of the greatest assets of African Americans, the decline in home equity and ownership fell upon many of us in a high number, from Asians to Whites to Latinos and African Americans. And when I say this, I speak of those who are White and equally face obstacles.

Many know that one of the major movements of Senator Robert F. Kennedy was his visit to Appalachia and other places.

So my question to my colleagues today is how we can come together to look at a way of empowering those impoverished and making sure that the educational system, regardless of your level of income, has the ability to treat you equally so that the school that you attend every day--your parents pay taxes and send you there--is not giving you the bottom rank in opportunity and that your family is not in the category with no assets or retirement, no ability to help you go to college. Highest number, 62 percent for African Americans; Latinos, 69 percent, which is partly due to the fact that many Latinos live in a ``shadow society,'' many of them because we have not passed comprehensive immigration reform.

So, Mr. Speaker, rather than to accuse individuals and call people names and use racist categories, it is time for us to come together and be united to lift the boats of all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deepest sorrow for the family members of those that were lost in the terrible tragedy that occurred on April 2, 2014, at Fort Hood, in my home State of Texas.

Three soldiers were killed, with an additional sixteen injured, before the gunman turned the gun on himself. Our brave American soldiers are all too aware of the dangers and turmoil of war. When they return from war, we can only hope that they would return to the peace and security that they have sacrificed so much to create and protect.

Mr. Speaker, I want to honor the fallen soldiers: Sergeant First Class Daniel M. Ferguson, age 39, of Mulberry, Florida; Sergeant Timothy W. Owens, age 37, of Effingham, Illinois; and Staff Sergeant Carlos A. Lazaney-

Rodriguez, age 38, of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. These three brave soldiers were laid to rest entirely too soon. These three soldiers will be remembered for their achievements and their dedication to our country.

Americans are becoming all too familiar with tragedy of this magnitude, but it does not change the immense heartache and pain that comes with the loss of some of our nation's finest. A horrible tragedy such as this highlights the importance of serving our soldiers both while at war and during the difficult transition back into normal life. Worse is that it comes in the wake of another terrible incident at Fort Hood that occurred just five years prior. We must be able to wholly understand the challenges that our soldiers face in a time of such stringent and demanding operational tempos.

I extend my thoughts and prayers to the families of those that were lost on April 2, and offer my deepest condolences and hopes for the sixteen others that were injured in the shooting.

The men and women of Fort Hood are true American heroes. They deserve our greatest honors for the sacrifices they make every single day, within and beyond our borders. It must be our duty to always remember those that we have lost and we must be forever dedicated to preventing tragedies like these from ever happening again.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to observe a moment of silence in honor of the three fallen soldiers, Sergeant First Class Ferguson, Sergeant Owens, and Staff Sergeant Lazaney-Rodriguez.

Mr. Speaker, as Members of Congress we know well, perhaps better than most, how blessed our Nation is to have in reserve such exceptional young men and women who will go on to become leaders in their local communities, states, and the nation in the areas of business, education, government, philanthropy, the arts and culture, and the military.

We know this because we see them and benefit from their contributions every day. Many of them work for us in our offices as junior staff members, congressional fellows, or interns and they do amazing work for and on behalf of the constituents we are privileged to represent.

Mr. Speaker, I believe there is no higher calling than the call to serve a cause larger than ourselves. That is why I ran for public office. I was inspired to serve by President Kennedy who said, ``Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,'' and by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said:

Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. . . . You

only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

By this measure, there are several other great young men and women who served as volunteers this year in my offices. They may toil in obscurity but their contributions to the constituents we serve are deeply appreciated and that is why today I rise to pay tribute to four extraordinary young persons for their service to my constituents in the 18th Congressional District of Texas and to the American people. They are: Aidee Meza, Josh Crook, Katherine Welbeck, and Ayanna Costley.

I wish to thank Aidee Meza, who graduated with honors from the University of Houston, for numerous and substantial contributions, including her work on H.R. 4108, ``Breath of Fresh Air Act of 2014,'' and the highly successful ``When Women Succeed, America Succeeds'' leadership summit held in Houston in March of this year.

