Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a giant in our community in Houston, Texas, that we lost just a few days ago.

Quentin Mease was 100 years old, and he lived that life vigorously and with great fulfillment. He was a servant of the people. No, he was not elected, but he was one of the founding members of the National Urban League Houston chapter. He was a founding member of what is now called the Harris County Hospital District. One of the satellite hospitals was named after Quentin Mease.

He was truly a giver, a philanthropic, a person who believed that he was, in fact, our brothers' and sisters' keeper. He lost his life, but he was full of life when he passed. He will be recognized on Thursday for a wake and Friday for a funeral.

I believe the words of the President of the United States in his African American History Month that said, ``The ideals of the founders became more real and more true for every citizen of African American ancestry to realize our full potential as a Nation, and to uphold those ideals for all who enter into our borders and embrace the notion that we all are endowed with certain inalienable rights.''

Quentin Mease, fallen in battle, believed that we were all endowed with certain inalienable rights. He gave his all. He wanted us all to be embraced under this bright and shining flag. He believed in America. As an African American, he is a giant, and I thank him for highlighting young people like myself to give us an opportunity to go forward into the future.

Thank you, Mr. Mease. May God bless you. And may God bless you as you rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution honoring, Beverly Eckert, a great American. As a 9/11 widow, Beverly Eckert rose above a daunting challenge. America has asked her to not only overcome her grief over losing her husband, but to take on a leading role as a advocate for other victims.

Beverly Eckert, who died on February 12 in the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 in Clarence Center, N.Y., was co-founder of Voices of September 11, a group representing the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Her husband, Sean Rooney, died in the World Trade Center. Under Eckert's leadership, Voices of September 11 grew into an influential advocacy group of more than 5,500 members. Eckert supported the work of the 9/11 Commission and urged Congress to adopt its recommendations. Less than a week before her death, she met with President Barack Obama at the White House with other terrorist victims' families to discuss changes in the government's handling of terror suspects.

As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure I am well aware of the importance of keeping the memory of September 11, 2001 at the forefront of our conscious.

This resolution honors Beverly Eckert for her service on behalf of September 11 victims and their families and recognizes her work to bring about the implementation of the 9/11 Commission recommendations to prevent and respond to acts of terrorism. It extends condolences to Eckert's family and the families of all those who lost their lives in the Continental Connection Flight 3407 crash.

Certainly the irony of Beverly Eckert dying in a plane crash that appears to be weather-related is not lost on us. That does not diminish the breadth of her work over the last eight years. It is fitting that Beverly was greeted at the White House by President Obama just a week before she perished.

It is my hope Mr. Speaker that we continue to honor Beverly Eckert and the other victims of Continental Connection Flight 3407 and the terrorist attacks of 9/11 by energizing our pursuit of the terrorists who hurt our nation. We can do this by bringing to justice the perpetrators of those attacks and the forces behind them.

Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak to our nation at this poignant time but also a moment where we can be reminded of the arduous task that this new administration faces in pursuit of terrorists and seeking to raise our profile as a nation of peace. We can be a leader in the fight against terrorism and still saving the world. We can only hope that Sean Rooney and Beverly are reunited in heaven.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you for an opportunity to speak on an important anniversary. As we honor the Department of Homeland Security we also take the time to salute the nearly 223,000 employees who make up the agencies staff. I recently had the pleasure of meeting the new Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano and made sure to mention how proud I am of her staff.

Congress created the Homeland Security Department as a result of the tragic events of September 11, consolidating the nation's efforts to prevent, prepare for, protect against, respond to, and mitigate threats to the homeland. On March 1, 2003, the Homeland Security Department united 22 agencies, and 2009 marks its sixth year of full-scale operations.

As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure I am well aware of the sacrifice and diligence of the more than 223,000 Homeland Security employees who work in the department. This resolution recognizes and honors the employees of the Homeland Security Department on its sixth anniversary for their continuous efforts to keep the nation safe.

Our nation has remained safe since the terrorist attacks thanks to the hard work, fastidious attention to detail and dedication of the many employees of this Department.

The day-to-day tedium that the professionals at the Department of Homeland Security only serve to underscore how vital they

are as a protective force. Mr. Speaker, they truly are on the frontlines, at our nation's busiest ports. They are the people who make sure that our children can walk home from that little red schoolhouse; they are the people who allow us to exercise our constitutional right to travel freely and associate with whom we like; they are the people who allow us to proclaim loudly that ``I have the right to free speech,'' to essentially be American.

I would also be remiss if I did not take note of some of the tasks that the department faces this year onward. The Department of Homeland Security is an integral part of the plan to increase usage of safer and more efficient mass transit. We must utilize our federal dollars to improve our rail and over-the-road bus systems. We must work to ensure safe package by training workers to be the best they can and to continue to take pride in their work. These improvements must be modernized to be the best security and safety systems.

