Joe Baca

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East, during her time of need. Israel's unstable situation continue to get worst. Since 2005, Israel has attempted to promote peace with the Palestinians by withdrawing its civilians and soldiers from Gaza in hopes of lessening day to day conflicts. Now for more than two weeks, the Hamas leadership in Gaza continues to hold Palestinian civilians as hostages to its terrorist agenda and Israelis now find themselves within range of Hamas rockets. The bloodshed and conflict of this situation will only lead to more devastation. Every day more innocent civilians on both sides of the Gazan border are suffering. The United States supports Israel and all efforts to promote a cease- fire and a durable and sustainable resolution of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. I urge my colleagues to remember that our strongest ally in the Middle East is Israel and we must support her efforts towards peace during this time.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 384, the Troubled Assets Recovery Program Reform Act of 2008 and thank Chairman Frank for drafting this bill. In response to the minority leader, we're all very disappointed with this administration. We actually asked for accountability and oversight on this bill, but it didn't happen. The taxpayers want to know what happens to the $350-some billion, and we are all very much concerned how that money is used. That's why this bill has been redrafted--to make sure that we have the kind of accountability and oversight that needs to be in place. If we don't act, more and more people are going to suffer. That's why I wanted to thank Chairman Frank for supporting the amendments, especially on the intended protection credit union parity and then the original public/private partnership, which I offered in this legislation. I also want to submit a longer statement on record for these amendments. Families in my district--and of course the minority leader also has family in his district--are suffering while the Nation's unemployment is at 7 percent and it's 10 percent in my district, and it's expected to climb up to 12 percent by the year 2010. The largest credit union in my district, Arrowhead, just closed 12 branches and reduced its operating budget by 10 percent. And the San Bernardino and Riverside area has the fifth highest foreclosure in the Nation. Congress created TARP to restore our economy and provide foreclosure assistance to families in need, not to subsidize banks. H.R. 384 corrects this lack of accountability and ensures that the second round of TARP funding maximizes the assistance to homeowners, where it should be going. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 384 so that we may improve the health of our housing sector and local economy. And I ask them to support this rule as well. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 384 because this legislation sets necessary requirements for how Treasury should draw down the remaining half of the TARP funds with new oversight and accountability provisions. It also includes important measures to ensure the TARP program maximizes assistance to homeowners, minimizes foreclosures, and targets resources for underserved communities as Congress originally intended. My bill, H.R. 472, the Family Foreclosure Rescue Corporation also gives Treasury the authority to carry out these functions, so I am pleased they are included in this Act. In addition to these important provisions, I want to thank Chairman Frank for including the following three amendments which I offered in the manager's amendment. I believe they will go far in further addressing the health of our housing sector and local economies. The first of these is an amendment I worked on with Representative Keith Ellison that would require tenants in good standing to get adequate notice to vacate properties in foreclosure as well as to assure continued Federal housing assistance for Section 8 voucher holders who lose their homes due to foreclosure. This is especially important in light of the fact that foreclosures are resulting in evictions of homeowners as well as renters whose landlords/property owners can no longer make mortgage payments. Further, the majority of the households who are facing eviction due to foreclosure, homeowners and renters alike, are low income. As the number of people in poverty grows, the number of homeless people could rise by approximately 800,000 people per year. In my district, there are more than 7,000 people in San Bernardino County who are homeless. We must do all that we can to help those who are suffering the most so I am pleased that this bill includes these important protections. I am also pleased H.R. 384 includes an amendment that I sponsored to enable credit unions to participate in TARP. When Congress enacted the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, EESA, in October, credit unions were included among the institutions eligible to participate in the TARP Program. However, when Treasury decided to inject capital into financial institutions, instead of purchasing troubled assets, credit unions were effectively shut out of the program. Credit unions in my district are telling me they can't access TARP funds and that they need assistance. The largest credit union in my district, Arrowhead credit union just closed four branches and reduced its operating budget by 10 percent. The problem is that credit unions are generally not permitted by law to accept outside forms of capital. That is why I am appreciative of Chairman Frank's willingness to include my amendment which would permit credit unions to count assistance that they receive from the Federal Government and State Governments as capital for the purposes of prompt corrective action. This amendment to the Federal Credit Union Act would permit those credit unions that need to participate