Josh Crook, a student at the University of North Texas, provided invaluable assistance to me and my legislative team in the areas of national defense and veterans affairs. In doing so, Josh continued his record of providing distinguished service to his country first begun with his enlistment in the Armed Services as an airman in the U.S. Air Force. Josh's experience and understanding of the challenges faced by veterans transitioning from active duty to the civilian sector was critical to the development of legislation I introduced earlier this year, H.R. 4110, ``Helping to Encourage Real Opportunity for Veterans Transitioning from Battlespace to Workplace Act of 2014,'' also known as the ``Heroes Transitioning from Battlespace to Workplace Act of 2014.''

Katherine Welbeck came to my office from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, from which she will graduate next month and go on to a highly successful career in law and public policy. A graduate of Princeton University and former teacher in the Teach for America Corps, Katherine brought to my office a commitment to educational opportunity for all persons, especially girls and young women, and a passion for justice and fairness. Because of Katherine's initiative and skill, I was able to introduce H.R. 4112, Equal Rights and Access for the Women of South Sudan Act,'' legislation requiring that activities of the United States in South Sudan relating to governance, reconstruction and development, and refugee assistance support human rights and promote the active participation of women in government and civil society.

Ayanna Costley is completing her junior year at the Madeira School in McLean, Virginia and judging by the work ethic and appetite for knowledge she displayed, can look forward to a bright future as she begins her college studies next year.

Mr. Speaker, the energy, intelligence, and idealism these wonderful young people brought to my office and those interning in the offices of my colleagues help keep our democracy vibrant. The insights, skills, and knowledge of the governmental process they gain from their experiences will last a lifetime and prove invaluable to them as they go about making their mark in this world.

Because of persons like them the future of our country is bright and its best days lie ahead. I wish them all well.

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that such thoughtful committed young men and women can be found working in my office, those of my colleagues, and in every community in America. Their good works will keep America great, good, and forever young.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the terrible tragedies that began on April 7, 1994, and endured for 100 days after, in which Hutu militias ordered the country's Hutu majority to exterminate the Tutsi ethnic group. Neighbors attacked neighbors, teachers killed students, and in mixed- ethnicity marriages, husbands handed over wives to be killed.

In total, 800,000 people, mostly ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus, died at the hands of Hutu extremists during a 100-day period. 10,00 victims were killed each day--7 per minute on average. To make matters even worse, hundreds of thousands of victims were infected with HIV as Hutu extremists used rape as a tool of violence. The terrible violence only ended when Tutsi rebel forces attacked and retook the country. Even now, the international tribunal created in the wake of these atrocities has delivered only 49 total convictions out of 95 indictments since 1995.

We must remember the victims of this horrific event in world history, honor those that survived the tragedy, and vow to never allow something like this to ever happen again.

We must look to the progress that Rwanda has made 20 years later. Life expectancy has almost doubled and economic growth continues to flourish and improve every year.

We can see hope in Rwanda now where before there was torment. To keep on this path of prosperity, we must dedicate ourselves to peace and work to actively eliminate violent extremism. This event will forever stand as a testament to the horror that can result when human beings give in to the dark side of their nature, and we must learn from this very tragic lesson in history so that it never happens again.

Mr. Speaker, on April 9 and 10, 2014, I was unavoidably detained attending to representational activities in my congressional district, including attendance at the memorial services for the victims of the tragic shooting at Fort Hood, and thus unable to return in time for rollcall votes 171 through 177.

Had I been present I would have voted as follows:

1. On rollcall No. 171 I would have voted ``no'' (April 9) (H. Con. Res. 96, Mulvaney of South Carolina Substitute Amendment No. 1).

2. On rollcall No. 172 I would have voted ``yes'' (April 9) (H. Con. Res. 96, Congressional Black Caucus Budget (Rep. Moore of Wisconsin Substitute Amendment No. 2).

3. On rollcall No. 173 I would have voted ``yes'' (April 9) (H. Con. Res. 96, Progressive Caucus Budget (Grijalva of Arizona Substitute Amendment No. 3).

4. On rollcall No. 174 I would have voted ``no'' (April 9) (H.R. 4414, Expatriate Health Coverage Clarification Act of 2014).

