Emanuel Cleaver

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on rollcalls 477-483. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on the Motion to Recommit H.J. Res. 59. Had I also been present on H.R. 1526, I would have voted ``no'' on Amendment 1, ``no'' on McClintock Amendment 3, and ``no'' on McClintock Amendment 5. I would have voted ``yes'' on the Motion to Recommit and ``no'' on Final Passage of H.R. 1526.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, on September 20, 2013, I was hosting President Obama and Ford Motor Company President Allan Mulally in Missouri's 5th Congressional District, which I have the honor of representing in Congress. We were at the world-class Ford Claycomo Plant where the proud members of UAW #249 produce the top-selling F-150 Ford pick-up truck. Had I been present and voting on H.J. Res. 59, Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014, I would have voted no because this bill will cause irreparable harm to hard-working Americans and our national economy. We in Congress owe our constituents better and I remain committed to working across the aisle to forge a bipartisan consensus.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I have only 1 minute, but I would imagine 1 minute is sufficient to plead with my colleagues to pay attention to the facts. The U.S. economy has not healed. We are still struggling with $7.25 an hour for minimum wage. And if you make $7.25 working all day, every day, you're going to make slightly over $15,000 a year; and you get approximately $4.50 a day to eat on, $4.50. I think that there is a right thing that we all can do. We ought to join forces to do the right thing; and the right thing is not to approve this bill, to back away from it. I mean, we are a rich Nation that really is having economic problems. We can deal with our poor. Everybody in this country ought to have equal access to food.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I probably don't need 5 minutes to say what I would like to say. This is a very sad moment for the most powerful Nation in the history of this planet. We are on the verge of a government shutdown over ideology. I can remember in 1995, I was the mayor of Kansas City when the government shut down and the impact was Herculean, not just here in Washington, but around the country and around the world. And if we are proud to be Americans, it means that we pay our bills. We are the only nation that still allows a vote by a legislature on paying our bills. Most countries won't do that because they don't need any disruption in paying their debts. We are close to declaring to the whole world that we don't pay our bills. The other part that's troublesome is this whole issue of SNAP, or food stamps. And there are so many myths that roll around that it just turns my stomach. I lived in a house with no running water or electricity until I was 7 years old. We moved into public housing. My father worked three jobs. He eventually was able to buy a home. I know what it's like to be poor. I know what it's like to struggle. My father was able to send my mother to college when I was in the eighth grade, and then all four of his children graduated from college, too, with postgraduate degrees. So I am always insulted when I hear all of these irreverent and nasty comments about poor people. And we spread this stuff around the country to the point of absurdity. We spread lies. ``Well, people go into stores and they buy alcohol with food stamps.'' Well, we don't have food stamps anymore. We have cards, Economic Benefit Transfer cards. And in spite of the lies that people tell, you can't buy alcohol with cards. You cannot buy lottery tickets. I heard Members of Congress--this Congress--tell people that they know that people in prison are getting food stamps, and they've seen people buy alcohol with food stamp cards. It doesn't work. And it divides and damages this Nation. The other lie, over 70 percent of the people receiving SNAP benefits are the elderly, the disabled, and children. And we are against helping them? Another 25 percent are people who work every day, it's just that they can't make enough to survive. I remember growing up and my mother would say, Eat everything on your plate; there are starving kids in Africa. Well, I'm not sure how eating everything on my plate helped them--I'm still struggling with that--but there are starving people not far from here, and the government of the United States is saying we'd rather shut down than to have a program that deals with the people who are in trouble. I just heard a few moments ago about a 101-year-old person whose daily Meals on Wheels had been reduced. 101 years old, and people are celebrating that, Mr. Speaker? This is a sad, sad day. And by the end of next week, when we are shut down, it's going to be much sadder.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, due to family commitment, I was unable to vote on H.R. 1897. Had I been present I would have voted ``aye''. Due to this commitment, I was unable to vote on H.R. 2879. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''. Had I been present for votes on H.R. 367, I would have voted ``no'' on Amendment 1, ``no'' on Amendment 3, ``no'' on Amendment 4, ``aye'' on Amendment 6, ``aye'' on Amendment 7, ``aye'' on Amendment 8, ``aye'' on Amendment 12, ``aye'' on the Motion to Recommit H.R. 367, and ``no'' on H.R. 367. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on the Motion to Recommit H.R. 2009 and ``no'' on H.R. 2009.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in opposition to the farm bill rule and the underlying bill because, Mr. Speaker, there is a five-decade symbiosis between urban America and the farm community. I rarely come to this well for a lot of reasons--most of them are negative--because I didn't come to Congress to make an enemy. I came here to make a difference. I'm not here, Mr. Speaker, trying to put politics above productive policy; ideology above the injured. I'm not here to form a division, but inclusion. I'm not here because I believe in capitulation, but in compromise. I believe that this bill is doing enormous damage not only to the body politic, but to this Nation, and we, the elected leaders of the United States Congress--this is not some little club. We are the Congress of the United States of America, the most powerful Nation on this planet. We can take care of all of the people. There are poor children in rural areas that I represent, and I will never turn my back on them and I will never turn my back on children in the urban core. Mr. Speaker, I object to this bill because this bill is not