Donna Christensen

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to lead the Congressional Black Caucus this hour to talk about jobs and the need for job creation in communities across this country. General Leave

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Before I begin, I would like to ask, Mr. Speaker, unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order, which is jobs.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from Virginia, Congressman Bobby Scott.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Amidst reports of improvement in the economy--and the April jobs report was one of those examples--we are in a steady, yet slow, recovery. But that recovery has not been felt by the millions of Americans who are out of work or who are working in jobs that are well below their potential. And no more is the pain of the recession felt than in the African American community where unemployment is high in good times but now remains the highest of all population groups in this country at 16.1 percent. And so along with saving homes, job creation remains a primary focus of the Congressional Black Caucus and of House Democrats. We are determined to build on the more than 3 million jobs created or saved by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. And so as a key part of this effort before we left for last week's constituent work period, House Democrats launched a Make It in America agenda, which we wholeheartedly support. Over the past 3 years, we have passed legislation to prevent multinational corporations from outsourcing jobs overseas, to give tax credits to small businesses to hire new employees, to restore the credit to small businesses because they are the engine of our economy and of job creation. Our Make It in America agenda continues and expands on that effort by a number of pieces of legislation introduced by members of the Democratic Caucus: legislation to support developing a national strategy to increase manufacturing, to invest in infrastructure and support the flow of commerce, to keep our country competitive in the global marketplace, to further support small businesses, to develop an innovative education policy, and to put smart regulations in place which protect our people and our environment while improving government efficiency. Democrats have already introduced bills to further these goals, and we are calling on the Republican leadership to end the assaults on health care reform and the blocking of the green economy we need to build, asking them to support both of these important pillars of President Obama's agenda which will create jobs. And I ask them to bring our job-creating legislation to the floor. At this time, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from Georgia, Congressman David Scott.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you, Congressman Scott. I thank you for calling attention to the need to restore the manufacturing base in this country as the Democrats are attempting to do with our Make It in America agenda. And thank you for reminding everyone that Main Street is still not taken care of and that there is a critical connection between the jobs crisis and the housing crisis and why they need to be dealt with now as an emergency. I would just call on our leadership, the Republican leadership: Let's stop trying to unravel President Obama's agenda, which is an agenda that creates jobs. We've been here for almost 5 months, and not one job has been created by any legislation that the majority has brought to the floor. It's time to get busy. Main Street is calling on us. At this point, I'd like to yield as much time as he would consume to the Congressman from Illinois, Congressman Danny Davis.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you, Congressman Davis, for joining us this evening, and thank you for your kind words. I am very proud to be a part of a Congressional Black Caucus, which is made up of 43 workhorses, and I am just glad to be able to work along with all of them. Thank you for calling attention to the need to extend unemployment benefits for the many who are still without a job. The jobs are just not there, and the Republican majority is not creating any. We need to continue this lifeline to our families and to the communities that they live in. So thank you for raising that issue again.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you, Congressman Scott, for reminding us that we are really not out of a recession. This is the time where we need to invest and to continue those unemployment benefits, and thank you for talking about the people who are unemployed. We hear so many misconceptions spread about people who are receiving unemployment. They really would prefer to have a job. They are actively looking, as you have pointed out, to be able to receive those unemployment benefits. It's a shame the way that some of our colleagues speak about people who are really trying to find a job where there are no jobs to be found and need that extra help. So I really appreciate your coming and joining us this evening. One of the other things that the Congressional Black Caucus has been advocating for is summer jobs for our young people. It's important for us to have them meaningfully occupied and employed during that summer vacation. It seems like we are going back to what we used to have to do in the previous administration and keep begging and begging for summer jobs for our young people. It's critically important. I also don't understand why there is so much objection to our building a green economy. If we don't, we will be left behind the rest of the world in this important sector. Creating that economy would build on the tens of thousands of jobs that were created with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and moving to renewable energy and the jobs that that will create is good for our environment. It will slow climate change, it is good for our health, and it is good for our economy. It would build jobs, sustainable jobs, and help us to build a strong and more sustainable economy for the future. It's good for profit, it's good for the planet, and it's good for people. I want to just talk a little bit about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield to the gentleman.