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential or TWIC program must be updated to allow for seamless processing for our workers most of whom depend on their jobs to feed their families. Border and Maritime security is the absolute beginning of what it means to be a safe country.

Transportation Security Administration or TSA workers must continue to be better trained because they are on the frontlines of our nation's airport security. These workers must also be afforded the opportunity to have collective bargaining rights if they chose and the ability to report fraud, corruption and wrongdoing. That is the essence of the whistleblower protections which we just voted to include in H.R. 1 that I fought for and will continue to press, and yes, even in a Democratic administration. Mr. Speaker, these are just a few of the laundry list of items that Secretary Napolitano and her staff will tackle in the coming months and years. I am confident though that they are up to the task of making the Department of Homeland Security an even better federal agency.

Let me thank the Speaker for her leadership and the opportunity to address my colleagues on what I think is a very important topic.

Of course, first I wish to wish my great State of Texas happy independence day, March 2, 2009, which was yesterday, and celebrate the courage of those fighters who declared their independence from Mexico. Texans are an independent bunch, but we are a patriotic bunch and we love this country,

and I believe it is important to address the leadership that sits just a few blocks away that is attempting to take this Nation to another level of economic empowerment and change.

It is important, Madam Speaker, to articulate more clearly the purposes of the economic stimulus package and the bankruptcy bill that will come to this floor in just a couple of days. Both of those bills respond to the needs of the average working American. It is important to note that the economic stimulus package has no earmarks and it is to generate jobs and those jobs are to be in the private sector.

Over the last 2 weeks, Madam Speaker, I have sat down in my school districts speaking to each superintendent asking them to establish an economic stimulus task force that would ensure that the dollars that would come through this stimulus package would be, first of all, used to educate our children; would be limited in its use for administrative costs; would be focusing on saving teachers' jobs or creating teachers' jobs; would focus on Title I; and would help modernize schools and hire contractors who would then hire people who are out of work in the private sector. School districts typically don't build or modernize their schools. Those are jobs, $10 billion in the stimulus package.

Recently I have walked through unemployment offices to focus on getting job training dollars so that people could alter their careers and be able to be prepared for the 21st century workplace, such as being prepared for the green jobs that are also part of the economic stimulus package. Weatherization, $5 billion for weatherization of our buildings and homes both in the cold weather and the hot weather. Those are jobs, Madam Speaker, that have not been created before. They are not jobs in the government. They are jobs in the private sector.

Madam Speaker, I went on to meet with the Texas Department of Transportation to ensure that contracts are shovel-ready; that new small businesses and minority businesses and women-owned businesses are being hired, that they are able to be proud of what they put on the Web site and that they actually do create jobs.

Just yesterday, I met with the mayor of Houston, the fourth largest city in the Nation, and the department heads, seeking creatively how we can enhance and beautify distressed areas, depressed areas, both in rural and urban areas, which was the purpose of the President's desire.

By the way, Madam Speaker, I can tell you that earmarks should not be labeled as being fraudulent. They should be transparent. They are not an added expenditure of dollars. They are simply allowing the people of the district, the State of Texas, the State of New York or Mississippi or Georgia or California to be able to assess where those moneys can be used more effectively. But we don't have any earmarks in the stimulus package.

The bankruptcy bill, which has been much maligned in certain areas, and I am very glad we are coming together to think together, is really a bill that responds to the little person, the person who was responsible, the person who really feels that bankruptcy may in fact be a shameful thing to do, but are working every day trying to make ends meet. They are making their payments, but they are falling behind as they try to make those payments.

What it does is it allows a judge to assess whether that person is able to more effectively keep their house if they are able to cram down the amount of the mortgage. But what happens, Madam Speaker, is that if that house is ultimately sold, any profit goes back to the lender. Where is the help for the little guy? Where is the help for the struggling homeowner and American who works every day? It is the bankruptcy court. That will not be a free ride.

In addition, I hope to offer legislation that indicates that if a buyer was manipulated with an adjustable rate or predatory lending, that their missteps in their mortgage, that their faltering, does not impact their credit score, which then ends their ability to be part of the economic resurgence that will come about over the next couple of months and years as we begin to see the economic stimulus package work.

This is not a tough task. I voted against the TARP originally. Money is being given to big banks. But what I believe is we have got to recapitalize our markets and restore our housing market.

Madam Speaker, we are on the right path. Let's do it in unity. Let's not forgets the hard-working Americans who now need to have their day by passing the bankruptcy bill and making sure the stimulus package works.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1105, the ``Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009''. I would like to thank my colleague Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Lewis for introducing this important legislation. I would especially like to thank the respective subcommittee chairs and ranking members who I worked closely with in obtaining the funds necessary to help the citizens of the 18th Congressional District of Texas. These funds were vital in helping the Houston area. I want to especially thank:

Alan Mollohan Chairman and Frank R. Wolf Ranking member of the subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies.

Peter J. Visclosky Chairman and Rodney P. Frelinghuysen Ranking member of the subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.

