Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today in support of H. Res. 1746, ``Recognizing and supporting the efforts of Welcome Back Veterans to augment the services provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs in providing timely and world-class care for veterans and members of the Armed Forces suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related psychiatric disorders.''

I would like to begin by thanking my colleague, Representative Israel, for introducing this resolution to the House, which encourages the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish innovative public- private partnerships for the treatment and research of PTSD in teaching hospitals across the country. I urge my colleagues to also support this resolution, as it honors the fact that those who have fought for our Nation should remain a priority.

It is important that we, as a Nation, continue to recognize that our great country stands strongly today because of the dedication and sacrifice of American veterans. The United States is surely indebted to the veterans of every conflict, who have made great sacrifices for themselves and their families in defense of our national security. Our freedom is intertwined with the sacrifices of our veterans, whose devotion to our way of life is unparalleled. I am privileged to stand before you today and officially honor their sacrifices and the role they play in our Nation.

Every Veterans Day, Americans come together to remember those who have served our country around the world in the name of freedom and democracy. The debt that we owe to them is immeasurable. Their sacrifices and those of their families are freedom's foundation. Without the brave efforts of all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and Coast Guardsmen and their families, our country would not live so freely.

Deployed soldiers frequently and continually engage in high-intensity combat operations, exposing them to potential triggers for PTSD or other psychiatric conditions. A 2008 report published by the RAND Corporation estimated that one in five Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are affected by PTSD. Those with PTSD are at high risk for developing other psychological disorders, such as depression.

Furthermore, those suffering with PTSD are more likely to engage in self-destructive behaviors, such as alcohol and substance abuse, and are six times more likely than persons without PTSD to commit suicide. PTSD has been associated with unemployment and a work productivity loss, and when left untreated, exacts an enormous toll on individuals, families, and society as a whole.

This resolution not only solidifies the importance of Veterans Day, but also extends the importance of support for veterans and their health and safety throughout the year. In observing Veterans Day, the people of the United States must also encourage the education of our youth on how those dedicated individuals have contributed to the United States' history and today's society. We must continue the tradition of honoring those who have served for the greatest causes, freedom, democracy, and justice; their commitment to the United States at home and abroad should never be forgotten. I am truly proud to rise in support of the recognition of Welcome Back Veterans for their commitment to taking care of our soldiers.

We recognize and honor the veterans of the Armed Forces not only of today, but also of years past, who have sacrificed their lives for our great Nation. This resolution reaffirms our country's utmost respect and pride for our service people who have contributed to the shaping of the United States' history and our current place in the world today. It shows the true patriotic spirit that many Americans possess, and their willingness to give back to those who have given so much to maintain our freedom.

Currently, our Nation has 3 million troops and reservists, and 23 million veterans, who deserve the greatest respect from their fellow citizens. Our Nation has a proud legacy of appreciation and commitment maintaining the wellbeing of the men and women who have uniforms in defense of this country, and we must ensure that this legacy continues in the future.

Mr. Speaker, to my friends on the other side of the aisle, these children have not broken the law, these are not criminals, and the only nightmare that I can imagine is the nightmare of violating the rights of these wonderful children who want an opportunity to serve America.

First of all, they have to be in the country for 5 years already, and they cannot change their status for another 10 years. It could be almost 20 years. And then you have the opportunity for them to invest in this country after they have received their education equaling up to $1 trillion. Do we violate our rights and our beliefs that we all are created equal?

So I ask my colleagues to support a DREAM Act that invests in America, that allows individuals to serve America. It is not amnesty; it is people wanting to serve this country, to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Stand for what is right. Vote for the DREAM Act. Believe in our values. We are all created equal.

I rise today in strong support of the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, better known as the DREAM Act.

The DREAM Act is designed to provide a path to legal status for young people of good moral character brought to the United States as children. There are an estimated 2.1 million undocumented children and young adults in the United States who might be eligible to receive legal status under the DREAM Act. My home state of Texas is home to 12 percent of potential DREAM Act beneficiaries, second only to California (26 percent).

Each year, tens of thousands of these undocumented students graduate from primary or secondary school, often at the top of their classes. They have the potential to be future doctors, nurses, teachers, and entrepreneurs, but they experience unique hurdles to achieving success in this country. Through no fault of their own, their lack of status may prevent them from attending college, working legally, and joining the military. The DREAM Act would provide an opportunity for them to live up to their full potential and make greater contributions to the U.S. economy and society.

These students are culturally American, growing up here and often having little attachment to their country of birth. They tend to be bicultural and fluent in English. They are honor roll students, athletes, class presidents, valedictorians, and aspiring teachers, engineers, and doctors. Yet, because of their immigration status, their day-to-day lives are severely restricted and their futures are uncertain. They cannot legally drive, vote, or work. Moreover, at any time, these young men and women can be, and sometimes are, deported to countries they barely know.

Not only will the DREAM Act provide undocumented youth with the opportunity to achieve their dreams, but it will also have a positive impact on our economy. DREAM eligible students are already working hard and contributing to this economy and will not create new competition for Americans. Removing the uncertainty of undocumented status allows legalized immigrants to earn higher wages and move into higher-paying occupations, and also encourages them to invest more in their own education, open bank accounts, buy homes, and start businesses.

By allowing these students to come out of the shadows and work legally in the U.S., we will expand our Nation's tax base and will essentially be making an investment in our country. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, over a period of 10 years, increasing the number of authorized workers in the United States would increase tax revenues by at least $2.3 billion. Moreover, the Congressional Budget Office found that the DREAM Act would also help to reduce the deficit by $1.4 billion over 10 years.

