Floor Statements

I thank the chairman very much both for his leadership and for this opportunity, with the ranking member, to really discuss and reinforce some of the principles that many of us support in a bipartisan manner. But I rise today to simply encourage the conference on this legislation and to be able to simply chronicle efforts that I think were not wasteful, but constructive.

I do believe the administration's effort at engagement was constructive and not wasteful. It is always important--for those of who us are lawyers--to create the record, the building blocks for the final decision of the court of law. In this instance, the court of law is the combination of the American people, this Congress, and this administration, and it is, likewise, the world community, the United Nations.

Also, the people of Iran are speaking and they are speaking loudly. No one can forget that fateful picture of a young lady lying in her own blood during the uprising of the people of Iran, not provoked by any world standards or provocation, but for the people of Iran simply saying enough of the despotism of this administration, of their country; enough is enough. They were willing to die in the streets. They took to the buildings to make loud noises at night, and they continue to pounce over and over again.

Iran is a challenge, and it is a terror around the world. Having just come back from Yemen, Bahrain, Qatar, and Pakistan, everywhere you went individuals, leaders in government were willing to indicate what a threat Iran was. Just yesterday, in a hearing on Syria, questions are now rising as to Iran's participation in funding Hezbollah to go into Lebanon. Of course some of those particular points are being denied, but frankly I think if there is any reason to move forward on a conference, it is the concept of the disruption of Iran in the region.

There are those who are in the Mid East who want peace. From Jordan, to Israel, to other places around, they want peace. If we begin to look at Yemen, that is in a distant location, a place where I visited, we know that it is an al Qaeda cesspool. We know that there are young men there that are susceptible to recruitment. All of this provides for a disruptive arena, and we here in this country must provide the moral standing of peace and democracy for those who desire so.

So I rise to support the people of Iran, those who are willing to sacrifice their lives and go into the streets. And it is well known that whatever we have tried to do, the engagement of the Cold War, the standoff, Iran continues to seemingly put forward its nuclear efforts.

I ask for support of this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to vote for this motion to instruct.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2194, the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act of 2009. This legislation provides another tool for the President to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons by allowing the administration to sanction foreign firms who attempt to supply refined gasoline to Iran or provide them with the materials to enhance their oil refineries. These sanctions would further restrict the government of Iran's ability to procure refined petroleum. Currently, the availability of petroleum products is stagnant in Iran. Private firms have decided that the government of Iran's refusal to cooperate with the multilateral community on nuclear proliferation generates a significant risk to doing business with Iran.

I would like to thank Chairman Berman for incorporating 1 my concerns about the human rights situation in Iran into the findings of this legislation. It is important that we acknowledge that, throughout 2009, the government of Iran has persistently violated the rights of its citizens. The government of Iran's most overt display of disregard for human rights happened in the presidential elections on June 12, 2009. As I said on June 19, 2009, ``We must condemn Iran for the absence of fair and free Presidential elections and urge Iran to provide its people with the opportunity to engage in a Democratic election process.'' The repression and murder, arbitrary arrests, and show trials of peaceful dissidents in the wake of the elections were a sad reminder of the government of Iran's long history of human rights violations. The latest violations were the most recent iteration of the government of Iran's wanton suppression of the freedom of expression.

It is important that we are clear that our concerns are with the government of Iran and not its people. The State Department's Human Rights Report on Iran provides a bleak picture of life in Iran. The government of Iran, through its denial of the democratic process and repression of dissent has prevented the people from determining their own future. Moreover, it is the government of Iran that persecutes its ethnic minorities and denies the free expression of religion. As we proceed with consideration of this legislation, we should all remember that the sole target of these sanctions is the Iranian government.

Mr. Speaker, the government of Iran has repeatedly shown its disdain for the international community by disregarding international nonproliferation agreements. Iran's flagrant violation of nonproliferation agreements was evidenced most recently in the discovery of the secret enrichment facility at Qom. The government of Iran's continued threats against Israel, opposition to the Middle East peace process, and support of international terrorist organizations further demonstrate the necessity for action.

Iran's recent actions towards the international community reflect a very small measure of progress. Iran's decision to allow International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, inspectors to visit this facility was a positive sign, but not a sufficient indication of their willingness to comply with international agreements. The recent announcement that Iran will accept a nuclear fuel deal is also indicative of their willingness to engage in dialogue, though it remains to be seen what amendments they will seek to the deal. While these actions indicate a small degree of improvement in Iran's position, the legislation before us today demonstrates that only continued dialogue and positive actions will soften the international community's stance towards Iran.

I would also like to emphasize that the legislation before us provides only one tool for achieving Iran's compliance with international nonproliferation agreements. I continue to support the administration's policy of engagement with Iran and use of diplomatic talks. I believe that diplomacy and multilateralism are the most valuable tools we have to create change in Iran. After those tools fail, I believe that the sanctions are an appropriate recourse.

I agree with my friends on the other side of the aisle, we must create jobs. And we are working intensely to do that. My recollection is that during the Clinton administration, we created some 22 million-plus jobs. In the Obama administration we are increasing our hold on not losing jobs and increasing jobs.

I hope my colleagues will join me in arguing two points: one, we must invest in the private sector, but our banking industry must invest in small businesses to allow them to hire individuals; and two, we must not lose America's teachers. That is the public sector. But who can afford to lose 300,000 teachers? We must call that an emergency and begin to work on the idea of saving the Nation's teachers.

To the Nation's teachers, stand up for your job because you are standing up for the education of our children. Who can afford to lose the best and the brightest? We lose that when we begin to lay off teachers. We should end any thought about laying off America's teachers.

Mr. Chairman, I am particularly grateful for your leadership and that of the ranking member. Thank you for guiding me on this legislation.

I rise to support S. 1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, for the work it is doing on caregivers and dealing with suicide and unfortunate tragedies that occur among our military.

This morning I was with the United States Air Force and their Air Force Cares program. I am pleased that this legislation included H.R. 228, the Blind Veterans of America, an organization chartered by Congress in 1958, which has been for nearly 50 years the only veterans service organization exclusively dedicated to serving America's blind and visually impaired veterans.