David E. Price Chairman and Harold Rogers Ranking member of the subcommittee on Homeland Security.

David Obey Chairman and Todd Tiahrt of the subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

Wait a minute. Can we get a little history lesson here? Does anybody remember the $700 billion that we gifted to the banks? When they were on their knees, they took Federal money. Many of us voted against it because we wanted to know what was going to happen to the American public.

Why is my friend talking about the young people who were hurting in the administration before us? They hurt more than young people. They told us that we needed $700 billion of government money to give to the banks. We asked the banks to voluntarily modify the loans. We begged them to do it. We worked with them. We spoke with them. They did not do it.

Today, we vote for the little person, for the individual who has been responsible, who has been working like a constituent in my constituency for 18 years as a cafeteria worker, saving up money, who has got a small bungalow, but it was at an adjustable rate. That's not that lady's fault. She is still working, but she has fallen behind. She will go into court under this bill. She will be able to use the FHA and VA. They will be able to look to voluntarily modify before the court.

The only thing that this does is it allows, after all things have happened, for you to be able to go into the courthouse, stand before a judge and be assessed on your own responsibility. We have a manager's amendment. If there's any profit to be made, it goes back to the lender, to the bank. Mr. Bank and Mrs. Bank, why didn't you do this on your own? We would have preferred you to have done it.

I'm looking forward to introducing legislation where, for people who've been responsible and who go in to redo their mortgages, their issue will not be part of their credit score, of their potential foreclosure, of their back payments, because it is not their fault. We've fallen into a crisis, into an abyss.

So, my friends, I don't know how we can stand on the other side of the aisle talking about the poor little banks. We asked the banks to reorder people's mortgages. People in my district begged for them to do so, but when they called, there was nothing but a 1-800 number.

Support this legislation. It's the little fellow's day today. We want people to save their homes. We're saving America.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1106, ``Helping Families Save Their Homes in Bankruptcy Act of 2009.'' I would like to thank Chairman Conyers of the House Judiciary Committee and Chairman Barney Frank of the Financial Services Committee for their leadership on this issue. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this bill because it provides a viable medium for bankruptcy judges to modify the terms of mortgages held by homeowners who have little recourse but to declare bankruptcy.

This bill could not have come at a more timely moment. Just a day after the President's address before the Joint Session of Congress where President Obama outlined his economic plan for America and discussed the current economic situation that this country is facing.

To be sure, there are many economic woes that saddle this country. The statistics are staggering.

Home foreclosures are at an all-time high and they will increase as the recession continues. In 2006, there were 1.2 million foreclosures in the United States, representing an increase of 42 percent over the prior year. During 2007 through 2008, mortgage foreclosures were estimated to result in a whopping $400 billion worth of defaults and $100 billion in losses to investors in mortgage securities. This means that one per 62 American households is currently approaching levels not seen since the Depression.

The current economic crisis and the foreclosure blight have affected new home sales and depressed home value generally. New home sales have fallen by about 50 percent. One in six homeowners owes more on a mortgage than the home is worth raising the possibility of default.

Home values have fallen nationwide from an average of 19% from their peak in 2006 and this price plunge has wiped out trillions of dollars in home equity. The tide of foreclosure might become self-perpetuating. The nation could be facing a housing depression--something far worse than a recession.

Obviously, there are substantial societal and economic costs of home foreclosures that adversely impact American families, their neighborhoods, communities and municipalities. A single foreclosure could impose direct costs on local government agencies totaling more than $34,000.

I am glad that this legislation is finally on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. I have long championed in the first TARP bill that was introduced and signed late last Congress, that language be included to specifically address the issue of mortgage foreclosures. I had asked that $100 billion be set aside to address that issue. Now, my idea has been vindicated as the TARP today has included language and we here today are continuing to engage in the dialogue to provide monies to those in mortgage foreclosure. I have also asked for modification of homeowners' existing loans to avoid mortgage foreclosure. I believe that the rules governing these loans should be relaxed. These are indeed tough economic times that require tough measures.

Because of the pervasive home foreclosures, federal legislation is necessary to curb the fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis. For consumers facing foreclosure sale who want to retain their homes, Chapter 13 of

the Bankruptcy Code provides some modicum of protection. The Supreme Court has held that the exception to a Chapter 13's ability to modify the rights of creditors applies even if the mortgage is undersecured. Thus, if a Chapter 13 debtor owes $300,000 on a mortgage for a home that is worth less than $200,000, he or she must repay the entire amount in order to keep his or her home, even though the maximum that the mortgage would receive upon foreclosure is the home's value, i.e., $200,000, less the costs of foreclosure.

Importantly, H.R. 1106 provides for a relaxation of the bankruptcy provisions and waives the mandatory requirement that a debtor must receive credit counseling prior to the filing for bankruptcy relief, under certain circumstances. The waiver applies in a Chapter 13 case where the debtor submits to the court a certification that the debtor has received notice that the holder of a claim secured by the debtor's principal residence may commence a foreclosure proceeding against such residence.

