Floor Statements

Madam Speaker I rise today to celebrate the life of an icon in the

Eleventh Congressional District of Ohio, my friend Milton Grant.

Mr. Grant was the owner of Silk Screen Process Inc. for more than 50 years. He worked for the Cleveland Public Library, painted and was involved in many other business endeavors. I met Mr. Grant in 1981 in Cleveland when I ran for a Cleveland municipal judgeship. Mr. Grant was the owner of Silk Screen Process, Inc. I requested an estimate of the costs for the signs that I needed. This was my first run for public office and I had very little money. Mr. Grant, observing that I lacked the necessary funds to cover my order, extended credit to me. From that day forward he considered me part of the family and I knew that without the largess of Mr. Grant I would not have won that seat. I recently learned that I was not the only recipient of his kindness.

One day I realized that a friend of mine of many years, Margo Roth was Mr. Grant's daughter and that her sister, Paula had assisted me when I visited the business. I should have known that they were related to Mr. Grant, because they both exhibited the same caring and kindness.

Over the years I have celebrated graduations, weddings, births, homegoings, anniversaries, and successful elections with this wonderful Grant/Roth Family.

Mr. Grant was married to his wife Laura, who predeceased him in death for 61 years. He leaves to celebrate his life, a loving companion Roberta Silber, daughters Paula Rubinstein, Dr. Lee and Margo Roth, Bob, grandchildren, Michael Grant Jaffe, Karen Chaikin, Chip, Jennifer Jaffe Kaufman, Douglas, Julie Namy, Rob and 17 great grandchildren. His siblings, Ruth Buckland and Herman Goldstein and his grandson, Grant Roth, predeceased him.

Madam Speaker, I thank God for making Mr. Grant a part of my life and Mr. Grant for making me a part of his family. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in celebrating the wonderful 96 years of life of Mr. Milton Grant.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 527, I inadvertently missed this vote. I was delayed getting to the floor. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and Subcommittee Chair Maxine Waters for your leadership in hosting a hearing in my congressional district.

Very quickly, I want to talk about the opportunity to simplify the Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit which is included in this bill, and I want to thank you because I have been working on that for years.

But I'm really having a problem here today because years ago, we were talking about expanding homeownership opportunity and we did it. But we didn't protect the people. So the predatory lenders got in there and they stole people's property. They stripped the equity from our neighborhoods so that there are senior women who own their homes outright that are now on the streets somewhere. They don't have a home. There are families who will not be able to pass that wealth from one generation to the next. Not only have we robbed this generation, we've robbed grandbabies and great-grandbabies.

So what I'm saying to you is we have an opportunity to fix it. We have an opportunity to take care of these folks that have been robbed.

I say we need to take advantage of the opportunity. Let's save some communities. Let's save public education, that understands that if we don't have a tax base, there's no money to go to a school; that understands if we don't have a tax base, cities can't collect garbage. They can't do what they need to do.

Come on. You understand what happened here. People got robbed, they got tripped, and it's now time for us to help them, just like we helped Bear Stearns and everybody else. Let's help the people.

Madam Speaker, restoring passenger rail service to one of the most densely-populated urban corridors in Ohio-- Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati--is an idea beyond overdue at the station. This corridor is at the heart of a potentially vibrant passenger rail system in Ohio, a fact borne out by a number of studies dating back as far as the 1980's.

Public demand is growing for transportation choices in Ohio. Significant anecdotal evidence around the United States suggests that even basic passenger rail service such as this would draw heavy ridership and grow the demand for more service.

Today, the reality of ever-higher gasoline prices and their impact on the everyday mobility of our fellow Ohioans and on Ohio's economy makes the restoration of rail passenger service in Ohio a critical transportation need.

We are hearing from our constituents increasingly that ``pain at the pump'' leaves them few or only expensive options to travel on business, and to access everything from education to jobs to medical care.

Since January of 2007 alone, the average price of unleaded gas in Cleveland has gone up 72 percent. In some cases, Ohioans are seeing more and more of their incomes going to feed their car and cutting into other life necessities.

A recent study by the Ohio Rail Association discussed the economic impact that high-speed rail would have on Ohio and the surrounding region. Here are just a few of the benefits of high-speed rail in Ohio: A seven corridor high-speed rail system in Ohio would save $9.4 million in fuel per year; there would be approximately 1.1 million annual riders just out of Cleveland alone by 2025; and it would provide 16,700 permanent jobs as well as 6,100 temporary jobs to build the rail system.