There are approximately 160,000 legally blind veterans in the United States, but only approximately 35,000 are currently enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration services. It is estimated that there are 1 million low-vision veterans in the United States, and incidences of blindness among the approximate total veteran population of 26 million are expected to increase by about 40 percent over the next few years. This is because the most prevalent cause of blindness and low vision are age-related. This bill provides scholarships for training individuals, and I ask my colleagues to support it. And thank you for including H.R. 228.

I rise in support of S. 1963--to provide needed support to caregivers of our nation's veterans, to improve the full spectrum of healthcare and access provided to those we honor and recognize as our country's present and past warriors and defenders.

There are few if any higher obligations of the Congress, the President, and the American people than keeping faith with the men and women who have worn the uniform in service to our country.

I applaud the work of the all those who have worked on this bill and who are charged with legislative, oversight and investigative jurisdiction over education of veterans, employment and training of veterans, vocational rehabilitation, veterans' housing programs, and readjustment of servicemembers to civilian life.

S. 1963 addresses many of the important needs of our veterans relating to services for women's health care, rural health care, homelessness, employment, health, and education.

Let me thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee and my colleague from Texas (Mr. Poe) for his presence and comments on the floor about Dr. Dorothy Height and, as well, the author of the resolution.

I am very proud to have joined Congresswoman Fudge to be an original cosponsor of this legislation and come to the floor today, as we did yesterday, for I believe that the celebration of Dr. Height's life needs no stopping, if you will. If we continue to commemorate her throughout this week, it will not be able to account for her service.

And for those who may not be familiar with Dr. Dorothy Height, I only wish that this picture was in color. For maybe as you look at this lady adorned with this fabulous hat, well attired, you will remember seeing in many pictures with Presidents, kings and queens, international leaders, a lady who was appropriately attired with that dapper and beautiful hat. The color that I remember most is her beautiful aqua, and I say that only because many times we look at women as to how they are adorned.

I think that Dr. Height did not fail to be noticed when she came into a room, both by her stature and her attire, but certainly by her words. I would count her the most influential woman in the Civil Rights Movement, a friend to many, one who empowered women and clearly progeny of Mary McLeod Bethune, what a wonderful legacy that was given to Dr. Height in her leadership of the National Council of Negro Women for some 40 years.

There are chapters throughout the Nation, and I am grateful to be a member of the Dorothy Height Chapter in Houston, Texas. There are many, and I must remind my colleagues and those that are listening, that the name continues to be the National Council of Negro Women, which was the name that was given by Mary McLeod Bethune. No one dared view that as any undermining of the dignity and purpose, reliability and, of course, the power of this organization.

No one ran away from the word ``negro'' because we knew that in that word there was struggle, there was a showing of what we overcame. And to the instruction of Mary McLeod Bethune, we knew that it captured the empowerment of women, but it also spoke to the education of our children. Dr. Dorothy Height was in the center point of that.

I had the privilege of coming here to the United States Congress and being able to look up to Dr. Height as I got to know her even before my congressional duties. What a pleasure to be

able to join C. DeLores Tucker at her annual events and the National Council of Black Political Women to deal with her seeking empowerment for women, and as well to be able to join with then Betty Shabazz, Dr. Dorothy Height, and Coretta Scott King. What a powerful group of women whose history paralleled each other, but in essence they were sisters.

And so I rise today to be able to acknowledge this glorified woman who came eagerly to the National Council that was headed by C. DeLores Tucker and now by E. Faye Williams, and to be able to thank her.

When we were looking to pass legislation to include Sojourner Truth as the only standing figure now of an African American woman in this United States Congress, this great heroine, this great woman added her leverage, her power, her support and sisterhood to ensure that we placed Sojourner Truth, a suffragette and an abolitionist, here.

So Dr. Height, as you rest today, let it be known that we do recommit ourselves to the universal access of education for all children, for the education of America's children, for reminding us that Haiti's children--now suffering in the wane of an earthquake--must be provided education, and to be reminded that there is no shame in being an agitator and a provocateur and someone who fights for freedom and justice.

We are in your debt, the godmother, if you will, of civil rights. We will be forever in your debt. And the women and the men and the many different rainbow colors of these United States and around the world, people will be indebted to you for your common touch, for your spirit, and, yes, for saving so many of us.

May God bless your soul. May you rest in peace as we celebrate over these days your life. God bless you, Dr. Dorothy Height.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1281, Honoring the life and Achievements of Dr. Dorothy Height and Recognizing her Lifelong Dedication and Leadership in the Struggle for Human Rights and Equality for All People Until Her Death at Age 95 on April 20, 2010.

I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dr. Dorothy I. Height who was a national treasure and a civil rights icon. For more than half a century, Dorothy Irene Height played a leading role in the never ending struggle for equality and human rights here at home and around the world. Her life exemplifies her passionate commitment for a just society and her vision of a better world.

Dr. Height was a social justice and civil rights activist, a servant of the people, one who served a number of Presidents, a humanitarian, American, a hero, and a great patriot. She believed in women's rights and the empowerment of minorities. She was an inspiration to all women. She never ran away from the fight for justice. All of those are words without motion, unless you had the privilege to know Dr. Dorothy Height as I did. You would then be captured by her charm, her energy, her insight, her intellect and her compassion. Her legacy is one of a glorious and wonderful champion of the people.

Dorothy Height witnessed or participated in virtually every major movement for social and political change in the last century. During the 1963 civil rights March on Washington, Dorothy Height was the only woman on the podium when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his ``I Have a Dream'' speech. For nearly 75 years, Dorothy Height fought for the equality and human rights of all people. She was the only female member of the ``Big 6'' civil rights leaders (Whitney Young, Jr., A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, and Roy Wilkins). Her vision and dedication made the National Council of Negro Women the premier organization in advocating for the health, education, and economic empowerment for all women of African descent around the world.