This bill also prohibits claims arising from violations of consumer protection laws. Specifically, this bill amends the Bankruptcy Code to disallow a claim that is subject to any remedy for damages or rescission as a result of the claimant's failure to comply with any applicable requirement under the Truth in Lending Act or other applicable state or federal consumer protection law in effect when the noncompliance took place, notwithstanding the prior entry of a foreclosure judgment.

H.R. 1106 also amends the Bankruptcy Code to permit modification of certain mortgages that are secured by the debtor's principal residence in specified respects. Lastly, the bill provide that the debtor, the debtor's property, and property of the bankruptcy estate are not liable for a fee, cost, or charge incurred while the Chapter 13 case is pending and that arises from a debt secured by the debtor's principal residence, unless the holder of the claim complies with certain requirements.

I have long championed the rights of homeowners, especially those facing mortgage foreclosure. I have worked with the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to include language that would relax the bankruptcy provisions to allow those facing mortgage foreclosure to restructure their debt to avoid foreclosure.

manager's amendment

Because I have long championed the rights of homeowners facing mortgage foreclose in the recent TARP bill and before the Judiciary Committee, I have worked with Chairman Conyers and his staff to add language that would make the bill stronger and that would help more Americans. I co-sponsored sections of the Manager's Amendment and I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Specifically, I worked with the Chairman Conyers to ensure that in section 2 of the amendment, section 109(h) of the Bankruptcy Code would be amended to waive the mandatory requirement, under current law, that a debtor receive credit counseling prior to filing for bankruptcy relief. Under the amended language there is now a waiver that will apply where the debtor submits to the court a certification that the debtor has received notice that the holder of a claim secured by the debtor's principal residence may commence a foreclosure proceeding against such residence.

This is important because it affords the debtor the maximum relief without having to undergo a slow credit counseling process. This will help prevent the debtors credit situation from worsening, potentially spiraling out of control, and result in the eventual loss of his or her home.

Section 4 of the Manager's Amendment relaxes certain Bankruptcy requirements under Chapter 13 so that the debtor can modify the terms of the mortgage secured by his or her primary residence. This is an idea that I have long championed in the TARP legislation--the ability of debtors to modify their existing primary mortgages. Section 4 allows for a modification of the mortgage for a period of up to 40 years. Such modification cannot occur if the debtor fails to certify that it contacted the creditor before filing for bankruptcy. In this way, the language in the Manager's Amendment allows for the creditor to demonstrate that it undertook its ``last clear'' chance to work out the restructuring of the debt with its creditor before filing bankruptcy.

Importantly, the Manager's Amendment amends the bankruptcy code to provide that a debtor, the debtor's property, and property of the bankruptcy estate are not liable for fees and costs incurred while the Chapter 13 case is pending and that arises from a claim for debt secured by the debtor's principal residence.

Lastly, I worked to get language in the Manager's Amendment that would allow the debtors and creditors to get to negotiate before a declaration of bankruptcy is made. I made sure that the bill addresses present situations at the time of enactment where homeowners are in the process of mortgage foreclosure. This is done with a view toward consistency predictability and a hope that things will improve.

Mr. Speaker, what an exciting and wonderfully forward day that we have today when we will be addressed by the Commander in Chief regarding the state of the Nation. All I can think about is we have planted the seeds of the economic stimulus package, a plan that should help no matter who you are and where you are in the nooks and crannies of this Nation, how this Commander in Chief will tell us of the prosperity ahead, of the brighter days ahead. I look forward to that kind of leadership, for, when you are in troubling times, you plant the seeds to make it better.

Our instruction to America is that no area should be left out. The rural poor should not be left out. The urban centers should not be left out. As we are watching the States, we are seeing that some of them are making decisions that do not impact all of the people. We are going to call them to be able to be held accountable because this money is not for their own personal piggy banks.

Let me also say, Mr. Speaker, that I was gratified that the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee allowed me to travel to Guantanamo Bay yesterday. It is, in fact, a place where our soldiers are working very hard, but it is also a place where we can find another location. We are studying the issue, but I think it is possible to close Guantanamo Bay.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 132, which recognizes the significance of the life and memory of the Chiricahua Apache leader Goyathlay or Goyaale, also known as Geronimo, and recognizing the 100th anniversary of his death on February 17, 2009, as a time of reflection and the commencement of a ``healing'' for all Apache people.

Mr. Speaker, to the apaches, it is proclaimed that Geronimo embodied the very essence of the Apache values: aggressiveness, courage in the face of difficulty. The slaughter of Geronimo's family when he was a young man turned him from a peaceful Indian into a bold warrior.

Originally named Goyathlay (``One Who Yawns'') he joined a fierce band of Apaches known as Chiricahuas and with them took part in raids in northern Mexico and across the border into U.S. territory which are now known as the States of New Mexico and Arizona. Geronimo was the last Apache fighting force. He became the most famous Apache of all for standing against the U.S. government and for holding out the longest. He was a great Apache medicine man, a great spiritual leader.