5. On rollcall No. 175 I would have voted ``no'' (April 10) (H. Con. Res. 96, Woodall of Georgia Substitute Amendment No. 4).

6. On rollcall No. 176 I would have voted ``yes'' (April 10) (H. Con. Res. 96, Democratic Alternative Budget (Rep. Van Hollen--Budget)).

7. On rollcall No. 177 I would have voted ``no'' (April 10) (H. Con. Res. 96, Republican Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Resolution (Rep. Ryan-- Budget)).

Mr. Speaker, there were a number of votes that I missed because I was unavoidably detained for the memorial services at Fort Hood, Texas, on April 9, 2014, and for honoring President Lyndon Baines Johnson on April 10, 2014.

Had I been present, I would have voted as follows:

On rollcall vote No. 171, the substitute amendment of Mulvaney, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 172, which involved the budget resolution on the Congressional Black Caucus budget, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 173 on the Progressive Caucus budget, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 174 on the Expatriate Health Coverage Clarification Act, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 175 on the Woodall of Georgia substitute budget amendment, I would have voted ``no.''

On rollcall vote No. 176, the Democratic alternative for Mr. Van Hollen, I would have voted ``yes.''

On rollcall vote No. 177, the Republican fiscal year 2015 budget resolution of Mr. Ryan, I would have voted ``no.''

This concludes the votes that I missed due to the memorial at Fort Hood and the honoring of President Lyndon Baines Johnson.

Mr. Speaker, over the last week there was an unseemly, sad connection between a Supreme Court decision, the comments of Mr. Bundy, and the comments of the Los Angeles owner in the NBA. Justice Sonia Sotomayer had it right with respect to the affirmative action decision: the Court's decision perpetrated harm to African American, Hispanic, and Native American students, but it also provided a harm to Michigan's public schools when they were trying to ensure the next generation of diverse persons who could in fact be part of a new America.

Mr. Bundy's comments about government subsidies and wouldn't we be better off as slaves and picking cotton were outrageous, disgraceful, and disgusting.

Sadly, sports groups, the National Basketball Association that brings people together, the owner decided to talk about not putting Black people and others together in a public setting. America must move beyond that, and we as Members of Congress and others must stand against it and denounce it. This was a sad week. I hope we will move beyond it. I hope we will get better, and I hope we will denounce those ugly, racist, outrageous comments.

Let me thank the gentleman from New York for convening this dialogue with our colleagues and, through our colleagues, the American people and Mr. Horsford as well as the Congressional Black Caucus and the passionate words of our colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), and others who have come on this floor to challenge our colleagues.

I think the backdrop of this whole discussion is the Ryan budget, which we debated before we left for the work recess. And I think it is important that we not allow that budget to just pass with a vote and let it not represent the moral document that now the Republicans have tied themselves to.

Interestingly enough, while we were away, it seems that America caught on fire. For some reason, the season generated a number of unfortunate and sad incidents that really reinforce this wealth gap that is so very important.

I have 10 points that I would like to succinctly mention in the backdrop of the Ryan budget, which cuts drastically the social network of America which really makes America great. Some of us had the opportunity to be in countries outside, countries as we were, during the recess, South and Central America, Europe and other places.

You come back to this country and you thank God for its greatness, and I still do that. But I also know that it is great, or it was great, because people pull together and realize there is no shame in a social safety network because it was people of all backgrounds--Caucasians, Hispanics, African Americans and others--who were in this country who celebrated the creation of Social Security under Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Medicare and Medicaid back in the 1960s.

This is the 50th year of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and so it is tragic that we still have to look at numbers that show the wealth inequality. It is more tragic

that we compound this discrimination with ugly words that really suggest that there is a lack of understanding for why these numbers exist.

I might say to Mr. Bundy, who suggested that government subsidies is all that African Americans receive, and that we would be better off as slaves with a garden and picking cotton: maybe if there had been a fair distribution of wealth at the end of slavery, as it was supposed to be, there would have been the investment in that now-free population where you could look at them and say, Why didn't you succeed?

Well, if you read your history books, you know that we lived under a discriminatory society for much of the 20th century. And in actuality, there was not an equalizing or trying to equalize rights until the 1960s.