I strongly urge my colleagues to vote for the passage of this bill to move Amtrak forward with high-speed rail.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 60th year of an integrated United States military. On July 26, 1948, President Harry S Truman signed Executive Order 9981. Since that date, people of color have been able to serve honorably in our Armed Forces.

As I reflect upon that day and the significance that it holds, I wonder how it was received in my district. I can imagine the pride and optimism that my parents felt as they picked up their copy of the Cleveland Plain Dealer on July 27, 1948, and read the headline ``Segregation Hit in Truman Orders.'' As the civil rights movement was beginning to gain momentum, the Democratic Party of the North began to break away from their Southern affiliates. As the article indicates, President Truman grew tired of waiting for Congress to act on his civil rights legislation. So through an executive order, he recognized the injustice that had been done to millions of Americans and unilaterally opened the door for them to participate in civil service.

While the Civil Rights Movement is not over, we have seen and continue to see progress in our society's treatment of minorities. Even before President Truman used his pen to integrate the Federal Government, minorities were loyally serving our Nation. I am still in awe when I think of how men of color fought in the Civil War, how they participated in our westward expansion, the Great War, World War II, and even Korea, all without the respect of being treated as an equal at home. The passion shared by minority communities for the principles our Nation undoubtedly motivated millions of individuals to fight the good fight and work for a better tomorrow.

As we celebrate 60 years of an integrated military, my colleagues and I in the House of Representatives are preparing to celebrate the career of LTC Joselyn Lloyd Bell, Jr. Lieutenant Colonel Bell will be retiring from the United States Army on July 25th after 20 years of distinguished service. An outstanding African-American officer, Lieutenant Colonel Bell represents all that minority men and women in uniform dreamed of experiencing prior to EO 9981.

After being commissioned through the Recruit Officer Training Corps at the University of Central Arkansas, Second Lieutenant Bell became a military intelligence officer. His service at the tactical and operational levels provided him with the ability to demonstrate his strong leadership and professional skills. Eventually, he would apply his expertise and help prepare the Army for the future by commanding units which tested several of the platforms currently in use today. Lieutenant Colonel Bell's last assignment prior to retirement was with the Office of Army Legislative Liaison. Through this role, he was able to advocate for a stronger Army and share his experience with my colleagues.

One day following the publication of EO 9981, President Truman addressed Congress in a special session. In his speech he addressed a slowing economy, housing issues and the ability of Americans to find suitable employment. I find it interesting that now, almost 60 years later, my colleagues and I are discussing the same issues. Today we monitor the price of oil, we work vigorously to address the housing foreclosure issue and to keep jobs here in America. While our military is integrated we have yet to reach our full potential.

The racial composition of our enlisted and officer corps does not reflect the progress that we have achieved. Out of the 899 flag officers, only 27 are African-American. The statistics concerning women, Latinos, Asian-Americans, American Indian and Alaskan Natives are equally disappointing. In 2003, several key individuals within the military community filed an amicus brief to reiterate that the strength of our military rests firmly upon the diversity within it.

As we thank Lieutenant Colonel Bell for his service and his family for their support, we may again turn to the words of President Truman. As the President closed his address to Congress on July 27th, 1948, he stated, ``The vigor of our democracy is judged by its ability to take decisive actions--actions which are necessary to maintain our physical and moral strength and to raise our standards of living. In these days of continued stress, the test of that vigor becomes more and more difficult . . .'' As our global community is challenged by the threat of non-state actors, our Armed Forces continue to be involved in two major conflicts, and our communities progress towards complete integration, I feel that we in the Congress have it within us to honor those that have served and those who are serving. We must continue to work with our men and women in uniform to provide all Americans with the opportunity to succeed.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support the inclusion of neighborhood stabilization funds as part of the comprehensive housing package currently pending in Congress.

Last month, Chairwoman Waters convened a field hearing in my congressional district on the housing foreclosure crisis in Ohio. During this hearing, we heard testimony from State and local government officials and housing advocates about the devastation that has been caused by subprime mortgage lending practices.

The hearing panelists shared information on their aggressive foreclosure prevention efforts which include: Governor Strickland's establishment of a Compact with major servicers to help Ohioans stay in their homes; State laws and city resolutions to address issues surrounding vacant and foreclosed properties; litigation initiated by the City of Cleveland against lenders for their violations of Ohio's public nuisance statute; and housing counseling services provided by full-service public interest organizations.

