Elijah Cummings

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. This issue, as the chairman of the subcommittee, I have to tell you that this has been a very, very difficult issue. We have done two hearings out of a total of 17. It has been extremely emotional. But on balance, I think that this is a good amendment. I want to congratulate Ms. Matsui and all of the cosponsors. I think we have to protect the public; but at the same time, we have to make sure that we are fair to the cruise industry. This is an ongoing thing. We have discussions on other matters regarding cruise ships and passengers. I think this is a good amendment, and I support it.

Mr. CUMMINGS. I want to thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I support the amendment that you have offered, and I thank you again for your leadership on the Coast Guard authorization and all of the transportation issues that our Nation faces. The manager's amendment includes provisions offered by several of our colleagues that would make a number of important improvements to H.R. 2830. Among other provisions, the manager's amendment would implement recommendations recently made by the Government Accountability Office to require the Commandant of the Coast Guard to prescribe a policy to combat sexual assault and sexual harassment at the Coast Guard Academy. And I do commend my colleague, Ms. Sanchez, for her hard work on this issue. As a member of the Naval Academy Board of Visitors, this is an issue that I have worked on very hard, not only there, but with regard to our Coast Guard Academy. The amendment would also allow the Coast Guard to delegate some regulatory functions, including facility inspections regarding offshore facilities, to classifications societies. Further, the amendment would authorize the Coast Guard to issue regulations to require a pilot to carry on board the vessel he or she is operating a computer equipped with electronic charts of the navigation areas the vessel will transit. I would strongly support this amendment, and I thank the sponsors and thank the chairman for sponsoring it.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I support this amendment, also. Under section 7-105 of title 46, United States Code, the Department of Homeland Security is required to issue a biometric credential to individuals who are authorized to have unescorted access to secure areas, vessels and facilities. And some people are unable to accomplish that. I was just talking to my aid, who said that she went to see the rollout and they didn't pick up her fingerprints, which was a bad day for them. And so I think we have to address this. We will work to ensure that this amendment would not alter the standards in which a TWIC is issued in any way; however, we need to provide options for individuals whose fingerprints, like my aid's, cannot be used to authenticate the cards. I strongly support the amendment, and we will tweak the TWIC. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. I want to thank the chairman for yielding. And as chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, I rise today in strong support of the amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 2830, the Coast Guard Authorization Act. I want to thank Chairman Oberstar for his inspired leadership of the Transportation Committee. I also thank Chairman Thompson for his leadership on the Homeland Security Committee. Further, I thank my ranking member of the Transportation Committee, Mr. Mica. And I give special thanks to Congressman LaTourette for his service as the ranking member of the Coast Guard Subcommittee. And certainly I thank Congressman King. Throughout the 110th Congress, I've led the subcommittee in examining the many ways in which the Coast Guard, our thin blue line at sea, has been stretched since 9/11. The amendment in the nature of a substitute before us today responds directly to the issues we have examined by ensuring that the Coast Guard has the expertise and resources necessary to perform all of its missions effectively and efficiently. The legislation would authorize $8.4 billion for the Coast Guard and authorize an increase in the total number of military personnel to 47,000. Our subcommittee has become deeply concerned that the area where the Coast Guard is becoming thinnest is in marine safety, the function responsible for protecting lives, property and the environment at sea. The declines in this program have become shockingly evident when the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General found that the Coast Guard dispatched three individuals who were not qualified to conduct an investigation to respond to the ship that hit the San Francisco Bay Bridge and subsequently spilled 54,000 gallons of fuel into the Bay. Without taking away any of the resources or the flexibility that the Coast Guard needs to perform any other mission, including securing our ports, the amendment in the nature of a substitute requires that individuals who ensure the safety of the maritime industry prepare for these highly technical jobs by meeting requisite training standards. The bill also requires that as new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals are approved, all of the resources necessary to adequately secure these terminals are in place. I emphasize that these provisions will not impede the development of any new project. They will simply ensure that security requirements are met before new terminals become operational. Further, H.R. 2830 will set new and increasingly stringent standards for the treatment of ballast water through which invasive species have been introduced to some of our Nation's most fragile marine environments, such as the Chesapeake Bay. It will also give mariners the right to have cases involving the potential suspension or revocation of their professional credentials heard by the National Transportation Safety Board's administrative law judge system. These provisions respond to compelling testimony from former Coast Guard ALJs indicating that they did not work in an environment that supported their exercise of judicial independence. Mariners who are unsafe should not be on our Nation's waterways, but fair treatment must be assured to all individuals in any legal proceeding. And the transfer of the Coast Guard's ALJ function to the National Transportation Safety Board will avoid even the potential appearance of unfairness. Finally, the amendment takes significant new steps to ensure that our Nation's ``shield of freedom'' resembles the nation it is defending. The bill would require applicants to the Coast Guard Academy to be nominated by Members of Congress or other authorities. This, in conjunction with expanded minority recruiting efforts, would draw students from all of our Nation's communities to the academy, beginning the process that the Commandant himself has said is needed to expand minorities at all ranks of the more than 6,000-member officer corps from the current number of 827. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, it is my honor to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 2830, which will set standards that will ensure the Coast Guard performs at the level it expects of itself while also providing the resources necessary to enable the service to fulfill all of its missions.