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you for adding that issue to the discussion this evening. Let me just go back to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, because despite its immediate and projected successes, our friends on the other side of the aisle continue their efforts to repeal and underfund the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Despite the rhetoric to the contrary, this new law lifts more than 30 million Americans out of the ranks of the uninsured, protects the health care consumer from unjust practices that have occurred in our health care system for far too many decades, and preserves and improves the health care and thus the wellness of some of our Nation's most vulnerable residents--our children and our seniors. My colleagues and I have and will continue to highlight the deleterious health consequences that would result if these attacks on health care reform ever moved from a policy proposal to enactment, and we will continue to oppose any attempt to undermine this important law. It's also critically important to remember, though, that while repealing health care reform will have very obvious, very negative impacts on health and wellness, the repeal of any part of the law created by the Affordable Care Act will also have an equally horrendous impact on the economy and more directly on jobs. The data is in; it's indisputable. There is no evidence that health care reform hurts or eliminates jobs. In fact, since the health care reform bill was passed in March of last year, there has been private sector growth month after month after month, leading to the creation of a total of 1.4 million new private sector jobs, and we are counting. Further, of these 1.4 million new jobs that were created, both directly and indirectly from health care reform, 243,000 of them, almost a quarter of a million of them, are directly in the health care sector. All of this job and growth job expansion has occurred in just 1 year. While that's good news, there was even better news that came out of a recent study out of Harvard University, which found that health care reform, as enacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, would create up to 4 million jobs over the next 10 years. Compare that to 8 years of policies under the previous administration that literally eliminated 673,000 private sector jobs while at the same time exacerbating our Nation's plight with uninsurance, spiraling health care costs, and worsening health disparities. Once you make the comparison, ask yourself which policies are truly better for American jobs, for the American economy, for the health and wellness of Americans, and for the Nation as a whole. Is repealing health care reform better when we know that the repeal not only would increase medical spending, the repeal would increase medical spending by $125 billion by the end of this decade and increase family insurance premiums by nearly $2,000 every year? But it will also destroy as many as 400,000 jobs every year over the next decade. The answer is simply no. We need to stay on this path, one with an upward trajectory, because it is the path that not only includes a reformed, transformed health care system, but it's also a path that creates jobs, lowers the unemployment rate and saves employers, both large and small, money that they can reinvest by creating additional jobs for millions of Americans. It is a path that we have been hoping to find; it is a path that we have struggled to get on; and now that we're on it, it is a path that is delivering on its promises. I don't believe I have any further speakers, so at this time I just want to reiterate that we've been here for almost 5 months. Nothing that has come to this floor has created jobs. Communities like mine and communities that most of my colleagues represent in this body still have high unemployment. There are no jobs. We need to continue to provide unemployment insurance. We need to work to begin to create the jobs that the people of America need.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, next Friday, an outstanding member of our military who hails from my district in the U.S. Virgin Islands will receive a promotion to Colonel at the Pentagon and I rise today to salute his service to our country. Lt. Colonel Alfred Francis, known as ``Plow'' to his family and friends as a native of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, is currently assigned to The Army Staff, Pentagon here in Washington, DC, and has served there since 2009. He previously commanded the 304th Signal Battalion, 1st Signal Brigade, Camp Stanley, Korea from 2007 to 2009. Prior to serving in Korea, Lt. Colonel Francis served at the Pentagon, assigned to DISA's Joint Staff Support Center as Division Chief, NMCC Operations. He deployed in support of ENDURING FREEDOM between 2002 and 2005. He was assigned to Headquarters, 25th Infantry Division (Light), Schoefield Barrack, Hawaii, serving as the Assistant Division Signal Officer/Deputy G6 and as the Executive Officer, 125th Signal Battalion and later as Deputy CJ6, CJTF-76. Lt. Colonel Francis received his Bachelor of Science Degree and ROTC Commission as a Distinguished Military Graduate from Alabama A&M University in 1989. