Wm. Clay

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, in the midst of racial segregation in the 1950s, many Black Americans were forced to forego opportunities and achievements they rightfully earned and deserved. One such instance was finally made right this past February when Herman Flora was recognized with the long-awaited honor of becoming an Eagle Scout. Mr. Flora joined the Boy Scouts when he was a child in 1943. Unfortunately, he was prevented from becoming an Eagle Scout because he lived in a Virginia community where Blacks were routinely barred from public swimming pools, which thereby prevented him from earning the swimming merit badge that was required of all Eagle Scouts. Mr. Flora did not let that missed opportunity stop him from being active in his community. He remained committed to the lessons he learned during his time as a Boy Scout. He continued to engage in community service, pursued higher education, and went on to enlist in the U,Army before graduating from Howard University. Stories such as Mr. Flora's must be recognized and honored for how they shed light on our history, and the individuals who have overcome and prospered in the face of systemic racism.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank my colleague from Guam for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5931, the Improving FHA Support for Small Dollar Mortgages Act of 2020. I want to start off by thanking my Financial Services Committee colleague, Congressman Stivers from Ohio, for working with my staff and me to craft a bill that will ultimately try to help close the affordable housing gap, and I look forward to working with him on other legislation and policy going forward. H.R. 5931, the Clay-Stivers Improving FHA Support for Small Dollar Mortgages Act of 2020, would require the FHA to conduct a review of its policy to identify any barriers to supporting mortgages under $70,000, or small dollar mortgages, and submit a report to Congress within a year with a plan for removing such barriers. In a recent report, the Urban Institute found that, despite having similar performance indicators, credit profiles, loan-to-value ratios, and lower debt-to-income ratios, the financing options to purchase, renovate, or refinance homes valued at or under $70,000 remain limited compared to mortgages between $70,000 and $150,000--and many of those homes are in our State of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, the Urban Institute report further revealed that FHA is disproportionately failing to serve this market, despite its mission to serve underserved borrowers. Specifically, the report found that FHA serves 24 percent of the overall market but only 19 percent of the small dollar mortgage market. Again, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan study to identify any barriers to supporting these small dollar mortgages and report to Congress within a year a plan for removing such barriers to financing for creditworthy borrowers.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, this Black History Month, I ask my colleagues to join efforts to illuminate the legacy of a true American hero, the late Major League Baseball All-Star center fielder Curt Flood. In addition to 12 stellar seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Curt Flood struck a blow for dignity and civil rights by challenging a rule which allowed players to be traded against their will. He noted in his refusal: ``After 12 years in the major leagues, I do not feel I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes. I believe that any system which produces that result violates my basic rights as a citizen and is inconsistent with the laws of the United States.'' My great friend Congressman Trone and I are asking Members to join in a letter supporting the induction of Curt Flood into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Flood's struggles might have ended his career, but he blazed a trail for the rights enjoyed by players today. It is this type of leadership and lasting contribution we recognize this Black History Month.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Gun Violence Survivors Week. When gun violence occurs in a community, lives are too often lost, but for survivors, the neighborhoods they know and love are never the same. This is especially true when gun violence impacts our young people. Despite the terrible loss of so many young lives in my district last year, I see hope in the messages from their peers. I recently heard from some high school students who shared their stories and support for a bill I introduced with Congresswoman Robin Kelly, H.R. 3435, the Local Public Health and Safety Act, to empower local communities to address gun violence. These students believe we can make changes to heal our communities and prevent future tragedies. I agree and join them in a renewed call to action on behalf of survivors everywhere.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, just in quick response to my friend from Arkansas, some consumer advocates have expressed concern that consumers may be evaluated as higher risk for using alternative data than they would be with no reports at all; so we worked on this language to try to find the sweet spot.