Dorothy Height was born in Richmond, Virginia, March 24, 1912, and educated in the public schools of Rankin, Pennsylvania, a borough of Pittsburgh, where her family moved when she was four. She established herself early as a dedicated student with exceptional oratorical skills. After winning a $1,000 scholarship in a national oratorical contest on the United States Constitution, sponsored by the Fraternal Order of the Elks, and compiling a distinguished academic record, she enrolled in New York University where she earned both her bachelor and master's degrees in just 4 years. She continued her postgraduate studies at Columbia University and the New York School of Social Work.

In 1933, Dorothy Height joined the United Christian Youth Movement of North America where her leadership qualities earned her the trust and confidence of her peers. It was during this period that she began to emerge as an effective civil rights advocate as she worked to prevent lynching, desegregate the Armed Forces, reform the criminal justice system, and provide free access to public accommodations. In 1935, Dorothy Height was appointed by New York government officials to deal with the aftermath of the Harlem riot of 1935.

As Vice President of the United Christian Youth Movement of North America, Dorothy Height was 1 of only 10 American youth delegates to the 1937 World Conference on Life and Work of the Churches held in Oxford, England. Two years later she was selected to represent the YWCA at the World Conference of Christian Youth in Amsterdam, Holland.

Madam Speaker, it was in 1937, while serving as Assistant Executive Director of the Harlem YWCA, that Dorothy Height met Mary McLeod Bethune, founder and president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). Mrs. Bethune was immediately impressed with young Dorothy Height's poise and intelligence and invited her to join the NCNW and assist in the quest for women's rights to full and equal employment, pay and education.

In 1938, Dorothy Height was 1 of 10 young Americans invited by Eleanor Roosevelt to Hyde Park, NY to help plan and prepare for the World Youth Conference to be held at Vassar College.

For the next several years, Dorothy Height served in a dual role: as a YWCA staff member and NCNW volunteer, integrating her training as a social worker and her commitment to rise above the limitations of race and sex. She rose quickly through the ranks of the YWCA, from working at the Emma Ransom House in Harlem to the Executive Directorship of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA in Washington, DC, to the YWCA National headquarters office.

For 33 years, from 1944 through 1977, Dorothy Height served on the staff of the National Board of the YWCA and held several leadership positions in public affairs and leadership training and as Director of the National YWCA School for Professional Workers. In 1965, she was named Director of the Center for Racial Justice, a position she held until her retirement.

In 1952, Dorothy Height lived in India, where she worked as a visiting professor in the Delhi School of Social Work at the University of Delhi, which was founded by the YWCAs of India, Burma and Ceylon. She would become renowned for her internationalism and humanitarianism. She traveled around the world expanding the work of the YWCA. She conducted a well-received study of the training of women's organizations in five African countries: Liberia, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria under the Committee of Correspondence.

Dorothy Height loved and led her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta. She was elected National President of the sorority in 1947 and served in that capacity until 1956. She led the sorority to a new level of organizational development, initiation eligibility, and social action throughout her term. Her leadership training skills, social work background and knowledge of volunteerism benefited the sorority as it moved into a new era of activism on the national and international scene.

In 1957, Dorothy Height was elected the fourth National President of NCNW and served in that position for 40 years, when she became Chair of the Board and President Emerita.

In 1960, Dorothy Height was the woman team member leader in the United Civil Rights Leadership along with Martin Luther King, Whitney H. Young, A. Philip Randolph, James Farmer, Roy Wilkins and John Lewis. In 1961, while Dorothy Height was participating in major Civil Rights leadership, she led NCNW to deal with unmet needs among women and their families to combat hunger, develop cooperative pig banks, and provided families with community freezers and showers.

In 1964, after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Dorothy Height with Polly Cowan, an NCNW Board Member, organized teams of women of different races and faith as ``Wednesdays in Mississippi'' to assist in the freedom schools and open communication between women of difference races. The workshops which followed stressed the need for decent housing which became the basis for NCNW in partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop Turnkey III Home Ownership for low income families in Gulfport, Mississippi.

In 1970, Dorothy Height directed the series of activities culminating in the YWCA Convention adopting as its ``One Imperative'' to the elimination of racism. That same year she also established the Women's Center for Education and Career Advancement in New York City to prepare women for entry level jobs. This experience led her in 1975 to collaborate with Pace College to establish a course of study leading to the Associate Degree for Professional Studies (AAPS).

In 1975, Dorothy Height participated in the Tribunal at the International Women's Year

Conference of the United Nations in Mexico City. As a result of this experience, NCNW was awarded a grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to hold a conference within the conference for women from the United States, African countries, South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. This was followed with a site visit with 50 of the women to visit with rural women in Mississippi. Under the auspices of the USAID, Dorothy Height lectured in South Africa after addressing the National Convention of the Black Women's Federation of South Africa near Johannesburg (1977). Since 1986, she has worked tirelessly to strengthen the Black family.

Madam Speaker, under the leadership of Dorothy Height:

NCNW achieved tax-exempt status in 1966;

NCNW dedicated the statue of Mary McLeod Bethune in Lincoln Park, Washington D.C. in 1974; the first woman to be so honored on public land in the Nation's Capital;

Developed model national and community-based programs ranging from teen-age parenting to pig ``banks''--which addressed hunger in rural areas;

Established the Bethune Museum and Archives for Black Women, the first institution devoted to black women's history;

Established the Bethune Council House as a national historic site;

Transformed NCNW into an issue-oriented political organization, sponsoring ``Wednesdays in Mississippi'' when interracial groups of women would help out at Freedom Schools; organizing voter registration drives in the South; and fostering communications between black and white women.

Established the Black Family Reunion Celebration in 1986 to reinforce the historic strengths and traditional values of the Black family.

Among the major awards bestowed upon Dorothy Irene Height in gratitude and appreciation for her service to our nation and the world are the following:

Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by President Bill Clinton;

Congressional Gold Medal presented by President George W. Bush;

John F. Kennedy Memorial Award;

NAACP--Spingarn Medal;

Hadassah Myrtle Wreath of Achievement;

Ministerial Interfaith Association Award;

Ladies Home Journal--Woman of the Year;

Congressional Black Caucus--Decades of Service;

President Ronald Reagan--Citizens Medal;

Franklin Roosevelt--Freedom Medal;

Essence Award; and the

Camille Cosby World of Children Award.

