Wm. Clay

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. I now yield myself such time as I may consume. On behalf of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I stand and join my colleagues from my home State of Missouri for the consideration of H.R. 1216, which names a postal facility in Chesterfield, Missouri, after Lance Corporal Matthew P. Pathenos. As stated, H.R. 1216 has the support of the entire House congressional delegation from Missouri but is sponsored by my friend, Representative Todd Akin. The bill was introduced on February 26 of 2009 and was considered by and reported from the Oversight Committee by voice vote on March 10. As a member of the 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces and Reserve out of Bridgeton, Missouri, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Matthew Pathenos enlisted in military service with the hope of helping those who could not help themselves. Unfortunately, on February 7, 2007, Lance Corporal Matthew Pathenos was killed while conducting combat operations in Fallujah, Iraq. In recognition of Corporal Pathenos' commitment to country and the concept of freedom, Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues join me in commemorating the life of this brave Marine by supporting the passage of H.R. 1216. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, at this time I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 955. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 955) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 10355 Northeast Valley Road in Rollingbay, Washington, as the ``John `Bud' Hawk Post Office''.

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

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction over the U.S. Postal Service, I am pleased to present for consideration H.R. 955, a bill to designate the U.S. postal facility located at 10355 Northeast Valley Road in Rollingbay, Washington, as the ``John ``Bud'' Hawk Post Office.'' Introduced by Representative Jay Inslee on February 10, 2009 and reported out of our full committee by voice vote on March 10, 2009, H.R. 955 enjoys the support of the State of Washington's entire House delegation. A long time resident of Bremerton, Washington, Sergeant John ``Bud'' Hawk received the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military's highest commendation, from President Harry S. Truman on July 13, 1945. Following his military career, Sergeant Hawk continued his devotion to public service by serving as a longtime educator in Bremerton, Washington. In April of last year, Sergeant Hawk was again honored for his bravery during World War II as he was presented with a Medal of Honor flag at Olympia's Capitol Rotunda by Brigadier General Gordon Toney, Commander of the Washington Army National Guard. Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Hawk's service stands as a testament to the brave men and women that have served and continue to serve our Nation at home and abroad. And it is my hope that we can further honor this distinguished veteran through the passage of H.R. 955. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield 2 minutes to my good friend from the State of Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, at this time I recognize my friend from Ohio, the most senior female in the House, Ms. Kaptur, for 2 minutes.

Mr. CLAY. I yield the gentlewoman another 30 seconds.

Mr. CLAY. Let me first of all thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for that quick history lesson on women's history in this Capitol. I want to yield to my friend from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth Sandlin) for 2 minutes. MS. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Missouri for yielding. I rise in strong support of House Resolution 211, a resolution Supporting the Goals and Ideals of National Women's History Month. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this resolution, along with many of my colleagues, and would like to thank Congresswoman Woolsey for introducing this legislation, recognizing the critical role women have played in shaping the Nation we are proud to call home today. Women like the pioneers who helped settle the great plains in the West, the women who were the suffragettes working to ensure women's right to vote, the role of so many women on the home front and abroad throughout our Nation's history and serving in our Armed Forces, the important and positive influence of women across the country in the workplace, in public service, and throughout our communities. Although we have certainly come a long way in ensuring equal treatment of women, challenges do remain. In recognition of the need to address the obstacles women still face, President Obama signed an executive order recently, creating the White House Council on Women and Girls, and I was honored to participate in the signing ceremony at the White House. Given the number of working mothers in South Dakota, one of the highest numbers per capita in the country, and having recently become a working mother myself, I will be particularly interested in this new council's focus on this aspect of women and families. I am proud of the progress we have made to integrate the stories of heroic American women into the discussion of our Nation's history. I encourage schools and organizations across the country to participate in the celebration of National Women's History Month and make their own unique contribution to the ongoing narrative of the history of women in America. I would like to thank again Congresswoman Woolsey for introducing this important resolution. I thank her for her leadership, and I encourage my colleagues to support the resolution.

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to recognize the distinguished gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus) for 2 minutes.

Mr. CLAY. At this time, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my friend from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) for 2 minutes.