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment. This amendment would clarify the law for reporting certain positive consumer credit information to the credit reporting agencies and seeks to expand access to credit through the use of alternative data. In addition, this amendment addresses several concerns identified by consumer advocates, including removing a provision that would have preempted State laws and ensuring consumers provide written consent if their utility or rental history is to be considered. Also, the bill requires a 2-year study and report from GAO on the impact of furnishing additional information, which will help us gather data to further ensure that American consumers have the tools they need to obtain and improve credit and that policymakers can continue to work to make improvements to the law. The way in which alternative data is used is important. One of the most important factors is consumer choice. If the use of alternative data is truly voluntary--that is, consumers make knowing and voluntary decisions to allow the use of the data, and the information is used only for that limited purpose and in ways that consumers would expect-- then it is much more likely to be helpful. I am pleased to have the support of the National Consumer Law Center on this important provision. They support it because, unlike prior versions, it would permit the reporting of utility and rental payment information only when the consumer has provided written authorization, that is, only when the consumer chooses to. In the critical area of lending, it is estimated that the use of alternative data by lenders could expand access to credit to over 40 million consumers in the United States. Imagine the economic activity that would generate. As internet access increases and data becomes more readily available, marketplace or fintech leaders mostly rely on online platforms and frequently underwrite loans using alternative data. Despite fintech lending serving a small part of the consumer lending market, it continues to grow at a rapid rate. That is why it is critical that consumers have as much control over the use of their data as possible. In fact, according to the GAO, since 2013, personal loans provided by fintech lenders tripled to about $17.7 billion by 2017. Alternative data used in credit scoring could potentially increase accuracy, visibility, and scorability in credit reporting by including additional information beyond that which is conventionally used by loan officers. I would add that my amendment does not preempt State consumer protection laws protecting the privacy of utility customers and hindering States from regulating tenant screening agencies. This is important to the regulation and monitoring of traditional and fintech firms. At times, States have a better view than the Federal regulators. Lastly, the two largest populations of credit invisibles and unscorables are either African American or Hispanic millennials who live in lower income neighborhoods like those that I represent in north St. Louis. These populations are especially vulnerable to predatory lenders and other unscrupulous lenders. Mr. Chair, it is time we try this new method to help millions of Americans improve their credit scores. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of Congresswoman Slotkin's War Powers Resolution, which I am proud to cosponsor, and also to express my support for legislation introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman Khanna to repeal the much-abused 2002 AUMF and to prohibit funding of any offensive military operations against Iran. President Trump's incoherent strategy has brought us to the brink of another disastrous war in the Mideast. I have seen this madness before. In 2002, I stood here to oppose the use of force in Iraq because I knew that tragic war was based on a lie. The Constitution is clear. Donald Trump needs congressional authorization to use force against Iran. So I say to you all today: No more lies, no more lost lives, and no war with Iran.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, in 1971 the Congressional Black Caucus was formed by the following Members of Congress: Representative Shirley A. Chisholm (D-NY.); Representative William L. Clay, Sr. (D-MO); Representative George W. Collins (D-IL); Representative John Conyers (D-MI); Representative Ronald V. Dellums (D-CA); Representative Charles C. Diggs, Jr. (D-MI); Representative Augustus F. Hawkins (D-CA); Representative Ralph H. Metcalfe (D-IL); Representative Parren J. Mitchell (D-MD); Representative Robert N.C. Nix, Sr. (D-PA); Representative Charles B. Rangel (D-NY); Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH); and Delegate Walter E. Fauntroy (D- D.C.). Congressman William L. Clay, Sr. invited Father George Clements, Pastor of Holy Angels Catholic Church in Chicago, lllinois, to provide the Invocation for the Congressional Black Caucus' inaugural Dinner. He prayed: ``Lord, make the Congressional Black Caucus instruments of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let Augustus Hawkins