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. I want to thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Coast Guard Subcommittee, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1126 which provides a rule for the consideration of H.R. 2830 and makes in order an amendment in the nature of a substitute. The base text of H.R. 2830, which was ordered to be reported by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in June 2007, already includes many significant provisions to strengthen the Coast Guard and respond to challenges we face in maritime transportation. For example, the bill, as reported, includes standards to prevent the continued introduction of invasive species in U.S. waters through ballast water. The bill creates an ombudsman in each Coast Guard district to serve as a liaison between the Coast Guard and the port community. And the bill introduces critical measures to improve the safety of the United States fishing industry, one of our Nation's deadliest professions. The amendment in the nature of a substitute adds critical titles that address specific issues considered by the Committee on Transportation and the Coast Guard Subcommittee after the bill was reported. Specifically, the amendment includes titles that strengthen both the Coast Guard's homeland security functions and its maritime safety missions. The amendment in the nature of a substitute also transfers the appeals of cases in which the Coast Guard decides to spend or revoke a mariner's credential to a neutral agency, the National Transportation Safety Board. Further, the amendment includes the text of H.R. 2722, the Integrated Deepwater Program Reform Act which previously passed the House by a vote of 426-0 and which would strengthen the Coast Guard's ability to manage the $24 billion, 25-year Deepwater procurements. Similarly, the amendment includes the text of the Maritime Pollution Prevent Act to reduce emissions from ships. This measure also previously passed the House. Adoption of H. Res. 1126 would enable the House to consider long-overdue legislation to authorize the Coast Guard and to strengthen our U.S. maritime industry, and I urge its adoption.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Public Health Week and to applaud the passage of legislation to address health issues that impact the quality of life of all Americans. I commend my colleagues for joining me in passing critical health care legislation to improve the lives of Americans, from the youngest to the oldest among us, by increasing their access to care. It is fitting that we address this legislation during National Public Health Week, a time when our attention is focused on the critical need to improve public health. I think it is also fitting that we recognize this week while we remember Ryan White, who died 18 years ago yesterday. This brave young man, whose namesake, the Ryan White CARE Act, has saved so many from the ravages of HIV/AIDS, taught us all an important lesson about our personal roles in improving the public's health. I am the sponsor of two bills that passed this week, the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Act, which amends the Public Health Service Act regarding early detection, diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, and the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Management Act, which provides schools with guidelines on how to create appropriate management and emergency plans for children with food allergies. I also support the following bills that were adopted by the House this week: The Wakefield Act, which amends the Public Health Service Act to improve emergency services for children who need treatment for trauma or critical care; The Cytology Proficiency Improvement Act, which provides revised standards for quality assurance in screening and evaluation of gynecologic cytology preparations to ensure that health care professionals who screen and interpret tests for cervical cancer are skilled in today's medical technology; Reauthorization of the Traumatic Brain Injury Act, which provides for the expansion and improvement of traumatic brain injury programs by providing grants to States to support the treatment and rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury patients. The Safety of Seniors Act, which directs the United States Department of Health and Human Services to oversee and support education campaigns focused on reducing falls and preventing repeat falls among older Americans; And finally, the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act, which establishes grant programs to provide for education and outreach on newborn screening and coordinated follow-up care once newborn screening has been conducted. These bills will make great strides in ensuring the public's health and the essential mission of our Nation. Without health, children cannot grow to be all that God meant for them to be, adults cannot fulfill their role as contributing members of our society, and our elderly cannot peacefully live out their golden years. If one were to ask any of us to list those things that might be the enemy of our destiny, we would all have to agree that poor health would be at the top of the list. For this reason, I will continue to fight for the expansion of quality health care programs to help ensure that every American can benefit from a more vibrant and productive quality of life.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding, and I associate myself with the words that have already been spoken by all of my colleagues. My last colleague who spoke, I just want Mr. Scott, as I listened to him I could not help but think about the first chapter of Habakkuk, fifth verse, and in that verse it says that God says that He will do miracles and He will do it during our time, and if He were to tell us what those miracles would be, we would not believe Him. I rise in support of this resolution, sponsored by the distinguished gentleman from Georgia, commemorating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King on the 40th anniversary of his assassination. Mr. Speaker, young Americans of this time are the third generation to come of age since Representative John Lewis and other brave young Americans worked with Dr. King to lead America from inequity towards justice and from violence toward a more peace-filled world. We have been inspired and heartened to witness the young people of our time engaged in the democratic process this year like no other. They are renewing Dr. King's message and are crying out to us in Dr. King's voice, through the often harsh realities of their lives. I must submit to you, Mr. Speaker, that whatever their ethnic backgrounds may be, far too many of these idealistic young Americans are being subjected to the most crippling segregation of all, the segregation from opportunity that is the inevitable result of poverty. I've often said that our children are the living messages we send to a future we will never see. And Mr. Speaker, this new, energized, and determined generation is also challenging the foreign policies of this great Nation, even as Dr. King challenged American foreign policy four decades ago. In this spirit, Mr. Speaker, I join Representative Lewis, a true American hero who put his own life and safety on the line for these American principles, and I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting this resolution. In doing so, we honor Dr. King and his legacy to America through our actions, as well as through our words. And as it was said in Habakkuk, miracles will happen. The question is whether we will believe in them and do as Dr. King did. Dr. King looked out, and he was not blinded by what he saw, but he saw things that others did not see, but more significantly, he took his vision and put it in the form of a mission and accomplished much.