Geronimo was highly sought by Apache chiefs for his wisdom. He is said to have had magical powers. He could see into the future and walk without creating footprints. Geronimo devoted his life to service and leadership, as evidenced in his words, ``I cannot think that we are useless or God would not have created us. There is one God looking down on us all. We are all the children of one God. The sun, the darkness, the winds are all listening to what we have to say.''

Mr. Speaker, Geronimo became a ``spokesman'' for Native American ways of life and their culture. He represented the Apache heritage. He is the known name when it comes to the Apache tribe. He is known for holding out against overwhelming odds. His name is a character that kids know when they, play Indians.

Mr. Speaker, Geronimo should be remembered not as a violent Indian, but a Native American fighting for the freedom of his followers and his Apache people; fighting with something behind it. Not just fighting to fight, fighting for his ways of life. That is why he should be remembered.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 911, the ``Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teen Acts of 2009.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 911 and address the tragic circumstances that face some of out Nation's youth on a daily basis and to underscore our commitment to preventing child abuse and neglect so that all children can live in safety and security. I would first like to thank my distinguished colleague, Representative George Miller of California, for introducing this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 911 seeks to implement an ongoing review process for investigating

and evaluating reports of child abuse and neglect; establish public websites with information about each covered program, as well as a national toll-free telephone hotline to receive complaints; establish civil penalties for violations of standards; and establish a process to ensure that complaints received by the hotline are promptly reviewed by persons with appropriate expertise. Furthermore, this bill amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to establish additional eligibility requirements for grants to states to prevent child abuse and neglect at residential programs.

There are no greater crimes that an individual can commit than the crimes of child molestation and child abuse. The perpetrators of these crimes rob children of their innocence. Moreover, victims of child molestation are profoundly affected for the rest of their lives. As elected officials, we have an obligation to condemn this violence, work for stronger enforcement of the law and provide adequate funding for programs to assist children who may have experienced such abuse.

At least 1 in 5 adult women and 1 in 10 adult men report having been sexually abused as children. In Texas, there were more than 111,000 investigations of child abuse and neglect by the Child Protective Services in Texas, and of those cases 7,650 were sexual abuse.

The sexual victimization of children is great in magnitude and largely either unrecognized or underreported. Statistics show that 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys are sexually exploited before they reach adulthood. However it is believed that less than 35 percent of the incidents are reported to authorities.

It is estimated that approximately one-third of abused and neglected children grow up to victimize their own children. Child abuse and neglect can have long-term economical and societal costs. Community- based services to overburdened families are far less costly than the emotional and physical damage inflicted on children. These community- based services also outweigh potential costs of child protective services, law enforcement, courts, foster care, health care, and the treatment of adults recovering from child abuse. The annual estimated cost to the United States for not preventing child abuse and neglect is approximately $104,000,000,000, according to a 2008 report by Prevent Child Abuse America.

Tens of thousands of American children and teens each year are placed into residential treatment programs. Many have been abused, neglected, and worse, some have died at the hands of those who were supposed to be there to care for them. Unscrupulous programs often hire unqualified, untrained, uncaring, misinformed, and often mean-spirited staff who do not have the qualifications to care for them. The number of children placed in residential treatment centers is growing exponentially. These modern-day orphanages now house more than 50,000 children nationwide. Once placed, these kids may have no meaningful contact with their families or friends for up to two years. Despite many documented cases of neglect and physical and sexual abuse, monitoring is inadequate to ensure that children are safe, healthy and receiving proper services in residential treatment centers.

It will take more than just stronger enforcement of the law to prevent child molestation and other forms of child abuse. In order to end this serious epidemic that has plagued America, all segments of the community such as parents, educators, religious leaders, and community leaders must create a nurturing environment for children to develop within. The children must know that they are loved and the children deserve to be protected from violence and sexual abuse.

I express my support for the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2009. I believe we should increase public awareness of child abuse and neglect prevention and should continue to work to reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect. We should recognize that child abuse and neglect prevention programs reduce child maltreatment, strengthen families, reduce mental illness, deter criminal behavior, and contribute to children's positive emotional, academic, social and cognitive development, but we need more.

Let me thank the distinguished gentleman from Colorado and the Rules Committee for the heavy lifting, along with the Appropriations Committee and Financial Services Committee, and all of those who have joined the leadership in this heavy responsibility of governance.

I'm proud to be part of the governing party, if you will, the Democratic caucus that has the responsibility of leading this Nation, and we accept the burden and responsibility of making sure that there is a credible answer to America's problems.

Someone needs to talk to the unemployed construction worker or the young woman laid off in the retail industry or retiree who wants to come back to work. This bill is a responsible bill, $64 billion in transportation and infrastructure, 1.8 million jobs; the construction worker back to work; $800 payment for a couple, $400 payment for a single person. It's not $13 a week, as they'd like to say. It's a lump sum that people are desperately in need of.