Despite all of these efforts within the State of Ohio, a common theme we heard throughout the field hearing was the dire need for an aggressive Federal response to the housing crisis. Specifically, panelists repeatedly emphasized the need for community stabilization funding.

Neighborhood stabilization funds will allow States and local governments to facilitate the purchase, rehabilitation, or demolition of vacant and foreclosed properties. During last month's field hearing, State and local government officials noted their severe lack of resources as well as the need for Federal funds to halt the cycle of disinvestment. Housing stakeholders in Ohio and across the country stand ready to utilize these emergency stabilization funds to reverse the continued downward cycle of property abandonment and declining property values.

As negotiations continue this week on this important housing legislation, I strongly urge my colleagues to support the inclusion of neighborhood stabilization funds in the final legislative package.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, in recognition of the centennial celebration of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated (AKA), founded on January 15, 1908 at Howard University by nine visionary young African American women. In an era when the African American voice was stifled by prejudice, these collegiate women formed an alliance that has transcended generations. Their mission of ``service to all mankind'' still resounds world-wide through a coalition of over 900 undergraduate and graduate chapters comprised of 225,000 college-trained women. This week, I am pleased to join my colleagues in welcoming them to the city of their founding, Washington, DC and commend them for their hard work and commitment to the community.

For the past 100 years, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. has and continues to demonstrate their dedication to service through a variety of programs including Economics, Sisterhood and Partnerships program in which members provide community awareness about economic issues and the importance of mental and physical health. Other programs include the Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF), which strives to make a difference in the lives of young women and men. EAF awards scholarships, fellowships, grants and mini-grants to young people across America.

I would like to recognize all of the chapters in my great State of Ohio including: Alpha Lambda, Alpha Omega, Alpha Sigma Omega, Beta Eta Omega, Beta Theta Omega, Beta Xi, Delta Delta, Delta Phi, Delta Pi, Epsilon Chi, Epsilon Mu Omega, Iota Iota, Iota Phi Omega, Lambda Mu, Lambda Phi Omega, Omega, Omicron, Phi Psi Omega, Pi Gamma, Pi Omicron, Psi Eta Omega, Rho Omega, Sigma Mu Omega, Sigma Omega, Tau Lambda Omega, Theta, Zeta Alpha Omega, Zeta Theta Omega Chapters. Your service to our great State is immeasurable.

Additionally, I am privileged to have had the opportunity to call so many of the members of AKA my colleagues and friends. I would especially like to recognize my colleagues here in Congress who are members of AKA; Representatives Sheila Jackson-Lee, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Diane Watson and the late Juanita Millender-McDonald who have and continue to serve their constituents and this country with distinction.

Therefore, on behalf of the Congress of the United States and the people of the 11th Congressional district of Ohio, I wish to extend congratulations and best wishes to the women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. on this monumental occasion. I look forward to continuing to work with you towards the betterment of our communities and this country.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I know sometimes we stand on this floor and we talk about health care for seniors in isolation. I stand here among my colleagues with many like me who have lost both of their parents. And but for Medicare and the services they received, their last health care probably would not have been as good or as great. We can stand here and talk about, well, the President didn't want to hurt anybody by overriding the veto. And we can stand here and talk about long-term policy down the line. But what we can't talk about is the health disparities that exist in our country and the study that was recently released that talked about minorities have more amputations than any other group of folks in America. And it doesn't talk about the issue of diabetes that overrides the minority communities across this country. Come on, y'all, let's get a life. Let's wake up, and let's help these seniors by overriding this veto.

And if we want to talk about better health care, better policy down the line, then let's do it. But let's not do it on the backs of the seniors who have worked all of their lives in order for us to be here to even be in Congress. Thank God I had a mom and a dad.

Mr. Speaker, usually I am not on the floor speaking twice in one day, but two issues have come to the floor today that are of great importance to me. First was the Medicare veto override; and, secondly, voting.

Yesterday I had an opportunity to attend the NAACP national convention. Next year that organization will be 100 years old, and in the course of all of the work that the NAACP has done over the past 100 years, voting has clearly been at the forefront of all that they have done, and I am aware that the NAACP voter fund is supporting this legislation.