just going to create tension among us but the people of this country who depend on us. They depend on us. It is not like they can go to an alternative body to redress their concerns. If we are about anything, it is about trying to take care of these people. That's why we're here. I suffer from vertigo. The only way I can stop from wiggling around and fainting when I get dizzy with vertigo is to keep my eyes on something that doesn't move. I get frustrated and dizzy being in this body, and the only way I can stand up is to keep my eyes on something that doesn't move. And the thing that does not move are the people of the United States, particularly those who are hurting. They don't move. My mind is going to stay right there on people who don't move: the hurt, the wounded--even the will to be an American. We've got to make sure that we take care of everybody in this country, Mr. Speaker. I will not, I shall not, I cannot be silent as we continue to divide the Nation, and then we think we're doing something good because we're able to say something nasty to somebody. The people of this country deserve better. We deserve better. I've never attacked people on the basis of their party or their ideology, and I won't do it. I will not do it. But I will not abandon what's right. I will not abandon the things that I keep my eyes on. I will not support this bill. There are people in rural counties that I represent where Saline County, Missouri, a rural county, has greater poverty than Jackson County, where Kansas City sits. This is not about trying to destroy some kind of system that we put in place to protect the rural areas. I'm concerned about the rural areas. I was born in Waxahachie, Texas. My daddy sent my mother to college when I was in the eighth grade. I had never lived in a house with indoor plumbing until I was almost 8 years old. I lived in public housing. My daddy struggled. With a little help, my daddy sent four children through college. We moved out of public housing. My daddy lives in his own house right now in Wichita Falls, Texas. All people are asking for, in some cases, is just a little help. Who can they turn to? I hope, I actually even pray, that it's the United States Congress.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, my first babysitter was the Reverend Noah Albert Cleaver, my great-grandfather. He took care of me and my oldest sister every day after preschool. He lived to be 103 years old. I was in college when he died. My grandpa, born in Cherokee County, Texas, who died in Ellis County, Texas, never voted, not one time in 103 years because they had to pay $3.50 in a poll tax. When the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday saying that because of progress we don't need the voting rights any more, it's like having a cruise ship require everyone wear some kind of life vest. The ship goes down, everybody is saved, and they say, Well, because everybody was saved, we don't need life vests any more. It was the life vests that saved them. It was the Voting Rights Act that caused the voter participation to rise. I will not insult the death and life of my great-grandpa by not being as active as I can to reinstitute section 4 of the Voting Rights Act.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, due to a commitment in my district, I had to miss votes on H.R. 1947. Had I been present, I would have voted Aye on Amendment 1, No on Amendment 3, No on Amendment 5, Aye on Amendment 8, Aye on Amendment 9, Aye on Amendment 14, Yes on Amendment 15, No on Amendment 16.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, while the public is split 50-50 on whether the science of climate change is settled, there is overwhelming agreement--over 97 percent--among climate scientists that the human activity of this Earth is causing climate change. Imagine if we compare that percentage to the medical field. If 97 percent of 100 doctors told you that you have cancer, would you refuse to take treatment? Whether one believes that humans are contributing to climate change is in some ways irrelevant because we are certainly paying for its effect. The Federal Government spent $96 billion in 2012 to clean up after extreme weather events. That's nearly three times the amount paid by private insurers. That is more than we spend on transportation or education. Though many have yet to embrace the facts that climate research has found, we must take action to mitigate these growing costs. As Ben Franklin once said: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of St. Mary's Bundschu Memorial High School, an historic and admirable educational institution that has been a proud part of my district for well over a century. At this time, I would like to join with my friends and neighbors to say goodbye and thank you to St. Mary's High School, recognizing all that the teachers, staff, and administration have done for generations of our community. Few institutions can claim the vibrant history that St. Mary's can. It can trace its roots back to 1853, when Father Bernard Donnelly founded the school on a small plot of land, donated by Susan A. Hamilton. On this land was a small one and a half story building, which Father Donnelly converted into a school. From humble beginnings came bold and bountiful blessings. At that time Independence, Missouri was the farthest point westward to which steamboats could travel on the Missouri River. It would be twelve more years before the city of Independence even opened its first public school, so St. Mary's served as the first public school for the frontier town. The children of merchants, explorers, and pioneers began their education together. As the town grew, so did St. Mary's. Throughout its history--even in 1876 when part of the building was destroyed by a cyclone--St. Mary's has served the students of this community. In 1946, the cornerstone of the co-educational St. Mary's High School was laid, and by the very next year, a new building was completed and accredited. By 1968, the school opened its doors wide, expanding enrollment to neighboring communities, from greater Independence and Sugar Creek, to Northeastern Kansas City, Blue Springs, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Buckner, Smithville, and Liberty. Over the years, St. Mary's has dedicated itself to the education and development of young men and women, teaching them to realize their unique potential through an extensive curriculum, instructional excellence, global awareness, service and extra-curricular programs. Thousands of young adults spent their formative years learning and growing in the classroom, on the field, on the stage, and in the pews on North Main Street. It is with these facts in mind that Mayor of Independence Don B. Reimal dedicated May 14, 2013, to be St. Mary's High School Day, recognizing the positive impact this school has had on the lives of all of us, and urging all citizens to join in promoting the welfare of all children and youth. As this school year comes to a close, so too do the doors of St. Mary's. But what will go on in these days, months, and years to come, is the lasting legacy of education and experience, living on in the hearts and minds of St. Mary's alumni. Mr. Speaker, it is my wish that this Congress pay tribute to this valued part of our community.