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology and Minor in Mathematics and a Master of Science degree in Quality Systems Management from the National Graduate School. Upon completion of the Signal Officers Basic Course, he was assigned to the 279th Signal Platoon, Kaiserlautern, Germany, where he served as a Platoon Leader and Exercise and Plans officer from 1990 to 1993. Upon graduation from the Signal Officers Advanced Course at Fort Gordon, Georgia, he was assigned to 525th Military Intelligence, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served as Brigade Signal Officer, then Company Commander of A Company-327th Signal Battalion, 35th Signal Brigade (Corps, Airborne) from 1994 to 1996. He was then assigned to the Military District of Washington, where he served on the 1997 Presidential Inaugural Committee as Chief, Visual Information Branch, followed by assignments within the Defense Information System Agency, DISA, as a Commercial Satellite Communications Officer and as a Communication Watch Officer in the National Military Command Center, NMCC, Joint Staff, Pentagon from 1996 to 2000. Lt. Colonel Francis' awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Staff Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Joint Staff Badge, the Army Staff Badge and the Parachutist Badge. Mr. Speaker, the people of Fredriksted, St. Croix, the U.S. Virgin Islands and indeed the entire nation are proud of Lt. Colonel Francis. He is an exemplary young American who serves as a role model to the young people of our islands and is a source of pride to his parents, Betty L. Wilson and Divincy ``Tino'' Francis. We salute him on the occasion of his promotion to Colonel.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, today I rise with great disappointment to speak out against yet another attempt to repeal an Affordable Care Act provision that is at the very core of increasing access to health care for the over 30 million uninsured Americans. As my colleague said, almost $54 million in planning grants have been awarded to help 49 States, the District of Columbia and four territories, including $1 million to the Virgin Islands, to create unique State and territorial-based solutions to improve our States' and territories' health insurance markets. We must not repeal this funding, as H.R. 1213 would do, because by placing the burden entirely on the already-overburdened States, it will make it more difficult for them to establish changes, and it will increase the costs to families who are seeking to insure themselves. This is really another effort to get rid of exchanges altogether. In deciding how to vote today, I ask my colleagues to think about all of their constituents who suffer unduly from health conditions that could be prevented or controlled if only they had access to health insurance, preventive care, and treatment. These constituents, our fellow Americans, demand that we stand up and fight for their access to affordable health insurance, as Democrats have always done and are doing today. I urge all of my colleagues to vote against this legislation that would undermine the ability of millions of Americans to have access to health insurance and access to needed health care services.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, here we go again, this time attacking a provision in the Affordable Care Act that would help to reach children and especially teens who otherwise might not have access to important health care services. And so, Mr. Chairman, today I join my Democratic colleagues to speak on behalf of our children and against H.R. 1214. Our future depends on the development of healthy, well-educated children. Unfortunately, often our children miss school, or sit in class too distracted to pay attention because of preventable and treatable health conditions that, if caught early and treated as these school-based health centers would do, would enable them to better learn and to reach higher levels of achievement. I've heard a lot of talk about protecting our children from future debt, something all of us are working to prevent. But if we really care about our children, why are we now considering this legislation that will harm them, not in the future, but today? Eliminating funding for school-based health centers would not just prevent a building from being built, but would eliminate the creation of the only medical home that many underserved students know and which creates access to needed mental, physical and dental care, centers that provide services that many students cannot or would not access anywhere else. And these services provide a support to the teachers so that they can focus on teaching these students. Taking away this funding for school-based health centers, as H.R. 1214 would do, would be a step in the wrong direction, not just for the health and well-being of our children, but for our country's ability to win the future. Before I close, I want to just say that we did not pass any bill that is unaffectionately known as ObamaCare. The Affordable Care Act is about your, the American people's, care; and this provision is about our children's care. I urge my colleagues to vote for our children and vote ``no'' on H.R. 1214.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of Army Staff Sergeant Jorge Antonio Scatliffe, who died in Mosul, Iraq, on April 3, 2011, in support of Operation New Dawn. Staff Sergeant Scatliffe was the 7th soldier from my district, the U.S. Virgin Islands, to die in the Middle East since the outbreak of hostilities in the wake of the tragedy of September 11, 2001. Staff Sergeant Scatliffe, 32, was assigned to E Company, 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He grew up on the island of St. Croix and attended the Lew Muckle Elementary School, the Elena Christian Junior High School, St. Croix Central High School and was one of the first graduates of the St. Croix Educational Complex. Staff Sergeant Scatliffe joined the Army in April of 1998 as a Bradley Fighting Vehicle system maintenance man. His first deployments to Iraq began in April 2003 and ended in 2004. He was redeployed in December 2005 and served until December 2006 and once again from June 2008 to May 2009. Staff Sergeant Scatliffe was on his fourth tour of duty in Iraq, which he began in 2010 and ended tragically on April 3rd of this year, when he gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country, his precious life. Staff Sergeant Scatliffe received many awards and decorations which includes two Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, four Army Good Conduct Medals, a National Defense Service Medal, an Iraqi Campaign Medal with campaign stars, a Global War on Terrorism Medal, Overseas Service Ribbons, an Army Service Ribbon, a Driver and Mechanic Badge for Mechanics, a Driver and Mechanic Badge for Wheel Vehicle Drivers and a Driver and Mechanic Badge for Tracked Vehicle Drivers. Mr. Speaker, Staff Sergeant Scatliffe was a man who