Dorothy Height was also elected to the National Women's Hall of Fame and is the recipient of 36 honorary degrees from colleges and universities as diverse as Tuskegee University, Harvard University, Spelman College, Princeton University, Bennett College, Pace University, Lincoln University, Columbia University Howard University, New York University, Morehouse College, and Meharry Medical College.

Madam Speaker, Dorothy Height has witnessed or participated in virtually every major movement for social and political change in the last century. For nearly 75 years, Dorothy Height has fought for the equality and human rights of all people. She was the only female member of the ``Big 6'' civil rights leaders (Whitney Young, Jr., A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, and Roy Wilkins). Her vision and dedication made NCNW the premier organization in advocating for the health, education and economic empowerment for all women of African descent around the world.

Thank you, Dorothy Height, for your service to our nation. You have made America a better place for all persons of all races, religions, and backgrounds. You have mentored hundreds, been a role model to thousands, and a hero to millions. You are an American original. I am glad to count you as a friend.

Mr. Speaker, on a number of occasions many Members have had to rise to speak of a very sad and tragic incident that has occurred in their congressional district. Today, sadly, I rise as well to speak to the terrible loss of Joshua McMackle, a young freshman student at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas.

Meeting his parents and sister, Tracy, Moriah, and Bruce McMackle, his grandmother and aunt, many of whom were in the service of this country being Federal employees and law enforcement employees, it was so sad to be able to speak about this senseless and untimely death.

I would say to you that this was a fine young man, a freshman who had come to Texas Southern University because of its special and exclusive music program. He was a high school graduate of the Randolph-Macon Military Academy, and he had traveled around the world with his mom and his parents.

His tragic death occurred as any student might have it happen to them. Unfortunately, when parents send their children away to learn, some person, some unfortunate tragic individual would take a life by gunfire. And so it was for Joshua a week ago Saturday when he was with his friends at an event that should have been joyous, a fun time, a party, which is perfectly all right for college students, and along came outsiders who attempted, if you will, to turn this into the devastating tragedy that it was.

In tribute to Joshua--we memorialize him this coming Saturday--but more importantly, in tribute to him we will say ``Never on our watch again.'' I join with his family and the memorial funding that they will have to say to young people across America, enough is enough, and to be able to enforce the laws that are necessary, along with the freedom that we have, that gets rid of those who think it is okay to take a senseless life, to beat up a fellow student, or to cause the death of someone they do not know.

May this fine young man rest in peace. Joshua McMackle, we honor you for your contributions to America.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 4178--The Deposit Restricted Qualified Tuition Programs Act. As co-chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I support this legislation because I believe that it is an important measure to help families pay for higher education. A quality education continues to be the best pathway to social and economic mobility in this country, and this legislation will enable such paths. I want to thank my colleague, Emanuel Cleaver, for introducing this important legislation.

Today, Americans are simultaneously faced with rising higher education costs and a difficult economy. Families across Texas are sending their children to college and when they graduate, they should not be saddled with debt. Democrats pledged to make a college education more affordable, and this legislation makes good on our promise. This legislation is evidence that the Democratic-led Congress is committed to working on a bipartisan basis, and with this President, to address the key concerns of America's families.

During these tough economic times, many Americans saving for college saw their accounts drop over 50 percent in value and are now reluctant to invest in a securities-based

plan. During the past year, many parents who contributed to a 529 college savings plan--an investment vehicle where earnings grow tax free--saw those savings take a hit. Many 529 plans were heavily invested in stocks, though their beneficiaries were just a few years away from attending college. This is a big blow to the 63 percent of parents who are saving for college expenses, according to a September 2009 Fidelity survey, and who must now manage a wide array of expenses with less money and security.

H.R. 4178 establishes an avenue for those wanting to save for the college education of a child, grandchild or other related individual, in a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, FDIC, insured deposit. Today, savers can only access the 529 college savings program through a securities-based plan, and this plan would offer another option. H.R. 4178 amends the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to prescribe requirements for deposit restricted qualified tuition programs which are exempt from Federal income tax. It also declares that in no event shall a deposit restricted qualified tuition program, the State entity designated by statute to oversee such program, or the administrator appointed to operate it on behalf of the State or a participating depository institution, be deemed to be an issuer of a security or an investment company. This bill does not make any changes to the current 529 college savings program nor the current delivery system of the program through a securities based plan. It simply adds another 529 college savings program delivery option through an FDIC insured deposit.

The Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Tax have completed a review of the budgetary impact of H.R. 4178, the Deposit Restricted Qualified Tuition Programs Act of 2009. They determined that by enacting this legislation it would affect revenues, but estimate that the reduction in revenues would not be significant over the 2010- 2020 period. Similarly, implementing the bill could affect direct spending but the net impact of such spending would be negligible over the next 10 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1257, ``Supporting the goals and ideals of National Financial Literacy Month, 2010, and for other purposes.'' Let me begin by thanking my colleague Representative Ruben Hinojosa from my home state of Texas for introducing this legislation into the House of Representatives as it is important that we continually promote and encourage honest and thrifty financial decision making abilities in our citizens.

Considering the current state of our economy, Mr. Speaker, it is critically important that we begin raising public awareness about financial education. A recent study put forth by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) stated that approximately 54 percent of Black households, 44.5 percent of American Indian/Alaskan households, and 43.3 percent of Hispanic households either have no checking or savings accounts or have used non-bank money orders, non-bank check- cashing services, payday loans, rent-to-own agreements, or pawn shops at least once or twice a year.

This statistic is alarming to many in our nation, Mr. Speaker, and it highlights an increasing lack of financial awareness in our nation. By educating our citizens on the proper use of checking and savings accounts as well as educating citizens of other financial instruments we will seek to see a reduction in the use of payday loans, pawn shops and other predatory financial transactions in our nation.

Furthermore, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis the U.S. aggregate personal savings rate as a percentage of disposable personal income dropped 0.3 percent between January and February of this year. In February the aggregate personal savings rate as a percentage of disposable personal income was 3.1, as compared with 3.4 percent in January 2010.

