Karen Bass

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, we must work to break the foster-care-to- child-sex-trafficking-victim pipeline by continuing to fund additional programs, like the National Human Trafficking Hotline, to help identify victims and provide them with the resources that they need.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, let me thank my colleagues--Mr. Smith, Mr. Royce, and Mr. Engel--for their leadership on this resolution. I rise in support of H. Res. 780, urging respect for the constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in its democratic transition of power in 2016. Simply stated, the resolution calls for the United States' President to use targeted sanctions to address the blatant disrespect for the people in the constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as evidenced by the current President of that country, Joseph Kabila. By supporting this critical resolution, we are helping to support the constitutional rights of the citizens of the DRC. This massive and extraordinarily mineral-rich country is home to approximately 80 million people. Were it not for the consistent absence of democratic and economic good governance, this beautiful country would serve more fittingly as the economic center of gravity for sub- Saharan Africa's Central Africa region, as opposed to being seen at the center of political impunity, increasing human rights concerns, and predictable intraregional tensions. The violence of the last decade has adversely affected not only the economically dynamic and creative culture of the DRC, but arguably affected those countries in the immediate region, such as South Sudan, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Rwanda, and Burundi. Despite a long history of authoritarian leadership of President Mobutu, a regime, unfortunately, that we supported, we know that the majority of the people of the DRC support a growing and empowered civil society. Over the past year, the country's expanding civil society successfully orchestrated a series of civic actions in support of constitutionally legislated elections scheduled for this December. For his part, President Kabila has used the past year to attempt, systematically, to undermine the persistent efforts of civil society and opposition parties in support of presidential elections. While President Kabila's intention is to secure an extension of his presidential term and delay scheduled elections, the purpose of the resolution is to help prevent the impunity demonstrated by President Kabila and some DRC officials. The resolution calls for the President, working with African and European partners, to use Executive Order 13413, as amended, to deny visas, freeze assets of the implicated officials, and monitor economic and security assistance for the country until the election crisis is resolved. H. Res. 780 is a critical piece of legislation drafted to address a crucial situation in the DRC. Once again, I thank the subcommittee chairman, Chris Smith, for his leadership on this issue.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, on May 20, 2016, I was honored as a special guest at an event in Monterey Park, California titled ``Protect Your Future: Restore the Vote''. The event was organized to help constituents gain a better understanding of the negative impact of the Supreme Court decision, Shelby County vs. Holder. Members from our communities heard expert testimony from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) regarding the devastating impacts of the decision upon the Voting Rights Act. I include in the Record the expert testimony of Sean Dugar, Regional Director, Region I of the NAACP into the Congressional Record. Testimony of Sean Dugar, Regional Director, Region I, Testimony on Behalf of The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on the Roundtable Discussion ``Protect Your Future: Restore the Vote''--May 20, 2016 Good morning, Congresswoman Chu, Congresswoman Roybal- Allard, Congresswoman Sanchez, and distinguished guests and friends. Thank you so very much for inviting me here to discuss fully restoring and protecting the right to vote. I appreciate the opportunity to provide you with the thoughts and opinions of the NAACP on this very important issue. Founded more than 107 years ago, in February of 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the NAACP, is our nation's oldest, largest, and most widely- recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization. We currently have more than 1,200 active membership units across the nation, with members in every one of the 50 states as well as units on overseas military bases. In addition to our community based adult units, we also have youth and college units in hundreds of communities and schools including colleges and university campuses across the country as well as units in prisons. My name is Sean Dugar, and I am the regional field director for the NAACP for Region I. The NAACP divides the country into seven regions, and Region I is the western-most region: it is comprised of Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and of course, California. I am a national staff person, and I come to you today on behalf of the national NAACP. In preparing this testimony, I consulted with Mr. Hilary Shelton who is the Director of the Washington Bureau and the lead advocate for the NAACP before the federal government. Hilary asked that I tell you all how sorry he is that he cannot be here today and indicated that he would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have which I cannot answer for you. The NAACP, a non-profit, non-partisan organization was established with the objective of insuring the educational, political, social, and economic equality of racial and ethnic minorities in our country. The NAACP has as its mission the goal of eliminating race prejudice and removing all barriers of racial discrimination through the democratic process. Voting rights for all eligible Americans, advancing voter participation and the eradication of disenfranchising practices and voter fraud, has been a top priority of the NAACP since our founding. Throughout our more than 107-year history, the NAACP has advocated and worked against such racist and heinous obstacles to full democratic citizenship participation such as America's Jim Crow laws and the Black Codes. As such, we were instrumental in the development and enactment of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and its subsequent reauthorizations, the 1992 Motor Voter Law, and the 2002 Help America Vote Act as well as several other key pieces of Federal legislation aimed at ensuring and protecting the rights of all eligible Americans to cast an unfettered vote and be certain that our vote has been counted. Tragically, our country, which promotes itself as the beacon of democracy throughout the world, has seen a reversal in the century-old struggle for achieving the goal of ``one person, one vote.'' This reversal has been strategic and multi-faceted and sadly targeted disproportionately at the very people whom I would argue could use a louder, stronger, and more consistent voice among our elected officials. Specifically, a majority of those currently being disenfranchised by these malevolent laws are racial and ethnic minorities, low-income Americans, the elderly, students and women. Whether through bogus photo identification requirements, racially disparate ex-felon disenfranchisement laws, shortened early voting periods, or initiatives making it harder for third parties to register qualified voters, states are abridging the voting rights of millions of Americans. Furthermore, with the Supreme Court's misguided, harmful 2013 decision in Shelby v. Holder, many of the protections we had begun to appreciate are now threatened. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), for which the NAACP was on the frontlines in the struggle to enact, was signed into law to insure that under the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, no one, including federal, state or local governments, may in any way impede people from registering to vote or voting because of their race, ethnicity or other differences. Most provisions in the VRA, and specifically the portions that guarantee that no one may be denied the right to vote because of his or her race or color, are permanent, and as such are not the provisions subject to reauthorization. Section 5 of the VRA requires certain states or jurisdictions, which have an established history of laws or policies which result in the disenfranchisement of a group of racial or ethnic minority voters to obtain advance approval or ``preclearance'' from the US Department of Justice or the US District Court in D.C. before they can make any changes to voting practices or procedures. Examples of these changes include any change in the date, time, place, or manner under which an election is held. Federal approval is given to make the proposed change as soon as the state or jurisdiction proves that the proposed change would not abridge the right to vote on account of race or color. Originally, in 1965, legislators hoped that within five years the problems would be resolved and there would be no further need for these enforcement-related provisions: however, it proved necessary to extend these protections in 1970, and again in 1975, 1982 and 2006 through the Congressional reauthorization process. As a side note, the 2006 reauthorization, which had passed the House by the overwhelming bipartisan vote of 390-33, appeared to be stalled in the Senate, and was being threatened by a number of dangerous amendments. But thousands of delegates and friends of the NAACP who were attending our annual convention in Washington, marched from the convention center to Capitol Hill in support of the reauthorization bill and then went to their Senators' offices with specific demands to pass the reauthorization bill without amendment. I am pleased to report that the bill was passed later that same week, unamended, by a vote of 98 to 0. I am relaying this anecdote because the march was driven mostly by our youth and college division, who led the marchers on that incredibly hot July day not only for the 2+ miles to the Hill, but then also on visits with their Senators. It was an instance where the NAACP, and specifically the next generation of NAACPers, made a real difference. On June 25, 2013, however, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in the case of Shelby v. Holder in which the Court did not invalidate the principle of preclearance. The Supreme Court did decide, however, that Section 4(b) of the VRA, which establishes the formula that is used to determine which states and jurisdictions must comply with preclearance, is antiquated and thus unconstitutional and can no longer be used. Thus, although Section 5 survives, it is currently not being used and will not be used fully until Congress develops and enacts a new formula to determine which states and jurisdictions should be covered by it. The bipartisan Voting Rights Advancement Act, S. 1659/H.R. 2867, is sponsored in the U.S. Senate by Senators Patrick Leahy (VT), Lisa Murkowski (AK) and in the U.S. House by Congresswoman Terri Sewell and Congressman John Lewis (GA) on behalf of themselves, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the Congressional Asian and Pacific American Caucus among others. I would like to stop for a minute and express the sincere appreciation of the NAACP to the three legislators here today, Congresswoman Chu, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, and Congresswoman Sanchez, who are co-sponsors of this important legislation. I would also be remiss if I didn't pass along Hilary Shelton's personal appreciation that they each consistently score an ``A'' on the NAACP's Federal Legislative Report Card. This seminal legislation would: modernize the preclearance formula to cover states with an historical pattern of discrimination; ensure that last-minute voting changes won't adversely affect voters; protect voters from the types of voting changes most likely to discriminate against and disenfranchise people of color and language minorities; enhance the ability to apply a preclearance review when needed; expand the effective Federal Observer Program; and improve voting Rights protections for Native Americans and Alaska Natives. Furthermore, this legislation includes all of the priorities necessary for a strong VRA restoration as established by the NAACP National Board of Directors. We need to fix the damage to the VRA inflicted by Shelby, and this legislation would repair and strengthen it. Yet the NAACP has consistently, and before Shelby, argued that we need to do more to expand the franchise and get more Americans involved in the electoral system. That is why our Washington Bureau Director asked me again to express our sincere appreciation to the three lawmakers sitting here today for lifting up and sponsoring H.R. 12, the Voter Empowerment Act. In a time when numerous states are considering or have already enacted legislation to restrict or suppress voter participation, Congressman John Lewis (GA) and 174 of his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced H.R. 12, the Voter Empowerment Act. This important legislation would expand and protect voters' access to the polls and would increase accountability and integrity among election officials and poll workers. It also would expand eligibility to allow all ex-offenders who have been released from prison to register and vote in federal elections (even those who may still be on probation or parole). Specifically, the Voter Empowerment Act would: Guarantee early voting--require that every state establish early voting sites that are open at least 15 days prior to a general election day; This includes weekends, which many working people may find to be the only time they can get to the polls; Require automatic registration--the bill would use modern technology to automatically and permanently register all eligible voters; Allow same-day registration throughout the country--H.R. 12 would ensure allow voters to register to vote on election day at their polling place; Ensure on-line voter registration--the Voter Empowerment Act would ensure that online voter registration is a viable option nationally; Outlaw ``voter caging''--makes illegal a practice by