deeply loved his family, especially his mother, Sarah, with whom he maintained a close relationship. He is also mourned by his brothers, Robert and Raymond, and a circle of family, friends and fellow soldiers who are broken hearted at the loss of an exceptional young man. I extend my sincere condolences to the family, friends and fellow soldiers of Staff Sergeant Jorge Scatliffe on behalf of the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the U.S. Congress and the entire nation. Your service and your sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Chair, I rise today in strong support of the Congressional Black Caucus' budget, which is responsible and responsive to the needs of all Americans, especially those who have been ignored and underserved in these hard economic times. We reject the Republican budget that, while providing giveaways to the rich and corporations, sends seniors and people with disabilities out into the private insurance market with vouchers that will not cover, and so will increase, their costs, and that reopens the dreaded doughnut hole. The CBC budget preserves Medicare, strengthens and extends it, and ends the doughnut hole. Republicans would cut Medicaid, denying health care to Americans who need prevention and care most, continuing the spiral of excess disabilities, illness, and premature death. Our budget fully funds Medicaid and the Prevention and Public Health Fund, ensuring health care and the chance for wellness which many would not have without them. We robustly fund HIV/AIDS, WIC, maternal and child health, and other programs to close gaps and bring better health to minorities, the poor, and Americans in rural areas and the territories. Unlike the Republicans budget, we create millions of jobs, bring down costs, and further reduce the deficit. Vote for the CBC budget. Reject the harmful Republican budget.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman and colleagues, I cannot believe that we are here debating a bill that would repeal the Prevention and Public Health Fund. At a time when we should be championing legislation to strengthen the health and well-being of Americans and this Nation, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are doing the exact opposite with H.R. 1217. Currently, we have tens of millions of hardworking Americans who suffer and some die from preventable diseases, and without prevention and public health efforts, the very services this fund was created to support, tens of millions more will be affected in the future. With so much at stake--and we are talking about human lives--we should not be here fighting about the merit and value of keeping the Prevention and Public Health Fund in place. We would do better for our country in terms of health and savings if we were instead discussing increasing it. If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are not moved by the disastrous human impact, then perhaps they will be moved by the equally disastrous economic impact that it will have, because not having prevention and effective public health measures in place costs money, and a lot of it. On the other hand, the Journal of Health Affairs reported that increasing the use of proven preventive services from their current levels to 90 percent would result in $3.7 billion in savings in just 1 year. And we know from a Joint Center study that reducing health disparities, which this fund would help to do, could save as much as $1.24 trillion in direct and indirect medical costs in just a 3-year period. This bill to repeal the Prevention and Public Health Fund is not just misguided legislation, it is harmful and unjust. It is contrary to our values and a disrespect of the value of human life. It will not save money. In fact, it will cost this Nation more, both in human health and wellness as well as in actual health care spending. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote to protect all Americans and the moral standing of this country by voting ``no'' on H.R. 1217.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, the legislation we are considering today--H.J. Res. 37--is one of the most regressive I have seen, even in a very regressive environment. H.J. Res. 37 not only stifles innovation but is anti-small business, anti-consumer and, because it brings uncertainty back into the telecommunications marketplace, is also anti-investment and anti-job creation. All of the industry leaders, as well as consumer groups and those for whom an open Internet provides opportunities to start a business and grow, support the FCC rule. The principles embodied therein have guided the Commission for years now and this resolution, if passed, would set this industry back decades with no benefit whatsoever and without the possibility of rectifying the damage it would do. The FCC has adopted a framework that will preserve the open Internet and create certainty in an industry that changes every day. Ironically, it is the Republicans who are creating uncertainty by preventing the FCC from fulfilling its statutory mandate. Using the Congressional Review Act to oppose the FCC's Open Internet Rule is bad politics and sets a bad precedent. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.J. Res. 37.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I thank the ranking member for yielding. Mr. Chairman, as the representative of a district that has one of the highest greenhouse gas emission levels per square mile in the United States and the Caribbean, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 910, appropriately known as the Dirty Air Act. As a physician and as a person who has been trained to make decisions on sound science, I have to reject this legislation that is based wrongly on the premise that there is no science that supports the court's decision that greenhouse gases are injurious to the public health. That premise is wrong. Once again, our Republican colleagues deny sound science in their attempt to achieve misguided and, in this case, harmful political ends. Leading scientific academies, associations, and think tanks have all clearly documented a clear connection between these gases and poorer health. They make just as clear a connection of these gases to the acceleration of climate change, which adds another dimension of health challenges, some of which we are already facing today. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle tend to attribute the findings to the EPA administrator, but it is not she who has determined that these harm the public health. It was the scientific community, respected experts in the field. Mr. Chairman, the reduction of greenhouse gases is particularly important to the poor and racial and ethnic minorities, as it has been shown that polluting industries are more often located in or near our communities. In committee, and I suppose today, you will hear a lot of talk about CO2, but that is not the only greenhouse gas that we're concerned about. This harmful group of gases also includes methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. The Virgin Islands have seen dramatic increases in asthma and cancers as the presence of these gases has increased. There is no way I can support this bill. No one should support it. We have a responsibility to protect the health of the American public. I urge my colleagues to reject H.R. 910 and to vote ``no'' to dirty air. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, March 23, 2011. Members, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Re: NAACP Opposes H.R. 910, the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 Dear Representative: On behalf of the NAACP, our nation's oldest, largest and most widely recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization, I am writing in opposition to H.R. 910, the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011. If enacted as written, H.R. 910 would block the ability of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce greenhouse gases under the authority of the Clean Air Act. For more than 40 years, the EPA has used the authority granted to it by the Clean Air Act to protect our health and our environment. EPA actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are therefore appropriate, and should in fact be supported. If successful the reduction of greenhouse gases will help slow global warming, improve Americans' health and create new jobs. The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is especially important to racial and ethnic minorities, as we are disproportionately affected by the negative consequences of global warming socially, economically, and through our health and well-being. One need look no further than Hurricane Katrina and its tragic aftermath to see that African Americans and other communities of color are disproportionately affected by severe weather and other negative consequences of global warming. More recently, we can look to the extreme weather patterns experienced by much of the United States this past winter, with unseasonable snow, ice and temperatures well below freezing in Atlanta, GA, and points south. Rather than focus on legislative initiatives which would hinder our nation's progress in addressing the dangers of climate change and the resulting social, health and economic consequences, the NAACP urges the U.S. Congress to work toward the enactment of comprehensive climate protection and clean energy legislation that reduces global warming pollution. As such, the NAACP looks forward to working with you to ensure that effective actions are taken. In that vein, I hope that you will feel free to contact me should you have any questions or comments on the NAACP position. Sincerely, Hilary O. Shelton, Director, NAACP Washington Bureau & Senior Vice President, Advocacy and Policy.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember and commemorate the life of Stanley, J. ``Bud'' Grant who passed away suddenly last month but who in the course of his life worked to help those in need. I knew him as Bud Grant, the founder and President of the Friends of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus Foundation as he worked to screen disadvantaged populations across the country for glaucoma and other eye diseases. My community, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, was one of the places where Bud took his army of mercy since 2001 to test and identify thousands who could not afford to seek those services on their own. People lined up for hours, waiting for a chance to get care for that most precious of human senses, eyesight. Bud was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from St. Francis College and attended Fordham University and the New York University School of Public Administration. A member of the ``Greatest Generation,'' he served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific theater during the Second World War. Prior to his work against glaucoma, Bud enjoyed a long career in pharmaceutical sales for Upjohn/Pharmacia. He worked on behalf of the Medical Society of the State of New York, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association, and Pharmacia Corporation and Covance Research Labs. He also served on the boards of Wagner College and New York Hospital Division of Queens. On behalf of my family, staff and constituents in the U.S. Virgin Islands who were touched by Bud's work, I extend my condolences to Bud's family, especially his son Richard, who will continue the important work that his father began at the Glaucoma Caucus Foundation. May Bud Grant rest in peace.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to start off by saying in response to some of what I've just listened to--and I'm not going to take it point by point. I just want to point out that what we passed last year is not ObamaCare. To the people of this country it is your care. And if you allow it to be repealed, defunded, or picked apart piece-by-piece, President Obama will still have his health care insurance and so will many of the people who are trying to take away yours, your care. Just remember that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was not to provide care for us. It was to provide care and access to quality, affordable health care for you. It is not ObamaCare. It's your care. At this time I'd like to yield to my colleague from Maryland, Congresswoman Donna Edwards.