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the Columbia College Alumni Association in my home state of Missouri in recognizing one of the College's most prestigious alumni. Colonel Charles McGee is among the most decorated and accomplished Air Force aviators, holding an Air Force record of 409 fighter combat missions flown in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He has also served as a former public servant to the Kansas City area. I am proud to know Colonel McGee and applaud him for his invaluable service and contributions to the Air Force, Kansas City, and to our country. Charles E. McGee was one of the renowned Tuskegee Airmen of World War II and continued as a career officer in the United States Air Force for 30 years. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 7, 1919, and as a youth, Charles was a member of the Boy Scouts of America and earned the Eagle Scout award on August 9, 1940. He later served in district and regional positions in the Boy Scouts. At the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, he was recognized with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. During the Vietnam War, as a Lt. Colonel, McGee flew 172 combat missions in a McDonnell RF-4 photo-reconnaissance aircraft. After a series of other appointments both in the United States as well as in Italy and Germany, and promotion to Colonel, McGee retired on January 31, 1973. He ended his military career with an impressive 6,308 flying hours. Following his military service, Col. McGee has held many prestigious functional and honorary positions within the field of aviation. In 1978, at the age of 58, he completed his college degree at Columbia College in Kansas City, over thirty years after his initial enrollment at the University of Illinois. Though interrupted by World War II, attaining a college degree had been a lifelong goal. I am honored to have the opportunity to congratulate Colonel McGee for this great achievement and am proud that he chose to complete his studies and continue his impressive career in the great State of Missouri. In his civilian life, Charles served as the Director of the Kansas City downtown airport and as a member of the Aviation Advisory Commission. For 30 years, he has been an ambassador of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., serving three times as national President and giving numerous public addresses and has received accolades including the National Aeronautical Associations ``Elder Statesman of Aviation.'' In 2005, Col. McGee was part of a group of former Tuskegee Airmen, who flew to Balad, Iraq, to speak to active duty airmen serving in the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, the current incarnation of the 332nd Fighter Group. Colonel McGee has been recognized for his combat and military service with a number of awards including: Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star, Air Medal with 25 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Hellenic Republic World War II Commemorative Medal along with related campaign and service ribbons. In 2007, President George Bush awarded him and the surviving Tuskegee Airmen the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, the nation's highest civilian award, and in 2011, he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio. I am honored to join Columbia College in celebrating Colonel Charles McGee's accomplishments and service, from which we have all greatly benefited. I want to thank Colonel McGee for the lives he has touched and his leadership in the field of aviation, in our military, and in his community.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today in recognition of the 90th birthday of Mr. Bert Berkley, Chairman of the Board, and former President of the Tension Envelope Corporation. Tension is a prestigious family-owned business in Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which I am honored to represent. Bert and his late wife, Joan, have three children and seven grandchildren. Mr. Berkley was born May 8, 1923, son of E.B. Berkowitz and grandson of William Berkowitz, who founded the forerunner of Tension Envelope in Kansas City, Missouri in 1886, Berkowitz and Company. The company specialized in popular advertising novelties and business stationery. In 1894, the company put into operation the first envelope machine west of the Mississippi River. In 1937, the company acquired another pioneer in the U.S. envelope industry, the Tension Envelope Company of Brooklyn, New York, with all sales operations consolidated under the widely recognized name of Tension Envelope Corporation. In 1962, Bert Berkley, took over his grandfather's company as President and CEO of Tension. In 1967, Bert was named Chairman of the Board. During his time as President and CEO, the Tension Envelope Company opened a plant and established a sales organization in Los Angeles, California. In addition, a satellite of their Kansas City plant was opened in Marysville, Kansas, furthering their production and manufacturing capabilities. In 1981, Bill Berkley, Bert's son, joined the company and helped his father open yet another manufacturing facility in St. Clair, Pennsylvania, creating a satellite location for the already established South Hackensack plant and a nationwide presence for the Tension Envelope Company. In 1988, Bill Berkley went on to become President and CEO of the company, while Bert remained in his role as Chairman of the Board, overseeing international expansion of the company to Australia, Taiwan, and China. Today, Tension Envelope Corporation is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of envelope products, selling directly to companies and organizations across the United States. With its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, the heart of Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, Tension produces over eleven billion envelopes a year with plants, distribution, and service offices stretching from coast to coast. Not only has Mr. Berkley revolutionized an industry with his ingenuity, he is also a dedicated philanthropist. He has a long history of participation in local, regional, and national civic and advisory councils. He even co-authored a book, Giving Back, on the subject of volunteering, sharing with the community, and involvement with charitable endeavors. Considering the tremendous contributions of Tension Envelope Corporation to Missouri's Fifth Congressional District and surrounding areas, it is an honor and a privilege to recognize Mr. Bert Berkley in celebration of his ninetieth birthday. My wife, Dianne, and I have had the pleasure of knowing the Berkley family for many years and we are better people for it. Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating Mr. Bert Berkley and expressing our gratitude to his incredible dedication to both the industry and our community.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I say congratulations to Ms. Sewell and Mr. Bachus. I had returned home from a movie. If we went to church, we had the opportunity to do other things; and I went on to church, and so my parents allowed me to go to the movies. When my sisters and I walked back into the house, our mother was in the living room with some friends and they were crying. We didn't know what happened, and she said that they had killed some little black girls down in Birmingham. I had no idea that I would eventually become deeply involved in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and I realized later that the reason for the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church is that it had been the headquarters, the meeting place of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference led by Martin Luther King, Jr.; the vice president, Ralph David Abernathy, and my father in the ministry, who wrote to me, ``I am your Paul; you are my solace.'' And there was also Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, who says he taught me how to preach. They met there, and that was reason enough to blow up that building and kill these little girls, innocent little girls. I was pleased in 1979 when Richard Arrington was elected mayor of Birmingham. And I remember thinking Fred Shutterworth had coined the term ``Bombingham'' because his own home was blown to bits; and on the day Richard Arrington, a Black man, was elected mayor, I said, ``It is no longer Bombingham; it is now Birmingham.'' Ms. Sewell, congratulations to you. This should be done, it is being done, and it furthers the way of that name from ``Bombingham'' to ``Birmingham.''

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Jim Leedy, a renowned artist who envisioned and fostered the beginning of a thriving arts community and culture in downtown Kansas City. He did this by transforming an undesirable section of Kansas City, Missouri into what is now known as the Crossroads Art District. As an established artist whose work has been exhibited around the world, in over 1,000 one-man shows, he understands the importance of a culture where artists have an integrated community to live, work and showcase their work. Considering those basic necessities, he purchased a building in 1985 and remodeled it to accommodate live/work artist studios and multiple gallery spaces, known as the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center. Today, the Crossroads Art District is home to more than 400 local artists, 100 independent studios, and over 30 galleries. It is one of the most concentrated gallery districts in the nation. On the first Friday of each month, known as ``First Friday's'', you will find thousands of people visiting the galleries, listening to music and eating at their favorite establishment. It is a uniquely Kansas City environment. So who is this man that made such a dramatic difference, not only in our community but throughout his artistic career? Born in 1930, Jim Leedy grew up in the clay soils of Virginia and Kentucky. Working with this medium came naturally to him. During the formative time of his career, while attending Columbia University for his art history post- graduate studies, he had the opportunity to meet and listen to the dialogue of established artists in New York City. In 1966 he joined the staff of the Kansas City Art Institute, sharing his artistic skills and working with the administration and faculty to take the Kansas City Art Institute in a new direction. He taught there for over 40 years and mentored thousands of students throughout his career. As an artist he has been influenced by his life experiences, colleagues, students, friends and family. His daughter, Stephanie Leedy and his granddaughter, Erin Woodworth, now run the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center and continue to showcase both local and international artists. He is an artist in the truest sense, whether he is painting or working with clay. His original artistic renderings with clay can be classified as one of the first Abstract Expressionism ceramic pieces. It was about the material, it was about the clay and creating a non utilitarian piece that would evolve by using the Raku firing technique. A method he learned about in Japan while on leave from the Korean War. His art is about instilling the essence of nature, color, and the continuous experiment and evolution of creativity. As a Korean Veteran, who served as a military photographer, he had to deal with his war memories and did so through his art. Every war veteran can tell you that war alters and changes your view of life and death. Jim Leedy began experiencing flash backs during the mid 80's and through most of the 90's. Many times through his art he relived the haunting memory of a day in Korea when he jumped into a stream only to see underneath him the rotting corpses and skeletons of the dead. During this time his art focused on the images of that day. It was not until 2000 with his work ``The Earth Lies Screaming,'' that his art conveyed the recurring reality of war through his wall of skeletons and skulls. He reminds us that war brings death. This work was the last of its kind because it put to rest his personal conflict. Since this period in his life, he continues to experiment with his art. A painting need not be flat, clay need not go through a long firing process. He encourages today's artists and remains a friend to anyone that has an open mind and loves creating. Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing our appreciation to Mr. Jim Leedy and his endless commitment to our artistic community. He is a true role model not only for our artists, but he serves as an example of how we can all live our lives. He comprehended the essential, and with the purchase of his first building, began a slow sprawl that has become the cultural center of Kansas City. Mr. Speaker, his action made a dynamic difference for all of us to enjoy.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of March as American Red Cross Month. For over 130 years the American Red Cross has been helping people in need. Now is an excellent time to recognize not only the Red Cross, but each member of the community who contributes to this great organization through volunteering, giving blood, taking life saving classes or providing financial support. The local Red Cross in Kansas City, Missouri, in my district, serves a population of more than 2.6 million people. Last year they financially assisted more than 1,000 families with local disasters such as home fires. The Kansas City Red Cross served the U.S. Military by providing 2,350 Services to the Armed Forces cases. More than 23,000 attended Red Cross community presentations, most of them being on how to prepare for disasters. Within the region, 38,372 people took Red Cross courses. Most of those were for CPR and first aid. There are 70,000 disasters that the American Red Cross responds to each year in this country alone, ranging from home fires affecting one family to hurricanes affecting tens of thousands. This past year the Red Cross played a vital role in disaster relief during super storm Sandy, the Colorado Wildfires and Hurricane Isaac. It also released a series of free apps to aid in disaster preparedness, ranging from addressing tornado and hurricane threats to providing first aid advice and assistance in locating Red Cross Shelters. An average of 150,000 military families and veterans receive assistance from the Red Cross annually. Support for wounded soldiers, resiliency training, linking military families during an emergency and connecting families with local community resources are a few of the ways the Red Cross assists the U.S. Military and its veterans. Nearly 4 million people donate blood each year, providing more than 40% of America's blood supply, making the American Red Cross the single largest supplier of blood in the U.S. It is also the nation's leader in providing health and safety classes such as CPR, First Aid and Lifeguard training that more than 9 million American's participate in. Such education is vital in preparing citizens to help others in an emergency. The American Red Cross provides a plethora of supportive programs for not only citizens of my district, and districts around this country, but also for people all over the world. International services provided by the Red Cross reach out to communities in over 80 developing countries. More than one billion children have been vaccinated thanks to the Measles and Rubella Initiative that was launched in 2001. Countless families torn apart by war or disaster from as far back as World War II have been reunited through the International Committee of the Red Cross. Mr. Speaker, it is essential that this Congress pay tribute to the Red Cross and the millions of Americans who lend their efforts to its success. I urge my colleagues to stand with me in support of American Red Cross Month and honor all that this organization has done for our great country.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today to welcome and acknowledge our national and international visitors to the International Centennial Planning Conference. The conference is being hosted by the National World War I Museum, located in Missouri's Fifth District, on March 22-24, 2013. With the recent enactment of Public Law 112-272 to establish a World War I Centennial Commission, it is vital that the exchange with our historical counterparts begin. This was the first global war, declared on July 28, 1914, after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The United States entered the war in 1917 and concluded with the signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1918. The world would never be the same as the ramifications changed nations, warfare and technology. The reality of war comes with the understanding of its effects, not only geographically but on the military and all of the people who endured the suffering of war. Representatives and scholars from the allied nations of Australia, France, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, and Belgium will join representatives from the United States to exchange ideas on international planning for the Centennial. This workshop will foster coordination of commemorating these historical events and rediscovery of our combined involvement in World War I. The lessons of war will be discussed and viewed through an international prism to obtain a better understanding of how the ``War to End All Wars'' impacted and changed the course of history. In Kansas City, we have progressed as a city under the flame of the Liberty Memorial. The Liberty Memorial stands as a testimonial to the past and a quest for our world living in peace. Since my time as Mayor of Kansas City, I have considered the Liberty Memorial and now the National World War I Museum a treasure worth fighting to protect and preserve. As the World War I Centennial Commission's twelve members meet to plan for the commemorative events across our nation, it will do so under the flame of the Liberty Memorial and benefit from the work garnered from this planning conference. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues in the House join me in wishing the participants of the International Centennial Planning Conference success in their collaboration. There is a lot of work to do in honoring and commemorating the history from our first global war.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to help our communities deal with changing climate. In the last 2 years alone, our country has dealt with destructive wildfires in the West, flooding on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, a devastating hurricane in the Northeast, and the worst drought since the Dust Bowl. Climate change preparation and adaptation is about risk management. As Ben Franklin said: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Spending a small amount now saves us much suffering; and we understand, this is going to happen again and again. Because climate change is real, we are going to address this over and over and over again on this floor. Some people might say there is no such thing as climate change. Well, you can say that water is not wet, but it doesn't make it so.