in TARP to have access to the funds, just as other depository institutions do. The third amendment I offered would help to stabilize the local economy of areas like the Inland Empire and I want to thank Representative Jerry Lewis and Ken Calvert for their support. The California Inland Empire where my district resides has some of the Nation's highest foreclosure rates and steepest decline in housing prices. In response, the counties of San Bernardino and Riverside, along with more than 15 cities within their borders, and over 30 businesses have come together to create the Inland Empire Economic Recovery Corporation, a public-private partnership to keep families in their homes and to restore neighborhoods and communities. This partnership works by leveraging local investment money to purchase and manage local assets. Once purchased, regional partners with the housing market expertise and the financial flexibility will be able to work closely with homeowners to keep them in their homes where outside investors cannot. A regional approach allows partnerships to manage local mortgage assets, thereby stabilizing local economies and maximizing taxpayer's investments. That is why I proposed language that will allow Treasury to consider these regional public-private partnerships when creating their loan purchase program. Giving public- private partnerships the opportunity to partner with Treasury when purchasing, refinancing, and disposing of these loans will keep families in their homes, stabilize communities, and help us achieve the greatest return on our taxpayer dollars. I thank the chairman once again for his assistance on these amendments which I believe will further address the health of our housing sector and local economies. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 384.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2, to extend and improve the Children's Health Insurance Program. Families in my district in San Bernardino, California, are struggling to make ends meet and bring food to the table. Congress must answer to these and other families across America. SCHIP is a vital component of our country's health system, allowing for individual states to take care of our most vulnerable, America's children. A facility in my district, the Community Hospital of San Bernardino is about to rip apart at the seams. Without SCHIP, they will either have to turn away or eat the cost of 4,000 families enrolled in Healthy Families, California's version of SCHIP. If SCHIP is not reauthorized, these alarming figures will jump even higher, further jeopardizing their ability to provide care for our community. This problem is even worse when you consider the impact of the recession, and the growing number of unemployed and without health insurance. I urge my colleagues to help these families, do the responsible thing and vote for SCHIP.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of the 14 million undocumented immigrants who otherwise would not have a voice. Our country is in desperate need of comprehensive immigration reform to ensure the security of America and to bring vulnerable families out of the shadows. We all believe in strong enforcement of our borders and the rule of the law, but we are a Nation rooted in family, faith, in core values. What should be done about the 12 to 14 million undocumented immigrants in this country? Immigrants are part of American fabric. In fact, the work ethic of immigrants is what built this Nation and still continues to do so. Immigrant families are facing more than just a failing economy; they live in constant fear of being torn apart. We must work together towards comprehensive immigration reform that respects families and includes family unification. I urge my colleagues to help these working families by passing comprehensive immigration reform. Let's make America great; let's not divide it.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong support for H. Res. 43, a resolution that promotes the Martin Luther King Holiday as a day of national service. For me, one of the most powerful images of Washington is the image of Dr. King conveying his dream during his 1963 ``March on Washington'', on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Dr. King understood government has a fundamental responsibility to meet the needs of all Americans regardless of race or economic class. As our Nation prepares to celebrate Martin Luther King Day, and the inauguration of the next President, we remember Dr. King as a beacon of change. He gave people the faith and courage to work peacefully for change to stop racial discrimination, and promote equality and opportunity across America. So on the day of remembrance named in his honor, let us all truly recommit ourselves to changing and working to bring about opportunity for all Americans. We call on our Nation to serve, and recognize the determination of those men and women who continue to work to make the world a better place for future generations. I urge my colleagues to honor the legacy of Dr. King and those who continue to follow his example, and support H. Res. 43.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support House Resolution 34, a resolution to recognize Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States' strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Israel continues to be the United States' strongest ally in the Middle East. Now Israel faces a tough situation with her neighbors. Since 2005, Israel attempted to promote peace with the Palestinians by withdrawing its civilians and soldiers from Gaza in hopes of lessening day to day conflicts. However, since then Israel has received over 6,000 attacks from the area of Gaza, including a flurry of attacks last month when Hamas abandoned a 6-month ceasefire. The Hamas leadership continues to hold Palestinian civilians as hostages to its terrorist agenda and Israelis now find themselves within range of Hamas rockets. The bloodshed and conflict of this situation will only lead to more devastation if nothing is done. The United States supports Israel and all efforts to promote a cease- fire and a durable and sustainable resolution of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H. Res. 34, and stand for justice and humanity.