Despite the potential good that would come from enactment of the DREAM Act, there are still misconceptions about what exactly it will do. The DREAM Act does not provide blanket amnesty, but rather, it creates a narrowly tailored process to put young people on the path to legalization. These young people must meet certain criteria, including living in the United States the majority of their lives, graduating from high school, and completing at least two years of college. They must also exhibit characteristics of good moral character. Criminals or those who pose a threat to our national security would remain ineligible and be subject to deportation.

Furthermore, the DREAM Act does not give undocumented students immediate citizenships. In fact, it only provides for conditional status, which imposes heavy requirements on students before they can even apply for citizenship, including paying back taxes and demonstrating the ability to read, write, and speak English. It will take more 20 years before an individual will have the ability to achieve full citizenship in the United States. Moreover, it will take more than 28 years before an individual given legal status under the DREAM Act will be able to petition for a relative to come to the United States.

In my global travels to places like Africa, Asia, and Latin America, I have had the opportunity to interact with many children. Despite their many differences, there is one unifying factor--their love, respect, and adoration for the United States of America. The Declaration of Independence reminds us that we are all created equal. The students who would be impacted by the DREAM Act are more like you and me than most realize, and they deserve to have the ability to participate and contribute to America.

The DREAM Act is supported by military leaders, labor unions, business leaders, and a majority of American voters. I would like to tell you about Lucy Martinez, a second-year undocumented student at University of Texas at San Antonio who is among seven protesters who've refused to eat for 22 days to express her support for The DREAM Act. When asked why she and her fellow protestors chose to go on this hunger strike, she responded that she wants us to ``recognize our sacrifice and hard work. That we want to contribute to this country. We don't have the privilege of waiting. Our future is on the line.''

It is time that we decide whether to stand with this broad-based coalition, or continue to unfairly punish young people who were brought to this country through no fault of their own. I ask my colleagues to stand with me today and vote in favor of the DREAM Act.

Mr. Speaker, it is great news that we gave an opportunity to young people today by passing the DREAM Act, but shame on us that we did not pass the Seniors Protection Act of 2010.

Democrats rallied to make a commitment to the Nation's seniors for a $250 refund as they listened to the horrible pronouncement that they would not get a cost-of-living increase. We owe them. We owe them because of the hard work that they have contributed over the decades to build this Nation. They have provided us with years and years of work, of investment and production and of part of the manufacturing history of this country.

How can we leave this session and not provide our seniors with relief?

So I call upon my colleagues to rally together for what is right for those seniors, who have carried the flag, who have fought in our wars, who have nurtured the sick, who have raised our children, and who have invested in America. It is time to pass the Seniors Protection Act of 2010. We should not leave this Congress and not finish this year without passing this relief for the seniors of America--patriots, deserving--all of them.

I thank the manager of this bill for his continuing leadership on issues of ensuring the safety of our children. To the manager for our friends on the other side of the aisle, I likewise thank him for his long record in law enforcement and for supporting this legislation, which I rise to support, S. 3998, the Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act.

Mr. Speaker, our children permeate our lives and our society. Not only are children engaged in what we call organized activities such as the Boys and Girls Clubs which permeate all of our communities and districts, or little league baseball, football, soccer and basketball, in schools and after-school clubs; but they also do ad hoc things such as doing their own volunteer work and working with organizations that ask for young people to volunteer. I rise enthusiastically to support the opportunity for nonprofits and others to be able to access these criminal background checks and applaud the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that I've worked with over the years.

We are always saddened when we hear of a missing child, an abused child, or a child that has been murdered. Over the last couple of months and in the last year, we have seen children that have been dismembered, we have seen children that have been lost, we have seen children that have been brutally abused; certainly some at the hands of their relatives or parents. But if we can protect these children when they leave our home to ensure that they do have the safety of the adult leadership that is working with them, we will have made a giant step forward. Our children are our most precious resource. If we look at the crime statistics, we will see that they represent a sizable proportion of those children that have either been sexually abused or in fact suffered a violent act. So I think that this expansion is extremely important.

I would also commend to my colleagues my interest in seeing my legislation on the DNA data bank on sexual predators to be accessible all over the country to law enforcement and particularly isolated to those who are sexual predators as relates to children. I have spoken to many law enforcement officers who believe that this would be another expedited source of assistance to them. Obviously this would be a grim set of circumstances because it means that they would have in their possession a case that either a child was sexually molested and lived or a child was sexually molested and did not live. But anything that we can do

to ensure that law enforcement within the guidelines of our own Constitution and beliefs have all the resources that they need to protect our children I believe is extremely important.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to move this legislation, to hold hearings on this legislation, and to ensure that we give every tool to law enforcement to protect our children.

But in the instance of this legislation, this is, in fact, a very important statement about our commitment to protecting our children.

I congratulate Senator Schumer. And to all of the organizations that every day encounter adults that work with children, this gives you an added extra tool that I know that you will use to be able to ensure that our children have a full and complete quality of life, enjoy the activities that you provide for them, and, yes, have the opportunity to volunteer themselves and work with adults who they know are concerned about their best interests and not those who may have a record that would undermine the purpose and goals of the organization in which they work.

So, in conclusion, let me thank those who have supported this legislation and ask my colleagues to enthusiastically support S. 3998, the Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act.

Mr. Speaker, before I start, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the family of Elizabeth Edwards, who passed today, a woman who I got to know and who I admire greatly. I wish for her family loving memories, and I offer publicly my deepest sympathies.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind Members of what opportunity means in this country. Opportunity is focused in many ways: equality and justice, First Amendment rights, that you can find in the Constitution in some way. But education is also an opportunity and a right in this country.