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I would like to thank my colleague from Maryland for helping to organize this hour and our colleague from New York for joining us. I was in medical school here in Washington D.C. on the day that Dr. King was assassinated, and it was obviously a very dark day and weekend that followed. But I recalled, and I think it would have had to have been the Sunday of the following week, was a Sunday dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King. On that day, as you went to church or were out and about D.C., there was such a feeling of fellowship and brotherhood and respect for each other, and even, I would say, love for each other as neighbors in this country and on this planet. It would be wonderful to see the spirit of that day revived in this Congress and across our Nation as we remember not only the day but, more importantly, the words and the legacy of Dr. King and as we remember all that he was fighting for. Specifically tonight we remember the sanitation workers whose strike he went out to Nashville to support on that fateful evening. And in his speech he mentioned a few things that he said in that speech the night before he was killed. He called also for his listeners to develop a ``dangerous unselfishness'' and said that the question before them, and I would say the question before us today, is ``not if I stop to help the sanitation workers,'' and I am going to add in here, as we would say today, not if we stopped to help the sanitation workers, the teachers, the firefighters, the policemen and all workers whose rights are under attack in our country today, what will happen to my job? But he said the question is: ``If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers what will happen to them?'' And as our colleague from New York said, his concern went beyond that. It was also what would happen to our Nation. He also then said right after that: ``Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better Nation.'' These words are an urgent call to us today as well, as both of my colleagues have said, to stand with a greater determination on behalf of the working men and women in this country; to stand with a greater determination for help for the poor; to stand with a greater determination for clean air and clean energy for us and our children, clean air for our children and us to breathe, and clean energy and responding to this threat of climate change; to stand with greater determination for jobs and economic opportunity, especially for the most distressed parts of our country; to stand with greater determination for a quality education for every child and to stand with greater determination for equal access to quality health care and wellness for everyone in this country regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity or geography. Another quote from Dr. King that I use often as we talk about health disparities is this quote. He said:--Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.'' I want to focus on that for a moment because among the many challenges that we face today is that of eliminating the injustice in health care. We Democrats took a major step forward in this effort with the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in the 111th Congress. Not only does it expand coverage to millions of Americans and families who have never had insurance before, but it also includes provisions that would end the travesty which Dr. Martin Luther King called the most shocking and inhumane. Now that the health care door is finally being opened to all; now that we have furthered the effort to end the discrimination that exists in our health system; now that we have a chance to end the tens of thousands of premature, preventable deaths in people of color, and the poor, and those who live in our rural areas and our territories; now that we have done all of that, the Republican majority is doing everything they can think of to try and slam that door shut again. In this 40th anniversary year, the Congressional Black Caucus is committed to building upon the legacy of our founders. In the area of health, we are particularly committed to specifically building on the legacy of Congressman Louis Stokes to not let that door or any door be closed to African Americans or to anyone anywhere in this country. We will not let those doors be closed. And we know that our Democrats will stand with us with greater determination to protect the Affordable Care law and the lives of countless Americans who would continue to be in jeopardy without that law. And it's time for the good people of this country to stand with us. Let us not have to repent, as Dr. King said, not for actions of bad people, but for the appalling silence of good people. This country should no longer tolerate that African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans have a much higher infant mortality than our white counterparts; that diabetes and its complications should be so much higher in those same populations as well as in Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders; or that African Americans should have higher death rates from cancer and diabetes than all of the other population groups; or that Native Americans should have higher deaths from sudden infant death syndrome and chronic liver disease than all of the other population groups combined; or that Asian Americans should have such high incidences of tuberculosis, about 24 times the average national rate, and higher incidences of hepatitis B; and no longer should this country tolerate that in 2010, after 8 years, that the Department of Health and Human Services would still be reporting in the national health disparities report that fewer than 20 percent of disparities faced by African Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives and Hispanics showed any evidence of narrowing. Fewer than 20 percent showed any evidence of narrowing. It is time for all of us to rise to our better nature, as Dr. King would call us to do, and to begin to work together to close gaps faced in many different areas by large segments of our population. We must stand in stronger determination to build that better nation and to realize the beloved community that Dr. King envisioned. In our 40th year, the Congressional Black Caucus remains more committed, more determined than ever to realizing his dream, a dream that still burns brightly in the hearts of all of us who honor Dr. Martin Luther King and the life that he gave to ensure freedom and justice on behalf of all of us. With that, I yield to the gentlewoman from Maryland.