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of two critical bills: the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act. More than 40 years have passed since the passage of the Equal Pay Act. Unfortunately, women still earn less than men for the same work, and that is unfair. Women earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by men. The pay gap is even more severe amongst minority women. African American women earn 69 cents. Hispanic women earn just 56 cents on the dollar. The story of Lilly Ledbetter is a case in point of the barriers faced by women today. It's time for a change. Simply because of her gender, Ms. Ledbetter was paid 20 percent less for performing the same job that her male colleagues performed. It's unfair. The gap doesn't just affect women. It affects the Nation's economy. Women represent 41 percent of the total heads of households and sole income earners in this country. We cannot afford to weaken the ability of our breadwinners to pay for the basics, like groceries, child care and health care, especially as we face a growing economic recession. I urge us to support this legislation.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I stand here today to honor a loving mother, supportive wife, adoring grandmother and doting great-grandmother, Hortensia ``Guera'' Abril. Born in Nuevo Leon, Monterey, Mexico, she eventually moved to Colton, California where she grew up to become a longstanding, influential member of the community. A fulfilled homemaker thanks to her care, compassion and love for her family, Guera also proudly belonged to Colton's San Salvador Catholic Church. In addition to supporting her husband, Ray ``Sonny'' Abril, who served on the Colton School Board for many years, she too played an active role in the community as a longtime PTA member, well-respected and loved by all. In addition to being survived by her husband Sonny of 53 years, her memory will be carried on by her three sons, Nick, Michael (Stella) and Dominic; her three daughters, Melinda Medina (Mike), Becky Gonzales (Reuben) and Nellie Carners (Joe); and one brother, Norberto Gasca. Guera will be sorely missed by 19 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends as well. As a longtime friend of Ray's, I would like to express my greatest sympathies for his family's loss. She meant everything in the world to him and will truly be missed. Let us take a moment to remember this great woman and her admirable dedication to instilling positive change and leading an exemplarily life, one whose footsteps we all hope to follow. The thoughts and prayers of my wife Barbara, my family and I are with his family at this time. God Bless Hortensia ``Guera'' Abril for love of country and mankind.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Chairman, thank you for all of the work that you have done. I'm angered, frustrated, and sad, but I believe that we've got to do the responsible thing. Therefore, I'm going to support the bill. Madam Speaker, today, I find myself frustrated, angry and sad. Predatory lending and greed are at the root of the current financial storm our Nation is facing. I voted against the bailout bill on Monday because I believe it did not do enough to provide direct relief to families that are facing foreclosure, and have been victimized by these practices. Over the past few days, I have fought vigorously to include stronger foreclosure mitigation provisions in a revised bill. Many of my colleagues joined me in an effort to include language from my bill H.R. 4135, The Family Foreclosure Rescue Corporation Act, in any revised rescue plan. This language would keep more families in their homes. While I believe today's bill still does not do enough to protect struggling homeowners, I am pleased that it does include critical improvements in the areas of oversight and accountability. This bill does a better job of protecting America's taxpayers, and ensuring their investment is not squandered. But sadly, our economy is now in turmoil. We find ourselves in a state of quicksand, and we are sinking fast. We cannot delay action any longer. I will vote for this bill today. Not because it solves all our problems, but because I do not have a choice. If the credit crunch is allowed to continue, the consequences for the Inland Empire will be disastrous. In my district, too many families are facing the possibility of being homeless. Credit unions and big banks have limited their lending, and as a result families are at a greater risk of losing their homes, their jobs and their opportunities for success. Car loans have dried up, and some dealerships have closed and been forced to layoff workers. Student loan companies across the Nation have shut down or stopped participating in Federal student aid programs. And now, to make matters worse, we have received word that California needs a $7 billion emergency loan from the Government, in order to keep funding day-to-day operations. The consequences of doing nothing are too dire to imagine. Without immediate Federal action, California will be unable to sell voter-approved bonds for highway construction, schools, housing or water projects. And because of the extreme delay in passing the state budget, California's cash reserves would be exhausted by the end of October without this loan. This means that payments for teachers' salaries, nursing homes, law enforcement and every other State-funded service would stop or be significantly delayed. This must not be allowed to happen. Ultimately, today's bill