Mr. CLAY. At this time, we yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

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

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleagues in consideration of H. Res. 211, which is designed to provide recognition and support for National Women's History Month, which is commemorated annually during the month of March. Sponsored by our colleague, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey of California, H. Res. 211 was introduced on March 5, 2009, and is currently cosponsored by 115 Members of Congress, both men and women, as well as from both sides of the aisle. The measure was considered by Chairman Towns and the Oversight panel on March 10, 2009, where it was passed without objection by voice vote. Mr. Speaker, I contend that it would be challenging to recount history without recognizing the profound role that women have played in every community, State, and country throughout the world. While only a small measure of appreciation, today's consideration of H. Res. 211 is designed to express the appreciation and the gratitude of this legislative body for the priceless and timeless contribution of women throughout history. The origins of National Women's History Month dates back to 1978 when organizers in Sonoma County, California, established a public celebration of women's history, calling it ``Women's History Week.'' In 1987, Congress expanded the celebration to a month-long commemoration by declaring March as Women's History Month. Since the 1970s, we in American have seen notable growth in the study and expansion of women's history. In fact, today almost every college offers women's history courses and most major graduate programs offer doctoral degrees in this important field of study. Even today, we continue to witness women history makers--from our very own Speaker of the House to the Speaker of the California State Assembly. From Governors and mayors to successful businesswomen, scientists, athletes, teachers and, of course, mothers, women are clearly making a difference in our country and in our world. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the sponsor of the resolution, Ms. Woolsey of California, for 4 minutes.

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, at this time I want to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns).

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great American--a feminist, social activist, and accomplished attorney, Margaret Bush Wilson was born before women had the right to vote. A pioneer and champion of woman's rights, she was the first woman to be president of both the St. Louis chapter and Missouri chapter of the NAACP and the second woman admitted to practice law in the state of Missouri. I am privileged to recognize this outstanding member of the St. Louis community as her friends and family honor her on the occasion of her 90th birthday. Margaret Bush was born on January 30, 1919 in St. Louis, Missouri. Her father James Thomas Bush was a railway postal clerk and her mother Margaret Bernice Casey Bush was an outstanding educator. Both of her parents were very active in the local NAACP. As a young woman, she attended Talladega College where she was awarded a Julia Prescott Fellowship to study at Visva Bharati College in India. After graduating from college with a B.S. degree in Economics, Mrs. Wilson benefitted from the Supreme Court ruling in the case of Gains v. Canada. That decision required the state of Missouri to admit African Americans to the University of Missouri School of Law, or to establish separate but equal law school facilities. Missouri chose to create Lincoln University law school, rather than to integrate. Margaret Bush Wilson graduated from that law school and passed the Missouri bar in 1943. A dedicated public servant, Margaret Bush Wilson served as U.S. Attorney for the Department of Agriculture's Rural Electrification Administration and as the Assistant Attorney General for the state of Missouri. After her marriage to Robert Wilson in 1944, the couple established the St. Louis real estate law firm known as Wilson and Wilson. Her expertise in real estate law proved instrumental when she served as counsel for the black Real Estate Brokers Association, an organization initiated by her father. The organization was active in Shelley vs. Kramer, a 1948 Supreme Court ruling in which racially based restrictive covenants were ruled unconstitutional and unenforceable. Mrs. Wilson also served as the head of Lawyers for Housing where she championed one thousand new housing units. In her capacity as president of the St. Louis chapter of the NAACP, Mrs. Wilson was involved in landmark civil rights cases, including the Jefferson Bank and Trust demonstrations and case. In 1975, she became the first chairwoman of the national NAACP board and served nine terms. During President Lyndon B. Johnson's administration, Wilson served as deputy director of the Model Cities Program. During the 1980's, she served as chairman of the board of the Mutual Insurance Company of New York, Real Estate Investment Trust. She continues to be a beacon in the African American community. She served as board chair of two Historically Black Colleges: St. Augustine's College and Talladega. She is also a member of numerous nonprofit organizations and trustee-emeritae of both Washington University and Webster University. Madam Speaker, this Ms. Wilson is the epitome of a great American. She is an inspiration to all who cherish justice and equality. I am honored to salute her for her countless contributions to the state of Missouri and to this nation. I urge my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to the works of Margaret Bush Wilson; with tenacity, grace and courage she has blazed a trail for generations to come.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. I thank the chairman for the explanation and appreciate your cooperation.

Mr. CLAY. I thank the chairman for yielding, and I wanted to engage in a colloquy with the chairman. There is a provision in your amendment that helps the automobile rental industry finance debt secured by their fleets. This does not help the one company which is located in my district that uses unsecured commercial paper to fund the acquisition of their automobile fleet. Therefore, this omission puts them at a competitive disadvantage. And I understand that this was an unintended consequence, and I am asking for a minor correction.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. I thank the chairman for yielding. Madam Speaker, the American people value the importance of transparency and having an open government. Citizens have a right to know how and why important decisions are made at the highest level of government. This straightforward and bipartisan legislation would ensure that this will be the case by requiring Presidential records to be treated as the property of the American people. I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill.