and Walter Fauntroy sow love. Where there Is injury let Charles Diggs and Robert Nix bring pardon. Where there is doubt let Shirley Chisholm restore faith. Where there is despair let Ronald Dellums bring hope. Where there is darkness let Charles Diggs Bring light and where there is sadness let William Clay bring joy. ``O Divine Master grant that John Conyers may not so much seek to be consoled as to console: That George Collins may not so much seek to be understood as to understand; That Louis Stokes may not so much seek to be loved as to love. ``For it is in giving that Parren Mitchell receives. It is in dying that the Congressional Black Caucus is born to eternal life.'' While Father Clements was the first to provide an invocation to the Congressional Black Caucus Dinner, he also had many other ``firsts'' in his lifetime. In 1945, Father Clements was the first African American graduate of Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary. He was ordained as a priest in 1957 and went on to become the first African American priest to serve at Holy Angels Parish on Chicago's South side from 1969 to 1991. He helped create programs like the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus to support African-Americans within the church. Father Clements spearheaded the ``One Church-One Child'' program in 1980, which aimed to spur Catholic churches to find adoptive parents for orphaned black children. In fact, he was the first Catholic priest to adopt a child, and later adopted 3 more sons. He also started a program for people living with drug addiction in 1944, and another for incarcerated people and their families in 1999. Father Clements also served at other Chicago parishes, including St. Ambrose from July 1957 to July 1962, and St. Dorothy from July 1962 to June 1969. Outside of Chicago, Clements served at the Diocese of Nassau (Bahamas) from September 1991 to October 1993, and the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., from October 1993 to March 2006. He was a longtime civil rights advocate from Chicago's Southside. He marched with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Chicago, Alabama and Mississippi. Father Clements was one of the first voices advocating for civil rights for African Americans within the Catholic Church, according to Rev. Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church on Chicago's South Side. His career inspired a made-for-television movie in 1989, ``The Father Clements Story''. Father Clements was born ``George Harold Clements'' in Chicago in 1932. On Monday, November 25, 2019, Father Clements passed away at the age of 87. As a devoted priest, human and civil rights activist, and trailblazer, he will surely be missed by the communities he served.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to hold Donald John Trump accountable for his repeated abuse of power, his deliberate obstruction of the House's constitutionally mandated oversight responsibilities, and his unprecedented misuse of the Presidency to weaken the separation of powers and subvert our Constitution by dangling $391 million in congressionally appropriated tax dollars over the head of an embattled ally in order to coerce a fraudulent investigation into a potential political opponent. Our Founders feared a lawless, amoral President would willfully put national security at risk for his own personal gain. In 1974, Republicans made it clear that their ultimate loyalty was not to one man, but to upholding the Constitution. Today, the uncontested evidence shows Donald Trump violated his oath of office. My friends on both sides of the aisle can either defend him or defend the Constitution. History will not permit you to do both.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Waters and Ranking Member McHenry for getting us to this day. The Terrorism Risk Insurance Program before us this afternoon is one of the most important bills in the ongoing fight against terror. TRIA helps to support the private market in providing coverage for terrorism risks by providing Federal reinsurance in the event of catastrophic losses from terrorism. The lack of public data on the scope and nature of terrorism risk makes it very difficult for private companies to model these risks, and as a result, a Federal backstop is important and necessary. When businesses in my State of Missouri can purchase terrorism risk insurance, it provides confidence, promotes public safety, and undergirds the overall economy. TRIA also protects key healthcare and research facilities in St. Louis that not only work on lifesaving cures but also employ thousands of our constituents. Overall, the TRIA program has been extremely successful in ensuring economic stability in the post-9/11 environment and has done so at virtually no cost to the taxpayer due to its cost-sharing structure. In 2019, the threat of terrorism has not abated, and insurers still face challenges in underwriting risk with such a high potential loss. Without TRIA, many policyholders in Missouri and elsewhere would lose terrorism coverage; commercial lending would be significantly diminished; and the Federal Government would likely be called upon to provide assistance at great cost to taxpayers in the event of an attack. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this critical piece of legislation.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Nevada for yielding. He was my chairman, my colleague, and my friend: the late great Elijah Cummings. I not only had the good fortune of serving with Chairman Cummings, I also was blessed to get to know him well over the years. He was a powerful and passionate advocate for the city of Baltimore, which he loved so dearly. I want to say that thousands of my constituents back in St. Louis have posted messages of condolence for Chairman Cummings' family. One of the most moving messages simply said this: One of the nicest things that can be said about a man is that we believed him. And that is the truth. Chairman Cummings fearlessly spoke truth to power, not to defeat an opponent, but to challenge us, to lift up this institution, and to give the American people a government that is as good and decent as they are. I think the true measure of what Elijah Cummings meant to us was that, early last Thursday, when word of his untimely death began to spread, there were as many Republican tears as Democratic tears mourning the passing of this very good man in the spirit of compassion and reconciliation the Lord has endowed within each of us if we have the wisdom to seek it. I want to extend my deepest sympathy to Chairman Cummings' family, and I want them to know that I share their grief. I have lost a brother, an American hero, and a true leader of this House.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3619, the Appraisal Fee Transparency Act of 2019. I thank Chairwoman Waters for yielding the time, as well as the support that she has given. Let me also thank Ranking Member McHenry for his support of this legislation, as well as the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Duffy, who I hope will be replaced with someone just as competent as Mr. Duffy has been. This bill would provide the Appraisal Subcommittee with greater flexibility to determine the structure and amount of the fee charged to appraisal management companies, provide the Appraisal Subcommittee with greater flexibility to utilize fee proceeds to partner with different entities to ensure compliance with Federal appraisal standards, add a representative of the Department of Veterans Affairs to the Appraisal Subcommittee, create a national registry of appraisers in training, and provide consumers with greater transparency in the disclosure of fees paid by appraisals. Madam Speaker, as you are well aware, a significant part of the housing market is comprised of veterans, as was mentioned, but currently the Appraisal Subcommittee does not have representation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. This bill would add a designee from the VA, which further acknowledges the unique critical role of our veterans. Though this bill does not address this directly, one of the takeaways from the hearing that we held back in June was the lack of diversity in the appraisal industry, which currently does not have many women or minorities. That is one of the reasons this bill adds a national registry of appraiser trainees, which would help bring new people into this unique and very important industry. Lastly, the bill makes it Federal law to disclose to consumers the fee that they pay for their appraisals. This consumer-friendly addition to the bill promotes transparency and ensures that the opaque world of appraisals is becoming more understandable to the average home buyer. I will add that one of the most compelling parts of the appraisal hearing was the testimony of scholar Andre Perry of the Brookings Institution where he discussed in-depth the research of his colleagues which demonstrated that the appraisal industry has contributed to the growing racial wealth gap. Madam Speaker, I look forward to the support of the House of this important legislation.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Guam for yielding. And Mr. Speaker, I rise in favor of H.R. 3620, the Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Act of 2019, which would address the need to repair and renovate the existing USDA rural housing stock and the best way to deal with maturing loans. Mr. Speaker, I ask Members to support this commonsense legislation, and here is why: The stock of affordable homes supported by USDA's Section 515, Rural Rental Housing Loans and Section 514, Farm Labor Housing Loans is old and in need of repair. However, the USDA has been unable to come up with a clear plan to preserve these homes and ensure residents are not displaced, putting them at risk of housing instability, and in worst cases, homelessness. This bill permanently authorizes the Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization program and provides $1 billion in funding over 5 years. This will give the USDA the tools and funding necessary to come up with a comprehensive strategy for preservation and avoid tenant displacement for some of our most vulnerable. And the bill also, as mentioned, establishes an advisory committee that includes a