is about providing confidence in our markets and stabilizing our economy. We must do this if we are to protect our jobs at home, stop further outsourcing, and ensure our society has access to the credit it needs to run. The market dropped on Monday because of a lack of confidence. Because of predatory lending and the complete lack of regulation we have seen from the Bush administration in the last 8 years, Wall Street has been allowed to run amok--and because of that the American people have suffered. I am voting for this bill today to restore that confidence. But we must come back and work on a more comprehensive package that will provide the assistance America's working families need to survive in these difficult economic times. I have received a commitment from the House Financial Services Committee that hearings will be held next February to examine my bill, the Family Foreclosure Rescue Corporation, and move it forward in the legislative process. The Bush administration and the rubber stamp Republicans in Congress are responsible for the lack of leadership and effective government oversight that caused this crisis, but we all must work together to get America back on track. I am confident that with a change of leadership, we will stabilize our Nation's financial markets and keep America's working families safe and secure.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, the blood, sweat and tears of this Nation's immigrants are interwoven in the fabric that makes America great. We are a Nation founded with a Constitution, a Bill of Rights, on the ideals of family, equality, dignity, and respect for life. Immigrants contribute to America. They pay taxes, worship in our churches, serve us proudly in our military. Henry Cejudo, this summer, won an Olympic gold medal in free-style wrestling. Sergeant Rafael Peralta is being recognized with a military decoration for making the ultimate sacrifice. Immigrants throughout our history have contributed to making our communities a lot stronger, but anti-immigrant rhetoric continues to cloud the picture. Comprehensive immigration is the only way to solve the problem, an approach that respects our core American values of family, equality and human rights. I challenge my colleagues, as we approach the next session, to look beyond the anti-immigrant rhetoric and join me in comprehensive immigration reform.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I stand here today to congratulate an amazing athlete who broke the world record time, winning him a gold medal, in the 200m individual medley in addition to winning a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke at the Beijing Games of the XIII Paralympiad this summer. He was awarded 2 of the 99 medals the United States proudly won. By the age of five, this brave young man had already undergone 15 surgeries as a result of having been born with pterygium syndrome, resulting in a clubbed foot, webbed fingers on both hands, a cleft lip and palate, and the inability to straighten his legs. However, having endured so much at such young age, he decided to have both legs amputated above the knee. Mr. Garcia-Tolson took it upon himself to embrace these new prosthetic legs and began running, cycling and swimming. By 1999 at the age of 10 years, he had become the youngest bilateral amputee to ever complete a triathlon on his own. Within that same year, he also set his first national record in swimming. In 2000 and 2001, Mr. Garcia-Tolson finished in first place in the Silver Strand Marathon. In 2002, he was a recipient of the Casey Martin Award which honors individuals with a disability fighting for the right to compete in sports. In 2004, Teen People Magazine names him one of ``20 Teens Who Will Change the World.'' In 2004, having just turned 16 years old, Rudy Garcia-Tolson received his first gold medal at the Paralympic Games by breaking the 200m individual medley world record. He continued his training as well as passion for sports by completing the Ford Ironman World Championship 70.3 in 2006. Not long after, he broke the world record swimming the 200m individual medley at the 2007 U.S. Paralympics Open Swimming Championships. As an athlete myself, I recognize the necessary courage, strength and dedication one must possess to triumph all that Mr. Garcia-Tolson has accomplished. Turning 20 years old earlier this week, he is to be celebrated not only for achieving the most impressive awards in his sport, but smashing world records along the way. More than anything, he is an inspiration to us all, conquering so much despite what hurdles laid in his path. God Bless Rudy Garcia-Tolson for his talent, passion and love of country and mankind.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, Americans continue to work hard in these tough economic times. As in the past, today's immigrants supply the limitless stream of ability, hard work, and innovation that improve the economic life of our nation. Like the immigrant founders of this country, today's immigrants improve the economic life of America. Immigrants also provide the amazing diversity that makes America what it is, what makes us unique among all the nations in the world. However, we must remember that injustice for any person leads to injustice for all. If there are people without rights, it puts us all at risk. Denying justice and human rights to any group of people is Un- American. I urge my colleagues to support comprehensive immigration reform and fix this broken immigration system.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, again, I want to encourage support for the Community Food Projects. This is a valuable grant. This is a technical error that was done. I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) for his support in this bipartisan effort. This is a correction of a technical error. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on S. 3597.