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule for the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007. The time is long past due for Congress to, once and for all, act to end discrimination against patients seeking treatment for mental illness and addiction. More than 57 million Americans suffer from mental illness and more than 26 million suffer from addiction. Unfortunately, our Nation's investment in services for individuals with mental illness and addiction has not kept pace with the trend. Last year, untreated mental illness cost the U.S. economy over $150 billion, and untreated addiction cost over $400 billion. H.R. 1424 reverses this trend by guaranteeing that plans cover the same range of mental illnesses and addiction disorders offered by the Federal employee health plan that Members of Congress use; prohibiting insurers and group health plans from imposing treatment of financial limitations when they offer mental health benefits that are more restrictive from those applied to medical and surgical services; and creating medical management tools that are based on valid medical evidence and pertinent to the patient's medical condition so that specific coverage is not arbitrary and is more transparent to the patient. This is a piece of legislation that is critically important to our Nation and to my constituents. Just the other day I received a letter from a Mr. Smith in my district, whose son, a 16-year-old, was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Last spring Mr. Smith's son started using marijuana and used it increasingly as the months progressed in what was described as self- medication. His grades dropped and he withdrew from his friends and showed other signs of substance abuse. When his parents placed him in an outpatient counseling facility, Mr. Smith learned, to his surprise, that the necessary treatment was not covered under his employer-based health insurance. After that counseling proved ineffective, he sent his son to a facility for in- patient treatment which cost approximately $25,000. This legislation is very important, and I would urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the rule and the legislation.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, today, I congratulate an exceptional high school choir in my district, the Baltimore City College High School Concert Choir of Baltimore, Maryland, which has been chosen to perform at New York City's legendary Carnegie Hall on March 10, 2008. Baltimore City College High School Concert Choir was selected out of dozens of high school choirs across the country for this performance. The concert will feature 200 students from four states, and is the capstone of Carnegie Hall's yearlong National High School Choral Festival. The concert will be conducted by Dr. Craig Jessop, esteemed Music Director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, who has been working with the choirs and their conductors throughout the year. Apart from their world-renowned performances, Carnegie Hall brings innovative music education programs to students across the nation. I am delighted that these young constituents have been given this opportunity. Led by Linda R. Hall, the Baltimore City College High School Concert Choir performs repertoire drawn from all periods and musical genres and has performed on television, radio, and stages all along the Eastern seaboard and in Canada. The choir has shared the stage with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Morgan State University Choir, and the Baltimore Choral Arts, and has participated in numerous competitions and adjudications at which they have consistently received superior ratings and numerous awards. The choir has also traveled abroad, performing in Italy, France, and Spain. Choir members adhere to the standards of commitment, consistency, conditioning, cooperation, communication, character, and confidence. I am honored to have one of the four schools in the nation chosen for the Carnegie Hall National High School Choral Festival residing in the 7th Congressional District of Maryland, which I represent. They should be proud not only of their musical achievement, but their embodiment of the quality musical education the State of Maryland provides. I commend these students and their leaders for their success, and wish them the best of luck on March 10 when they perform at Carnegie Hall.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, on February 12, 2008, due to obligations in the district, I missed the following recorded votes: Roll No. 43, on H. Res. 954--Honoring the life of senior Border Patrol agent Luis A. Aguilar, who lost his life in the line of duty near Yuma, Arizona, on January 19, 2008; had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Roll No. 44, on H. Res. 909--Commemorating the courage of the Haitian soldiers that fought for American independence in the ``Siege of Savannah,'' and for Haiti's independence and renunciation of slavery; had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Roll No. 45, on H. Con. Res. 281--Celebrating the birth of Abraham Lincoln and recognizing the prominence the Declaration of Independence played in the development of Abraham Lincoln's beliefs; had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her leadership and to you, Chairman Frank, and all of the members of the committee. Madam Chairman, this is a very important piece of legislation involving what we have, HOPE VI projects. And I just want to correct Mr. Bachus. Two of those projects are within six blocks of my house, so I deal with these folks every day. I talk to them. I wish we had more HOPE VI projects because I will never forget when we opened one of them. The area had been drug infested, a highrise, and when we opened it up, literally a lot of residents came back and they were crying because they were going to move in. There were others who couldn't move in because we did not have enough housing. I will never forget that day. I said this is like having Andy of Mayberry in the middle of our community. And it is. Children are able to play. Men staying out late at night playing checkers. People can leave their bikes out. A wonderful life and giving hope. That's what it's all about. So I want to thank Ms. Waters and Chairman Frank for including in this legislation, as part of their manager's amendment, certain items that we included. And I want to thank you very much for your leadership.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to share my strong support of H.R 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act. As we near the end of the holiday shopping season, the critical nature of this legislation cannot be overstated. 