I rise today to support the DREAM Act so that millions of children who've lived in this country, speak the language, many of them served in the United States military, who are seeking a simple education can do so and then, in turn, invest some $1 trillion in contributions to America.

I speak today in tribute to Ms. Martinez, who is on a 28-day hunger strike, from San Antonio, Texas. Ms. Martinez, I hope, in your name, that we will pass the DREAM Act, because you have been willing to sacrifice. We should pass the DREAM Act.

I thank the distinguished gentleman; and, frankly, I think it's important for my colleagues to recognize that we have been there, done that. And I don't know how the minority consistently managed to trample on a need that America has had and that this Congress and this leadership and this President is trying to cure.

Robert F. Kennedy was one of the first elected officials to draw our attention to the extensive poverty in America. Going into the Appalachian Mountains, he showed the world how children woke up hungry and went to bed hungry.

It is well that the President's commitment and the first lady's charge have been to put our children on the front pages of America.

So I rise to support the underlying Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, recognizing we're discussing a suspension that involves all manner of confusion.

But I want America to understand what is really being addressed, which I hope my colleagues will overwhelmingly support. It is to complement the deficiencies of food stamps. It is to recognize that some children get their healthiest meals at breakfast and lunch and possibly, because of this program, through the weekend. It connects learning abilities with being well-nourished. And it speaks not to yesterday, but it speaks to tomorrow, the future of America.

Now, many of us were concerned of how this was paid for. But if you look closely at it, it's an outlay. And the question of food stamps has been addressed by discussions that we have had, and no cuts in food stamps will occur at this time.

But what will occur is that we will bring out of the drain of poverty those children that are our responsibility. I believe it is crucial that we support this legislation now and that we address all manner of information and representation that our friends have.

That we deal with the question of sexual predators which, as the chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I've worked on extensively. We deal with questions of potential fraud, which I don't know where our colleagues are documenting that.

But what we need to address is the 21 million meals provided through this provision that will offer more incentives for a more comprehensive school program and allow our children to learn and live. If America doesn't accept that as a challenge that it must connect with, then I don't know who we are as a people.

I'm gratified that we have finally recognized that poverty must finally be extinguished. I ask my colleagues to vote for the bill going forward for our children and our country.

I rise today to speak about S. 3307, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

S. 3307, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, is the child nutrition reauthorization legislation that has already passed unanimously in the Senate. The legislation would dramatically improve the quality of meals children eat in school and in child care programs, increase the number of healthy meals available to needy children and provide the first real increase in the Federal reimbursement rate for school lunches in over 30 years. The legislation would also eliminate junk food from schools by requiring schools, for the first time, to apply nutritional standards to food served outside the cafeteria.

Mr. Speaker, while I wholeheartedly support what the Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act will do, it is unfortunate that we will have to take money away from the SNAP program in order to fund it.

I am concerned that the bill is paid for with a severe reduction in SNAP ARRA benefits and that it does not fully address the access improvements needed to connect children with those programs. In particular, I worry about the potential impact this could have on low- income children and families. I remain strong in my position to ensure that those participating in the food stamp program will not face negative consequences as a result of the child nutrition bill. While the funding of this bill concerns me, both the SNAP benefits and the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act are necessary to reduce hunger and to improve our Nation's health. It would be a shame if either program were to fall by the wayside. Our President has indicated that he has all intention to ensure a positive commit to the restoration of SNAP funds; and given that commitment, I stand here today in support of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Finally, I believe the commitment to cure any funding issue calls for strong support of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, we should remember that this Act is not an attempt to borrow money from one social welfare program to fund another. The intention is to assure that both programs, which will benefit the health and wellbeing of children, are adequately funded. Under this bill, children who are on food stamps will receive healthy meals while at school, and should receive healthy dinners and weekend meals as well.

I recognize that one in four children is at risk of hunger and that one in three is overweight or obese, our children cannot afford to wait for the improvements to child nutrition that are made in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Numerous organizations and advocacy groups that are working to reduce hunger and improve nutrition amongst children are in support of this legislation.

In turn, it is also important to recognize that the Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act will also provide more meals for children at risk. Included in this act is a provision that will reimburse the Child and Adult Care Food Programs (CACFP) in all fifty states for meals provided to children after-school. It is widely known, that children who are able to stay after school, and not unsupervised on the streets, are more apt to succeed academically. The 21 million meals provided through this provision will offer more incentives for more comprehensive after school programs that will subsequently improve our nation's overall academic performance.

The United States' obesity rates are higher than the majority of civilized countries in the world. Nutrition and healthy living is a learned behavior, one that is best learned at young ages. Children will not have proper nutrition if their parents and guardians do not provide it for them. While parents undoubtedly have their children's best interest at heart, it is an unfortunate fact that many families simply cannot afford to provide their children with elements of a nutritious diet composed of healthier ingredients.

In a 2008 American School Health Association study, published in the Journal of School Health, the effects of a healthy diet on academic performance were examined and the findings were incredible. It was deduced that a diverse selection of food, to meet the recommended number of servings of each food group, along with a higher consumption of fruit and vegetables, are critical to strong academic performance. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 provides access to healthier food services to our Nation's children. America's children deserve the opportunity to eat healthily, to live healthily, and to succeed academically.

Mr. Speaker, as I stand here to speak on behalf of my constituents in Houston, and on behalf of all Texans, I support this child nutrition initiative. According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, there are approximately 2.9 million participants in the school lunch programs statewide. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will undoubtedly support those school lunch programs, and will also ensure that our youth receives a healthy, balanced meal while at school. Though these meals are offered only at school, they encourage healthier eating habits that will hopefully extend throughout the day and throughout their lives. It is absolutely imperative that our Nation's schools educate children at a young age about healthy active lifestyles and smart food choices.