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 3597. I thank my colleagues in the Senate. I thank my colleague Mr. Goodlatte, as well as Mr. Harkin, for introducing this legislation. I introduced its House counterpart, H.R. 6981. This bill is, quite simply, a technical fix of the 2008 farm bill. I want to thank all of my colleagues for their cooperation in bringing this technical fix to the floor. With its passage, we will ensure the fiscal year 2008 funding for a very nutritional program, the Community Food Projects. Due to an unintended error in title IV of the farm bill, we mistakenly limited USDA's authority to award grants under this program in this fiscal year. This same fix was passed by unanimous consent in the Senate, and CBO has scored this bill at zero. Community Food Projects is a forward-thinking grant program that encourages innovative local efforts to expand the availability of affordable and healthful foods. This program is critical to those who live in both urban and rural areas who may not have regular access to nutritional foods needed to raise a healthy family. I urge my colleagues to voice their support for healthy families and vote ``yes'' on S. 3597. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 3597) to provide that funds allocated for community food projects for fiscal year 2008 shall remain available until September 30, 2009.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I support H. J. Res. 62, the Native American Heritage Day Act of 2008, which I authored. This bill will help pay tribute to Native Americans for their many contributions to the United States by encouraging all Americans to recognize the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day. I thank Senator Daniel Inouye, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Chairman George Miller, Representative Dale Kildee, and the NIGA for their help on this bill. I have been a strong advocate for Native Americans and have fought hard to preserve their heritage for the past 8 years that I have served in Congress and since my time in the California legislature. It is important that we recognize the contributions of Native Americans in all aspects of our society, including government, language and history. We must not forget that Native Americans have fought with valor in every American war, dating back to the Revolutionary War. My bill encourages public schools to teach Native American history and culture. I also want to thank Tribal Chairman James Ramos of the San Manuel Tribe for helping us create this bill. This bill represents the first time in history that Congress is recognizing the great achievements of Native Americans in this manner. I thank my colleagues for supporting this legislation.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I stand here to honor a true American hero, Sergeant Rafael Peralta, an immigrant that made the ultimate sacrifice for this country, using his body as a shield to protect his fellow marines from a grenade blast. Peralta's story is an example of the heroes that love this Nation. For his disregard of personal safety and heroism, his commander recommended him to be awarded the Medal of Honor. This was not the case. Sergeant Peralta was awarded the Navy Cross, which is also an extraordinary feat. However, his sacrifice merits that of the Medal of Honor. That is why I have joined my colleagues in asking the President to review this case. Sergeant Peralta is a true example of how much many immigrants in America love this country. No one can deny Peralta's love for this country, having joined the United States Marine Corps right after becoming a legal permanent resident. Recognizing the sacrifice of Peralta, America cannot turn her back on immigrants. I urge my colleagues to support comprehensive immigration reform.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6897, Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2008. Congress must recognize the veteran status of the 250,000 Filipinos who served in the United States Armed Forces in World War II. In 1941, President Roosevelt drafted 140,000 Filipinos into the Service. They were promised US citizenship in exchange for fighting for our country. Unfortunately, in 1946 they were denied citizenship and Veteran's benefits. It was a post-war cost-cutting measure that President Truman said he later regretted signing into Law. We have a chance to right a wrong that has been allowed to continue for over 60 years. We must act quickly to honor these brave men before it is too late. I urge my colleagues to join me and vote in support of H.R. 6897, Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2008.