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I don't particularly like the bill that is going to come to the floor, but I am going to vote for it. And the reason is, stumbling through one of those Dollar General stores looking for some last minute gifts, I stumbled across a section that had Gorilla Glue and Magic Stick'em Glue, and I thought, Boy, if I can get some of this stuff, first I would glue the top of the kitchen trash can so my wife's puppy won't continue to go in it. And then I thought, well, I'll use some of this glue to impress people that I can actually fix things. Then I thought, maybe I can do it when I'm performing marriages: instead of saying ``until death do us part,'' say ``until the glue wears out.'' Then I thought, wouldn't it be great if we could glue ourselves to each other across the aisle. I mean, after all, it is only if we are sticking together that we're going to be able to address the problems that face this country. The truth of the matter is we already have some glue. One Nation under God--patriotic glue. We're supposed to work together, to stick together. Without us coming to the point where we really understand ``E pluribus unum''--out of many, one--this body, for the lack of glue, will not do the business of this country.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. We are here today in an unprecedented show of bipartisanship with this piece of legislation. H.R. 6364 is the product of both sides of the aisle working together to do what is right to honor the memory of our veterans. I especially want to thank Representative Ted Poe for his efforts in bringing this bill to the floor today as well as to thank Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton for her work on the legislation. Of course, I'd also like to thank Majority Leader Cantor for his support along the way. Frank Buckles, who was on the stage of the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City just 4 years ago during the Veterans Day program, was the last surviving veteran from World War I, and he was from the State of Missouri. Unfortunately, he passed away during the drafting of this very bill. However, even with Mr. Buckles' passing, our commitment remains strong as it is never too late to demonstrate our appreciation to the veterans of the Great War for their service and sacrifices. This bill will honor that service by establishing a centennial commission that would see to it that the 100th anniversary of the Great War did not slip away, as many things slip away in this place where there is sometimes more partisan bickering than is necessary. Not only does this bill serve to honor the memory of our great veterans; but it stands, I think, as a symbol that bipartisanship and cooperation are, indeed, possible. The United States formally joined the war in April of 1917; and during that time, more than 4.7 million Americans served. Now it's our job to serve their memory. The Fifth District of Missouri, which I proudly serve, includes Kansas City, the home of the Liberty Memorial. This is the Liberty Memorial. I think it is always important for people to see it because I think when people hear Liberty Memorial, if they are not from the area, if they are not visiting Kansas City, they may think it's just some little something. You can see it in terms of the Kansas City skyline, and I would also take this opportunity to remind people that this is the largest city in the State of Missouri. This Liberty Memorial is one of the great treasures of our community and our State. It sits atop the World War I Museum. In 1919, the people of Kansas City raised $2.5 million, mainly through children, in 10 days to create the Liberty Memorial. The dedication ceremony was the only time in history that the Supreme Allied Commanders were together in one place. The dedication of this memorial was held on November 1, 1921. In 1994, during my first term as mayor of Kansas City, the museum added greater majesty to the site with the construction of a municipally funded restoration project. The Liberty Memorial operates the only American museum solely dedicated to preserving the objects, history, and personal experiences of a war whose impact still echoes today. This bill would also redesignate this facility as the National World War I Memorial and Museum and give it the distinction it richly deserves.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons I rarely come to the floor to make such comments is that it is so troublesome to me that we will have fact-free debates. One of the problems is that we are talking in a parallel universe. There are small businesses that will pay more taxes, but I think it is important to say to you that the top hedge fund managers last year earned $22 billion and then paid a 15 percent tax rate as small businesses. So I am troubled when we are not being accurate and factual with the American public. Mr. Speaker, my concern today--and I believe it is the concern of many Americans--is the situation in which we find ourselves. The American people have elected a government wherein only cooperation can bring progress. We have a House of Representatives that is predominantly Republican, and we have a Democratically controlled Senate. It would not take a 3-year-old a great deal of time to figure out that the only way we can do the work of the American people is if we stop this ridiculous partisanship--this poisonous partisanship--that is damaging the country and creating a level of anger. There are State legislators in at least 13 States who have introduced legislation for secession from the Union based on the fact that they didn't particularly like the President who was elected. One of the reasons, I think, is that we are exporting hate. If it's not hate, it's certainly anger, and ``anger'' is just one letter short of ``danger.'' The American people gave us a mandate to do the simple things, and that is to lead. We understand that the challenge before Congress in the coming weeks is no simple task. I would be wrong if I said that what we need to do is simple. We have some major challenges: The Postal Service is losing $25 million a week, and we are running around here acting as if the most important thing in the world is remaining faithful to our ideology. Ideology, tragically, has trumped logic in this place, and that cannot continue. Right now, we are facing hundreds of billions of dollars in expiring tax cuts. It might be important, Mr. Speaker, for all of us to keep in mind that, if we fail to deal with the sequestration issue, 90 percent of the people in this country will have their taxes raised. But there is another problem. We have three major credit rating agencies in this country--actually, for the world, essentially--Standard & Poor's, Moody's and then Fitch. We have been warned as a Congress and as a Nation that if we walk up to this precipice again as we did two Augusts ago that we will suffer another downgrading of our credit rating. The United States of America--the most technologically powerful and economically powerful Nation on the planet--will have a credit downgrading. This should cause every American to be angry enough to put aside petty partisanship and understand that this body will not function and that our government will not function unless we work together. We've got to come to the conclusion that compromise does not equal capitulation.