2007 truly has been the Year of Toxic Toys, and I join my colleagues, as well as parents across the nation in expressing extreme alarm at not only the number--more than 2 million--of toys that have been recalled, but also at the names that have been associated with them--Toys 'R Us, Fisher Price, and Mattel. Madam Speaker, these are not just random toys being picked up at some dime store; these are toys being produced by popular, long-established companies whose names parents trust. Sadly, it appears that this trust may be misplaced. Toxic levels of lead in the paint have been detected on the popular Thomas the Tank Engine. GHB--the date rape drug--was found in the popular Aqua Dots, at levels high enough to put children in comas. I could offer seemingly endless examples of the atrocities that have been lining the shelves of our toy stores--and of our children's bedrooms-- with more regard being placed on profit over protecting children's health. But, Madam Speaker, I will focus instead on something more alarming than these toys themselves: how they are getting into the market in the first place. Madam Speaker, we have an agency called the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Let me re-emphasize this--the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Its name alone suggests protection against hazardous products, so how is it possible that parents are purchasing toys with 200 times the legal level of lead? How is it possible, that more than two million toys were able to slip past this agency, which by definition is charged with being a watchdog for our--and our children's--safety? The answer, Madam Speaker, is that under the current administration and the previous leadership in Congress, the CPSC has seen drastic cuts in funding. More disturbing than the lax oversight of safety is the chairwoman of the CPSC, Nancy Nord, voicing opposition to increased funding or authority. I cannot say that I have met anyone who is opposed to getting more money--especially when the person in question is charged with an agency whose mission is so critical--and especially when this agency has one person--one person--assigned to testing toys. Madam Speaker, only 15 inspectors are policing the hundreds of points of entry for our imported toys--and I might add that 80 percent of toys in the U.S. are imported from China. The CPSC has only 85 percent of the employees it had in 2004, and only half of the employees it had 30 years ago. This is shocking to the conscience and completely unacceptable. If Ms. Nord and the CPSC are unwilling to do what they ought to do, we must step in and do it ourselves. Our young people's health and futures depend on it. With H.R. 4040, we are taking steps to protect our most vulnerable consumer: our children. This legislation bans all but trace amounts of lead in toys and children's jewelry. It strengthens the CPSC's ability to notify consumers about dangerous products more quickly and more widely. It bans the importation of toys or other children's products that have not been tested and do not conform to U.S. standards--meaning no more toys containing the date rape drug. And, although Ms. Nord did not want any monetary gifts, we will be stuffing the CPSC's stocking with much needed supplemental funding this holiday season. In closing, I thank my friend and colleague, Representative Rush for understanding the current crisis and for introducing this much needed legislation. Madam Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 4040. Let's come together to ensure that 2009 is the Year of Safe Consumerism.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, tonight I rise to pay tribute to a great American who fought tirelessly against injustice and inequality, using education as both his sword and his shield. Charles D. Tildon, Jr., left this Earth on December 15, 2007, at the age of 81. Affectionately known as Charlie, he was born in my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, to Charles G. Tildon, Sr., a preacher, and Estrom Elizabeth Tildon, a teacher. His belief in the power of education was formed at a very young age. He and his brother, Dr. Tyson Tildon, were raised to pursue excellence, despite living in an era of overt and permeating racism. Not only did they pursue excellence, but they achieved it in every task they took on. Both brothers, now reunited in heaven, embodied the virtues of dignity, integrity, and brilliance. Charlie received a degree in biology from the then Morgan State College and graduated from Frederick Douglass High School. He had a long and successful career that culminated with the post of the president of Baltimore City College, from which he retired in 1985. Along the way, he held positions as a middle school science teacher, associate director of Provident Hospital, executive director of the Maryland Service Corps, and assistant secretary of the Maryland Department of Human Resources. His career trajectory as well as his community engagement were fueled by his desire to help others reach their fullest potential. Charles Tildon was indeed a trailblazer. In 1969, he became one of the first African American trustees for the Maryland Institute College of Arts. He also contributed his talents and his time to several community organizations, including Associated Black Charities and Open Society Institute. He combined his leadership capabilities with a passion for justice to help organize movements for social change. He was a founding member of the organization BLEWS, the Black/Jewish Forum of Baltimore, which was created in 1978 as an effort to overcome estrangement between African Americans and Jews. Charlie Tildon understood the importance of having these two communities come together in order to build mutual trust and understanding. He recognized that we are all more alike than we are different, and that by working together we bring out the very best in ourselves and in others. I was blessed to call Charlie my mentor and my friend. He was a role model to me and so many others. He taught us that our intellect is our greatest strength and, with it, we have a voice that we cannot be silenced. He also taught us that there are trying moments in our lives when we simply cannot remain silent. He co-edited a collection of essays called Clairvoyance: Reweaving the Fabric of the Community for Black Folk. This visionary blueprint included discussions by some of Baltimore's most gifted thinkers about the relationship between our schools and the community in which we live. It concluded that we must become a community of learning if we are to become a society in which all people have the opportunity to succeed. Clairvoyance is just one example of how Charlie put education at the forefront of a march for human rights which everyone can join. I fervently believe in our responsibility to create communities of learning to provide all children with equal educational opportunity and to teach them how to use their minds to overcome bigotry and hatred. Charlie helped to shape that belief. Not only did he selflessly serve his community, but he cherished his role as a husband and as a father. I know I speak for all of those who had the privilege of knowing Charlie when I say his presence in our lives was present enough. He saw his life as a vessel to help others to succeed. I can think of no greater legacy. My prayers are with his wife of 49 years, Louise Tildon, his son Charles Tildon III, and his two grandchildren and his entire family. I thank them for sharing him with us, and I thank God for Charles Tildon's life of extraordinary service and unbounded grace.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 853, authored by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to honor those who volunteered to help clean up the thousands of gallons of oil spilled from the COSCO BUSAN after it collided with the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on November 7, 2007. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, I chaired a special hearing of the Subcommittee in San Francisco to take a comprehensive look at the circumstances surrounding that terrible oil spill. I know that San Francisco Bay is as near to the hearts of local residents as the Chesapeake Bay is to Maryland residents, and I know that it was a love for the Bay, its wildlife, and its sensitive environmental areas that motivated local residents to volunteer to join the effort to protect these resources from the 58,000 gallons of oil headed toward them. Unfortunately, a number of the organizational difficulties that plagued the initial response to this spill appear to have also affected the deployment of volunteers in the area. We await the results of a number of on-going investigations of this oil spill--including studies being conducted by the Coast Guard itself, the National Transportation Safety Board and, at the request of the Speaker and myself, the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security. As results become available, we are committed to making whatever changes are needed to ensure that the lessons learned from this tragedy inform preparations for the next oil spill--which we know will come. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of H. Res. 853 and I again commend Speaker Pelosi, Congresswoman Tauscher, and the entire Bay Area Delegation for their leadership on this issue. I also commend the many organizations and individuals throughout the San Francisco Bay region who volunteered to respond to this spill.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Energy Independence and Security Act and the long-overdue measures it contains--including reasonable increases in CAFE standards--to help our Nation conserve energy and to lower the energy costs that weigh so heavily on our citizens. I applaud Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Oberstar, and all of the Members who have worked on this measure for their foresighted leadership on this Act and for their dedication to completing the hard work necessary to bring this Act to the floor today. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, I will draw particular attention to the Short Sea Shipping Initiative created in this Act. This Initiative will support the expansion of short sea shipping-- which is simply the alliterative name of shipping voyages between two points in the United States or between Canada and the United States. At the present time, trucks carry nearly 70 percent of the freight tonnage transported in the United States. By contrast, the most highly developed water freight transportation routes in the U.S.--those running on the Mississippi River, the Great Lakes, and the St. Lawrence Seaway--carry just 13 percent of freight tonnage in the United States. The Short Sea Shipping Initiative seeks to make water a mode competitive with roads and rails by supporting the development of the vessels used in short sea shipping voyages as well as of the port and landside infrastructure needed to load and unload those vessels. Specifically, the Act will make vessels built under the Jones Act in the United States eligible for assistance from the Capital Construction Fund administered by the United States Maritime Administration, MARAD. As I know there has been debate on this point, I emphasize that MARAD shall exercise sole authority to determine issues relating to operation of a qualified program vessel in the short sea trade. We further expect that to ensure this program is initiated right away, the Secretary of Transportation shall work to revise current regulations to conform to this legislation while also approving Fund contributions and withdrawals related to eligible short sea shipping transportation projects immediately. As I close, I want to note that additional measures can still be taken to promote the development of short sea shipping. Perhaps the most important among them is to exempt these voyages from the Harbor Maintenance Tax. H.R. 1499, which I authored, would achieve that exemption and I thank Chairman Charlie Rangel for continuing to work with me to advance this legislation. I again commend Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Oberstar, and all who have worked so diligently to help reduce our dependence on foreign and non- renewable energy sources. With that, I urge adoption of the Energy Independence and Security Act.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1585, the National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, for Fiscal Year 2008. This legislation is vital to preventing terrorism and suppressing potential rogue states by updating our defense systems, which will in turn protect the future of our Nation and our men and women at home. The ill-advised war in Iraq has put historic strains on our armed services. Our readiness is at an all-time low not witnessed since the 1970s. The Army National Guard is operating with only 56 percent of its overall equipment needs. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, the funding and enactment of this bill is crucial. By authorizing $692.3 billion for defense and energy-defense related initiatives in 2008, this bill will strengthen our military. It will also honor our veterans with the efficient and cutting edge health care they more than deserve. I am proud to say that an amendment that I introduced during the consideration of the NDAA before the House Committee on Armed Services makes certain that the voices of veterans are heard by vesting the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs with the power to appoint two members to the oversight board that will evaluate the current system and care provided to our veterans and active servicemembers. Working diligently with the House Armed Services Committee, many of my recommendations to the NDAA bill regarding Operation Iraqi Freedom are included in the baseline text of this bill. Namely, these recommendations address the need for proper oversight of the reconstruction efforts, putting an end to slanted no-bid contracts, along with the sharing and distribution of oil revenue resources to the Iraqi people so as to foster adequate reconstruction and facilitate national reconciliation. Moreover, I am proud to have worked with my friend and colleague on the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Loebsack, in the adoption of our joint amendment at full committee, which requires Secretary Gates, General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker to provide perpetual reports to Congress on the status and implementation of the Joint Campaign Plan, JCP, and the Iraqi Government's efforts to implement political reform until the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq. As such this amendment ensures that Congress is supplied with (1) the information necessary to provide proper and constructive oversight of our progress in Iraq, (2) sheds light on the conditions faced by our troops on the ground, and (3) supplies Congress with the crucial information needed to determine a responsible and timely troop redeployment. While violence has dropped in Iraq, there is a window of opportunity for the Iraqi Government to make serious strides to achieve political reform and in doing so strategically bring our troops home. Therefore, while we continue to urge this administration to shift policy in Iraq to one that is driven by multilateral and bilateral diplomatic initiatives, we must also ensure that our remaining troops in Iraq are supplied with the support that they need. This bill provides over $17.6 billion for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and $8 billion to buy medium and heavy tactical trucks fast enough to replace battle losses and to meet National Guard requirements, which are currently at dangerously low levels. Mr. Speaker, while we may be divided on the war in Iraq, we, must be united in guaranteeing that our brave men and women in uniform are well rested, well trained and well equipped--and that our veterans receive the services they deserve. We must also be united in ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent as effectively and efficiently as possible. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this critical defense bill.