I come from the great State of Ohio, but voting in Ohio has not been great in many years. In fact, in 2004, I objected to the counting of the Ohio electoral votes because of some of the problems we faced in Ohio in 2004, and one of those was running out of ballots, a lack of sufficient machines available for people to vote, and young people in Kenyon College standing in line for 10 and 11 hours.

Our new Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner, supports this legislation. And in fact in our primary in March of this year, we used paper ballots as backup. It is so very important that we don't disappoint any voter when they come to the ballot box because a machine is down or paper ballots are not available.

I want to applaud my colleague and applaud the work she is doing. The people of the United States of America are pleased and proud that we are standing up to ensure that everybody has the right to vote, that their vote is counted, and that vote is secure. I thank you very much for your leadership.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, July 14, 2008, I missed recorded votes. Had I been present, the Record would reflect the following votes:

1) H. Res. 1067--Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the crossing of the North Pole by the USS Nautilus (SSN 571) and its significance in the history of both our Nation and the world, ``yes.''

2) H. Res. 1080--Honoring the extraordinary service and exceptional sacrifice of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), known as the Screaming Eagles, ``yes.''

3) H. Con Res. 297--Recognizing the 60th anniversary of the integration of the United States Armed Forces, ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National HIV Testing Day, celebrated on Sunday, June 27th, 2008. Every year, the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) work in conjunction to sponsor National HIV Testing Day. This year, National HIV Testing Day used the slogan: ``Take the test, take control''. National HIV Testing Day is used to provide vital information about the HIV/AIDS epidemic, educate people on the affect it has on an individual and on the community, help decrease the number of newly infected Americans with HIV/AIDS by increasing the availability of HIV tests and encourage individuals to seek voluntary counseling.

Worldwide, there are 14,000 new HIV/AIDS cases daily and a total of 22 million people who have died from the epidemic. As the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. today increases, it is crucial to acknowledge the significance of knowing your HIV/AIDS status. Every year, 40,000 Americans are newly infected with the disease and approximately 1,200,000 people in the U.S. are living with HIV/AIDS. Twenty-five percent of them are unaware of their positive status.

Over time, as scientific developments around HIV/AIDS have progressed, HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence, but can be treated with proper medical care. Although the positive diagnosis of HIV/AIDS is life altering, everyone deserves to know their status--for themselves, their partner, and their family. Worldwide, the HIV/AIDS epidemic carries a negative stigma that results in societal disapproval and rejection. As a country and community, we need to stand together and fight this disease to provide a healthier America for generations to follow.

On behalf of the people of the 11th Congressional District in Ohio and the United States Congress, I extend my condolences to the friends and family of people who have lost a loved one to the disease. As we stand together as Americans, we can make a difference, we can save a life.

Madam Speaker, I missed three recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted the following way:

H.R. 3981--To authorize the Preserve America Program and Save America's Treasures Program, and for other purposes, ``yea.''

H.R. 1423--To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease a portion of a visitor center to be constructed outside the boundary of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in Porter County, Indiana, and for other purposes, ``yea.''

H.R. 4199--To amend the Dayton Aviation Heritage Preservation Act of 1992 to add sites to the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, and for other purposes, ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6275, the Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008. I am pleased to see that once again you have presented a

responsible solution to the alternative minimum tax from a broad, policy-oriented perspective.

The alternative minimum tax is a critical issue for the American middle class taxpayer who does not get to take advantage of sophisticated tax planning and legal loopholes in the tax code. It is time that we addressed this issue once and for all to relieve the American taxpayer from the agony of dealing with the AMT. A permanent patch is what we really need, but today we have to plug the dike once again.

If you'll recall, in 1969 the public outcry was so loud about the original 155 families who owed no Federal income taxes that Congress received more letters from constituents about that than about the Vietnam war.

It is particularly ironic that a tax that was meant for 155 wealthy individuals has become the bane of existence for millions of American taxpayers. Indeed the AMT has become a menace. Over 31,000 hardworking, middle-class Ohioans in my district had the grim task of filing a return with AMT implications in the 2005 tax year.

Without this legislation that number would surely grow. Those are families with children, healthcare costs, unemployment issues, housing costs and the other money matters with which American taxpayers must cope, not to mention higher gas prices. Tax relief is due.