Still further, troubled loans, mortgages and toxic assets are still plaguing our economy and making it increasingly difficult for the average person to make sound financial decisions.

This is why it is critically important that we help give people the tools needed to manage their personal finances. Some of the basic encouragements we can pass along to our citizens through education programs would be to increase personal savings, and reduce personal debt.

Helping our citizens to become economically empowered and in control of their personal finances is also essential toward the recovery of our national economy. By giving our citizens the ability to plan for their financial future and by giving our citizens the ability to make important investment and entrepreneurial decisions, we will help to improve the quality of life of all Americans through the next generation.

While it is important to focus on educating adults in the areas of thrift and finance, it is even more important that we educate our youth about the importance of making sound economic and financial decisions. These types of financial decision making habits--whether they be wise or careless--are often developed during childhood and usually become lifelong tendencies.

An added benefit that would come from increasing our nation's financial literacy and providing financial education programs for our citizens would be the additional protection against financial fraud that would be created. Giving people the resources to understand and control their own finances and to understand potential risks and hazards would empower people against identity theft and other financial schemes that attempt to do them harm.

I ask my colleagues for their support of H. Res. 1257, as well as their continued support for the economically downtrodden in this nation. By increasing the capacity of our citizens to make prudent economic decisions, I am sure that we will see a return to American prosperity that will last for generations to come.

I would like to again thank my colleague Representative Ruben Hinojosa for his leadership in introducing his bill as well as for his support of the American people and our economy.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly support H. Res. 1257 and ask for its immediate adoption.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1271, ``Honoring the life and achievements of Dr. Benjamin Lawson Hooks'' introduced by my distinguished colleague from Michigan, Representative Conyers.

Dr. Benjamin Lawson Hooks was a civil rights leader and served as the Executive Director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1977 to 1992. Dr. Hooks graduated with a bachelor's degree from Howard University, a juris doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law, and received an honorary doctorate from Central Connecticut State University. He held professional memberships with the American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Tennessee Council on Human Relations, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. After passing the Tennessee Bar, he established his own law practice.

Dr. Hooks served as a distinguished adjunct professor for the Political Science Department at the University of Memphis. In 1996, the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change was established at the University of Memphis. The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute is a public policy research center supporting the urban research mission, and honoring Hooks' many years of leadership in the American Civil Rights Movement. The Hooks Institute also emphasizes social movements, race relations, strong communities, public education, effective public participation, and social and economic justice.

Dr. Hooks was ordained as a Baptist minister in 1956, and he preached regularly at the Greater Middle Baptist Church in Memphis. He joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference along with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. Hooks became a pioneer of NAACP-sponsored restaurant sit-ins and other boycotts of consumer items and services.

In 1965, Dr. Hooks was appointed by Governor Frank G. Clement as the first African American criminal court judge in the Shelby Criminal Court. In 1966, he would later campaign for and win a full term to the same judicial office that he had been appointed to due to a vacancy. In 1972, President Richard Nixon appointed Dr. Hooks to be one of the five commissioners to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). As a member, he addressed the lack of minority ownership of television and radio stations, the minority employment statistics for the broadcasting industry, and the image of African Americans in

mass media. Dr. Hooks served as a producer and host for several local television shows in Memphis.

Dr. Hooks' honors and awards include the NAACP Spingarn Medal for outstanding achievements made by an African American, receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush in November of 2007, and he was inducted into the International Civil Rights Hall of Fame at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site on January 12, 2008. The Memphis Library Branch is also named in his honor. The NAACP later created the Benjamin L. Hooks Distinguished Service Award, which is awarded to persons for their efforts in implementing policies and programs which promote equal opportunity.

So it is with great pride and admiration that we honor Dr. Benjamin Lawson Hooks as a great civil rights leader, and as a successful businessman, judge, lawyer, and minister. He has fought triumphantly for the rights of African Americans and made great contributions to the African American community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1104, supporting the mission and goals of 2010 National Crime Victims' Rights Week to increase public awareness of the rights, needs, and concerns of victims and survivors of crime in the United States,'' introduced by my distinguished colleague from California, Representative Costa.

The 2010 National Crime Victims' Rights Week, April 18 through April 24, 2010, will provide an opportunity for justice systems in the United States to strive to reach the goal of justice for all by ensuring that all victims are afforded legal rights and provided with assistance as they face the financial, physical, spiritual, psychological, and social impact of crime. The theme for 2010 is, ``Crime Victims'' Rights: Fairness. Dignity. Respect.''

Although our Nation has steadily expanded rights, protections, and services for victims of crime, too many victims are still not able to recognize the hope and promise of these expanded rights, protections, and services. Over 25,000 individuals in the United States are victims of crime each year, including over 6,000,000 individuals who are victims of violent crime.

Despite impressive accomplishments over the past 40 years in crime victims' rights and services, there remain many challenges to ensuring all victims--(1) treated with fairness, dignity, and respect; (2) are offered support and services regardless of whether the crimes committed against them to law enforcement; and (3) are recognized as key participants in our system of justice when such crimes are reported.

Observing victims' rights and treating victims with fairness, dignity, and respect serve the public interest by engaging victims in the justice system, inspiring respect for public authorities, and promoting confidence in safety. Justice systems in the United States should ensure that services are available for all victims of crime, including victims from underserved communities of our Nation.

A just society acknowledges the impact of crime on individuals, families, neighborhoods, and communities by ensuring that rights, resources, and services available to help rebuild the lives of victims. Individuals in the United States recognize that our homes, neighborhoods, and communities are made safer and stronger by identifying and meeting the needs of crime victims and ensuring justice for all. Treating victims' of crime with fairness, dignity, and respect costs nothing more than taking time to identify victims' needs and concerns, and effective collaboration among justice systems to meet such needs and concerns.

I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 1104 in increasing the public awareness of the impact on victims' and survivors of crime and the constitutional and statutory rights and needs of victims' and survivors. We all have an obligation in protecting the rights of all people and ensuring that they receive the respect and dignity they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, April 15, 2010, I was away from this House on a matter dealing with constituency and official business regarding NASA, and I would like to submit into the Record the following votes if I had been present.