which mail is sent to a registered voter's address and, if the mail is returned as ``undeliverable'' or if it is delivered and the voter does not respond, his or her registration is challenged; Clarify and strengthen the use of provisional ballots-- ensures that provisional ballots are counted; Make voter intimidation and deception punishable by law-- with strong and tough penalties so that people who commit these crimes suffer more than just a slap on the wrist, and establish a process for reaching out to misinformed voters with accurate information so they can cast their votes in time; Re-enfranchise ex-offenders--H.R. 12 incorporates the provisions of the NAACP-supported ``Democracy Restoration Act'' by allowing ex-offenders, once they are out of prison, the opportunity to register and vote in federal elections without challenges or complication; Encourage youth voters--the Voter Empowerment Act requires colleges and universities to offer and encourage voter registration to all students; Assure voting by overseas residents--H.R. 12 increases assurances that Americans who may be living overseas, especially those serving our country in the armed services, can cast a valid vote and be assured that their vote was counted. In short, we can and should do more to guarantee that the vote to right--the cornerstone of our Constitution and our democracy--is not only protected but made easier. I would again like to commend and thank Congresswoman Chu, Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, and Congresswoman Sanchez for their leadership in this area; please know that Director Shelton and the entire NAACP stand ready to work with you in Washington and here at home, and I look forward to our round table discussion.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, during Roll Call vote No. 557 on H.R. 3537 ``To amend the Controlled Substances Act to clarify how controlled substances analogues are to be regulated and for other purposes,'' I mistakenly recorded my vote as Yea, when I should have voted Nay.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, the City of Culver City kicks off a year of festivities this Saturday that will culminate in celebration of the 100th anniversary of its incorporation on September 20, 1917. Real estate developer and promoter Harry Culver saw a huge opportunity in the former Rancho La Ballona, and bought 93 acres of barley fields nestled at the foot of the Baldwin Hills. His plot was conveniently located at the junction of three major transportation routes on the Pacific Red Car as they traveled between burgeoning downtown Los Angeles and the new resort developments at the beach, and early advertising claimed that ``all roads lead to Culver City.'' The city seal proclaims Culver City ``The Heart of Screenland,'' and many movies attributed to Hollywood were actually filmed there, going all the way back to the Triangle Motion Picture Company in 1915, Thomas Ince Studio in 1918, and Hal Roach Studios in 1919. Over the years, those same movie lots have been home to Metro- Goldwin-Mayer, DeMille Studios, RKO-Pathe, Desilu and other well-known production companies. Sony Pictures Studios, among others, now carries on the tradition of over a century of continuous movie-making. In addition to film and television business, Culver City has played host to a variety of industries and entrepreneurs, whose products ranged from stoves to macaroni in the early years, to the famous Helms Bakery, whose former home still attracts business as a design hub. Howard Hughes opened Hughes Aircraft there in 1941, and the city is currently home to many thriving enterprises, including Symantec, Beats by Dre, NFL Media and NPR West. Culver City's residents are justifiably proud of their schools, parks, museums and theatres, and their small-town feel within the metropolis of Los Angeles. Economically prosperous, environmentally conscious, education-minded and civically engaged, the people of Culver City have much to celebrate. I would like to wish all the best to Mayor Jim Clarke and the other members of the City Council, to the city's staff, and to its entire population as they embark on the city's next century.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 2845, the AGOA Enhancement Act of 2015. This critical bill complements, supports, and empowers the reauthorized African Growth and Opportunity Act that was passed into law last June. I want to thank Ranking Member Engel, Chairman Royce, and Speaker Ryan for their leadership on this. I also believe in the last piece of legislation I heard the chairman say that Nilmini Rubin is leaving us. I am very disappointed to hear that, but I do want to really compliment her for all of her efforts not just on AGOA, but also on the piece of legislation that we just passed. She will be sorely missed. I also want to compliment Margot Sullivan, who worked many, many, many hours on AGOA that we reauthorized as well as the AGOA Enhancement Act. By way of background, AGOA is the foundation of the U.S.-Africa economic platform. AGOA, a trade preference program, can help to grow and stabilize jobs in eligible participating countries throughout Sub- Saharan Africa and in the U.S. AGOA has definitely helped to increase African exports to the U.S., and it has also helped to raise Africa's economic profile in this country. Further, AGOA has helped maintain and increase employment, generating approximately 350,000 direct jobs and 1 million indirect jobs in Sub- Saharan Africa and approximately 100,000 jobs in the U.S. With the tremendous potential of a growing middle class in several African countries, plus the growth of regional economic communities on the continent, Africa has become one of the most dynamic global marketplaces. Why? Because each of these regional economic communities encompasses a number of countries that are evolving into regional economic powerhouses with huge markets of millions of upwardly mobile populations interested in quality goods and services. This is why Sub-Saharan Africa is currently one of the most dynamic global marketplaces. Countries such as China, India, Turkey, and the European Union recognize that doing business with Africa is increasingly critical and good for their bottom lines. Ironically, most African countries look to the U.S. to play a leading role in trade and investment with Sub-Saharan Africa, yet we hear repeatedly from officials, business people, and academics from the region, that while several African countries do considerable business with other countries, they do so because these countries are seeking to do business with Africa. These same observers note candidly that U.S. products, maintenance arrangements, and capacity building opportunities are by far more superior. It is with these experiences in mind that AGOA stakeholders in the House under the leadership of Chairman Royce and others supported the reauthorization of AGOA last year. This is also why the passage of the AGOA Enhancement Act--which strongly complements reauthorized AGOA--is equally as important. While the reauthorization is for 10 years, this was a giant step in the right direction. AGOA cannot live up to its full potential or be implemented as effectively