I support the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 because of its nutrition initiatives aimed at our Nation's youth and because it portends billions of dollars in savings over the next ten years. Both nutrition and savings are important to our children's futures. This Act will save $1 billion over the next ten years by requiring that 12% of Federal support for the National School Lunch Program will be provided in the form of commodity foods. Furthermore, approximately $1.3 billion will be saved over the next ten years by restructuring the education component of the SNAP into a new grant program; it will eliminate the requirement for States to provide matching funds, and will distribute Federal funds instead.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is an important step towards a healthier future for our children. However, I maintain that it is absolutely necessary that SNAP funds are restored, and that that program is not foregone in our efforts. I urge my colleagues to mirror the Senate, and to support this bill, while calling for a commitment to restoring the SNAP funds.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for your leadership on this issue. Thank you to Mr. Fortenberry and my friend and colleague from the State of Texas, Judge Poe.

This is a response to a humanitarian crisis. Some of us had the opportunity and somewhat of a privilege to be in Haiti this past Sunday. I am here to report that there are still 1.5 to 1.6 million persons still displaced, many of them living in various camps. There is need for the continued removal of rubbish and the debris that we all saw in horror on January 12 of 2010.

So this is an enormously important initiative because it addresses the question of almost 1,200 Haitian orphans which were airlifted and rescued on that fateful day. They now live in limbo, and it is important to note for my friends on the floor of the House that if they were to return, it is a country that struggles to survive.

Let me applaud the Haitian Government for its concern about Haitian children and Haitian orphans and to make sure that there is no abuse and misuse of those children. But we know that many of these children, all of these children, are in loving homes here in the United States. There are families that still want to endorse the idea of adoption of Haitian children. All of them are willing to do it in the right way.

But this legislation helps those who are here to give them permanent residence status, to allow them to obtain status so that they can pursue the act of citizenship once the Government of Haiti is in operation.

On this past Sunday, there was an election, and many of you heard of the challenges that were faced. Some of us still believe that those challenges of allegations of fraud need to be corrected. But we do know that Haiti needs a stable and supporting government, and we know that these children need a loving family. It is important, then, to provide them with this particular effort, this bridge, that will take them to the next level, the next step.

Let me thank the many parents who simply have love to share with these children, these adoptive American parents who need assistance now. Let me thank you and acknowledge to you that there are Members of Congress who are particularly sensitive to this issue.

Just a few months ago I traveled to Haiti with Senator Mary Landrieu and Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Our focus was on the children--their schooling, their access to health care, and, yes, the ability for them to be adopted in an expedited or an efficient manner.

So, therefore, I ask my colleagues to support this legislation as, really, the first step in what will be many, many steps on the journey of the restoration of Haiti and the Haitian people. They are resilient. And I would like to thank the Haitian Americans and those who still struggle to survive, because it is still important for us to say we will not forget you.

Let me thank my good friend from Colorado, and I will agree with you that this underlying bill is not a bill about billionaires and millionaires.

I am delighted to rise now and support H.R. 4783, which has been amended by the Senate. And I will tell you that this bill is not an entitlement. It is a bill that was earned by the sweat and tears and the loss of land and the death of many who stood for the empowerment on the basis of the ownership of land that would generate a legacy for those who happened to be Native Americans and, as well, justice for those who happened to be African Americans.

I'm delighted that we have come to a conclusion on the Cobell settlement and the Pigford settlement--one dealing with the trust lands of Native Americans, and the other dealing with the inequities in the Department of Agriculture dealing with black farmers.

This is the work of the Agriculture Committee, and it's the work of the Judiciary Committee, the Department of Justice, and President Obama's administration.

How many of you have stood alongside of farmers who have had tears in their eyes because the only thing they wanted to do is to till the soil and to produce for the American people? This has happened across America. The

name of Shirley Sherrod, who attempted in her new appointment to make sure that all farmers were included as related to the resources of the Department of Agriculture. How many of you have heard of stories where one farmer would get a small pittance of a loan and another farmer would not just because of the color of their skin, and it would result in a bankruptcy, a loss of land?

America is a place of equality. And so to the Apache Tribe, the Crow Tribe, the Taos Pueblo Tribe dealing with water rights, legitimate issues addressing native lands have now been resolved. This is not a handout. The courts determined that the Native Americans prevailed, and they determined over 2 or 3 years ago that the black farmers prevailed as well. There was an inequity in addressing the question of treatment under the Department of Agriculture.

So who are we as a Nation? We are proud Americans who have been able to produce our own food. That has been one of the elements of our greatness. These farmers simply wanted to do what was right by America, and they were not allowed to do so.

And with respect to Native American lands and the trust of dealing with, specifically, water rights, these were lands owned and designated historically by law, but they were not treated right and we have now addressed that question.

This legislation is paid for. So I support the rule and the underlying bill. But I don't want my colleagues to rise mistakenly to the floor and suggest that we are handing out dollars, that we are not paying for dollars, that we are not being fiscally responsible. We are. And I ask my colleagues to support this.

Justice finally has arrived, and it is time for us to accept the call to justice and provide for those who simply want to provide for the American people in their own way. Thank you for this settlement for black farmers and Native Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise enthusiastically to support the Pigford-Cobell settlement, and ask that we continue to seek justice for those who have been denied it.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all of my colleagues who were instrumental in furthering this legislative effort and bringing this momentous bill to the House floor. H.R. 4783 serves as a means of justice and vindication for minority farmers and landowners who were previously wronged by the Agriculture Department and the Interior Department when they were only trying to make a living. These were American farmers, who have dedicated their lives to the prosperity of the United States, by in essence, providing for their fellow citizens.