On rollcall vote 204, on agreeing to the resolution, H. Res. 1248. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 205, on a motion to suspend the rules on resolution, H. Res. 1062. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 206, on a motion to refer the resolution, H. Res. 1255. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 207, on agreeing to the amendment, H.R. 4715, the Shea- Porter of New Hampshire amendment. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 208, on a motion to recommit, to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Rollcall vote 209, on the final passage of H.R. 4715, to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 210, on a motion to suspend the rules and agree to resolution, H. Res. 1242, congratulating Duke University. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Rollcall vote 211, H.R. 4851, on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment H.R. 4851, continuing the extension of unemployment benefits. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the Chair regarding my absence from rollcall votes 204-211 on Thursday, April 15, 2010.

Mr. Speaker, I was not able to cast my votes during rollcall 204-211 on last Thursday because I was away working to save jobs for the American people. I would like to state for the record how I would have voted had I been present.

For rollcall vote 204, on agreeing to the resolution, H. Res. 1248, ``Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4715), Clean Estuaries Act of 2010 and waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules, and providing for consideration of motions to suspend the rules,'' I would have voted aye;

For rollcall vote 205, on motion to suspend the rules and agree as amended, H. Res. 1062, ``Recognizing the Coast Guard Group Astorias' more than 60 years of service to the Pacific Northwest, and for other purposes,'' I would have voted aye;

For rollcall vote 206, on motion to refer the resolution, H. Res. 1255, ``Raising a question of the privileges of the House,'' I would have voted aye;

For rollcall vote 207, on agreeing to the amendment, H.R. 4715, ``Shea-Porter of New Hampshire Amendment,'' I would have voted aye;

For rollcall vote 208, on motion to recommit with instructions, ``To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the National Estuary Program, and for other purposes,'' I would have voted no;

For rollcall 209 on passage of H.R. 4715, ``To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the National Estuary Program, and for other purposes,'' I would have voted aye;

For rollcall vote 210 on motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 1242, ``Congratulating the Duke University men's basketball team for winning the 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship,'' I would have voted aye;

For rollcall vote 211, H.R. 4851 on motion to concur in the Senate Amendment H.R. 4851, ``Continuing Extension Act,'' I would have voted aye.

Mr. Speaker, today a giant of a human being, a light at the end of the tunnel, a calm voice in the midst of a storm, but yet a woman who could create a storm around the issues of freedom and justice, passed away from this world and from our hearts. Dr. Dorothy Irene Height died today. And I want to join with my colleagues and, as well, the Honorable Diane Watson, who will have a special hour in tribute to Dr. Height tonight, but I wanted to take the time to make sure that every aspect of our Record today reflected on her loss.

We have lost, of course, Dr. Benjamin Hooks, who we have paid tribute to today as well.

But in this life, there are few giants who reach down to talk to those who are still learning. Dr. Dorothy Height was that woman. She was the only woman that was present at the 1963 historic and powerful March on Washington. She stayed steadfast in her meetings with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and of course she was successor to the National Council of Negro Women.

The only building on Pennsylvania Avenue owned by African Americans, and in this instance African American women, is the Office of the National Council headed by Dr. Dorothy Height; a historic presence on Pennsylvania Avenue just a few blocks away from the White House. What a statement of power.

This afternoon as I landed here in Washington, I went to that building to pay respects. I just simply had to be in her presence in this building, to be able to see her pictures and her face and to see and hear those who were gathering to be able to honor her. The whole plaza is part of that building. And as I walked in, I heard the story that a homeless person came in the building to provide some flowers to say ``thank you'' to Dr. Height for taking care of them, the men and women that surrounded her building tragically who are homeless, but yet they knew of this giant of a woman who cared enough to let it be known that they were human beings.

For 33 years from 1944 through 1977, Dorothy Height served on the staff of the national board of the YWCA, and of course she continued her service through the National Council of Negro Women. I'm proud to be in the chapter, the Dorothy Height Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women in Houston, Texas.

In 1952, Dorothy Height lived in India, an African American women. She was at the Delhi School of Social Work. And of course, through her work with the YWCA, she worked in India and Burma and Ceylon.

Dorothy Height was subsequently elected the fourth national president of the National Council of Negro Women. In 1960, Dr. Height was a woman team member, leader in the united civil rights leadership along with Dr. Martin Luther King, Whitney H. Young, A. Philip Randolph, James Farmer, Roy Wilkins, and John Lewis, our colleague. But remember what I said, the only woman.

What I've come to know of Dr. Height as a Member of Congress and before is that she is a woman that can speak in a resonating fashion. At the drop of a hat, you can turn to her and say, Dr. Height, will you give us some remarks? And when she finishes, you feel like you can fly like the eagles fly. She has given you words that will capture your heart and your spirit, and you say, I will be a fighter for justice.

A distinguished woman, a hat-wearing woman, but one thing about Dr. Height, she was a woman of dignity, but she never ran away from a fight for justice. And she knew how to be an agitator and a protester, but she knew also how to be loving. So the many things that we can attribute to her include her work in the International Tribunal of the International Women's Year.

Mr. Speaker, she's won so many awards, but I wanted to come to this floor tonight to be able to say, Dr. Height, there will be many more words that will come on your passing, but all I can say tonight is we love you and may you rest in peace.

Madam Speaker, I to pay tribute to a national treasure and icon who passed early this morning. I am speaking, of course, of the incomparable, irrepressible, and legendary Dorothy Irene Height. For more than half a century, Dorothy Height has played a leading role in the never-ending struggle for equality and human rights here at home and around the world. Her life exemplifies her passionate commitment for a just society and her vision of a better world.

Dorothy Height was born in Richmond, Virginia March 24, 1912, and educated in the public schools of Rankin, Pennsylvania, a borough of Pittsburgh, where her family moved when she was four. She established herself early as a dedicated student with exceptional oratorical skills. After winning a $1,000 scholarship in a national oratorical contest on the United States Constitution, sponsored by the Fraternal Order of the Elks, and a compiling a distinguished academic record, she enrolled in New York University where she earned both her bachelor and master's degrees in just four years. She continued her postgraduate studies at Columbia University and the New York School of Social Work.