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great admiration and respect to recognize a dear friend and one of the Nation's most distinguished citizens, Dr. Alfred C.D. Vaughn, for his 50 years of service to God as a preacher, teacher, leader, and friend. For the last 21 years, Dr. Vaughn has been the cherished pastor of the Sharon Baptist Church, located in my hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. As grace would have it, this is the same church that his grandmother joined in 1894 and of which his mother became a member in 1911. Dr. Vaughn, known as the dean of ministers in Baltimore, is one of thirteen children of Mildred and Robert Vaughn. He received Christ at the tender age of 11. Just 8 years later, he was licensed to preach and began a glorious journey of teaching and preaching God's Holy Word. He first served as pastor of Promise Land Baptist Church in Moneta, Virginia. For 18 years he then led the congregation of Grace Memorial Baptist Church in Baltimore before accepting the calling in 1986 to return home as the visionary pastor of the Sharon Baptist Church. Throughout his career as a minister, the pursuit of a quality education has always been his priority. Dr. Vaughn earned an AB-BD degree from Virginia Seminary and College, a master of divinity degree and a doctor of ministry degree from Southern University, and he has been awarded four honorary degrees. It has been said that ``you show people who you are by what you do.'' Throughout his entire life, Dr. Vaughn has demonstrated to the world, with sincere humility and steadfast determination, his commitment to helping others to be the very best that they can be. Recognizing the need for accessible child care in his community, Dr. Vaughn converted a building near Sharon Baptist Church into a family support center that houses a child care facility and operates other community service programs. He also spearheaded efforts to raise thousands of dollars to send students to college, adopt a local elementary school, and provide after-school programs, local food pantry programs and foreign missions. However, Dr. Vaughn's accomplishments and achievements reach far beyond the walls of his church. He served as commissioner for the Housing Authority of Baltimore City for 10 years. He was appointed as trustee and as treasurer of Provident Hospital and as trustee of the Community College of Baltimore. He served on the board of directors of the Afro-American Newspapers, and he currently serves as chairman of the board of trustees of Eastern Theological Seminary. As a testament to his leadership, Dr. Vaughn was recently elected, for an unprecedented eighth time, to serve as president of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Baltimore and Vicinity, an organization which represents some 250,000 congregants. Outside of serving the Lord and leading souls to His kingdom, Pastor Vaughn's greatest joy comes from his family. He has been blessed with 44 years of blissful marriage to his wife, Lillian. They have three children, Corrogan Vaughn, Lynnette Vaughn, and Cassandra Vaughn-Fox; a son-in-law, Larry Fox, Jr.; and three wonderful grandchildren. Whenever I see Pastor Vaughn in the community, his grandchildren are not far behind. No matter what his daily commitments may be, he picks them up from school every day and spends quality time with them, sharing his wisdom and his love. Baltimore is truly blessed to be able to call a stalwart such as Dr. Alfred C.D. Vaughn one of our very own. As a son of two preachers, I can say with certainty that it is fitting to give God praise for this dynamic leader. For 50 years he has preached the Gospel with truth and honor, not to glorify himself but to save souls and make others' lives better. He is the kind of man who, just by his presence, makes us want to stand taller and reach for the very best that is within us. As my father once said, he is a man whose presence is presence enough. I am honored that God allowed our lives to eclipse. And today I thank Pastor Vaughn on behalf of Baltimore and our entire Nation for his dedication, commitment to God and his church and his community.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of this legislation, and I thank my colleague Mr. Green for sponsoring it. As chairman of the Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, I was recently outraged about an incident that happened at the Coast Guard Academy that has been referenced here earlier where a noose was left in the bag of an African American cadet, and then a training diversity officer, a noose was left in her bag also. Following these incidents, I went to the head of the Coast Guard, Admiral Thad Allen, and at my request he and I visited the academy to remind the cadets that despite their numerous accomplishments, they will be judged by their weakest link. I stressed that any attack against our Nation's defenders weakens and endangers us all. I also talked to them about the strength of our Nation as a free people and of their decision to put on the uniform of the United States Coast Guard, symbolizing their duty to defend and uphold the right of every person in our Nation to live in freedom, security and respect. In my own life, I have learned through personal experience more about the devastating impact of racial hatred than anyone should learn. And this is what I know: Racism is an evil that seeks to destroy the possibility that exists in every human being. Mr. Speaker, in this time of integration and prosperity, some have regretfully forgotten the negative stigma surrounding the noose and why it cannot be displayed in jest. It is important to remind these few that over 4,700 people were lynched in the United States between 1882 and 1959. And while the majority of lynching victims were African Americans, many Italians, Jews and Mexicans have been lynched throughout this Nation's history as well. The noose is a symbol of oppression, hatred and intimidation for many racial and ethnic groups, and we cannot tolerate its display. We must respond to these incidents with determination and clarity, and H. Res. 826 is just one positive step in that direction.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to adopt House Resolution 822 and to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Port of Los Angeles. I want to thank you, Mr. LaTourette, for yielding time, and you, Ms. Richardson, for your very, very fine work which I will get back to in a moment. During its first century, the Port of Los Angeles has grown to become a massive freight processing complex encompassing 27 cargo terminals which handle more than 43 percent of all the goods arriving in the United States. By any metric, the size of operations at the Port of Los Angeles is simply staggering. Over just the past 11 years, as part of the San Pedro Bay Port Complex, the port has grown 246 percent, generating $256 billion in commerce and $28 billion in tax revenue. That is simply astounding. Already the largest container terminal in the United States, the port handled more than 8.5 million 20-foot container units last year alone. By 2030, the port complex is expected to triple its cargo handling activities again. Not surprisingly, the port is an industry leader in all aspects of transportation. In 2002, the port was a principal partner of the $2.5 billion Alameda Corridor project, which connected the port to America's transcontinental rail system with a 20-mile rail expressway. Created through a partnership with local, regional and statewide agencies, this project epitomizes the multi-modal connections that are essential to speeding and easing freight movements through our Nation's ports. The port has also undertaken a dedicated effort to address