as it must be without complementary legislation. AGOA will benefit from this complementary legislation as it has benefited from a host of initiatives such as the administration's signature Power Africa initiative and Feed the Future initiative, just to name a few. Arguably, AGOA cannot be fully effective without an increase in access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Chairman Royce led the effort to pass Electrify Africa and proactively called for a multi-year strategy to assist countries in Sub-Saharan Africa address the power deficit. Africa's expanding cities and rural areas need access to considerable and reliable sources of electricity. Feed the Future is also central to building opportunity and development throughout the region. This innovative program helps to support critical food security in several nations by supporting family enterprises and by supporting smallholder farmers. Local farmers are able to lower risks to their farms, increasing yield and productivity and address threats posed by droughts, floods, and other natural disasters. The AGOA Enhancement Act helps to implement a more effective AGOA as it calls for the administration to establish an AGOA Web site to inform eligible AGOA-participating countries about critical information and technical assistance. H.R. 2845 also encourages the administration to support regional trade development in Sub-Saharan Africa by facilitating trans-boundary trade and providing crucial capacity building skills for entrepreneurs. One of the most important aspects of H.R. 2845 was originally a separate piece of legislation that I authored and is now included that enables eligible countries with Millennium Challenge Corporation compacts in good standing to enter simultaneously into one additional compact if the country is making considerable progress toward implementing the terms of the existing compacts. The other piece of this is that compacts can be used for regional economic integration. An example of MCC projects, I was recently in Liberia, and Liberia has an energy project that totals $201 million that will provide a new hydropower turbine to an existing facility, provide training to Liberia Economic Corporation employees, and help establish an independent regulator. In summary, by the establishment of an AGOA Web site, the prioritization of capacity training, and by encouraging greater regional economic integration, H.R. 2845 helps to promote and develop a stronger economic relationship between Sub-Saharan Africa and the United States, creating increased jobs and a win-win for both. Once again, I thank Chairman Royce for his distinguished leadership on this crucial issue. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I have to say that Mr. Rangel is one of the lions in this House. I have had the honor of serving with him for the last 6 years. He knows I am upset with him because he is choosing to retire. When I came here and really wanted to work on African issues, I sought out those two gentlemen, both Mr. Rangel and Mr. McDermott. I knew of their legacy. I knew of the work that they had done. I went to Mr. Rangel, and I told him I wanted to get involved in the reauthorization of AGOA and would he help me. We sat on the floor over there. He called over a bunch of Members and told them what I wanted to do, and the gentleman ordered them all to help me. We worked on it and were able to get it done. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel). (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, I have had the honor of serving with Mr. McDermott for the last 6 years, knowing that he was a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa. He was the one that led the effort around conflict minerals, something many people were concerned about in the country. They even made movies about the subject and all of the havoc that was wrought in many African countries because of conflict minerals. And also my work with him on child welfare issues and his legacy on both of those issues. I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott). (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, as Mr. McDermott leaves, I will take his comments as my marching orders for what I am supposed to do in the next session, so I thank him very much. I would urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2845. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate an important institution in Los Angeles, which this year celebrates its tenth anniversary: the Leimert Park Village Book Fair. Now making its home at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in the heart of my district, the fair expects to bring together thousands of book lovers, families, and fans with both well-known and emerging authors to celebrate the written word. I congratulate Cynthia Exum, founder and executive producer, who conceived of this event to honor her grandmother, who she credits with nurturing her own love of reading. I also congratulate the sponsors who make this event possible, including my long-time colleague, L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas; the City of Los Angeles and its Department of Cultural Affairs; and Capri Capital Partners of the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. Event board members and honorary chairpersons Dr. Bernard and Mrs. Shirley Kinsey have worked to take the book fair to new heights with their leadership and resources. I would also like to honor all of the volunteers who spend hours preparing the panels, booths, presentations, awards, and more, and who keep everything running smoothly. Without them it would not be possible to sustain this event for ten years and beyond. I would further like to thank the authors, playwrights, screenwriters, journalists, performers and others who provide the substance of the event and make it a thrill to attend each year. For a decade now, the Leimert Park Village Book Fair has brought attendees together from all over the city to enjoy one of the historic cultural cores of the African American community in L.A., and to find inspiration to read, write, listen, and learn. I wish them many more decades of success.