Even today, the decision that was just rendered on affirmative action, some people would shout for joy, but in actuality it undermines America's great quality, and that is diversity. It takes away from Hispanic and White students and African Americans students and Asian students an opportunity to go to school together, a very unfortunate decision in affirmative action, compounded, of course, by the atmosphere and the attitudes of the likes of the owner of the Clippers, who today, in 2014, suggests I don't want to be sitting next to, taking a picture with, don't promote it, whatever his heartbroken situation might have been with an ex-girlfriend, it still sets a tone that speaks, if you will, to the discrimination that exists in wealth.

Some would say, how do you tie that together? We have to change our attitudes about all of us. And frankly, unemployment rates emphasize the discrimination in employment: African Americans, 12.4 percent and higher among young African American men; Hispanics 7.9 percent.

I don't want unemployment in any group. I fight for full employment for everyone because I know that is what America is about, giving opportunity and creating the working middle class. That is what we should fight for, and I hope our discussion focuses on the fact that we want that to occur.

Decline in wealth. We can clearly see that the decline in wealth has gone to some 53 percent in the African American community. And then of course bankruptcy filings; likewise, you can show that the highest amount is in African Americans.

Let me conclude by simply saying the budget that Mr. Ryan has will never answer the question of solving the problem of lifting the boats of all Americans. I thank the gentleman for having yielded to me. The challenge tonight is clearly to find a solution that ends the evilness of racism, but more importantly lifts the boats of all of our fellow Americans because they deserve the kind of equality and wealth opportunity that goes for poor Whites, Hispanics, African Americans, and Asians. A solution must be found.

key messages

The median wealth of White households is 20 times that of African American households. Put differently, African Americans own just five cents for every dollar of wealth whites own.

Buying a home is the single largest investment most families can make.

Asset accumulation is the foundation to economic mobility for low- and middle-income families.

Public--such as Social Security, Medicare, and Unemployment Insurance--and private assets are important for the economic security of communities of color.

Investing in assets and limiting debt can help families build wealth and improve their financial security.

Families of color lack the necessary savings and assets to climb up the economic ladder.

This wide gap in wealth between families of color and White families is a reflection of systemic and social barriers that have limited economic mobility.

Along with a history of discrimination, communities of color face obstacles getting a good job or using banks to save for future investments.

Public policy--rooted in historical discrimination--created the racial wealth gap and it will take public policy to overcome economic inequities.

The national budget is a primary vehicle through which public assets are protected and strengthened.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the late Rev. Dr. Albert Louis Patterson, Jr., an amazing leader who touched and changed the lives of thousands for the better through his pastorship of the Mount Corinth Missionary Baptist Church in Houston, which he led for 36 years. This beloved man of God was requested to join our Lord on Wednesday, April 9, 2014.

The Rev. Dr. Albert Louis Patterson, Jr., or ``Dr. Pat'' as he was affectionately known by many, trained and mentored hundreds of preachers of the gospel. Among his peers, he was regarded as the acknowledged master and `Godfather of Expository Preaching.' One of his proteges, the Rev. Robert Earl Houston, put it best:

He wasn't just an expository preacher. He was a preaching

lyricist of the highest order. To hear Dr. Patterson was to

hear gumbo-listic preaching--he hit you with the text,

oratory, poetry, interrogative statements, engagement,

tenacity for the truths of the text, humor and truth. You

would leave a preaching moment with Dr. Patterson in awe.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to share just a few of the highlights of the remarkable career of this extraordinary preacher, pastor, theologian, husband and a father of three children.

His traveling companion was his beloved wife, Melba and he had three children--Anthony, Albert III, Alan, and Alette.

Rev. Patterson was recognized three times by his peers as a ``Living Legend.'' He taught and preached at the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. and lectured for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, for the Promise Keepers, and the Preachers Division, National Baptist Congress.

Rev. Patterson was named by Ebony Magazine as one of America's greatest black preachers and was inducted into the Morehouse College Hall of Preachers. Rev. Patterson pastored congregations in California and Texas and was the author of three books: ``Joy For the Journey''; ``Wisdom in Strange Places''; and ``Prerequisites for a Good Journey.''