diverse range of stakeholders to advise the USDA on how to implement its plan for preservation. Section 515 and 514 are USDA-backed multifamily loans providing low interest, long-term multifamily loans to support affordable rental housing. There are approximately 14,000 Section 515 and 514 properties across the country that are home to nearly 400,000 families, and as was stated, they have an average income of $13,000, which my colleagues will recognize is well below the poverty line. Although my congressional district is not considered rural, the State of Missouri certainly is, and in many ways is symbolic of rural states and communities across this Nation, and this bill will help them and many of the most vulnerable people who work in rural communities across America. And as I stated at our hearing in April on this legislation and at our markup in July, as chairman, I fully intend to ensure that this subcommittee engages in the housing issues facing all Americans, and I think that is a good start. Mr. Speaker, again, I look forward to my colleagues' support.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3435, the Local Public Health and Safety Protection Act. Across this Nation, we are faced with an ugly, obscene, inescapable truth: gun violence is a public health emergency. My bill would, for the first time via Federal legislation, prohibit any State that wants to compete for grant funding from the Department of Justice from restricting the ability of a local government to enact tougher gun laws. My hope is that we can finally give local governments the freedom to protect innocent citizens and first responders while making our neighborhoods safer, regardless of what their State legislature thinks. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor and support this vital public safety legislation.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 1749) to clarify seasoning requirements for certain refinanced mortgage loans, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great American poet who, as a child, fell in love with words and turned that love of words into a life's work. On Mother's Day, Sunday, May 12, 2019, my dear friend, Shirley Bradley Price LeFlore passed into ancestry. She was 79. Her passing gave Mother's Day ``a new meaning,'' one daughter said in a local media report. A Celebration of Life and Homegoing Service was held on Friday, May 17 at Christ Church Cathedral, in St. Louis, Mo., where many came and paid loving homage to her life and her works. The visitation and service included numerous speakers, musicians, dancers, family, friends and fellow poets. To her dear daughters--Hope Lindsay of Silver Springs, Md., Jacie Price of St. Louis and Lyah LeFlore-ltuen of St. Louis--the depths of my sadness at her loss moves me beyond the ties of friendship. She was like family. I pray for heavenly grace for her family: her daughters, a niece Karen Bohr and four grandchildren--Noelle Lindsay-Stewart, Jullian Price-Baez, Jordan Lindsay and Bella Grace Ituen--and all who loved and honored her. Shirley has been interwoven into the fabric of St. Louis, Mo., this nation and the world. She has shared her love of poetry, writing and many talents with the rest of us, and we are better off because of her. On November 9, 2018, Shirley LeFlore was named St. Louis' second Poet Laureate. She was the first African-American and woman so honored. The event was held in St. Louis City Hall, with Ms. LeFlore surrounded by family, friends and admirers. At the time Poet Michael Castro, St. Louis' first Poet Laureate called the honor ``the capstone'' of a long career; a career The St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted that spanned some 50 years of ``performing, mentoring and teaching.'' As her story was told and retold, one discovers that not only did she find poetry in everything, she lived a poetic life. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch covered the City Hall event and on November 17, published a story about her appointment. Reporter Jane Henderson noted Ms. Leflore's' life journey and how she was led by the power of words to international fame. ``As a girl,'' Henderson wrote, ``she listened to women in her mother's beauty shop as they told stories. She listened in as strangers gossiped on streetcars, when churchgoers talked and when female relatives chatted at the kitchen table. Young Shirley would make up plays about some of the people she'd overheard and started writing in grade school. As an adult, she turned talk into an art, becoming a pioneer in spoken-word poetry in St. Louis.'' At City Hall, President of the Board of Aldermen Lewis Reed presented the honor to Ms. LeFlore. And Castro, who has known Ms. LeFlore since the 1970s, called her an ``iconic and loved figure.'' He told the Post-Dispatch: ``Her performances were very memorable. She had a strong presence and charisma. She read her poems kind of with a jazz beat. Her poems were not like anyone else's, full of rich imagery.'' Madam Speaker, that career includes more than 50 years of performing, mentoring and teaching. Some call her a ``wordsmith'' and others call her a ``word warrior,'' noted Alderman