This is an important and responsible act. We're putting together in my office task forces to ensure that Houston communities get this relief. It's important to vote for this bill. America needs this bill. It's time to answer the call of America. I support the Rules Committee and economic recovery bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with today with great expectations and hope for a brighter economic future.

I rise in support of H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act also known as the ``Economic Stimulus.'' I want to especially thank our House and Senate conferees for coming together on one of the most important pieces of economic legislation of our time; Congressman Obey, Congressman Rangel, Congressman Waxman, Congressman Lewis, Congressman Camp, Senator Reid, Senator Inouye, Senator Baucus, Senator Cochran, and Senator Grassley.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is very important that we explain the actions that took place on the floor of the House today.

I'd like to, first of all, indicate that I'm glad to have heard that tribute to a very fine individual's sacrifice for this country. And I want you to know that when we think about economic stimulus, we're not leaving out people, we're putting them in.

I think the American people understand that when we lose 598,000 jobs, we need to do something. And so you can imagine my friends on the other side of the aisle, their criticism represents this little red spot. But there has to be much agreement, because the criticism is very narrow.

How can you criticize $4 billion for our veterans? How can you criticize encouraging businesses to invest through working to ensure businesses, increasing capital flows for business through a 5-year NOL; encouraging hiring of veterans and disconnected youth through the work opportunity tax grant. That's what's happening with the stimulus. Encouraging businesses to invest through a bonus depreciation and small business expensing, that's what's in this bill. We believe in small businesses and minority-owned businesses and women-owned businesses. And, yes, we believe that the majority of the American people are for this.

We're going home to take money to our constituency. That's why we voted for the economic stimulus plan.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 117, to ``support the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week, and for other purposes.''

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 117 recognizes the need to support the goals and ideals of National Engineers Week and its aims to increase understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers and to promote literacy in math and science; and will work with the engineering community to make sure that the creativity and contribution of that community can be expressed through research, development, standardization, and innovation.

New discoveries and technologies are changing the way Americans live and work. Through dedicated research and development, engineers expand our knowledge and lay the foundation for the progress of our country. This week is an opportunity to recognize engineers for their many contributions to our way of life and to encourage young people to pursue their curiosity by studying math and science.

Engineering education began in America under circumstances that differ substantially from those of the other leading professions. Medical schools, for example, were established by individual physicians, and then loosely affiliated with universities.

By contrast, engineers were first trained by apprenticeship, particularly on canal construction projects. This tradition was perpetuated on railroad construction projects, and later in factories and machine shops, long after college engineering programs were established. Eventually, engineering schools in the United States were sponsored by the federal government (the U.S. Military Academy in 1802) and the land-grant colleges (beginning in 1862). They were also fostered by public-spirited citizens who fostered the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and from within established universities in response to interest or demand.

The engineering workforce is the driver of society's technological engine, an awesome responsibility. We will not be able to address this responsibility without diversifying the pool of science and engineering talent. This broadening of participation must come from The Land of Plenty, our mostly untapped potential of underrepresented minorities and women--America's ``competitive edge'' for the 21st century.

We know that more than any other species, humans are configured to be the most flexible learners. Humans are intentional learners, proactive in acquiring knowledge and skills. And, it turns out that we are more successful learners if we are mindful or cognizant of ourselves as learners and thinkers.

The revolution in information technologies connected and integrated researchers and research fields in a way never before possible. The nation's IT capability has acted like `adrenaline' to all of science and engineering. A next step is to build the most advanced computer- communications infrastructure for researchers to use, while simultaneously broadening its accessibility.

The great state of Texas boasts excellent schools that produce many of the nation's outstanding engineers. Texas Tech University's Whitacre College of Engineering is an internationally recognized research institution ranked among the best in the country. The Dwight Look College of Engineering at Texas A&M University is one of the largest engineering colleges in the nation, with nearly 9,000 students and 12 departments. Texas A&M University ranks among the top five producers in the country for undergraduate engineering degrees. Prairie View A&M University's College of Engineering has a rich and well established legacy of producing some of the most outstanding engineers, computer scientists and technologists in the nation.

To date, our knowledge of the ``science of learning,'' is just the tip of the iceberg of what we have yet to learn. Our ultimate goal is truly not to waste a single child and to teach and train a workforce that is well prepared and can adapt and change.

I thank my colleague, Rep. Daniel Lipinski, of Illinois, for introducing this important resolution, to ensure that we continue to cultivate the understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers that will be quite beneficial to society. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 129, recognizing the historical significance of the Merced Assembly Center to the Nation and the importance of establishing an appropriate memorial at that site to serve as a place for remembering the hardships endured by Japanese-Americans, so that the United States remains vigilant in protecting our Nation's core

values of equality, due process of law, justice and fundamental fairness. This resolution embodies the ideals and precepts that we hold so dear in the United States. I support this resolution and I strongly encourage my colleagues to do the same.