I have long been an adamant supporter of American farmers in their mission to strengthen agriculture in our Nation. As a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, I have been actively involved in the fight to ensure that black farmers and Native Americans received justice for the discrimination they encountered. For nearly a decade, I have worked alongside my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, other Members of Congress, and civil rights advocacy groups to uphold the standards of equality and fairness, and ensure that the government is held accountable for its wrongdoings.

I am pleased that the Senate has passed this legislation by unanimous consent earlier this month to right the many past wrongs of our government. I hope that today, in the House, my colleagues too will vote to pass this important legislation. H.R. 4783 deals with the unfortunate situations addressed in the Pigford II and Cobell v. Salazar cases. Black farmers and Native Americans were discriminated against in those aforementioned cases based solely on their race. They are owed restitution by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior; they are owed a chance to rebuild their communities and continue with their lives.

In the Pigford case, there are numerous accounts of black farmers receiving unfair and unequal treatment when applying for farm loans or assistance through the Department of Agriculture. As if that were not enough, when these minority farmers submitted their discrimination complaints, they heard no response from the Department of Agriculture and were essentially ignored. The judge in the Pigford case said that the holding was, ``a historical first step toward righting the wrongs visited upon thousands of African-American farmers for decades.'' It is truly disheartening to know that an arm of the federal government, which has a duty to treat all Americans fairly and equally, played a role in the historic plight of the minority farmer in the United States.

The Cobell case is important because of its resolution of many American-Indian tribes' claims to water, one of the necessary elements to sustain life, and the poor management of Indian trusts. The White Mountain Apache Tribe settlement, the Crow Tribe settlement, the Taos Pueblo settlement, the Aamodt settlement, and finally the Reclamation Water Settlements provided for the tribal water rights claims for a number of American-Indian tribes.

Furthermore, H.R. 4783 also allows for the settlement of billions of dollars in Indian trusts that were mishandled by the Department of Interior. In the holding of the Cobell case, the judge states that, ``it would be difficult to find a more historically mismanaged federal program than the Individual Indian Money (IIM) trust.''

Such gross mismanagement impeded the livelihood of more than 300,000 Native Americans. How are Native Americans, or any minority for that matter, expected to trust the United States government if, as lawmakers, we do not stand up for their rights? This settlement ensures the recognition of these past civil infractions by the government, and portends a brighter future for the minorities in America.

Essentially, the right to life and livelihood are resolved by this settlement. American-Indian tribes will finally receive access to drinking water, and black farmers will receive restitution for and recognition of previous racist actions that directly affected their ability to sustain themselves.

In July of this year, Shirley Sherrod's forced resignation from the Department of Agriculture was reminiscent of the racist trend many black farmers faced when dealing with the government. The media whirlwind surrounding the treatment of Sherrod raised allegations of racism by the hands of the government. Images of black farmers being denied loans for their own farms, in order to maintain their own livelihood resurfaced. Despite the wrongs Sherrod faced personally, she focused attention on the very types of discriminatory practices that perpetuated racism, led to losses of land, and ultimately resulted in these lawsuits. She reiterated the importance of equal treatment for all American farmers, regardless of their race. Systematic racism should not occur in the United States in the 21st century, and H.R. 4783 reaffirms that notion by taking steps to reverse a history of gross racism and civil rights infractions.

The passing of H.R. 4783 will finally allow for the compensation of these gross injustices. While I am in strong support of the passage of this bill, it is unfortunate that this long awaited settlement comes riddled with stipulations. The Claims Resolution Act, as amended, creates two payment ``tracks'' by which the victims of past discrimination may state their claims. These payment tracks effectively raise the evidentiary bar for those who were victimized by the government's past injustices, making it more difficult for them to receive the settlement that this bill provides.

The first track, which requires substantial evidence of discrimination, limits victims' settlement to $50,000 per person. This standard is too restrictive because of the passage of time since the incidents of discrimination took place, and the possibility that many of the records and documentation of discrimination have been lost.

The second track, which allows victims to receive a settlement of up to $250,000, requires a much stronger evidentiary standard; victims must be able to show evidence of economic loss as a result of discrimination. Such a standard will often be too burdensome to meet, as it is difficult to prove definitively that discrimination was the sole cause for someone's loss of land, and that other mitigating factors may not have played a role in the loss. This standard could leave those victims who lost the most due to discrimination by the USDA with a lesser settlement than they rightfully deserve.

A settlement of $50,000 poses a hardship to Black farmers and Native Americans, and certainly is not enough to properly compensate for the years of discrimination they experienced. Nonetheless, it is a positive first step toward making these victims whole again.

Mr. Speaker, for over a decade, I have been a strong voice and advocate for Black and Native American farmers in the United States who are truly dedicated to the American dream. The Claims Resolution Act of 2010 represents nearly a decade-long battle for equality and justice. It is now time to finally acknowledge the systematic injustices experienced by black farmers, and Native Americans everywhere. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting to pass H.R. 4783, and to finally allow those affected to move on with their lives.

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today in support of H. Res. 1622, ``Honoring the historic contributions of veterans throughout all conflicts involving the United States.'' I would like to begin by thanking my colleague, Representative Baca, for introducing this resolution to the House, as honoring those who have fought for our Nation should remain a priority. I urge my colleagues to also support this resolution, which recognizes that our great Nation stands strong today because of the dedication and sacrifice of American veterans. The United States is surely indebted to the veterans of every conflict, who have made great sacrifices for themselves and their families in defense of our national security. Our freedom is intertwined with the sacrifices of our veterans, whose devotion to our way of life is unparalleled. I am privileged to officially honor their sacrifices and the role they play in our Nation.