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, in the month of June, 22 people were murdered by guns in Los Angeles. The oldest person was 46, and the youngest was 3. On one day alone, June 11, eight people were killed. We all know the statistics: every 24 hours, 30 people are killed in the United States by guns. The leading cause of paralysis is gun violence. People around the Nation have demanded action from Congress. When I returned to my district after the protest, I was met with cheers and standing ovations. People said, Finally, finally they saw us act. Finally, they saw us fight. Fight against the NRA, which has a stranglehold on Congress. My constituents reflect the over 90 percent of the U.S. public that is demanding that we act and pass legislation to address the carnage from gun violence. I am proud to say that the State legislature in California has acted. Now Congress needs to act. The Governor signed five bills recently passed by the legislature. In California it is now against the law to possess ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. Background checks are now required to purchase ammunition. The Governor signed bills that ban bullet buttons designed to make it easy to detach a magazine and reload, a creative idea from gun manufacturers to get around the assault weapon ban when it was in effect. Other bills signed by the Governor prohibit the lending of guns to family members who have not completed background checks, and people who knowingly make false reports about the loss or theft of a gun cannot possess firearms for 10 years. The bills were signed too late to have saved the 22 people who died in Los Angeles, but I have no doubt that these laws will help reduce death and injury from gun violence. I am proud California is setting an example for the Nation, and it is my hope after the tremendous public response and demand that we act, that we pass sensible legislation to bring an end to the deaths and injuries. It is very difficult to explain to constituents how someone considered too dangerous to purchase an airline ticket is not too dangerous to buy a gun. The no fly, no buy legislation authored by Republican Representative Peter King is a modest piece of legislation that is really a first step. All of us are clear, much more needs to be done: comprehensive background checks, closing the gun show loophole. My Republican colleagues argue that we don't need any new laws, we just need to enforce the ones we already have, but then hypocritically claim the President is overstepping his authority when he increases resources to the ATF so that they can modernize their technology to address Internet sales. The last time serious legislation was passed, the Internet didn't exist. The shooter who killed the nine churchgoers in South Carolina might have been blocked from purchasing a weapon, but his background check wasn't processed in time. Three days or you get your gun. Without the staffing and the technology, 3 days is almost impossible; and although he shouldn't have had a gun because of a prior arrest, he was able to purchase anyway. As a nation, at some point we have to make a decision. The decision is ours. As a legislative body, we have to decide who rules this place. Is it a handful of industries that dictate what we do? I can name just a few industries that cause my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to vote however the industry decides, not their constituents. If they voted with their constituents who, poll after poll, say 85 percent of Republicans support sensible gun control. They vote the way an industry dictates or they face the consequences of an independent expenditure campaign and an opponent. In memory of the following people who were killed in one day in Los Angeles, I mention their names: June 11, Jesus Alfredo Duran, 31 years old; June 11, Eddie Hernandez, 22 years old; June 11, Stephanie Gonzalez, 17 years old; June 11, Kimberly Gonzalez, Stephanie's sister, 13 years old; June 11, Johnny Mark Elizalde, 27 years old; June 11, Juan Zataray, 43 years old; June 11, Jose Rene Espinoza, 46 years old; June 11, Cynthia Ambriz, 19 years old.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make note of the retirement of Assistant Chief Earl C. Paysinger, who has served in the Los Angeles Police Department for over four decades. Appointed in 2006 as Director, Office of Operations, he oversaw the daily activities of over 7,000 sworn members of the Department, and previously served as Deputy Chief and Commanding Officer in Charge of Operations South Bureau. Assistant Chief Paysinger's career has included a focus on serving children and youth. He authored the Department's Youth First campaign and developed the LAPD Cadet Leadership Program, which has provided over 8,000 children with mentorship, resources and opportunities, and increased high school graduation rates for program participants. He also headed the ``Project Elementoring'' initiative that allowed newly appointed police officers to adopt and mentor a local elementary school. He enhanced the role of leadership teams in the twenty-one Area Community Relations Offices, including Senior Lead Officers, in engaging community residents and businesses. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Long Beach, graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Command College, and completed the West Point Leadership Command Development Program. For forty-one years, Assistant Chief Paysinger has worked to serve the people of the City and County of Los Angeles. I would like to salute him, and thank him for his service.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5456. I believe this is a very positive step forward to reforming the child welfare system in our country. H.R. 5456 takes into account what has been learned from years of county and State efforts at reform in the form of waivers. We have learned a lot. We have learned that we can safely reduce the numbers of children in care by providing services up front, prevention services that, until now, could not be supported with Federal dollars unless the State or county had a waiver. What do we know? We know that the main reason why children are in foster care is because of child neglect, and the main reason for this is substance abuse and mental illness. For example, there are programs, such as SHIELDS for Families in Los Angeles, that have been able to reduce the number of children in care by providing substance abuse services for families for 12 months. The problem with H.R. 5456, however, is that services would be cut off after 12 months, and one of the features of addiction is relapse. So what happens to a family if the individual relapses on the 11th month? Will the children automatically be removed and placed into care? I think during the implementation phase, we need to consider flexibility with cutting off services at the end of 12 months. The same thing applies to mental health services. The Chafee Grant is another thing that is a positive feature of H.R. 5456. Chafee grants help young people transition to adulthood. I am pleased that H.R. 5456 includes my language to extend time to 23 years old for a young person to receive prevention services. What these services are are essentially services that help a young person transition to adulthood, such as housing, counseling, job training, et cetera. Chafee is also extended in H.R. 5456 to the age of 26 for educational grants. I want to applaud my State of California, where reforms are underway. We have passed legislation in California that long recognizes the need for housing to transition young people out of care, but in California we have had the insight and foresight to understand that children 16 years old sometimes want to transition out of the foster care system. Unfortunately, H.R. 5456 eliminates funding for children who are 16 years old. I am concerned that the bill might have some unintended consequences. I think we would all agree that it would be best to keep a child in a family setting when they are 16 years old. However, many young people wind up running away from foster homes. Unfortunately, they wind up suffering from abuse, again, in a foster home, and they need to be transitioned into adulthood.

