Wm. Clay

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1687) supporting the goals and ideals of National Runaway Prevention Month.

Mr. CLAY. I now yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to present House Resolution 1687 for consideration. This resolution recognizes the importance of youth runaway prevention and at-risk youth programs. House Resolution 1687 was introduced by our colleague, Representative Judy Biggert of Illinois, on September 29, 2010. Notably, this measure enjoys the support of 55 cosponsors. Madam Speaker, according to the National Runaway Switchboard, between 1.6 million and 2.8 million youth run away from home every year. Notably, the National Runaway Switchboard reports that among those youth at greatest risk of running away and facing homelessness are those that have been expelled from home, those that have suffered domestic abuse, and those that have been discharged by State custodial systems without the benefit of adequate transitional planning. Additionally, youth that have been separated from their parents by death or divorce, live in poverty, and/or are unable to access adequate medical or mental health resources are similarly at risk of running away and becoming homeless. Madam Speaker, in light of the prevalence of the problem of runaway youth as well as youth homelessness, let us take this opportunity to pass House Resolution 1687 and recognize the important role that youth runaway prevention and at-risk youth programs play in addressing these issues. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY

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

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, once again I stand as a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to join my colleagues in the consideration of H.R. 6400. This legislation would name the U.S. post office facility at 111 North 6th Street in St. Louis, Missouri, after a man who transformed his community while giving hope and opportunity to hundreds of young people, a true giant of philanthropy, the late Earl Wilson, Jr. The measure before us was first introduced on November 15, 2010. I am proud to say that the bill now enjoys the support and cosponsorship of 18 Members of Congress, including the entire congressional delegation from my home State of Missouri. Madam Speaker, Earl Wilson, Jr.'s lifetime of achievement in the corporate world, as the founder of the St. Louis Gateway Classic Foundation, as a proud veteran in the U.S. Army, as a father, husband, and friend to so many will live forever. Earl Wilson, Jr., was born in St. Louis on October 9, 1932. He grew up on 11th Street, just a few blocks away from the U.S. Post Office that will hopefully bear his name. Mr. Wilson graduated from Vashon High School and received his B.S. in education from Lincoln University in 1957. After graduation, he proudly served as a captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In 1963, he became a corporate trailblazer at IBM, where he was a stellar performer for three decades. Toward the end of his IBM career, Mr. Wilson was loaned to his alma mater to help rescue his school from financial straits, which he successfully accomplished. Earl Wilson, Jr., later founded the St. Louis Gateway Classic Foundation, an annual football contest that helped to fund the dreams of deserving students. Without a doubt, his impact on the lives of so many young St. Louisans will endure for generations to come. Over the last 16 years, the annual Gridiron Classic featured top Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The game itself was a celebration of football tradition and a battle of the bands. But as Earl Wilson often reminded us, ``It was more than just a game.'' The St. Louis Gateway Classic Foundation effectively raised $2.6 million to send average C-grade students to college on full 4-year scholarships. The foundation's busy year-round schedule of fundraising and community events helped to fuel its success. To raise money, Wilson orchestrated golf tournaments, basketball shoot-outs, baseball games, a boxing showcase, pageants, and concerts. To give back to the community, the foundation provided quality after-school programs, an adult day care, holiday meals for people in need, and neighborhood lunches. He also created a Walk of Fame that honors local African Americans who have been pioneers in St. Louis. When Earl Wilson, Jr., passed away on October 29 of this year, it was not only an enormous personal loss for my family and me, but his death was mourned throughout St. Louis and across our Nation. Madam Speaker, I have been blessed to experience and witness firsthand his commitment to opening the doors of higher education to young people. He selflessly invested his immense talents and boundless energy to build up his community and his country. And as we move to recognize the accomplishments of this great humanitarian, father, and friend to many, I ask that we pass the underlying bill without reservation and pay tribute to a great American, Earl Wilson, Jr. I urge passage of H.R. 6400, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and, again, I would just like to urge my colleagues to pass the underlying bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1727, a measure recognizing Rotary International for 105 years of service to the world, and commending members on their dedication to the mission and principles of their organization. House Resolution 1727 was introduced by our colleague, the gentleman from Texas, Representative Lamar Smith, on November 18, 2010. The measure enjoys bipartisan support from over 60 cosponsors. Madam Speaker, most of us here are familiar with the work of our local Rotary clubs. Their devotion to service makes a tremendous difference in the lives of all of our communities and in communities around the world. The projects that the over 34,000 Rotary clubs sponsor are too numerous to list here, but some of Rotary International's highest profile undertakings include PolioPlus, an effort to eliminate polio around the world. They have raised hundreds of millions of dollars for that effort. Another global undertaking by Rotary International has been an aggressive effort to help solve the global water and sanitation crisis, which claims over 2 million lives each year, including 4,000 children every day. Earlier this year, Rotary International entered into a partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development to implement sustainable long-term water sanitation and hygiene projects in the Dominican Republic, Ghana, and the Philippines. Rotarians have also assisted in disaster relief efforts in Indonesia, Pakistan and New Orleans, helping to distribute food, clean water shelters and medical supplies. These are just a few examples of some of Rotary International's service projects. In addition to supporting projects like these around the world, Rotary International supports scholarships, exchange programs, and humanitarian grants. Madam Speaker, let us take the time now to thank Rotary International for all that they continue to do to fulfill their mission of providing service to others, promoting integrity and advancing world understanding, goodwill and peace. I would, therefore, urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the resolution, which recognizes Rotary International for 105 years of service to the world. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1264) expressing support for the designation of March as National Essential Tremor Awareness Month.