Every Veterans Day, Americans come together to remember those who have served our country around the world in the name of freedom and democracy. The debt that we owe to them is immeasurable. Their sacrifices and those of their families are freedom's foundation. Without the brave efforts of all the soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and Coast Guardsmen and their families, our country would not live so freely.

This resolution not only solidifies the importance of Veterans Day, but also extends the importance of support for veterans throughout the year. In observing Veterans Day, the people of the United States must also encourage the education of our youth on how those dedicated individuals have contributed to the United States history and today's society. We must continue the tradition of honoring those who have served for the greatest causes, freedom, democracy, and justice; their commitment to the United States at home and abroad should never be forgotten. I am truly proud to rise in support of the recognition of the courage, service, and sacrifice of all United States veterans.

We recognize and honor the veterans of the Armed Forces not only of today, but also of years past, who have sacrificed their lives for our great Nation. House Resolution 1622 recognizes the historic contributions of the United States veterans in the involvement of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Eastern Indian Wars, Mexican War, Civil War, Western Indian Wars, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam Conflict, Lebanon crisis of 1958, Persian Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, among other conflicts. This resolution reaffirms our country's utmost respect and pride for our service people who have contributed to the shaping of the United States' history and our current place in the world today. This resolution expresses our deepest gratitude to United States Armed Forces veterans throughout history who have committed and sacrificed their lives to serve their country and its dedication to democracy. Currently, our Nation has 3 million troops and reservists, and 23 million veterans, who deserve the greatest respect from their fellow citizens. Our Nation has a proud legacy of appreciation and commitment to the men and women who have worn the uniform in defense of this country, and we must ensure that this legacy continues in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I stand before you in support of H.R. 5953, ``to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to display in each facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs a Women Veterans Bill of Rights.'' I would like to begin by thanking my colleague, Representative Filner for introducing H.R. 5953 in the House. I urge my colleagues to also support this noble resolution as it reaffirms the importance of gender equality within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This bill recognizes the absolute importance of equity between men and women veterans, as they have both equally sacrificed for our great Nation. As patriotic Americans, in return, we must honor and respect these heroes.

Women's contribution to our armed forces has a long tradition, which began during World War II. This contribution included not only the women who courageously served in our Armed Forces at a time in our Nation's history where women did not possess the rights we have today, but also the six million women who manned the manufacturing plants which produced munitions and material during World War II while the men who traditionally performed this work were off fighting the war.

Today, there are 1.8 million women veterans throughout the United States, that still deserve the same acknowledgement of rights that other veterans have received. This is an important resolution which recognizes the Women Veterans Bill of Rights within each facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This resolution upholds a strong standard of respect and dignity for equality within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Our commitment to veterans is to both men and women veterans who have courageously dedicated their lives to serve their Nation.

The Women Veterans Bill of Rights enumerates a number of non- controversial, necessary rights for female veterans of the United States Armed Forces. The Bill of Rights includes the right to be treated with dignity, the rights to primary health care, and the right to treatment by those clinicians with training and experience in women's health issues among others.

This is an important bill that advocates the equal treatment of women veterans. It encourages the fair treatment of anyone that has served this country by defending the United States, and establishes that no one should be treated any differently based on their gender. This bill is truly American and represents an undivided Nation that respects both men and women equally and fairly. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5953 and support the rights of women veterans throughout the United States.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Pallone for his constant leadership on health care matters, and the Energy Committee and its full complement of members, as well as Mr. Stark for his continued strength on the issues of providing fairness and balance in the health care system of America. To the managers, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, I appreciate the recognition that we have a bipartisan crisis and that we all have to address the pending concern of a potential cut as we move forward into 2011. But during the Thanksgiving holiday as I was in my district, I saw a table of doctors in a restaurant who felt compelled to come and ask me to support what is called the doctor fix, the Medicare fix. I had to assure them that Members of Congress were equally concerned about the providers of health care, the implementers of good health for America having to face this kind of dastardly crisis.

In the State of Texas it is crucial, a State that has the highest number of uninsured and a rising number of impoverished who do not have access to health care, this kind of disaster would be more than a hurricane. And so I rise today to support this legislation to acknowledge the fact that doctors and Medicare go together and they equal good health for our constituents.

Seniors have to go to doctors and expect good health care. Doctors are in fact those who take the oath to ensure that they care for the sick and the feeble. The Houston Chronicle reported that more than 300 Texas doctors have dropped the Medicare program in the last 2 years, 50 in the first 3 months of 2010, because of this crisis. Many people think of doctors as rich and able; but many of our doctors are in rural areas and inner city areas and their goal is to serve patients who are in need, many without any other means other than Medicare and Medicaid. According to Dr. Susan Bailey, president of the Texas Medical Association, the Medicare system has to be fixed and action must be taken to ensure that Medicare payments to physicians are not drastically cut. It is a shame to say, doctors have overhead, they have offices, they have nurses, they have equipment that they have to pay for, and that is part of good health care. And so I think it is important that we look at this legislation as it comes to us, and that the final physician rule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, modify the MPPR policy to apply a 25 percent reduction rather than the proposed 50 percent reduction to physician Medicare payments. However, I think the reduction in itself is an oxymoron because the question is what are the needs of the patients and how can the doctors care for them and how do we ensure that doctors and Medicare work together to make sure that good health is promoted across America.