Ms. BASS. I am hoping H.R. 5456 will take into consideration unintended consequences and not contribute to homelessness amongst youth.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to welcome home the Foshay Learning Center FIRST Robotics Team 597, the Wolverines, who have closed out their year as reigning champions at the competition that ended on April 30, 2016. One year ago, Team 597, coming from an inner-city Los Angeles school in my district, beat out 18,000 students with 900 robots from 40 countries to win the Chairman's Award, the highest honor given at the 2015 FRC World Championships in St. Louis, Missouri. The award recognizes the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate, and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST, including the promotion of not just STEM skills but teamwork, entrepreneurship, volunteerism and resourcefulness. Under strict rules, limited resources, and the guidance of volunteer mentors including teachers, engineers, business professionals, parents, alumni and more, the Wolverines team had just six weeks to build and program their robot to perform challenging tasks against a field of competitors. They also had to raise funds, design a team ``brand,'' hone teamwork skills, and perform community outreach. In addition to learning valuable STEM and life skills, participants are eligible to apply for millions in college scholarships. Under the leadership of their advisor, Foshay math teacher, Darryl Newhouse, Team 597 not only built a great robot, competed in local and regional events, raised funds to support their work and the trip to St. Louis, but they also excelled in seeding teams at local elementary schools and giving back to their community in multiple ways. Just last month, Team 597 had the honor of sending two representatives to the 2016 White House Science Fair, initiated by President Barack Obama six years ago to honor the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) competitions across the country. And last week they returned to St. Louis as reigning champions. I salute the Wolverines and the parents, teachers, parents, family, friends, organizations, and professionals who support them.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Reentry Week--reentry after an individual has paid their debt to society. Eighty-five percent of individuals who are incarcerated eventually get out, and we need to make sure that they have access to a well-paying job and quality education when they return home. Reentry programs work. Mr. Jerrel McCoy lives in south L.A. He is 45 years old and served 27 years in a California prison. Today Mr. McCoy works for SHIELDS for Families-Jericho Vocational Services, which works with formerly incarcerated individuals to help them secure and maintain employment to avoid going back to prison. With the help of these reentry services, Mr. McCoy has purchased his first car and moved into an apartment. According to Mr. McCoy, reentry programs allowed him to apply skills developed during his incarceration, and he learned that he has gifts and potential. Today Mr. McCoy strives to offer these benefits to his clients. Reentry services are smart and just.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, brave Americans from every walk of life have demonstrated their courage and commitment to freedom by serving in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Many of those military personnel are parents whose children make significant sacrifices, too. The average child in a military family will move six to nine times during a school career, three times more frequently than non-military families. During deployments, military children face separation and loss, and they face the joys and the challenges of reunification when deployments end. If a parent suffers an injury, the military child must also adapt to the new reality of that parent's limitations. Some military- connected children end up in the foster care system, bringing with them particular needs and circumstances. And if a parent is killed, the child's life is changed forever. In recognition of this, April has been designated as the Month of the Military Child. According to the Department of Defense, 1.88 million children have parents in the active duty or reserve branches of the military, and many more children have parents who are veterans. Los Angeles is home to the highest population of military veterans in California. On Sunday, April 17, Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative--Families & Children Working Group will hold their 3rd annual celebration of this occasion at the Los Angeles Public Library. Organized under the auspices of the USC Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families in my district, their work offers an opportunity for us to applaud these children's strength and resilience, and to honor their unique contributions and sacrifices. I salute military children and all of the parents, family members, friends, professionals and organizations who support them.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege and honor to welcome the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, the Honorable Inonge Mutukwa Wina, to my Los Angeles district for a visit. Vice President Wina is the highest ranking woman in Zambian government history, and she brings a delegation of officials to the U.S. with the assistance of Robert Sichinga, Jr., Honorary Consul for Zambia in Los Angeles. A major purpose of Vice President Wina's visit is to raise awareness of the tremendous opportunities for economic investment in her home country. Some of the fastest-growing economies in the world are in Africa. In particular, Mrs. Wina comes to promote the Jubilee Women's Integrated Highway Markets Program as a support for entrepreneurship that will begin to build wealth among rural families. The Jubilee Women's Integrated Highway Markets Program is a three year program to transform makeshift markets along Zambian highways into thriving economic engines, run cooperatively by the women who make up the majority of businesses found in these locations. It aims to create modern, integrated economic hubs, one in each of Zambia's ten provinces. The markets would offer not only sturdy structures, plumbing and solar power, but would also offer literacy and skills training, banking and other services, and child care facilities. Women play an essential role in lifting families out of poverty and promoting a nation's fortunes. Studies show that investing in women's businesses correlates closely with better-fed children who stay longer in school, and women tend to reinvest profits in expanding their business, thereby building wealth for the longer term. I wish Vice President Wina and all of those traveling with her a pleasant, rewarding and successful trip, and I look forward to partnering with her in the future.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to note the passing of a long- time community advocate, Lawrence D. Koonce, Sr. Mr. Koonce was born in Donaldville, Georgia and grew up in Newark, New Jersey. He moved to Los Angeles in early adulthood to work with Van Vorse Mattress Company and later became a successful entrepreneur. He was devoted to his family and to his community. He married the late Barbara Talley and they had three sons. He also had a daughter. He raised his family in the Vermont Knolls neighborhood of South Los Angeles, where he quickly took on positions of leadership. He served as President of the Vermont Knolls--81st Street Block Club many times over the course of nearly five decades. He worked to build partnerships that would contribute to improving the area, including with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the city council office, and later with the Community Coalition for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (CoCo). I came to know him as he took active roles in CoCo programs such as the Greater Resources through Organizing and Work (GROW) Project. Mr. Koonce helped win changes in grocery store health and safety practices, such as selling expired meat and wilted produce in South L.A. stores. He also fought to beautify the area and calm traffic, making it nicer and safer to walk in the neighborhood. As a result of his efforts he was selected to take part in the Neighborhood Leadership Program of the prestigious Coro Southern California Leadership Center, further enhancing his skills. He was also chosen to sit on the LAPD Community Police Advisory Board and was recognized repeatedly by LAPD for his work to improve safety and solve problems. Never afraid to put in hard work, Mr. Koonce would not settle for less than he thought his community deserved. He will be deeply missed, and my heart is with his family and friends as they gather to honor his memory.