the impacts of its operations on the local environment through the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan, which is intended to reduce air pollution from port activities by nearly 50 percent in 5 years. The action plan is the world's first program proposed to significantly reduce health risks around a major port by combating regional air pollution from port-related operations. I also want to take a moment to salute Ms. Richardson. She has, without a doubt, I think it was Ms. Lee that said that she came in and hit the ground running. I say she hit the ground flying, including her work just recently with me. When we visited San Francisco, she was the only other subcommittee member who attended the special field hearing convened by our subcommittee to examine the terrible oil spill in San Francisco Bay. Ms. Richardson ably represents California's 37th Congressional District, including the interests of the Port of Los Angeles as evidenced through her work on the resolution before us today. I shall never forget in her opening statement on the floor in the well of this House, one of the things that she mentioned, Madam Speaker, was that she wanted to make sure that the port and the port's interests in her district were well situated and that they were made better by her presence in this great House. And so I want to applaud her for her efforts. I want to thank her for her insight, and I am so, so excited that she is part of the subcommittee which I chair. And with that, Madam Speaker, I thank her and I thank my ranking member on our subcommittee.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for the goals and ideals of World AIDS Day, which took place on Saturday, December 1. I also want to thank my distinguished colleague, Congresswoman Barbara Lee of California, for her leadership in organizing this message hour and for introducing a resolution commemorating the occasion, which I have cosponsored. Nineteen years after the first World Aids Day and more than 25 years since the AIDS epidemic began, the need to spread the message about this devastating disease is as critical as ever. Worldwide, the United National Programme on HIV/AIDS estimates that 33.2 million people are living with the disease, 2.5 million of whom are newly infected. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 1 million individuals are living with HIV/ AIDS. Tragically, communities of color and African Americans in particular are disproportionately impacted. African Americans are currently more likely to suffer from this disease, and the race gap is growing as we speak. Despite the fact that African Americans constitute approximately 13 percent of the total United States population, they account for over 44 percent of all persons living with AIDS and 49 percent of all new HIV/ AIDS diagnoses. This trend is illustrated when the numbers are examined by subgroup as well. The CDC found in 2005 that women represented 26 percent of all new HIV/AIDS infections, with African American women 25 times more likely to be infected than white women and accounting for 64 percent of all women living with HIV/AIDS. A 2005 CDC study of 1,700 gay men in five cities found that African American men were infected at nearly twice the rate of whites, 46 percent compared to 25 percent. In my hometown of Baltimore, only an hour's drive away, 8 percent of the men interviewed had become infected in the previous year, the highest rate in any city surveyed. These trends persist despite there being little difference between the sexual practices of white and African American gay men. Racial disparities in HIV and AIDS can be attributed at least in part to the same factors that contribute to racial disparities in overall public health: poor access to life-saving care. Researchers find that African Americans are more likely to be infected with other sexually transmitted diseases, which makes them more likely to catch or transmit HIV. Further, African Americans are less likely to be taking antiretroviral medications which can lower the concentration of the virus in the bloodstream, thereby decreasing the risk of transmission. Madam Speaker, we cannot afford to ignore these troubling trends any longer. Nearly a quarter of a century after HIV emerged, it continues to wreak havoc upon communities across the world. We must remain vigilant in our efforts to stamp out this global pandemic for the benefit of generations yet unborn.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, we are all well acquainted with the Mark Twain quote, ``Everyone talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it.'' I think the 21st century equivalent of Mr. Twain's words might be, ``Everyone talks about physical fitness but far too few do anything about it.'' There is strong evidence that increased physical fitness not only benefits the individual, but our society and our economy as well. Increased physical fitness not only reduces the risk of heart disease but it also reduces the risk of developing diabetes and can help control Type II Diabetes. Additionally, physical fitness can help older adults build stronger bones and develop muscle; thereby lessening the severity of any fall. Physical fitness also increases worker productivity, contributes to lower workplace absenteeism and improves mental health. A physically fit society also lowers Federal spending to combat diseases like heart disease or hypertension that affect so many of our Medicaid patients. The importance of physical activity as a benefit to all was recently highlighted by a new study on the economic burden of chronic disease, authored by the Milken Institute. Its findings are stark--the incidence and costs of chronic disease are rising rapidly. If nothing is done to increase the level of fitness in the Nation, the costs of treating the associated diseases will grow by 42 percent over the next decade. According to the Milken Institute study, we need to move our health care system to one that provides incentives for prevention, wellness and focuses on achieving a healthy body weight. It is evident that an increased amount of physical fitness contributes materially to these goals. Furthermore, as Members of Congress, we should be looking at how to best effectively improve physical fitness. One way is to remove any inequities under Federal law that prevents the promotion of physical fitness. Two inequities currently exist. First, gym memberships that employees provide for off-site facilities are taxable to the employee as a benefit while those in-house are not-- a clear disincentive for both companies and individuals to work fitness into the work day. Second, flexible spending accounts can not be used for physical fitness equipment or activities. Thus, we have a situation where you can use a flexible spending account on medicines to treat illnesses such as diabetes but the funds can not be used to increase the opportunity to exercise, which often controls and sometimes can prevent disease. In both cases, legislation is currently pending before the Ways and Means Committee to correct these inequities. I urge the members of the Committee and its leadership to consider them expeditiously and to disprove Mark Twain's reworked adage.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. I want to thank the gentleman for yielding. And I also want to associate myself with the words of the lady from Texas who just spoke. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the bill. To date, President Bush has asked us for a total of $804 billion for fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yesterday, the Joint Economic Committee, the committee on which I sit, concluded in a report that the real economic cost of these wars is $1.6 trillion. However, there are numerous hidden costs that could potentially bring the grand total to $3.5 trillion. In response to the President's failing new strategy in Iraq and wasteful spending, Congress has chosen instead to ensure strict accountability. We have heard the American people and have chosen to exercise fiscal responsibility by considering this vitally important legislation. Namely, the bill limits funding in the amount of $50 billion, in comparison to the President's original supplemental request of $196.4 billion, to continue our military operations in Iraq, while ensuring that the responsible and strategic redeployment of our forces begins no later than 30 days from the date of enactment. It also provides troops with the resources needed for continued protection from improvised explosive devices. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to exercise their responsibility to the American people, to over 3,800 brave soldiers, 71 from Maryland who have died and who have paid the ultimate price, and to more than 2.3 million Iraqis who have fled their homes, by supporting the rule and voting in favor of this legislation.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the House on the passage of H.R. 1593, the Second Chance Act. I congratulate my colleague from Illinois, Mr. Danny Davis, who has worked so long and so hard on this legislation. I am also proud to be a cosponsor of this legislation because so many of our citizens who have been led off course deserve a second chance. While the Nation's crime rates have fallen over the last decade, there has been an unprecedented explosion in prison and jail populations, of which 650,000 men and women are released from State and Federal prisons each year, and an even larger number of people are being released from our local jails. These individuals are arriving on the doorsteps of my neighborhood in Baltimore and in neighborhoods across this great country. Unfortunately, we are failing to integrate far too many of these returning neighbors into the economic and social life of our communities. And, as a result, they are returning to crime and, before long, returning to prison. Nearly two-thirds of released prisoners are expected to be rearrested for felony or serious misdemeanor within 3 years of release. Such high recidivism rates translate into thousands of new crimes each year, at least half of which can be averted through improved prisoner reentry efforts. For me, these statistics are not nameless and faceless people. They are very real. I live in the inner city of Baltimore, where approximately 700 to 800 former prisoners are reentering our neighborhoods from prison every month. A lot of good work is being done in the City of Baltimore to move these individuals on the path to productive citizenship; however, we can do much more and we can do better. The Second Chance Act will do just that by addressing critical breakdowns in the services provided. The legislation will strengthen overall efforts to reduce recidivism, increase public safety, and help States and cities to better address the growing population of ex- offenders returning to our communities. The bill focuses on development and support of programs that provide alternatives to incarceration, expand the availability of substance abuse treatment, strengthen families, and expand comprehensive reentry services. We must end the vicious cycle of recidivism for the benefit of our communities and, indeed, our country. This is an issue that touches many of the problems that our society faces every day. Take, for example, the scourge of illicit drugs; 70 to 80 percent of offenders reentering the community have histories of substance abuse. And if the treatment they need is not sought or available upon release, relapse is likely. Prison reentry programs are on the front lines of our national war on drugs, and they are desperately needed in communities like Baltimore City where this war has become increasingly violent. Ex-offenders need help to make a smooth transition into civilian life. Once they make that transition, they have the potential to serve as critical resources to our communities, acting as mentors to our young people and working to unravel the same criminal network to which they once belonged. Reentry programs produce successful outcomes for our communities and our citizens, but they are also cost effective. Taxpayer dollars that could go to providing education, health care, or other vitally important services are instead going to support the costly criminal justice system. According to the Bureau of Justice statistics, expenditures on corrections alone increased from $9 billion in 1992 to $44 billion in 1997. Those numbers have continued to rise over the past decade. We stand to save billions of taxpayer dollars by reducing recidivism rates by steering our ex- offenders away from a life of crime and into a productive society. Every human being deserves a second chance to turn his or her life around. That is why I am so glad that we have passed H.R. 1593, the Second Chance Act. And again, I thank Congressman Danny Davis for his leadership in introducing and spearheading this legislation. I applaud all of my colleagues who voted in favor of it, and I urge the Senate to move swiftly.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. I want to thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as a graduate of Howard University and first-generation graduate of college, to see my daughter graduate from Howard University, too, and then to sit on the board of Morgan State University, this bill is very, very important. I have had an opportunity to visit a lot of historically black colleges and universities. I have often said if they did not exist, we would have to invent them because they have touched so many people. But so often when we go to campuses, we see buildings that are in very bad shape. Sometimes it almost brings tears to your eyes to think that students will come from far away and so often when they get there, so often they are disappointed. But the fact is that they still learn. But it is nice to know that extending this bonding authority will be helpful to them in getting these buildings built and renovated. It is so very, very important. So I want to congratulate Mr. Miller and the committee, and certainly Mr. Clyburn. I have often said that our children are the living messages we send to a future we will never see. I think if we are going to send a powerful message, our children must be educated and they must be educated in the best facilities. They must be educated with the best faculties. So as one who also represents Morgan State and Coppin, as well as Sojourner-Douglass in my district, I think this bill is so very, very important; and I think it says a lot about this body that we would even be doing this.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, on November 5, 2007, due to personal obligations, I missed the following recorded votes: Roll No. 1034, on the Motion to Close Portions of the Conference Making Appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Roll No. 1035, on H.R. 513--The National Heroes Credit Protection Act; had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Roll No. 1036, on H. Res. 744--Recognizing the contributions of Native American veterans and calling upon the President to issue a proclamation urging the people of the United States to observe a day in honor of Native American veterans; had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''