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I speak on behalf of the 12 to 14 million immigrants who otherwise would not have a voice. America was founded by the sweat and tears of immigrants and hardworking families. The strong work ethic of immigrants has always been the cornerstone of this country. Today there are many immigrant families that continue to live by and reinforce America's tradition of hard work. These immigrant families day after day sacrifice to make ends meet. At a time of skyrocketing gas and food prices, we must recognize these sacrifices. These are the same sacrifices made by many other families in America. History is full of examples of how immigrant groups unjustly were seen as popular targets. Why are we repeating these same cruel mistakes? What about love thy neighbor? We cannot let anti-immigration rhetoric rule our actions. I urge my colleagues to join me in comprehensive immigration reform for the immigrant families who love America and continue to sacrifice.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I stand here to share with you the history of Henry Cejudo, a true believer in the American dream. Henry Cejudo proudly represented the United States in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China, winning a gold medal in free-style wrestling. Henry was the youngest American wrestler in history to do this. Overnight, Henry became a beacon of hope for so many in sports and wrestling in the United States. He is now also a beacon of hope for so many Latino immigrants. As the son of an immigrant mother from Mexico, Henry's story of struggle and sacrifice embodies what so many immigrant families have done every day. Thanks to Henry, America has an Olympic gold medal in free-style wrestling. Thanks to Henry, the story of an immigrant's story for the American dream is still alive. The contributions of immigrants throughout history for this country cannot be and must not be denied. I urge my colleagues to join me in this serious discussion of comprehensive immigration reform to help families like Henry's.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, I rise as a proud cosponsor of the H.R. 5244, Credit Card Holder's Bill of Rights. Access to fair and affordable credit cards is important for families entering the financial market for the first time, as well as those that rely on cards in times of financial emergency. Credit card reform is vital to the Latino community. Like most Americans, Latino families rely on credit to help them manage their monthly finances and purchase assets that will move them firmly into the middle-class. Currently, 22 percent of Latinos do not have enough credit information available to generate a credit score, and more than one- third do not maintain traditional banking or savings accounts. Because creditors generally rely on automated data mining, the fact that Latinos and immigrants are less likely to have robust credit files leaves them at a disadvantage. As a result, issuers do not solicit our communities with their best priced credit cards. Instead, they offer high fee cards, with higher rates, and engage in other practices that regularly trap families in cycles of debt. The Latino community is often targeted by ``affinity'' cards, cards that claim to be looking out for Latinos, but end up taking their money as an advanced loan scam, leaving consumers with no credit history and more fees than the card is worth. Shopping for safe credit cards has become impossible, with mail solicitation rates rising 30 percent since 2006. According to a Federal Trade Commission survey, 14.3 percent of Hispanics are victims of credit fraud, compared to 6.4 percent of non- Hispanic Whites. Therefore, Latinos are hard hit by unfair credit card industry practices. Hispanic credit card users are more likely to be struggling to manage their debt, and are more susceptible to adverse industry practices. Common abusive practices such as universal default, retroactive fees, no advance notice of changes in terms, and double-cycle billing make it hard for families playing by the rules to get ahead. The Credit Card Holder's Bill of Rights, H.R. 5244, is important to Latinos and families across America for many reasons. H.R. 5244 stops credit cards from changing their terms arbitrarily-- instead, the bill requires up-front disclosures of all reasons for an increase in fees or changes in contract terms. H.R. 5244 requires card companies to apply consumer payments to the highest interest balances first, making payments proportional and fair. Currently, many credit card companies apply payments first to lower- rate balances, preventing consumers from paying-off higher interest rate balances until the lowest rates are paid-off. This practice creates a situation where fees and finance charges accrue on the higher-cost balances, beginning a cycle of debt for many families. H.R. 5244 stops universal default. Universal default is an unfair practice of many card companies, in which a consumer's rates can retroactively increase on a card that they have a perfect payment record with, if they have a decline in their credit score, or issues with an unrelated credit card. Minimum monthly payments can skyrocket, affecting a family's ability to successfully manage their debt and maintain financial stability. H.R. 5244 ends unfair late fees on payments that were received on- time. Clearly outlined due dates that can not arbitrarily change will be made explicit to the consumer and companies must mail bills 25 days before their due dates. The complaints of over 30,000 Americans have flooded the Federal Reserve Board in the last 2 months, urging the Board to make their recent credit card proposals permanent. H.R. 5244 will codify the Board's recent proposals so that they cannot be weakened. Congress can send a strong message of approval to the Board, encouraging them not to weaken their proposed protections for the American consumer. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. I appreciate Congresswoman Virginia Foxx talking about Mickey Mantle. He was an idol to many of us that played a lot of sports. I know as a young gentleman who was playing during that period of time, I admired Mickey Mantle. Not only was he a positive role model for myself, in terms of trying to aspire to become a professional baseball player during the time I was in high school, but he was a coal miner, an individual that came from that area in Oklahoma that showed us that with hard work and dedication that you can make it. Not only hearing the history of his personal life but what he did for a lot of us, because not only did he hit from both sides of the plate, which is very important for many individuals, we saw a switch hitter that could hit a lot from both the left and the right. We saw the competition that he led with Roger Maris during that period of time when they were competing for the home run championship. I think having a post office named after Mickey Mantle is a great honor for many individuals, especially as we look at many of the Little Leaguers that play in Little League right now that look towards major league ball players who have played in the past who were a positive inspiration to many of us who say that if you can lead, you can be an inspiration to a lot of us. Therefore, I say that we should support this kind of legislation in naming the Mickey Mantle Post Office Building. I support the legislation, which is S. 171, and I compliment Congresswoman Virginia Foxx for carrying on and going through a whole history of his history and background, where he came from.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I'm here on behalf of immigrant families who otherwise would not have a voice. There are those who insist that undocumented immigrants have broken the law, that they are criminals, but what image do you get when you hear that someone is a criminal? Your image is of a murderer, of a thief, of a drug dealer, of someone who intensely wants to hurt another person. These families who are wrongly called ``criminals'' come to the United States without the intent to hurt anyone. Yet there are anti- immigrant attacks that continue to say otherwise. What happened to the Ten Commandments? to love thy neighbor? There are those who say that these families should play by the rules. The rules now are to form a line and to wait many years and to pay a huge fine, but the reality is the immigration process is so complicated that some of us would have a difficult time getting through it. We need comprehensive immigration reform to address the 12 to 14 million people in the United States to play by the rules and to also fix this broken system. I urge my colleagues to support comprehensive immigration.

Mr. BACA

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my sincere condolences for the passing of the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Not only was she a true hero and noble leader in the United States Congress, a trailblazer for all minorities, but she was also a friend who will be dearly missed. Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones' passing is a tragic loss for this Congress and our Nation. Her leadership on the ethics committee and on voting rights will never be forgotten. On behalf of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, we send our prayers and condolences to her family, friends and staff. As Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, I worked with Representative Jones together on a variety of projects, including our fundraising efforts for Gallaudet University here in Washington, as well as other endeavors which promoted advocacy for low-income and minority communities. Having been blessed with the opportunity to get to know her outside the walls of Congress as a team member of the Democratic Congressional Basketball Team, I was impressed by her continually cheerful disposition and lively energy. Due to this vigor, she was always able to spread joy to others and add a positive light no matter the situation. Stephanie's death will be felt by all, not just within Cleveland community, but also throughout the Nation because of the ideals she stood for. I offer the thoughts and prayers of my wife Barbara and myself to Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones' son Mervyn and for her family for their loss.