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. It should give all of the workers who are fighting for their rights today extra incentive, some extra inspiration as we commemorate this day and all that Dr. Martin Luther King fought for as they continue that fight and we continue to support them in that fight. I am reminded that on April 7 in the capital of Illinois, in Springfield, I was out there a week ago, they will be having a major rally on behalf of working people in this country. I want to salute the folks in Springfield on that march. In addition to fighting for workers' rights, when Dr. King died, he was planning the Poor People's Campaign in Washington. I was here studying for my boards. I went over to volunteer in the medical tent. It rained and it poured; but people came in from all over this country, particularly the South, to the Poor People's Campaign to call attention to the plight of the poor in this country. As we are celebrating as a Congressional Black Caucus our 40th anniversary, we are still carrying on that fight. Our main agenda, theme, is ``Creating Pathways Out of Poverty.'' We have had that as our agenda for the last 2 years, and we continue with that for this Congress as well. That was a remarkable time as well. I think it did a lot to change my life in the middle of my medical studies and the course of my career. It probably has something to do with why I am here today. I wanted to also just remind everyone that as we fight for the workers, and remember Dr. King's fight for working men and women, he also was steadfastly working to help define pathways out of poverty for those who were poor then; and we continue in our 40th year to fight for the poor and help them find ways to lift them up and lift their families out of poverty.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you. Just briefly, I want to again thank you for helping us to commemorate not only the sanitation workers' strike but the life and legacy of Dr. King. It is unfortunate, as we are here tonight, remembering the day that the assassination took place of this great American and great human being, that the day after, we expect a budget that is going to do just the opposite of what Dr. King would have wanted us to do. In the last Congress, we were able to strengthen Medicare, to expand its solvency 12 years. We were able to pass the Affordable Care Act, which would expand Medicaid and make sure that, even though you were poor, you would have the ability to have quality health care. Tomorrow, we expect a budget that's going to talk about privatizing Medicare, ending it as we know it--sacrificing the health care for seniors and children--making an enormous cut in Medicaid, and really taking away the hope that people had when we passed the Affordable Care Act that they could not only have health care but that they could really aspire to improving their health--their own well-being as well as that of their families and their communities. So we meet here this evening to talk about Dr. King, to talk about the challenges that our working men and women have, and to talk about the challenges of health care for those who are poor--those of all races and ethnicities--and to recommit ourselves in the memory of Dr. King to fight for working men and women and for those who need that extra hand to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. I just want to say that the Congressional Black Caucus has been doing this for 40 years now. I want to again recognize our founding members for their perspicacity and their perseverance--we still have two of those members serving with us, Congressman Charles Rangel and Congressman John Conyers--and to let the American people know that we will continue to fight on their behalf tomorrow and every day as long as it is necessary.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak out against the GOP energy agenda and H.R. 910, the Dirty Air Act. While consumers around the Nation, including my district of the Virgin Islands, are struggling to make ends meet amidst the rising cost of energy, our colleagues across the aisle are shamelessly using scare tactics to cripple EPA's regulatory authority and gut the Clean Air Act. H.R. 910, the Energy Tax Prevention Act, or more appropriately, the Dirty Air Act, will reverse generations of scientific advancement and does nothing to protect the everyday American. In fact, the legislation outright denies the science that clearly demonstrates that greenhouse gases are injurious to health and that they accelerate global warming. This is science that the Congress has paid for. The Academy of Sciences, a committee of many of the world's leading climate scientists and others, make the indisputable health link that these gases are injurious to our health. So I want to speak out against that agenda. As the President has recently said, we have got to work together to secure America's energy future. The only ones who benefit from this legislation will be those who already benefit, Wall Street oil speculators and Big Oil allies here in Congress. This is nothing more than polluted politics. The American people deserve better. Let's save American jobs, invest in the green economy, and ensure a clean, not a dirty, future for the children of tomorrow. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak out against the GOP energy agenda and H.R. 910, the Dirty Air Act. While consumers around the Nation, including my district of the Virgin Islands, are struggling to make ends meet amidst the rising cost of energy, our colleagues across the aisle are shamelessly using scare tactics to cripple EPA's regulatory authority and gut the Clean Air Act. H.R. 910, the Energy Tax Prevention Act or more appropriately, the ``Dirty Air Act'' will reverse generations of scientific advancement and does nothing to protect the everyday American. In fact the legislation outright denies the science that clearly demonstrates that greenhouse gases are injurious to health and that they accelerate global warming. This is science that this Congress paid for. The Academy of Science, a committee of many of the world's leading climate scientists and others make the indisputable health link, not the EPA administrator, yet the Republicans think they know better, or at least want the public to think so. Well I live in a place with very high GHG emissions from both our oil refinery and public utility and we are seeing increases in asthma and the severity of it, even deaths, as well as of certain cancers. They cannot tell my constituents that those gases are not harming our health. My constituents and I believe all Americans want them regulated, we want to be healthy and we want our children's health to be protected. These gases must be regulated for the benefit of this and future generations. The gases are clearly linked to respiratory and other diseases. All who study the impact of global temperature rise, using sound science, predict not only an increase in respiratory diseases but also heart disease and others. This legislation is not the only attack on regulations that seek to reduce negative impacts on our health or slow down climate change and prevent us from starting the new green revolution that will create jobs and revitalize communities and our economy. All of the Republican CRs include cuts that would hinder EPA from implementing regulations that protect our health. We must not make cuts that destroy our ability to protect our health and our environment Without a doubt, the only ones to benefit from H.R. 910 and the Republican cuts will be those who already benefit--Wall Street oil speculators and big oil allies here in Congress. As the President said recently, ``We've got to work together to secure America's energy future.'' H.R. 910 is not a step in the right direction. This is nothing more than polluted politics. The American people deserve better. Let's save American jobs, invest in the green economy and ensure a clean--not dirty future for the children of tomorrow.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the work and legacy of three phenomenal women for their service to the organizations that they serve and their efforts to eliminate health disparities in their communities. Dr. Elnora Hamb, International President of the Women's Missionary Council, The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME); Dr. Barbara Shaw, International President of the Women's Home and Overseas Missionary Society, The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AMEZ); and Dr. Jamesina Evans, International President, Women's Missionary Society, The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) simultaneously served in their respective roles for eight years and collectively served over seven million members worldwide--including members in the U.S. Virgin Islands. These women and their respective organizations serve as examples of how community champions are helping our country to achieve health equity. Seeing the deleterious effect of health conditions such as HIV and cervical cancer on their congregants, these women took unprecedented action to help eliminate health disparities in their community. As a result of the transformative leadership of these women, each organization entered into an innovative partnership with the Balm in Gilead, Inc. to address the health concerns of black women, focusing attention on issues disproportionately impacting the community, and developing the organizational capacity of each denomination to utilize its existing structures to deliver HIV services and other programs addressing health disparities that have long disproportionately affected African American communities. This partnership represents the first time that any black church denomination has partnered with a national technical assistance organization to implement and deliver public health strategies to the African American community. The leadership of these phenomenal women has resulted in thousands of women and men receiving education and interventions in areas of HIV/ AIDS, cervical cancer, and other health disparities. For example, each Missionary Society has established an office of a National Health Director whose purpose is to coordinate health promotion and disease prevention throughout the denomination. Further each Missionary Society has utilized their information organs to distribute critical information on HIV, cervical cancer, and other health issues which has reached readers worldwide. Additionally, each Missionary Society offers HIV testing and workshops on-site at their annual leadership trainings and many of their affiliated local churches offer HIV testing as a regular activity nationwide. As a result, the visionary leadership of these women undoubtedly has saved thousands of lives through these health interventions. Finally, it does not escape me that I am honoring these three great women during Women's History Month whose theme, ``Our History is Our Strength,'' pays tribute to the millions of women who helped create a better world for the times in which they lived as well as for future generations. These women are continuing the tradition of the great women who came before them by standing up and taking action to address one of the pressing issues of our day and to improve the health of African Americans today and in the future. Unfortunately, many of the women who are deserving of recognition remain un-named and unknown. We cannot let the same occur to these three trailblazing women. Thus, it is my honor on behalf of the women of this body, the Congressional Black Caucus and the entire Congress of the United States to recognize the tremendous work and leadership of Dr. Elnora Hamb, Dr. Barbara Shaw and Dr. Jamesina Evans and thank them for their selfless service to their congregants and their transformative work to eliminate health disparities in the African American community.