Terry Kennedy, a longtime friend. He read part of her poem ``Rivers of Women'' noting that her writing cause people to ``think differently.'' Born, Shirley Bradley Price in 1940 in St. Louis, Ms. LeFlore graduated from Sumner High School and attended Lincoln University before graduating from then Webster College and later from Washington University with a degree in psychology. Among her many achievements, she is founder of the Creative Arts and Expressions Lab, was an original member of the Black Artists Group (co-founded with her late husband, jazz musician Floyd LeFlore) and another underground activists poetry organization called Harmony. An artist-in-residence at University City public schools, she taught at several colleges including Lindenwood University, Webster University, Harris-Stowe State University and the University of Missouri-St. Louis. As an assistant dean of students at Webster she inspired students such as ``Black-ish'' actress Jenifer Lewis, who credits LeFlore with having ``saved my life,'' the Post-Dispatch reported. Though getting on in age, ``She's always had an intergenerational perspective,'' said her daughter, Lyah LeFlore-Ituen, in the news article. ``She wants to inspire young poets.'' ``The fire is still there,'' and as poet laureate, LeFlore can be an inspiration to young people, her daughter added. A TV producer and writer, her daughter directed ``Rivers of Women'' for the Missouri History Museum. She called her mother a ``living legend'' and is working on a documentary about her. Also, she helped compile her mother's 2013 book, ``Brassbones & Rainbows.'' Among the greats she performed with include saxophonist Oliver Lake, trumpeter David Jackson and singer Fontella Bass. People flocked to hear her read at St. Louis' Duffs restaurant as part of the River Styx artist series. Her mentors and influences include poet Margaret Walker, writer Gwendolyn Brooks, poet Sonia Sanchez, playwright and poet Ntozake Shange and author James Baldwin. In New York she performed at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and at Weill Hall, a part of Carnegie Hall. And her works have been presented as plays, including ``Deliverance,'' a production centered on HIV/AIDS. Poet Amina Baraka has called Ms. LeFlore a ``literary griot, writing and telling stories, creating lyrics we can sing and dance to.'' Other honors include: the Warrior Poet Award, a board member for Word in Motion, featured in another documentary ``Word Warriors III'' and other anthologies. Her activism of the 1960s led her to March on Washington and to join the Poor People's Campaign. Politics became a part of her poetry. But it was the voices heard in her youth that set the stage for the rest of her life and career. Last fall Poet Laureate LeFlore was featured in The St. Louis American newspaper, and later reproduced by St. Louis Public Radio. The article noted she toured the world, playing venues both large and small, from Powell Symphony Hall in St. Louis to ``quaint . . . tiny . . . churches'' or a ``hole in the wall'' nightclub or lounge.'' ``Some of the places I've gone, you wouldn't want anybody to know you went there to read poetry,'' Leflore said. ``But if people asked me, I would go.'' ``If you're serious about what you do, keep doing it, keep studying it, keep mastering it and let it live inside you.'' And ``Listen--especially when you first start out. You need to listen.'' It was her listening--her eavesdropping on her mother's beauty salon clients--that caught her ear and helped shaped her poetry in the years to come. ``They thought I was sitting around playing jacks, but I would be listening,'' to the way they talked, what they said, LeFlore told the American. Later, she would go home and write in her black and white composition book, noting that often the way they said things was more striking than what they said. Over time she would note that black people have a ``special way with language--in every part of the world-- but especially in St. Louis.'' Of her funeral on May 17, 2019, the American reported the near- capacity homegoing service for ``Saint Shirley'' at Christ Church Cathedral ``stretched nearly four hours.'' Accolades and memories were offered from speakers from far and near, among them poets, actors, writers and politicians. Actor and writer Kevin Powell called her a ``supernatural word warrior'' created from ``black girl magic.'' Poet Laureate of East St. Louis Eugene Redmond said LeFlore ranked among the great jazz poets for her ability to turn musical form and history into ``the cross-fertilization'' of literary musical forms and techniques, he said. ``She eloped with language and stayed married to music all her days.'' And while people of faith offered words of tribute, LeFlore's own poems, spoken by the living meant LeFlore ``essentially eulogized herself,'' the American's Kenya Vaughn wrote. Daughter Hope Price-Lindsay said she grew up wanting a mother more like television's ``Leave it to Beaver's'' June Cleaver but instead got Ms. LeFlore, an Afrocentric artist who remained true to her craft, whether life served her ``caviar and champagne'' or ``bone soup.'' We learned that LeFlore