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

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam 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. CLAY. Madam Speaker, at this time I yield 5 minutes to one of the original cosponsors of the resolution, and a gentleman who has represented the city over time, my good friend from the great State of Georgia, Mr. David Scott.

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I now yield myself such time as I may consume. On behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to present House Resolution 1642 for consideration. This measure recognizes the centennial of the City of Lilburn, Georgia. House Resolution 1642 was introduced by our colleague, the gentleman from Georgia, Hank Johnson, on September 22, 2010. The measure enjoys the support of over 50 Members of the House. Madam Speaker, the City of Lilburn was founded in 1890 by the Seaboard Airline Railway and incorporated in 1910 by the Georgia General Assembly. This historic city has faced dramatic changes and tough times since its incorporation. Its business district was largely destroyed in a fire on November 15, 1920, and the Great Depression nearly wiped the city out for good. The city gradually relocated to an auto-friendly location around Highway 29 as widespread travel by car became an alternative to rail travel. In 1976, Lilburn's city hall was built in the city's original location, anchoring its Old Town district with shops and restaurants. Today, Lilburn is a vibrant, small city with an active arts community, a large and diverse collection of churches and temples, and growing South Asian and Latino populations. Madam Speaker, let us now congratulate the City of Lilburn on its centennial through the passage of House Resolution 1642. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of Georgia who happens to represent the city of Lilburn, Georgia, and the chief sponsor of the resolution, Mr. Hank Johnson.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, let me first say that I, too, am here to thank Ike Skelton for his friendship, for his service to this country, and especially for his friendship to me. My relationship with Ike Skelton goes back more than 30 years. I was a teenager when I first met him because he served with my father--both represented the State of Missouri--and I can remember the day he arrived here. I went on through college and happened to wind up serving in the State legislature for 17 years in his district, in Jefferson City, so our paths would cross on occasion. But ladies and gentlemen, this country will never witness an individual like Ike Skelton. There will never be another one like him to cast a shadow on this floor. You have served this country and your State well, and you have also given me a great appreciation for our armed services, the men and women who some make the ultimate sacrifice for this country. As Rev. Cleaver and others have said, I have also visited Lafayette and have been to Ike's home, but I have also been to the military bases with Ike, to Whiteman Air Force Base where they house the B-1. And he has been my compass in this House on military issues. He has also been, as Rev. Cleaver said, a brother to me. I had two sisters, too, Ike. I never had a brother, but if I could ever identify somebody as a brother, it would be you. I know I will miss you. I will miss your guidance, I will miss your mentoring. We have truly witnessed a legislative giant in our midst. You have done your job, you have done it quite well. I know this won't be the last time that we see each other and I know that you will frequently visit us, but for the Missouri delegation, you were there for all of us. He was the senior member of the Missouri delegation and never hesitated to call us together. We have so much cohesion as a State because of his leadership. I appreciate that, Ike. I appreciate how you have taken me under your wing and given me guidance here, and I will love you for it for the rest of my life. As the saying goes, ``Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.'' But you won't be fading too far. I love you, Ike Skelton. God bless you, and God bless the United States.