In 1933, Dorothy Height joined the United Christian Youth Movement of North America where her leadership qualities earned her the trust and confidence of her peers. It was during this period that she began to emerge as an effective civil rights advocate as she worked to prevent lynching, desegregate the armed forces, reform the criminal justice system, and provide free access to public accommodations. In 1935, Dorothy Height was appointed by New York government officials to deal with the aftermath of the Harlem riot of 1935.

As Vice President of the United Christian Youth Movement of North America, Dorothy Height was one of only ten American youth delegates to the 1937 World Conference on Life and Work of the Churches held in Oxford, England. Two years later she was selected to represent the YWCA at the World Conference of Christian Youth in Amsterdam, Holland.

It was in 1937, while serving as Assistant Executive Director of the Harlem YWCA, that Dorothy Height met Mary McLeod Bethune, founder and president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). Mrs. Bethune was immediately impressed with young Dorothy Height's poise and intelligence and invited her to join the NCNW and assist in the quest for women's rights to full and equal employment, pay and education.

In 1938, Dorothy Height was one of ten young Americans invited by Eleanor Roosevelt to come to Hyde Park NY to help plan and prepare for the World Youth Conference to be held at Vassar College.

For the next several years, Dorothy Height served in a dual role: as a YWCA staff member and NCNW volunteer, integrating her training as a social worker and her commitment to rise above the limitations of race and sex. She rose quickly through the ranks of the YWCA, from working at the Emma Ransom House in Harlem to the Executive Directorship of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA in Washington, DC to the YWCA National headquarters office.

For thirty-three years, from 1944 through 1977, Dorothy Height served on the staff of the National Board of the YWCA and held several leadership positions in public affairs and leadership training and as Director of the National YWCA School for Professional Workers. In 1965, she was named Director of the Center for Racial Justice, a position she held until her retirement.

In 1952, Dorothy Height lived in India, where she worked as a visiting professor in the Delhi School of Social Work at the University of Delhi, which was founded by the YWCAs of India, Burma and Ceylon. She would become renowned for her internationalism and humanitarianism. She traveled around the world expanding the work of the YWCA. She conducted a well-received study of the training of women's organizations in five African countries: Liberia, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria under the Committee of Correspondence.

Dorothy Height loved and led her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta. She was elected National President of the sorority in 1947 and served in that capacity until 1956. She led the sorority to a new level of organizational development, initiation eligibility, and social action throughout her term. Her leadership training skills, social work background and knowledge of volunteerism benefited the sorority as it moved into a new era of activism on the national and international scene.

In 1957, Dorothy Height was elected the fourth National President of NCNW and

served in that position for 40 years, when she became Chair of the Board and President Emerita.

In 1960, Dorothy Height was the woman team member leader in the United Civil Rights Leadership along with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Whitney H. Young, A. Philip Randolph, James Farmer, Roy Wilkins and John Lewis. In 1961, while Dorothy Height was participating in major Civil Rights leadership, she led NCNW to deal with unmet needs among women and their families to combat hunger, develop cooperative pig banks, provided families with community freezers and showers.

In 1964, after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, Dorothy Height with Polly Cowan, an NCNW Board Member, organized teams of women of different races and faith as ``Wednesdays in Mississippi'' to assist in the freedom schools and open communication between women of difference races. The workshops which followed stressed the need for decent housing which became the basis for NCNW in partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop Turnkey III Home Ownership for low income families in Gulfport, Mississippi.

In 1970, Dorothy Height directed the series of activities culminating in the YWCA Convention adopting as its ``One Imperative'' to the elimination of racism. That same year she also established the Women's Center for Education and Career Advancement in New York City to prepare women for entry level jobs. This experience led her in 1975 to collaborate with Pace College to establish a course of study leading to the Associate Degree for Professional Studies (AAPS).

In 1975, Dorothy Height participated in the Tribunal at the International Women's Year Conference of the United Nations in Mexico City. As a result of this experience, NCNW was awarded a grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to hold a conference within the conference for women from the United States, African countries, South America, Mexico and the Caribbean. This was followed with a site visit with 50 of the women to visit with rural women in Mississippi. Under the auspices of the USAID, Dorothy Height lectured in South Africa after addressing the National Convention of the Black Women's Federation of South Africa near Johannesburg (1977). Since 1986, she has worked tirelessly to strengthen the Black family.

Madam Speaker, under the leadership of Dorothy Height:

NCNW achieved tax-exempt status in 1966;

NCNW dedicated the statue of Mary McLeod Bethune in Lincoln Park, Washington D.C. in 1974; the first woman to be so honored on public land in the Nation's Capital;

Developed model national and community-based programs ranging from teen-age parenting to pig ``banks''--which addressed hunger in rural areas;

Established the Bethune Museum and Archives for Black Women, the first institution devoted to black women's history;

Established the Bethune Council House as a national historic site;

Transformed NCNW into an issue-oriented political organization, sponsoring ``Wednesdays in Mississippi'' when interracial groups of women would help out at Freedom Schools; organizing voter registration drives in the South; and fostering communications between black and white women.

Established the Black Family Reunion Celebration in 1986 to reinforce the historic strengths and traditional values of the Black family.

Among the major awards bestowed upon Dorothy Irene Height in gratitude and appreciation for her service to our nation and the world are the following:

Presidential Medal of Freedom presented by President Bill Clinton;

Congressional Gold Medal presented by President George W. Bush;

John F. Kennedy Memorial Award;

NAACP--Spingarn Medal;

Hadassah Myrtle Wreath of Achievement;

Ministerial Interfaith Association Award;

Ladies Home Journal--Woman of the Year;

Congressional Black Caucus--Decades of Service;

President Ronald Reagan--Citizens Medal;

Franklin Roosevelt--Freedom Medal

Essence Award; and

The Camille Cosby World of Children Award.

Dorothy Height was also elected to the National Women's Hall of Fame and is the recipient of thirty-six honorary degrees from colleges and universities as diverse as: Tuskegee University, Harvard University, Spelman College, Princeton University, Bennett College, Pace University, Lincoln University, Columbia University, Howard University, New York University, Morehouse College, and Meharry Medical College.