As a Senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and a member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, I know the importance of due process, fairness, and equality. Indeed, as a child of the Civil Rights Movement, I have championed these uniquely American precepts that are the bedrock of our Democracy. We must never forget this fundamental infringement of civil rights that had a deleterious and one-sided effect upon a race of Americans. We must never forget so that we will never repeat the tragic horrors of that era. Spawned by a fear of a race during a time of war, this Great Country was led to do act and behave toward a race in a way that we must never allow again.

On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order No. 9066, authorizing the forced internment of both United States citizens and legal residents of Japanese ancestry during World War II. This Executive Order resulted in the largest single relocation of individuals in the history of our Nation. As a result of this relocation, 120,000 Japanese-Americans were forced into internment camps by the United States Government in violation of their fundamental constitutional rights.

Japanese-Americans faced tremendous hardships due to their unjust treatment. The hardships this group faced were reminiscent of the days of slavery where families were torn asunder and faced separation. Individuals endured the loss of their homes, businesses, jobs, and their dignity.

Pursuant to Executive Order No. 9066, Japanese-Americans in the western United States, specifically Washington, Oregon, California, and southern Arizona were ordered to report to so called assembly centers before being removed to more permanent wartime relocation centers.

The Merced Assembly Center, located in Merced, California, was the reporting site for nearly 5,000 Japanese-Americans. Sadly, as a child, United States Congressman Mike Honda and his family were held at the Merced Assembly Center prior to being interned in Amache, Colorado. Through this tragedy and sadness, and in spite of this situation, Representative Honda forged a public career dedicated to educating and preventing this type of injustice from ever occurring again in this great country.

The Merced Assembly Center Commemorative Committee has been charged with the task of establishing a memorial to recognize the historic tragedy that took place at the Merced Assembly Center. The unveiling ceremony for the memorial at the Merced Assembly Center will take place on February 21, 2009.

I stand today to support this resolution. As a champion of civil rights for all Americans, I will continue to fight to ensure that Americans are treated fairly, humanely, and to the letter of the Constitution. I urge my colleagues to stand with me today to support this resolution and to continue to fight against prejudice in this country. As Members of Congress, we must never forget the injustice of the Japanese internment in this country and all of us need to continue in the fight to ensure that all Americans are treated fairly under law without regard to the race, color, creed, sexual orientation or any other form of differentiation.

Mr. Speaker. I support this bill and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker. I would also like to thank Representative Lloyd Doggett for his leadership in bringing this important legislation to the floor. I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

As a Senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee, I understand the importance of protecting one of America's treasures: the elderly. I fully support the goals of this legislation in helping to keep America's elderly safe from harm.

Last year during the second session of the 110th Congress, Representative Doggett introduced, H.R. 6064, the ``National Silver Alert Act.'' I fought hard to amend that H.R. 6064 to include language that would strengthen the National Silver Alert Act. My language was incorporated into that bill and it was successfully reported out of the Judiciary Committee.

This term, Representative Doggett has included the language from H.R. 423, the ``Kristen's Act Reauthorization'' into the present National Silver Alert bill. Thus, strengthening the protections in the bill.

Thousands of vulnerable older adults go missing each year as a result of dementia, diminished capacity, foul play or other unusual circumstances. The Alzheimer's Foundation of America estimates that over five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease, and that sixty percent of these are likely to wander from their homes. Alzheimer's disease and other dementia related illnesses often leave their victims disoriented and confused and unable to find their way home. According to the Alzheimer's Association, up to 50% of wanderers risk serious illness, injury or death if not found within 24 hours. The problem can be exacerbated greatly by national disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, that can, in a matter of hours, increase the number of missing persons by the thousands.

At least eight states, along with non-profit organizations such as the National Center for Missing Adults, Project Lifesaver International and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, have developed programs to address various aspects of the problem of missing adults, but the need for a coordinated national approach, similar to the Amber Alert Program for children, still exists. In addition, financial support is needed for existing and new local and state programs.

The Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program, administered by the Department of Justice, is the only federal program that currently provides grant funding to locate vulnerable elderly individuals who go missing. Authorization for this program ceased in 1998, but Congress has continued to appropriate some monies for it through fiscal year 2008, when it appropriated $940,000. Another federal law, Kristen's Act, had authorized annual grants in the amount of $1 million for fiscal years 2001 through 2004 to assist law enforcement agencies in locating missing adults and for other purposes. Between fiscal years 2002 through 2006, Kristen's Act grants were made through the Edward Byrne Discretionary Grants Program, primarily to the National Center for Missing Adults, a non-profit organization. In 2006, Congress appropriated $150,000 for this purpose.