While that reduction shows movement in the right direction, any reduction will hinder the ability of doctors to effectively treat patients who need their care and who are the most vulnerable--pregnant women, children, the elderly and, of course, the feeble, who are suffering from preexisting diseases or chronic illnesses. So it is important that H.R. 5712, the Physician Payment and Therapy Relief Act of 2010, is passed.

What I would ask, Madam Speaker, is: Who are we if we cannot take care of the least of those?

I don't consider doctors wanting more than they deserve. I consider doctors getting what they deserve to help care for the sick of this Nation. I hope that we will have a bill that the President can sign and that we will be able to address the question of good health care in America.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the amendment to H.R. 5712, ``The Physician Payment and Therapy Relief Act of 2010.''

Under the current health care law, more than 32 million additional Americans are expected to get insurance, either through an extension of Medicaid, the state-federal program for the poor, or through exchanges where low- and moderate-income individuals and families will be able to purchase private insurance with federal subsidies. The measure will require most Americans to have health insurance coverage; and it will regulate private insurers more closely, banning practices such as denial of care for pre-existing conditions. A key part of the new health law also encourages the development of ``accountable care organizations'' that would allow doctors to team up with each other and with hospitals, in new ways, to provide medical services. There are some very good provisions that seek to ultimately benefit the public.

Today, however, increasing numbers of doctors are not accepting Medicare patients because the payments they are receiving are inadequate to cover basic expenses of administering care. In fact the Houston Chronicle reported that more than 300 Texas doctors have dropped the program in the last two years, including 50 in the first three months of 2010. According to Dr. Susan Bailey, president of the Texas Medical Association, the Medicare system is on the verge of imploding unless action is taken by Congress to ensure that Medicare payments to physicians are not cut drastically.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support not only H.R. 5712 but also the overall health of many struggling Americans. I am an avid supporter of health care reform and I stand today in steadfast support of providing affordable health care for all Americans. However, if doctors are unwilling to accept patients with Medicare because they fear they will not receive payment for their services we face a serious dilemma. It is our duty as legislators to provide such payment guidelines for the legislation intended to provide affordable quality health care for all Americans to ensure that it achieves is purpose.

In the final physician rule, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services modified the MPPR policy to apply a 25 percent reduction, rather than the proposed 50 percent reduction to physicians Medicare payments. While that reduction shows movement in the right direction, any reduction will hinder doctors' ability to effectively treat patients who need their care the most like children and the elderly.

I ask my colleagues to please join me in supporting H.R. 5712, the Physician Payment and Therapy Relief Act of 2010.

Madam Speaker, I have a series of Thanksgiving wishes, wishes that many in this country will provide the opportunity to extend unemployment benefits, but because of the stalling and the delay of those opposition kings and queens, we may not extend unemployment benefits so that many of the vulnerable in this country will have an opportunity to be thankful and to sit with their families and be able to celebrate.

These are hardworking Americans who have given their best to this country. How dare we not provide an extension of unemployment benefits? We must do it now.

I heard this morning someone indicate, what are we doing for small businesses? I don't know why our information does not translate to all of you hardworking small businesses. But we have given you in this Congress with this Democratic majority 16 tax cuts that you will be able to utilize and $30 billion right now in the banks of America for you to access credit because we believe in you. You are the job creator.

Then my wishes for the City Wide Clubs in Houston, Texas, to be able to feed the 25,000 that are needing to be fed in Houston this Thanksgiving. They need help and they need to have resources.

I thank the distinguished gentleman of the Ways and Means Committee, and I thank the Ways and Means Committee for the very fine leadership that it has exhibited, particularly tonight, by bringing to the floor legislation sponsored by a very good friend, Mr. Oberstar.

Mr. Speaker, I chair the Congressional Children's Caucus, and I really wanted to rise and speak from the heart, for Mr. McDermott shared with us, as the minority manager as well, some of the pain that goes with children who need to be adopted.

Some years ago, I chaired the Foster Parent Task Force for Harris County, and I had the privilege of chairing it with one of our former colleagues, Congressman Mike Andrews. We chaired that task force to recruit, to restore, to rejuvenate foster parents, and to encourage them in their parenting and in their loving of foster children. In the course of that task, I learned of aging out--children who were in the foster care system and not adopted. Therefore, at the end of the foster care timeframe, they were aged out without any parental jurisdiction, love, affection, or nurturing. I met many of those children on the streets of Houston. I imagine, if I were to travel from the east coast to the west coast, I would meet children like that, children of America who deserve better lives.

So I rise to support this legislation. I applaud Mr. Oberstar, the Ways and Means Committee, Mr. McDermott, and of course the staff who saw fit to acknowledge that this is National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month, because, if there is anything precious in our sights-- and for those whose faiths point them to a higher authority--it is that about children. Adoption is an honorable and welcomed next step for a child in foster care, a child who is abused and possibly, if you will, unloved.

I ask my colleagues to support this enthusiastically because we need to end the pain in the eyes of the children and in their hearts by allowing them and hoping for them to be adopted.

I thank the distinguished gentleman, and particularly, I thank the Ways and Means Committee, both the managers on the floor today, Mr. McDermott and Ms. Brown-Waite, for their leadership, and I thank the entire Texas delegation and as well my good friend Mr. Olson, who I know will be appearing on the floor, for his leadership, along with Mr. Cornyn.

We worked together. This is a bipartisan effort and I am glad to be on the floor because we tried to do this on September 29, and I don't think we made our story clear. This is not a Texas issue. In fact, this issue impacts all of the disasters that occurred in 2008, and I would like to, Mr. Speaker, simply call some of the names: The State of Colorado, the State of Florida, Georgia, Illinois, the State of Iowa, the State of Mississippi, the State of Missouri, the States of Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, and West Virginia, among the many that did not get a chance to help the desperate.