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, today I rise to urge the adoption of this rule as well as the underlying bill. I support this funding to right two historic wrongs that have tarnished our Nation for far too long--the Pigford and Cobell settlements. It is a sad truth that the USDA, under both Republican and Democratic administrations, have previously engaged in well-documented discrimination in loan, grant and trust programs. These indefensible actions adversely affected thousands of African American and Native American farmers. Patterns of discrimination resulted in the foreclosures of family farms and in severe financial hardships, some of which are still being felt to this day. In my home State of Missouri, I have personally met with numerous African American farmers who were misled, discriminated against and, in some cases, deliberately deceived by the USDA. These descendants of freed slaves were victimized by their own government time and time again. In Congress, compensation for Pigford I, Pigford II and Cobell has been blocked by partisan attempts to politicize this issue. This delay is inexcusable. This is not about politics; it is a test of our commitment to honesty, fairness, and justice for all. Today we have a bipartisan opportunity to end this obstruction and finally do the right thing for those whom this government has failed. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to exercise our shared sense of American decency to swiftly pass this bill and the rule as we take final action together to resolve this grave injustice.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to join me in support of this measure. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. CLAY. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of House Resolution 771, a bill supporting the goals and ideals of National Mesothelioma Awareness Day. This resolution will raise awareness of this often fatal disease. House Res. 771 was introduced by our colleague, the gentlewoman from Minnesota, Representative Betty McCollum on September 24, 2009. It was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform which ordered it reported favorably on July 15, 2010. It comes to the floor today with the support of over 50 cosponsors. Madam Speaker, mesothelioma is a very difficult cancer to detect, diagnose, and treat. Though relatively rare, with about 2,000 new cases diagnosed each year, those diagnosed with mesothelioma have an expected survival time of only 8 to 14 months. Exposure to asbestos is the major risk factor for mesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure in the workplace is reported in 70 to 80 percent of cases. Asbestos was a common building material before 1975 and is still found in over 3,000 products that are on the market today. An exposure for as little as 1 month may lead to a diagnoses of mesothelioma decades later. Madam Speaker, mesothelioma is a serious and difficult-to-control form of cancer, and there is much work to be done to find new treatment options. Let us now show our support for the awareness of the disease and need for these treatment options through the passage of House Resolution 771. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6392) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5003 Westfields Boulevard in Centreville, Virginia, as the ``Colonel George Juskalian Post Office Building''.

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to present H.R. 5877, legislation that designates the U.S. Postal Service facility located at 655 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, as the ``Lance Corporal Alexander Scott Arredondo, United States Marine Corps Post Office Building.'' Introduced by our colleague, the gentleman from Massachusetts, Representative Michael Capuano, on July 27, 2010, H.R. 5877 enjoys the support of Massachusetts' entire delegation to the House. Madam Speaker, Lance Corporal Arredondo of Randolph, Massachusetts, was the 968th U.S. military fatality of Operation Iraqi Freedom. An avid martial arts enthusiast, he studied at the New England Academy of Martial Arts in Randolph, where he also taught courses to young students. He was assigned to Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Sadly, on August 25, 2004, Lance Corporal Arredondo was killed by a sniper in Najaf. He was 20 years old. In closing, let us pay tribute to the life and service of Lance Corporal Alexander Scott Arredondo by naming the Jamaica Plain Post Office Building in his honor. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 5877. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the chief sponsor of the legislation, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Capuano).

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this measure. I yield back the balance of my time.