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today to acknowledge the achievements of former Eastern Jackson County Judge, Missouri State Representative, United States Marine Corps Veteran and Sugar Creek resident, Alex M. Petrovic. Alex M. Petrovic was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 23, 1922, the son of Mildred and Michael Petrovic, and has dedicated his life to serving his country, state, and community. He attended school at Henry Clay School in Kansas City, Missouri, Independence Junior High and William Chrisman High School in the city of Independence, Missouri, and Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri. The proud father of six, grandfather of twelve, and great-grandfather of two, Mr. Petrovic was married to the late Frances Diesko Petrovic for fifty-seven years before she passed away in 2001. He served as a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps from the year 1942 to 1945, working as a landfall technician, making maps for the 2nd Marine Air Wing, and receiving an honorable discharge following his service in the Pacific theatre, in Guadalcanal and Auckland, New Zealand, and Russell Island. In addition to his military service, he also worked as a railroad clerk for the Union Pacific Railroad, machine operator, foreman, and sales manager for the Injection Molding Company, as a salesman for Busboom Brothers, as a laborer and engineer at the Standard Oil Plant, and a divisional manager at Waddell & Reed. Alex M. Petrovic served as a Missouri State Legislator from the year 1962 until the year 1966, as a Democrat, representing the area bounded by the Missouri River up until 23rd Street, Blue Ridge, Kansas City, and 71 Highway. During his terms, he promoted the Little Blue Valley Flood Control program, fought to keep open the Central Missouri State University in the face of closure, and helped develop the Truman Sports Complex. Mr. Petrovic played an active and accomplished role in local Missouri politics, serving in the Independence Sertoma Club, to which he was elected President in the year 1964. As a State Representative, Mr. Petrovic discovered piles of state records abandoned in the basement of the State Building, and in response, sponsored and passed legislation to create a system for managing Missouri's records, establishing the Missouri State Archives. After his terms in the Missouri Legislature, he was elected to serve as Eastern District Judge for Jackson County, the same seat which President Harry S Truman occupied before his presidency, from the year 1966 up until the year 1970. As the ``Old Judge,'' he oversaw seven bond issues in building the world's largest sports complex in the history of sports at the time, for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Royals. On September 21, 2005, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, the Archives, and fellow members of the Missouri Legislature created the Alex M. Petrovic Reading Room to maintain the historic records of our Great State of Missouri throughout the years. Today, the Missouri State Archives stores document collections dating from 1770 and is visited by 4,500 hundred people every year. Mr. Petrovic will celebrate his ninetieth birthday on September 23, 2012, and has given a lifetime of service to his community, and should hereby be honored as such. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues in the House join me in honoring Mr. Petrovic for his lifetime of service and accomplishment.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today in recognition of the achievements of Reverend Doctor Wallace S. Hartsfield, Sr. a minister, dedicated community activist, veteran, civil servant, compassionate role model, and a member of the Fifth District of Missouri, which I am deeply honored to represent. Doctor Hartsfield was born in Atlanta, GA and at an early age the family moved to Jacksonville, FL, where he received his element. and secondary education, graduating from Stanton High School. After a three-year tour of duty in the United States Armed Services, he entered Clark College in Atlanta, GA and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education with minors in Religion and Psychology. He was listed in Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities in his Junior and Senior Years. In September 1954 he entered Gammon Theological Seminary from which he graduated with Degrees of Bachelor and Masters of Divinity. Dr. Hartsfield has held pastorates in Pickens, SC; Brunswick, GA Bartow, FL; Kansas City, MO; and Wichita, KS. Upon the request of Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church of Kansas City, MO, Dr. Hartsfield returned to assume the pastorate for the second time in 1972 and served until December of 2007 as Senior Pastor, He retired having served 41 years as Pastor of Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church. Doctor Hartsfield now holds the title of Pastor Emeritus, and his son, Wallace II, was appointed Senior Pastor. This week, Dr. Hartsfield is to be inducted into the Missouri Walk of Fame during a reception as part of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference, an event held to honor the achievements of African-Americans who have made significant contributions to Missouri and the nation. Because of his sage understanding of the ills and gifts of the people in the urban core, he is frequently called the ``Godfather'' of the African-Ameitan community. He is the Vice President-at-Large of the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., Past President of the General Baptist State Convention of MO/KS/NE; Past Chairman of the Congress of National Black Churches and current Board Member of the Congress of National Black Churches. He has served as a Commissioner of Highway and Transportation for the State of Missouri and to the Municipal Judicial Commission for Jackson County. He also serves as an Executive Board member of the Jazz District Redevelopment Corporation. Dr. Hartsfield is highly sought after by national, state, and local public servants as an advisor because of the fellowship he has among black leaders and clergy. He also is in much demand as a guest speaker in many areas nationally. He has served as adjunct Professor and guest lecturer at numerous colleges and universities across the nation. Dr. Hartsfield has served and currently serves on several Boards of Directors for various colleges and organizations. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards. In January 2008, I was proud to introduce a bill in Congress to rename the Parkway Post Office in my Kansas City district to the Wallace S. Hartsfield, Sr. Post Office. He is married to the former Matilda Hopkins of Brunswick, GA. He and Mrs. Hartsfield are the parents of four children, Pamela Faith, Danise Hope, Ruby Love, and Wallace S. Hartsfield, II. They are the proud grandparents of seven and great-grand parents of five. For those reasons and more, it is indeed an honor and privilege to welcome and congratulate Rev. Dr. Wallace Hartsfield, Sr. on his induction into the 2012 Missouri Walk of Fame. Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing our appreciation to Reverend Doctor Wallace Hartsfield, Sr. and his endless commitment to serving the residents of the State of Missouri and the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area. He is a true role model, not just to the African-American community in Missouri, but to the entire community and the nation. May his success serve as a stepping stone for many other African-Americans eager to be just as successful in their endeavors. While it is but a small acknowledgement for all of the work he has done, it is a heartfelt gesture, taking strength from the many lives he has touched in our hometown.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise today in recognition of the achievements of Pastor Emeritus Charles J. Briscoe, a graduate of Western Bible College, a studious teacher of the Holy Bible, and a member of the Fifth District of Missouri, which I am deeply honored to represent. Pastor Briscoe is a native of Kansas City. He attended elementary school and graduated from the R.T. Coles Vocational High School with music as his major. Pastor Briscoe was honored by the National Center for Fathering with the 2004 ``City Father'' award. Offered to recipients who demonstrate community and family leadership and influence, the award was a fitting testament to the father of nine children and a man who has served Kansas City in various capacities for over 50 years. Rev. Briscoe, a native Kansas Citian, has been involved with community services most of his life, including Goodwill Industries, the Neighborhood Alliance, and the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). From 1970 to 1974, he worked as President and then Chairman on the Kansas City, Missouri School Board. ``This was shortly after Martin Luther King was assassinated'' he says of the experience, ``and so there was a lot of turmoil here in Kansas City.'' He remembers letting students vent their frustrations, rather than ``giving it back to them. It helped diffuse some of the volatile situations.'' Retired since February, 2003, Rev. Briscoe was senior pastor of the historic Paseo Baptist Church for 35 years. He has made mission trips with the church all over the world, including Africa, Israel, and Jamaica. While on a work and witness trip in South Africa, he, his wife Georgia Mae, and six other Paseo Baptist members helped start up their sister church in Johannesburg and conducted Vacation Bible School for the youths. Pastor Briscoe, although retired, remains a much respected and admired religious leader. He continues his involvement with Paseo Baptist Church and serves on the Board of Directors of Salvation Army and as Secretary for the Carver Foreign Missions Board. He has served as a Co-Chair of the Billy Graham Evangelical Association's Heart of America Campaign. Rev. Briscoe has been committed, throughout his ministry with building strong families with the church and the community. One of his greatest joys is building bridges of understanding between various peoples and helping families become wholesome influences to this community. He is considered Kansas City's supreme pastor and for that and numerous other roles of service, he is now inducted into the Missouri Walk of Fame. Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing our appreciation to Pastor Charles Briscoe and his endless commitment to serving the residents of the State of Missouri and the Greater Kansas City Metropolitan Area. He is a true role model, not just to the African-American community in Missouri, but to the entire community and the nation. May his success serve as a stepping stone for many other African-Americans eager to be just as successful in their endeavors. While it is but a small acknowledgement for all of the work he has done, this recognition is a heartfelt gesture, taking strength from the many lives he has touched in our hometown.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, the committee has examined the case and reached a conclusion. The subject of the investigation has agreed to accept responsibility and, in fact, has affixed her name to the findings as a confirmation of such. As a supporter and colleague of the subject of the investigation, I know that she regrets the violations and hopes that the reprimand by the House will allow both her and the House to move on to address the great issues facing the Nation.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, funding the military is imperative, and supporting our troops at home and abroad is fundamental. But overfunding it at the expense of vital domestic programs is irresponsible. The Defense appropriations bill is $8 billion more than the agreed- upon level set by the Budget Control Act. This means that real programs in our home districts, which many of our constituents rely on, will be cut or go unfunded. Every family in this Nation knows what it is to make a budget and the reasons behind needing it. This bill blatantly ignores the need and purpose of a budget. Certain aspects of this bill are hundreds of millions of dollars above requested levels. If a family tried to live like that, they would be in dire straits. Designating money when it is above and beyond what is needed is nothing more than a gratuitous earmark. Now, I am in favor of earmarks; I'm just not in favor of trying to trick the public. I believe that earmarks are right. It is our constitutional responsibility as Members of the House. But tricking the public by adding $8 billion more is obscene.