Mr. Speaker, the Rev. Dr. Albert Louis Patterson lectured at the Morehouse College of Religion, the American Baptist College in Nashville, Tennessee and the Mid-American Theological Seminary. He conducted revivals in more than 25 cities and preached more than 100 sermons and lectures in the National Baptist Convention.

The Rev. Dr. Albert Louis Patterson lived a consequential life in the service of his community, his family, and our country. He has gone on to receive his great reward, a place in the Lord's loving arms.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.

I ask that a moment of silence be observed in memory of the Rev. Dr. Albert Louis Patterson, Jr., of Houston, Texas.

Mr. Speaker, on April 9 and 10, 2014, I was unavoidably detained attending to representational activities in my congressional district, including attendance at the memorial services for the victims of the tragic shooting at Fort Hood and thus unable to return in time for rollcall votes 171 through 177.

Had I been present I would have voted as follows:

1. On rollcall No. 171 I would have voted ``no'' (April 9)--(H. Con. Res. 96, Rep. Mulvaney of South Carolina Substitute Amendment No. 1).

2. On rollcall No. 172 I would have voted ``yes'' (April 9)--(H. Con. Res. 96, Congressional Black Caucus Budget, Rep. Moore of Wisconsin Substitute Amendment No. 2).

3. On rollcall No. 173 I would have voted ``yes'' (April 9)--(H. Con. Res. 96, Progressive Caucus Budget, Grijalva of Arizona Substitute Amendment No. 3).

4. On rollcall No. 174 I would have voted ``no'' (April 9)--(H.R. 4414, Expatriate Health Coverage Clarification Act of 2014).

5. On rollcall No. 175 I would have voted ``no'' (April 9)--(H. Con. Res. 96, Rep. Woodall of Georgia Substitute Amendment No. 4).

6. On rollcall No. 176 I would have voted ``yes''(April 9)--(H. Con. Res. 96, Democratic Alternative Budget (Rep. Van Hollen--Budget)).

7. On rollcall No. 177 I would have voted ``no'' (April 9)--(H. Con. Res. 96, Republican Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Resolution (Rep. Ryan-- Budget)).

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Budget because it would replace H. Con. Res. 96, the ``Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2015,'' with a rational approach for budgetary reform and address the needs of real people.

I oppose H. Con. Res. 96, in its current form because it is irresponsible and a reckless approach to fiscal policy that the House majority has championed for years, with disastrous results.

The CPC's ``Better Off Budget'' would raise enough new revenue to provide $3.7 trillion for major new investments in education, infrastructure, state and local aid, nutrition, housing and research. It is estimated to create 8.8 million new jobs and to reduce the deficit by $4 trillion.

The CPC budget asks the wealthy to contribute their fair share of taxes.

Millions of American adults remain under- or unemployed, while millions more youth are desperately seeking their first work experience.

We have millions of people living in our Nation, paying taxes and contributing to the success of this nation, but are denied an opportunity to earn citizenship.

The CPC's budget reflects the reality of everyday working America-- but it sees working people as worthy of dignity and recognition for what they do every day to keep this nation strong.

The CPC's Budget is pro-worker, pro-family, pro-women, pro-education, pro-healthcare, and pro-senior which are the values that are missing in the current language of H. Con. Res. 96.

Members of the Progressive Caucus understand that the devastating cuts to federal budgets by House Republicans coupled with Sequestration have significantly hampered our Nation's economic recovery.

The country was under the control of Republicans when the economy crashed in 1929 and then they wholeheartedly embraced austerity measures which pushed the nation into the ``Great Depression.''

Eighty years later the House Republicans still have not learned the lessons regarding austerity during dire economic times.

The nation continues to struggle after the collapse in 2008 as the results of the Great Recession continue.

In 2013, on December 28, three days after Christmas, 1.3 million people nationwide lost their federal unemployment insurance due to House Republicans refusing to extend unemployment benefits.

Connecting the dots on the economic damage done to the nation by that decision is easy.

Nationally 72,000 unemployment insurance recipients will lose their benefits each week during the first half of 2014.

According to the White House Council of Economic Advisers and the Department of Labor-3.6 million additional people will lose their unemployment insurance benefits by the end of 2014 if nothing is done to restore benefits.