And so I'd like to particularly thank today, in addition to the members of the Texas delegation, Majority Leader Hoyer, who continued to work with us and to ensure that we can move this as quickly as possible; and his staff, Terry Lierman and Austin Burnes, who also worked closely with my staff, Yohannes Tsehai and Shashrina Thomas, to bring this to the floor along with my colleagues.

Thousands of families who were victims of Hurricane Ike stopped receiving SSBG funds September 30, 2010, because the legislatively mandated deadline for these funds expired. We made and I made concerted efforts with the Department of Health and Human Services, and I would like to introduce into the Record a letter written by my office on September 21, 2010, as well as a letter written back from the Secretary of Health and Human Services, October 1, 2010, from which I read this sentence: ``As soon as Congress restores the availability of Hurricane Ike SSBG funding, we will work expeditiously to implement the legislation and make the funds available to those doing the important work of assisting victims rebuild their lives.''

There lies the story, Mr. Speaker. Rebuilding lives. For those of us who walked the streets after Hurricane Ike and for the many Members of Congress who walked the streets of their respective disasters, we know what disasters are all about. Not bricks and mortar. Disasters are about the human devastation that faces individuals, lost and lonely, not knowing where to go.

Hurricane Ike was the third-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States. Ike made its final landfall near Galveston, Texas, a strong Category 2 hurricane with a Category 5 equivalent storm surge. It devastated the island, but it also impacted Houston and my congressional district. It was a huge hurricane, some 500 miles across, making it nearly as big as Texas itself, and its hurricane-force winds extended 120 miles from the center. It was blamed for at least 195 deaths overall, with substantial death and injury in Texas.

The hurricane also resulted in the largest evacuation of Texas in the State's history. An estimated 100,000 homes were flooded in Texas, numerous boats washed away, smashing and flooding homes, knocking out windows, cutting electricity to an estimated 2.8 million to 4.5 million. Most of the people were devastated because the electricity went out for almost 8 weeks. And they were individuals without the ability to go to work and their jobs were cut off. So these dollars will not be misused.

The important point of this legislation is, there is a PAYGO provision in it. It will not spend more money. It will only have the opportunity to use the dollars that are already there. For those of us who have faced disaster, whether it is Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, the floods in the Midwest, or the various tornadoes that occur throughout our area, or the hurricanes that seem to come every year to the gulf region, I can assure you that these dollars are coming none too soon.

I want to thank the administration's Secretary Sebelius who has indicated that they will move quickly. As this bill passes, we hope that this will move quickly to the President's desk, the bill is signed, and these moneys will come forward.

Let me acknowledge the groups that we have worked with: Angela Blanchard of the Neighborhood Centers; Harold Fattig of Catholic Charities; Mr. Raimer of the University of Texas Medical Branch; Mark Minick of Lutheran Social Services; Kristi Allen, Bay Area Council; Stephanie Carmona, Sunshine Center; United Way, Anna Babin; Kenna Bush, United Way of Galveston; Carolyn Rose of the Gulf Coast Center; Joe Compian, Gulf Coast Interfaith; Galveston County Food Bank, Mark Davis; Cindy Schulz; and a very strong worker in Ruama Camp, who worked throughout the area with people who could find no way themselves.

So this money will come and help those who are in need of these dollars posthaste. It extends the deadline until September 30, 2011. The bill does not appropriate new funds, as I indicated; and as you well know, they've extended this in years past with Katrina and Rita.

It's a terrible shame to say that people who need help are those who are costing us money. Today, Mr. Speaker, they're not costing us money. We're helping those who are hardworking Americans. I'm delighted to be able to support this legislation. I ask my colleagues to do it. Never forget, we have a role of being a good Samaritan. If you were in need, you would want help. I ask my colleagues to support this legislation.

House of Representatives,

Washington, DC, September 21, 2010.

Hon. Kathleen Sebelius,

Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services,

Washington, DC.

Dear Secretary Sebelius: In early 2009, in the aftermath of

Hurricane Ike, the State of Texas received $219 million in

recovery funds under the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG)

program from the Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS). As you know under federal law, if these grant funds

are not spent by September 30, 2010, these funds will be

permanently returned to the federal treasury.

Hurricane Ike has wreaked havoc on Texas, particularly in

Galveston and Houston. As we move forward with recovery

efforts, it is clear that the impact of this storm has been

widespread and many people are still in need of assistance.

Unfortunately, Texans are still in need of help, especially

the neglected residents of North Galveston. More than 60

Americans and over 26 Texans have died as a result of

Hurricane Ike. In addition, the hurricane has caused millions

of dollars in damage throughout Houston and Galveston. The

local agencies processing the people impacted by Hurricane

Ike for which these funds were utilized, received these funds

from the state and federal agencies six months late, and

therefore have not been able to complete the process of

serving the families impacted by Hurricane Ike. Losing these

funds on September 30, 2010 will result in the terrible

tragedy for the many people that are still suffering from the

effect of one of the most costliest hurricanes in our region.

Therefore, I am requesting an extension of an additional six

months from September 30, 2010, for social services agencies

throughout the State of Texas to utilize these grant funds.

Once again, I ask that you strongly consider extending the

deadline for the $219 million in recovery funds under SSBG

for an additional six months from September 30, 2010. I have

the support of my Congressional colleagues from Texas in my

efforts to ensure that Houston and Texas receive the funds we

so desperately need on the road to recovery. Thank you for

your consideration to this urgent matter.

Very truly yours,

Sheila Jackson Lee,

Member of Congress.