Mr. CLAY. I thank the chairman for yielding. I look forward to working with Chairman Towns, the new Chair of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, as well as the ranking member, Mr. Issa. Let me also say, as an original cosponsor of H.R. 35 and chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee, I am pleased to see the measure presented for consideration by the House today. Introduced by Chairman Towns, this bipartisan bill is intended to promote the timely release of Presidential records under the Presidential Records Act of 1978 by rescinding Executive Order 13233. Issued by President Bush in November 2001, the executive order granted new authority to Presidents, former Presidents, their heirs and designees, and Vice Presidents, allowing them to withhold information from public view unilaterally and indefinitely. Executive Order 13233 undermines the Presidential Records Act by removing discretion from the archivists of the United States and delaying the release of records that are necessary to give historians and the public a full picture of a President's tenure.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. As an original cosponsor of the Presidential Library Donation Act, I rise in strong support of H.R. 36, and I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of it. Federal election law limits the amount a single source can give to a political campaign and requires that donations and donor information be disclosed to the public. These requirements help to preserve the integrity of our democratic system by ensuring that campaign donors do not exercise undue influence over elected policy-makers. Similar requirements do not apply to Presidential library fund- raising campaigns, and this creates the potential for large donors to exert, or appear to exert, improper influence over a sitting President. The fact that private foundations are required to raise money to build and maintain Presidential libraries lowers the burden on taxpayers, but it also increases the incentive to pursue aggressive fund-raising for libraries that have become more and more expensive over the years. Under H.R. 36, Presidential library foundations would be required to report on a quarterly basis all donations of $200 or more. This requirement would apply to donations made to the foundation during the time that the President is in office and during the period before the Archives agrees to use the land or the facility. In addition, the proposal calls on the Archivist to make all reports available to the public online through a searchable and downloadable database. I commend Chairman Towns for his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this important bipartisan bill.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Let me say that I stand in support of the bridge loans to the automobile companies. I speak today for workers. An overwhelming majority of my constituents in the First District support the bridge loans also. They, like me, do not want to see the Big 3 go bankrupt. This would not be good for our economy at this time in our history. If these companies are to go into bankruptcy, it would mean that hundreds of smaller companies and suppliers would go into bankruptcy or would be economically crippled. Millions of Americans have stock in these auto companies, and I need not lecture on the further risk to their investments that this would cause. The state of the economy has already done enough damage to their investments, to pension fund investments and to the investments of business and of organizations of all kinds. The auto companies and the unions have agreements that will bring them in line with Toyota's by 2012. Cut labor costs and industry costs. I urge the passage of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I stand today in support of the bridge loans to the automobile companies. I speak today for workers. An overwhelming majority of my constitutents in the 1st Congressional District of the State of Missouri, support the bridge loans also. They, like me, do not see bankruptcy of the ``Big 3'' as a positive for workers or the economy at this time in history. Mr. Speaker, if these companies are to go into bankruptcy, it would mean that hundreds of smaller companies, the suppliers, would go into bankruptcy or be economically crippled. Small businesses employ more workers in the United States than all other employers combined. The failing of the big three auto makers would put approximately 300,000 jobs at risk in the auto industry. The associated industries, that supply and contract with the auto makers, would then have in excess of 3 million workers at risk. If the auto makers are to go into bankruptcy, the warranties on your cars are at risk. This could result in families, already cash strapped, having to pay repairs out of pocket expenses that were not a part of their budgets and perhaps that requires shifting money from another necessity to pay for the repairs. Millions of Americans have stock in these auto companies. I need not lecture on the further risks to their investments this would cause. The state of the economy has already done enough damage to their investments, pension fund investments, and the investments of businesses and organizations of all kinds. The auto companies and the unions have agreements that will bring them in line with Toyotas' by 2012. They continue to work together to cut labor costs and industry costs to insure the economic stability of the auto industry. I also understand that there are other credible arguments to the contrary, but I can't agree that this is the time to consider them. Our economy is too fragile to risk this kind of hit at this time in the country's economic history. We have used the tarp money to bail out banks and investment houses and to insure that select securities are properly backed. I voted against this approach in previous votes. I believe that we need to concentrate more on putting money in the hands of consumers through the creation of jobs and the maintaining of jobs that do exist. This legislation directly targets the workers. We do not need to have an economy with healthy institutions and securities and consumers with no money to purchase goods or invest. I am speaking to both parties on the floor. We won't solve these economic problems confronting us working for separate results. And I do know that no Member of this floor wants to see this economy crash. I do understand that we have some differences of opinion in the methods that Government has to employ to inject life into the economy. We can work on them after the first of the year. Roll up your sleeves and come back in January ready to find the best solutions. Join me in supporting this package today. This is only a stopgap measure, but a necessary one. We cannot afford the risk of the alternatives.