As I mentioned after the introduction of H.R. 2834, the carried interest legislation sponsored by my colleague, Sander Levin, we must continue to laud the efforts of American capitalists and the strides that they make in enhancing and creating liquidity in our capital markets, and helping our economy grow into the dynamic force that it is today. I am also aware of the critical role that private equity firms play in our economy. We must be aware that this change in taxation can have a deleterious effect on some small venture capital and minority- owned firms. The color of money is green, but if you are smaller than Blackstone or Carlyle, your firm might be seeing red. But we must also have responsible budget offsets.

The tenets of sound tax policy begin with the notions of equity, efficiency and simplicity. Relying on that traditional framework I am sure that we have come to a rational consensus that will ensure 25 million more Americans will not be hit with the AMT.

``Taxes are what we pay to live in civilized society,'' but dealing with the AMT has become a bit uncivil.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand here tonight on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus and we discuss the current energy crisis we are facing and the rising gas prices that continue to take a devastating toll on Americans. As we head into the summer months, the Congressional Black Caucus felt it's important to shine a light on this growing problem. More importantly, we wanted the American public to know that the CBC is taking important steps to combat these issues through our CBC Energy Task Force.

I along with the CBC have been working hard to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and bring down record gas prices, and launch a cleaner, smarter energy future for America that lowers costs and creates hundreds of thousands of green jobs.

In an effort to combat soaring gas prices, which are currently hovering around $4.00 a gallon, I joined with a number of my colleagues in supporting legislation to temporarily suspend the filling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, SPR, until the end of the year. Filling of the SPR takes 70,000 barrels of oil off the market each day and a temporary suspension could reduce gas prices from 5 to 24 cents a gallon, which would be a critical first step for America's families, businesses, and the economy.

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is roughly 97 percent full--the highest level ever--with enough oil to meet our national security needs. Currently, we have more in SPR, than we did in 2006 (702 million barrels vs. 688 million in 2006) and the inventory exceeds our International Energy Program commitment to maintain at least 90 days of oil stocks in reserve including private and public stocks.

The SPR has been tapped or suspended before by President Bush, President Clinton, and the first President Bush. In 2000, after such action, the price of oil dropped down by one-third--from $30 to $20 per barrel.

In addition to this initiative, I have and continue to support legislative action on gas prices including: holding OPEC, controlled entities and oil companies accountable for oil price fixing, cracking down on oil price gouging and repealing subsidies for profit-rich ``Big Oil'' companies so we can invest in a renewable energy for the future.

Additionally, the CBC has been working diligently on the issue of climate control. We recognize the importance of protecting our environment by transitioning from traditional energy sources, such as coal and petroleum, to clean sources, such as bio-fuel, wind, and solar energy. I am a strong supporter of putting more resources into creating alternative energy sources. When we invest in these alternative energy sources it also benefits our increasingly fragile environment.

Additionally, the new energy sources will create much needed green jobs. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, Ohio stands to gain approximately 7,360 new jobs from renewable energy development. These jobs will be beneficial to both our economy and our environment.

I thank Representative Towns and the entire CBC Energy Task Force for their leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. This legislation prevents the pending 10-percent payment reduction for physicians in Medicare, enhances Medicare preventive and mental health benefits, improves and extends programs for low-income Medicare beneficiaries, and extends expiring provisions for rural and other providers.

While I do have some concerns regarding the lack of protections for African American end stage renal disease patients, I am encouraged by many of the provisions included in this legislation. I am particularly pleased that the bill extends and improves low-income assistance programs for Medicare whose income is below $14,040.00 including the qualified individual program that pays part B premiums for low-income beneficiaries. Additionally, the bill adds new preventative benefits to the Medicare program and reduces out of pocket expenses for mental health care.

Specifically, provisions of the legislation include modest steps to reduce Medicare payments to private plans that receive more than 100 percent of the cost to treat a beneficiary in fee-for-service Medicare. The legislation would accomplish this by phasing out the Indirect Medical Education double-payment, eliminating the Medicare ``slush'' fund to further increase payments to private plans, and ensuring that Private Fee-for-Service, PFFS, plans comply with quality requirements and have adequate access to providers.

Additionally, the legislation provides assistance to physicians and pharmacies including eliminating the pending 10-percent cut in Medicare payments to physicians through 2008, a 1.1 percent update in Medicare physician payments for 2009, and requires Medicare Advantage plans to pay pharmacies promptly within a 14-day period.