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I submit this statement to publicly express my strong opposition to H. Res. 639. I will vote against this resolution as I have already signed onto an amicus brief to the Supreme Court supporting President Obama's Executive Action on deferred action. Today, Speaker Ryan brought a completely partisan resolution to the House Floor. H. Res. 639 would grant him the power to file an amicus brief with the Supreme Court on behalf of the entire House of Representatives to support the one-sided position of only 26 GOP- controlled states in the partisan lawsuit of United States v. Texas. These states are claiming that the Administration did not have the legal authority under the laws of the United States to issue its Immigration Executive Action in November 2014. Speaker Ryan does not reflect my view or the view of many of my fellow colleagues on the Hill. What Speaker Ryan ignores is that every single Democratic and Republican President since Eisenhower has used that authority to take action on immigration, including six Republican Presidents, and as recently as 2012, the Supreme Court, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Anthony Kennedy, recognized the legitimacy of Executive Branch discretion in immigration. Last year, I joined 181 House Democrats in signing an amicus brief in support of President Obama's Executive Action on immigration because the deferred action programs derive from the Executive Branch's longstanding legal authority to exercise discretion in the enforcement of our immigration laws, to take necessary actions to carry out the Executive's authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act, and to establish national immigration enforcement policies and priorities. Instead of these divisive and partisan actions, Speaker Ryan should take up comprehensive immigration reform that sets out a path to citizenship for the millions of people leaving in the United States.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to make note of the retirement of The Right Reverend Theodore Larry Kirkland, Sr. from active service after over a half century of ministry, as he steps down at the African Methodist Episcopal Church Fifth District General Conference today. Bishop Kirkland's ministry of over 50 years has often placed him in the public eye and in the company of dignitaries. For example, he presided over the Homegoing Services of Deaconess Rosa Parks at Brown Chapel AME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, an event broadcast worldwide, and he welcomed then-Senator Barack Obama to the Ninth District's observance of Bloody Sunday, in Selma. He is the author of several books on church growth and he has become known for developing strong relationships across denominational and cultural lines. Educated at Alcorn State University, University of Mississippi, Claremont School of Theology, and California School of Theology, Bishop Kirkland was the founding pastor of Brookins Community AME Church in Los Angeles, California. Arriving in 1977, he grew the congregation from twelve early members to over eight thousand during his twenty-year tenure. Elevated in 1996, he became the 114th elected and consecrated bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. His first assignment was to the Seventeenth Episcopal District encompassing the countries of Zaire, Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi and Zimbabwe. In 2000 he returned to appointment as Ecumenical Officer for the Denomination, served a term as President of the Council of Bishops, and from 2002 led the Ninth Episcopal District in Alabama, where he sought to support the community beyond the pulpit through a range of programs including computer literacy training and high-quality health services for the needy. For the past eight years, Bishop Kirkland has presided over the Fifth Episcopal District which includes fourteen western states. During this time, Bishop Kirkland has focused on inspiring ministry and serving the greater community. I would like to salute Bishop Kirkland and his family, especially his wife Mrs. Mary Kirkland, and thank him for his service to the faith and the community.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to honor the 90th birthday of my friend and mentor, Charles Edward DuBois. Charlie was born to Vernon and Edna DuBois in New Jersey on February 26, 1926 and raised with his three siblings during the Depression by his loving parents. Young Charlie showed a fighting spirit from early in life, and learned his values at his father's knee, including when W.E.B. DuBois (no relation) would stop by his home to argue and discuss issues of race and justice. Now four generations of the DuBois family have dedicated themselves to lifting up working people. Charlie enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944 and served honorably in the Pacific theatre. After returning from the war, Charlie often provided security services for those speaking out and demanding social change, including Paul Robeson, Hortensia Bussi and Angela Davis. Charlie moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s, where he met and married his wife, Viki. They both worked at Kaiser Permanente for years. He and Viki were blessed with two sons. Charlie and Viki were organizers and leaders of Black Women United (which evolved into Black Women and Men during the 1970s). Through these organizations, they fought (among other things) for criminal justice reform. These groups also worked to support those who were incarcerated, helping their families during the time they were in prison, and working to aid their adjustment when they returned to the community. Charlie often mentored youth in the justice movement, and he was instrumental in my own decision to pursue medical training as an effective way of seeking change and providing service to others. I would like to salute Charles Edward DuBois for his longstanding commitment to serving others and for remaining true to his principles throughout his long life.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the Affordable Care Act and to urge this House to sustain President Obama's veto of the legislation to repeal it. During our last recess, I visited St. John's Well Child and Family Center, an anchor in the south Los Angeles community that provides quality health care for the community regardless of the patient's ability to pay. The Affordable Care Act has enabled St. John's to expand and improve its facilities and increase its services, including updating and modernizing its children's dental services. This is an example of the dental clinic. Because California embraced the law, St. John's is now able to serve over 53,000 new patients. Repealing the law would be detrimental. As St. John's Executive Director Jim Mangia told me: Repealing the Affordable Care Act would strip away health insurance from 26,000 of St. John's patients. That is 26,000 patients from that one clinic alone. Our primary goal in Congress should be helping people, not voting away their health insurance.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2152, the Electrify Africa Act. I commend the leadership and the work especially of our chair, Mr. Royce, of our ranking member, Mr. Engel, of our subcommittee chair, Mr. Smith, and also of our committed members and staffs of the House Foreign Affairs Committee as well as of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on this critical bill. Because of this bill, the lives of millions of people can be changed immeasurably for the better. I remind my colleagues that two-thirds of the population of sub- Saharan Africa live without electricity, particularly in the rural areas. This means that children are forced to study by candlelight and that doctors and midwives are delivering babies by relying on flashlights. The effort to devise an inexpensive, safe, and reliable source of power is being addressed not only in the small, brilliant initiatives by young African entrepreneurs, such as by those whom I met when I had the honor of traveling with President Obama to the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi, but also in the large, innovative public-private partnerships, such as Power Africa. Electrify Africa can contribute to this effort in a major way by helping to address the glaring absence of electrical power for at least 50 million people in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020, thus improving the education, health care, and other basic needs of millions of Africans. The lack of access to power adversely affects broad-based economic development on the continent. This was particularly evident last year during the Ebola crisis in three small African countries. That battle was won with the help of the U.S. and with well- coordinated regional efforts on the ground. Yet, in order to win the war against other crippling diseases, there must be greater access to electrical power. In working together, we have crafted legislation that will focus on increasing access to electricity in rural and poor communities through small, renewable energy projects that will result in at least millions of Africans having access to electricity for the first time in their lives by 2020. When we worked together last year to pass AGOA, we knew much more was needed in order to build the infrastructure that supported African nations in their ability to develop the capacity to become full trading partners with the United States. This legislation, along with AGOA, is consistent with the theme from the continent--trade, not aid--moving toward the continent of Africa's being self-sufficient and self-determined. I am proud to serve as an original cosponsor of this legislation, and I invite fellow Members to support this bill as well.