Madam Speaker, Dorothy Height has witnessed or participated in virtually every major movement for social and political change in the last century. For nearly 75 years, Dorothy Height has fought for the equality and human rights of all people. She was the only female member of the ``Big 6'' civil rights leaders (Whitney Young, Jr., A. Philip Randolph, Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, and Roy Wilkins). Her vision and dedication made NCNW the premier organization in advocating for the health, education and economic empowerment for all women of African descent around the world.

Thank you, Dorothy Height, for your service to our nation. You have made America a better place for all persons of all races, religions, nd backgrounds. You have mentored hundreds, been a role model to thousands, and a hero to millions. You are an American original. I am glad to count you as a friend.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Senate Amendment to H.R. 4851, the Continuing Extension Act, to extend a range of programs.

On March 17, the House passed H.R. 4851, emergency legislation that would extend a range of programs that unfortunately expired. These programs included: unemployment benefits; help with health insurance for the unemployed, COBRA; the highway bill; satellite TV; delay in the cut in Medicare physician payments; flood insurance; and small business loan guarantees. We passed this emergency legislation in the House, but Republican Senator Jim Bunning single-handedly blocked passage of this emergency measure, despite the critical needs of millions of families across the United States during this economic downturn.

As a result, a 2-day shutdown of these programs that jeopardized unemployment benefits for more than 1 million Americans and furloughed thousands of highway and transit workers. This bill compensates Transportation Department employees who were furloughed during the lapse in the Federal highway, highway and motor carrier safety, and public transit programs. Unfortunately, Republican Senator Coburn has now put a hold on H.R. 4786, which passed the House by voice vote last week, to address this problem for transportation workers.

The following programs are now being extended:

Unemployment Insurance: Extends unemployment benefits, including the increased payouts and longer duration of benefits from the Recovery Act through May 5.

Help with Health Insurance for Unemployed Workers, COBRA: Extends eligibility for the COBRA health insurance 65 percent subsidy for people who have lost their jobs through April 30.

Medicare Physician Payments: Extends current Medicare payment rates for physicians, preventing a 21 percent payment reduction, through April 30, 2010.

Flood Insurance: Extends the National Flood Insurance Program authorization through April 30.

Satellite Television: Extends the compulsory copyright license used by satellite television providers through April 30, 2010.

Compensation for Furloughed Employees: Provides compensation for federal employees furloughed during March 1 and 2 as the result of the lapse in expenditure authority from the Highway Trust Fund.

Medicare Therapy Caps Exceptions: Extends exceptions process for beneficiary payment limits on outpatient therapy services through April 30, 2010.

Poverty Guidelines: Extends current provision maintaining 2009 poverty guidelines through April 30, 2010, to prevent a lowering of the poverty line due to deflation in 2009.

This bill is the right thing to do. We still need to do more to put jobs in the hands of Americans. Unemployment in the Houston-Sugar Land- Baytown region climbed to 5.4 percent in October, according to a recent report from the Texas Workforce Commission. There were 152,300 people without jobs during the month out of a total civilian labor force of about 2.8 million, compared with 144,200 people, or 5.1 percent, unemployed out of a civilian labor force of 2.8 million in September, according to the TWC. The unemployment rate in October was up from 4 percent a year ago. Getting all Americans back to work is, and should be our number one priority.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to join my colleagues in doing the right thing for the American people in these challenging economic times. We owe that to the people whom we are sent here to serve.

Mr. Speaker, it is not often that you come to the floor of the House with joy and with sadness. And it is with both that I stand to honor a fallen friend, Lenora ``Doll'' Carter, a champion of a woman, and of course someone who led in our community.

Doll Carter was the publisher of the Forward Times newspaper in Houston, Texas. She and her husband Julius founded that newspaper in 1960, reporting on all of the civil rights matters, the assassination of Dr. King, the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and 1965 Voting Rights Act. And then his untimely death in 1971 caused this young woman and young mother, the mother of Karen and Constance, to take up the helm of this great paper. This paper became the third most read newspaper in the southwest after two of our major papers in Houston, and this lady became the doll of all of us. Her name clearly was a name that we favored.

Lenora ``Doll'' Carter was born in Arizona. But as her good friend John Smith said, Doll was not only a friend toward the advancement of African American achievement, overall she personified distinctive grace, character, and style as a champion for the common good. She was also my friend. She passed away this past Saturday. We honor her, we salute her. She is a great hero of America.

Doll, we will miss you. May you rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today in support of H. Res. 1222, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Library Week. I would like to thank my colleague, Rep. Vernon Ehlers, for introducing this resolution.

I support this legislation because on National Library Week, April 11th through the 17th, communities across the U.S. will recognize the contributions made by all library workers including librarians, support staff, and others who make library services possible. It also promotes increased public awareness of the significant contributions made by libraries to further the academic achievement and lifelong learning of our students. In addition National Library Week strengthens a belief in the value of libraries and positions librarianship as a desirable career opportunity.

This year's theme, ``Communities thrive at your library,'' illustrates how the library is at the root of a thriving community, reminding individuals and informing others that the library is the place where people of all backgrounds learn and grow together. America's libraries and their workers remain valuable community assets during tough economic times. Also, with more businesses requiring online job applications, job-seeking resources are among the most critical and popular resources available in U.S. public libraries. Libraries provide not only the hardware and software applications, but they also offer skilled librarians who help teach people how to use the Internet and find the information they need quickly. As the wave of technology has changed the way we receive and transmit information, the Nation's libraries and their staffs have met those changes head on!

I would also like to take this time to emphasize the need for pay equity for library workers, even in this economy. Women librarian salaries continue to be lower than male library employees. The wage gap for the Nation remains with women earning 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. Library employees also continue to receive lower salaries in comparison with traditionally male occupations with comparable education requirements and job responsibilities.

In recognizing the valuable contributions to our Nation and citizens across this country, from libraries, we must not forget the hardworking individuals who provide such services. Such services will enable us to educate our citizens and bring them into the era of technology. This week will also bring to light the need to adequately compensate the staffers which provide these services.