A. H.R. 632, the ``National Silver Alert Act''

H.R. 632 sets forth a comprehensive national program. It directs the Attorney General to establish a permanent national Silver Alert communications program within the Department of Justice to provide assistance to regional and local search efforts for missing seniors. The bill requires the Attorney General to assign a Department of Justice officer as a Silver Alert Coordinator.

The Silver Alert Coordinator acts as a nationwide point of contact, working with states to encourage the development of local elements of the network, known as Silver Alert plans, and to ensure regional coordination. The bill requires the Coordinator to develop protocols for efforts relating to reporting and finding missing seniors and to establish voluntary guidelines for states to use in developing Silver Alert plans. The bill requires the Coordinator to establish an advisory group (1) to help States, local governments and law enforcement agencies with Silver Alert plans, (2) to provide training and educational programs to states, local governments and law enforcement agencies, and (3) to submit an annual report to Congress. The bill also requires the Coordinator to establish voluntary minimum standards for the issuance of alerts through the Silver Alert communications network.

H.R. 632 directs the Attorney General, subject to the availability of appropriations, to provide grants to States for the development and implementation of programs and activities relating to Silver Alert plans. The bill authorizes $5 million for fiscal year 2009 for this purpose. The bill also authorizes an additional $5 million for fiscal year 2009 specifically for the development and implementation of new technologies. The Federal share of the grant may not exceed 50% and amounts appropriated under this authorization shall remain available until expended.

Importantly, the bill seeks to accomplish three purposes: the creation of a grant program, the promotion of best practices, and an increased awareness of the need for coordinated efforts to locate missing individuals. The bill authorizes a grant program for State- administered notification systems to help locate missing persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other dementia related illnesses. The grants are to be used to establish and implement Silver Alert systems or to make improvements to existing Silver Alert programs.

C. H.R. 423, the ``Kristen's Act Reauthorization''

Importantly, H.R. 632 includes the language from H.R. 423, the ``Kristen's Act Reauthorization.'' H.R. 632 reauthorizes Kristen's Act (P.L. 106-468), which had authorized annual grants from 2001 through 2004 for the purpose of finding missing adults. Because of the incorporation of Kristen's Act into H.R. 632, grants are not limited to States, but may be awarded to public agencies and nonprofit organizations. The grants are to be used to (1) maintain a national resource center and information clearinghouse; (2) maintain a national database for the purpose of tracking missing adults who are endangered due to age, diminished mental capacity, or when foul play is suspected or the circumstances are unknown; (3) coordinate public and private programs that locate missing adults and reunite them with their families;

(4) provide assistance and training to law enforcement agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit organizations and other individuals involved in the criminal justice system in matters related to missing adults; (5) provide assistance to families in locating missing adults; and (6) assist in public notification of missing adults and victim advocacy. The bill authorizes $4 million annually for fiscal years 2008 through 2018.

D. My Past Amendments on Elder Justice Bills

In similar elder legislation, namely the Elder Justice Act and the Elder Abuse Victims Act, I co-sponsored amendments with Ms. Maxine Waters of California to provide funding to State, Local, and non-profit programs to locate missing elderly. Specifically, my amendment would allow a voluntary electronic monitoring pilot program to assist with the elderly when they are reported missing. In these particular bills, my amendment would allow the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to issue grants to states and local government to carry out pilot programs to provide voluntary electronic monitoring services to elderly individuals to assist in the location of such individuals when they are reported missing.

I also offered an amendment in the elder justice acts that would have allowed the elderly to wear a bracelet so it would make it easier to find a lost elderly patient in the event that he or she was lost. This amendment was accepted and successfully reported out of the House Judiciary Committee last term. If I were provided the opportunity, I would have offered my amendment again and would have required that H.R. 632 contain provisions that would allow for the use of a bracelet pilot program. The bracelet pilot program would allow elderly, at their election, to wear a bracelet that would be used in helping to locate them when they are lost. The bracelet will be unlike existing programs because the bracelets will be electronic and themselves would facilitate finding a missing elderly person.

While this amendment language was accepted and successfully reported out of the House Judiciary Committee, my language was not included in the H.R. 632. Although my language has not been included in this present version of the bill, I still believe that the bill is important.

Elder Legislation Is Important.

Elder legislation such as the legislation before us today and the prior elder bills that I mentioned are important. As elder Americans enter their twilight years, we must do more to protect and ensure their safety. Nothing reminds me more of the necessity of this kind of legislation than my very own experiences in Houston, Texas. A few years ago, the family of Sam Kirk, a native of Houston, Texas, called me to help look for him. Mr. Kirk was elderly and suffered from dementia. He had wandered off and could not be located for several days. His family looked for him for many days but could not find him. In an act of desperation, they called on me to lend my services to help them find him. I helped his family look for him and we found him. When we found Mr. Kirk, he was dead. He died of dehydration. We searched for hours and days to find him. It would have been easier and may have saved a life if there was a bracelet or an electronic monitoring program as I have long championed in previous versions of this bill. Even without my language, legislation that helps America find and take care of its lost and missing elders is extremely important.