inherited her poetry from her mother, who inherited it from her mother, who inherited from her mother. Retired 18th Ward Alderman Terry Kennedy spoke again at her funeral, having grown up with Ms. LeFlore and calling her ``a mighty spirit amongst us'' who was ``small in stature, big at heart.'' He comforted guests with Ms. LeFlore's own words from her poem, ``Breathprints.'' ``Light a candle for me,'' he recited. ``Say a prayer. Whisper me into the wind. Lay a love wreath on the altar of your heart and remember my good days amongst you. Weep if you must. It's good to unburden your tears, but make brief your grief. ``Let the joy of my laughter comfort you,'' Kennedy continued in her words. ``My spirit will be the music above your head, my love like the wind beneath your wings to lift you in your weary years so that you may see the sunrise. All is well with my soul.'' Madam Speaker, today I give to Congress and the people of America, a glimpse into the life and times of a world-renown and respected poet from St. Louis, Missouri, and her vision for seeing, touching, feeling the world around us--St. Louis Poet Laureate Shirley LeFlore. I urge members of Congress to join me in honoring the life and career of St. Louis Poet Laureate Ms. Shirley LeFlore and her art of language and her expression in words, of our life and times. May she rest in peace.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution recognizing women and minorities in housing, acknowledging their efforts in the face of historical discrimination, and promoting diversity and inclusion in business. Although the U.S. has become more demographically diverse, the financial services industry, especially at leadership levels, remains mostly White and male. President Johnson signed the Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968, 1 week after the assassination of Dr. King. The Fair Housing Act was a monumental step forward for the civil rights movement and pivotal to establishing equal opportunity in housing for all Americans. Home ownership has proven to be one of the most consistent paths to obtaining wealth in America and narrowing the wealth gap. Closing the racial wealth gap will be an essential path towards countering historic discrimination and predatory lending.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairwoman for yielding, and I rise today to enthusiastically support the Consumers First Act, a bill that returns the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to its intended role as a nonpartisan consumer watchdog that elevates the interests of American taxpayers above those of special interests. The Bureau was created by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act following the financial crisis to ensure that Americans have a regulator working solely on their behalf in order to protect them from predatory and abusive actors. Under Director Richard Cordray's leadership, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau helped over 30 million consumers who were harmed and addressed over 1.2 million complaints about financial institutions. As the chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance, I am pleased to see that this critical legislation restores the supervisory and enforcement powers of the Bureau's office tasked wit combating discriminatory lending practices, which have been responsible for causing the racial wealth gap to continue to grow, especially after the financial crisis of 2008. This is a commonsense bill that, again, puts the American consumer first and ensures that, in the regular course of business and commerce, people are not forgotten.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise as we mark National Minority Health Month, and I urge my colleagues to stand with one voice as we demand universal healthcare coverage for every American, not as a privilege, but as a human right. Your healthcare should not depend on your ZIP Code. But for far too many Americans, healthcare disparities mean higher rates of chronic illness, less access to quality care, and shorter life spans. In the U.S. in 2019, African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans still suffer from much higher rates of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, substance abuse, infant mortality, low birth weight, HIV, and AIDS. These deadly disparities are rooted in economic injustice, racism, and our failure, as a nation, to value and protect the health and well- being of every American equally. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support full funding for lifesaving research, federally qualified health centers, and public health programs that promote prevention and healthy lifestyles.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from the District of Columbia for her generosity in time and consideration, as well as my colleague and friend from North Carolina (Mr. Meadows), who supports the legislation also. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Federal Advisory Committee Act Amendments of 2019. As was mentioned, I introduced this bill in previous Congresses, and it most recently passed the House by voice vote in 2017, without opposition. This legislation fits well with the theme of Sunshine Week, as the House joins together to address the need for more transparency in our government. The Federal Advisory Committee Act, or FACA, as it is known, was originally enacted in 1972, as was mentioned, to ensure that the advisory groups that provide counsel to the executive branch operate with transparency. Advisory committees provide the government with recommendations on a wide range of issues of importance to the American public. For example, advisory committees to the Department of Health and Human Services provide advice about critical issues such as human trafficking. The National Advisory Committee on the Sex Trafficking of Children and Youth in the U.S. makes recommendations on Federal programs, such as best practices to provide housing for children and youth who are victims of trafficking. The individuals on that committee are trusted to have experience relevant to the issues facing these children and share their reports with child welfare agencies that provide direct services around the country. The bill we are considering today would strengthen FACA to make Federal advisory committees more transparent and make agencies more accountable in how they select and use their committees. Under current law, agencies are able to avoid the requirements of FACA by conducting advisory committee business through subcommittees, as Ms. Norton mentioned. This bill makes it clear that FACA applies to subcommittees as well as their parent committees. The bill also clarifies that a committee set up by a contractor is subject to FACA if it is formed under the direction of the President or its agency. Under FACA, agencies will be required to disclose how advisory committee members are selected; whether they have financial conflicts of interest; if they are appointed to provide their own expertise; and who they work for, if they are representing a specific interest. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I hope that the Senate will take it up quickly and send it to the President.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the newly installed Clerk of the U.S. House, Cheryl Lynn Johnson. She is the 36th American to be elected to this critical position. The Clerk, as we know, serves as the legislative official in the House, a position that goes back to the first Clerk and to the first Congress in 1789. As was mentioned, she comes to us from the Smithsonian Institution where she served as the Director of Government Relations. Among her many achievements, as was mentioned, Cheryl helped to make the National Museum of African American History and Culture a brilliant reality. But this is not her first tour of duty on Capitol Hill. In fact, she previously spent almost two decades in service to this institution, and as was mentioned, her first position was serving on the committee staff of my father, former Congressman Bill Clay. She spent 10 years as the chief education and investigative counsel for the Committee on Education and the Workforce where she advanced reforms in elementary and secondary education, juvenile justice, child nutrition, labor issues, and employment and nutrition programs for seniors. Prior to that, she served as staff director and counsel for the Committee on House Administration's Subcommittee on Libraries and Memorials and then Subcommittee on the Post Office and Civil Service. Ms. Johnson is a distinguished graduate of Howard University Law School and the University of Iowa. She is married to Clarence and has a son, Bradford. I go back with Cheryl as a friend for 40 years. Our families are close. Growing up around this institution that we all love, I was fortunate to be in the company of and witness the examples set by many great public servants--Members and staff--who devoted themselves to representing their constituents in the true spirit of public service. Cheryl Johnson exemplifies the highest standards of public service, honor, and integrity that will elevate the 116th Congress. I am pleased to welcome her as our new Clerk, and I am prouder still to call her my good friend. She will be an enormous resource for Members and staff, and I am proud to welcome her home. Welcome back, Cheryl. Congratulations.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, let me thank all of the body for engaging in this debate and for the minority leader bringing forth those names. But let me say that H. Res. 79 is not about the undocumented, nor is it a political stunt. It is not messaging for some political purpose. This resolution is about compassion and respect for fellow Americans who happen to be Federal workers who deserve to stay on the job and deserve to get a paycheck, and for the work and the service that they give to the rest of the country. My friends on the other side know better. They know better, that shutdowns are harmful to our economy as well as our national security. They know that. The Federal Government should always be open for business, and Federal employees should not be held as hostages. Mr. Speaker, I urge a favorable vote on the passage of H. Res. 79, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).