Ms. BASS

Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congresswoman Beatty. I want to congratulate her for her leadership that she has displayed since day one of coming to the House of Representatives, and knowing of her leadership in the State of Ohio, serving as the leader of the legislature in Ohio. I want to acknowledge my colleague Hakeem Jeffries. I have always appreciated his leadership in the committees as well as his leadership within the House. I am glad that he is very much a part of our Caucus. I know our theme today is: ``The State of Our Union: Have We Achieved Dr. King's Dream?'' I have to say that the state of our union is a mixed bag. Have we achieved Dr. King's dream? As a nation, we haven't, but if we look at the success of individuals, many individuals have achieved remarkable levels of success. While the success of individuals should rightfully be celebrated, until the richest nation on the planet in the history of the world has figured out how to address poverty, income inequality, and provide opportunity for everyone to succeed in our Nation, Dr. King's dream is a dream deferred. Dr. King would have been so proud to have been at the inauguration of the first African American President, but he would have been horrified to see a man achieve that level of success, becoming the most powerful man in the world, and still be subjected to doubters who ask to see his birth certificate, questioning if he was actually an American, obviously code for ``he might be the President, but he is still not one of us''; asking to see his college transcripts, questioning if his academic success was legitimate. Dr. King would be horrified to learn the number of hate groups. White supremacist organizations exploded after the election of the first African American President of the United States. He would have been shocked to hear that leaders in our country actually publicly stated that they would do everything they could, including hurting the national economy, to ensure that the Nation's first African American President did not serve a second term. Dr. King would have been overjoyed when this President was reelected to a second term, so that no one could say the first time was an aberration. Dr. King would have been so proud of the millions of people who withstood attempts to block their right to vote and to know that thousands were willing to stand for hours to make sure they voted and reelected President Obama. Dr. King would have celebrated the creation of a program to provide health coverage for the majority of people in the Nation. He would have celebrated the fact that this was accomplished in the first term of President Obama's administration. Dr. King would have celebrated the fact that when the law was signed by President Obama, for the first time, insurance companies could no longer refuse to provide coverage for people if they had an illness or a preexisting condition. Just think for a minute. Prior to the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies excluded you from coverage if you had a preexisting condition. There were examples of babies born prematurely that were excluded from coverage because their premature birth and the associated complications were considered a preexisting condition. And, frankly, almost everyone after a certain age has one preexisting condition or another--hypertension, high cholesterol, et cetera. Prior to passage of healthcare reform, aging, essentially, was a reason to exclude individuals from coverage. While Dr. King would have celebrated this victory, he would have been shocked to know Congress has voted over 60 times to take health care away from people and to reverse this advance. If the Affordable Care Act was repealed, then the parents of the premature baby and the adult over 60 with high blood pressure would not have health care. On another subject, Dr. King would wonder: How on Earth did his country end up incarcerating more people than any other nation in the world? And how is it that the majority of people incarcerated in the United States are poor and are people of color? As a man of faith, as a teacher of the Bible, he would wonder what happened to the concept of redemption in our society. How did we become a society that punished people forever? What happened to the belief that, if you offended society and then paid your debt to society, you were expected and accepted to reenter society with your full rights? How did we evolve into a nation that basically said we will punish you for your entire life? Because even though 85 percent of people incarcerated are eventually released, we can strip away your right to vote. You cannot live in public housing; and if your family lives in public housing, then you can't go home. If you were in prison and you owed child support, well, we just kept the clock running on what you owed even though you were in prison and, of course, could not work to pay child support. You owed the money anyway. And, of course, when you were released, you are then behind in child support. And because you are behind because you could not work while incarcerated, we will not give you a driver's license. And if you are from Los Angeles and cannot drive, you can forget about having a decent-paying job, because those jobs certainly don't exist in your neighborhood. Furthermore, if you don't find a job, we just might violate your parole and put you back in prison, because a condition of your parole is that you have a job. But then, since you are a felon, we will not allow you to work anyway. In California, until we changed the law, there were 56 occupations you could not participate in if you were a felon. One of those occupations we even trained you for while you were in prison. We have a school that trains prisoners to be barbers. But when you were released, we didn't allow ex-offenders to have a license in the very occupation we trained you for--until we changed the law. I think Dr. King would be thoroughly confused by the contradictions he would see in America today. We have amazingly successful individuals, thousands of African Americans and other people of color in elected office or in other major positions of authority. They are CEOs of companies, astronauts, athletes, college presidents, entertainers on every level, actors, producers, directors. In every area in society, there are successful individuals. There are 48 African American Members of Congress. The year before his death, there were only five African Americans in Congress. But Dr. King would wonder what is holding our Nation back from making sure every American has access to the American Dream. With all the technological advances, advances in science and education, how can it be that people are hungry in America, that too many children continue to go to poor, segregated schools, and that there are homeless encampments that exist in most major cities? Although his dream for our Nation is only partially realized, I believe now it is our responsibility to continue the work and to continue the struggle until there is no such thing as homelessness in the richest nation on the planet, until all children have access to a 21st century education, until poverty is eliminated and the safety net is strong enough that no one in our Nation slips through the cracks.