Emanuel Cleaver

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the Deposit Restricted Qualified Tuition Programs Act of 2009. My bill establishes an avenue for those wanting to save for the college education of a child, grandchild or other related individual, to do so in a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured deposit. At the present time, savers can only access the 529 college savings program through a securities based plan and my bill would not change this avenue. However, following the recent crash of the stock market, many savers saw their accounts drop in value by fifty percent or more and as such are reluctant to place any more monies in a securities based plan. Furthermore, many small savers can find investing in securities based products both complex and intimidating. A FDIC insured deposit option would provide guaranteed principal return and a guaranteed return on the deposit, all from a commercial bank that the saver likely has a relationship with. This proposed legislation will help families across the United States save in a safe, sound and simple manner for their children and grandchildren's college education. Again Madam Speaker, this bill does not make any changes to the current 529 college savings program nor the current delivery system of the program through a securities based plan. It simply adds another 529 college savings program delivery option through an FDIC insured deposit.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 317, a bill to recognize the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor. In 1871, the first stockyard was opened in Kansas City and soon grew into one of the nation's premier livestock facilities. Kansas City's tradition of being a national leader in the agriculture sector continues today with the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, an area stretching from Manhattan, Kansas through Missouri's Fifth District to Columbia, Missouri. This region is home to more than 120 companies, including many of the nation's leading and largest animal health businesses. Sales of animal health products from companies located in the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor account for nearly a third of the global $16.8 billion dollar animal health and nutrition industry. Activities in the Animal Health Corridor are not limited to the commercial aspects of animal health. Four of our nation's top veterinarian schools are located within 350 miles of the Animal Health Corridor. In addition to these premier veterinarian programs, other schools in the Corridor offer programs focused on animal health training and specialized degrees such as a Masters in Business Administration in Animal Health. Animal health research is greatly advanced in the Corridor by the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute which offers grants of up to $50,000 for researchers to study diseases that have the ability to infect both humans and animals. The businesses, schools, and organizations in and around the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor are the national, if not global, leaders in the animal health research and production sectors and I am proud to have these institutions in my district and to support the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor. Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the area of Manhattan, Kansas to Columbia, Missouri as the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I proudly rise today in recognition of Ms. Abigail Allen, a young woman who has served as my first nominee to the House Page program. She is a resident of the Fifth District of Missouri, which I am honored to represent. On July 5, 2009, Ms. Allen began her Page duties. This Saturday, August 1, 2009, Ms. Allen will return to her home town of Lee's Summit, Missouri with a wealth of knowledge that she learned as a participant in the House Page Program which I hope she will share with her family and friends. Ms. Allen is a student at Blue Springs South High School in Blue Springs, Missouri. She is a member of the cross country team, track and field team, Young Democrats and most importantly a member of the National Honor Society. Ms. Allen is also a member of the St. James United Methodist Church Youth Group in Kansas City, Missouri. It has been my pleasure to have Ms. Allen as a House Page. She has represented the Fifth District of Missouri well. Madam Speaker, please join me in expressing our appreciation to Abigail, as well as all the other Pages that have served in this chamber, for they are truly the future leaders of our country.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the brave men and women who served in the Vietnam War. It has been 50 years since our first casualties. In 1959, Major Dale Richard Buis and Master Sergeant Chester M. Ovnand were ambushed and killed by Ho Chi Minh Vietnamese. By 1963, 100 advisors had lost their life in Vietnam. After President Kennedy's assassination, history would be left to President Johnson, who would lead Americans into one of the most tumultuous times in our history. In 1964, the reported Gulf of Tonkin incident resulted in a Congressional Resolution that allowed President Lyndon B. Johnson to wage war without a formal declaration. By 1965, the conflict heightened and more Americans were subject to the draft. Casualties escalated from 17,000 to 35,000 a month. In January of 1968, the North Vietnamese launched the Tet Offensive, though Americans were able to obtain a military victory and recapture most of the area. However, politically the tide of support was turning in the United States, and the draft continued as protests became louder. Richard Nixon was elected President and began covert bombing of Cambodia in 1969. By 1973 the last American troops left Vietnam. As our American military was sent to do battle in a civil war, they had no idea of the life altering experience that would change them and their country forever. Vietnam Veterans are the children of the greatest generation. And like their fathers and mothers they did their job for their country, engaging the enemy on land, in the air, and on water--many fighting to their death. In battle survival depended on each other. They became numb from the constant threat of the war, witnessing their friends injured or killed. Brave medics in the field and the doctors, nurses and corps men at hospitals worked tirelessly and risked their lives to save countless soldiers. There was little time to mourn those that died because no one knew what tomorrow would bring. How bravely they answered the call only to be scorned by many of their fellow countrymen and women when they returned home. Now fifty years later, we have a better understanding of the extraordinary sacrifice made by this generation of patriots. We question, how then could we as a nation fail to understand that the soldier follows the orders of the Commander-in-Chief. To disagree is our given right but to fail to support our troops who are sent to battle should never happen again. Over 58,000 Americans died in Vietnam; 14,095 were just 20 years of age and several of them were my college classmates. Those men and women had their dreams and names forever etched in stone as a reminder that their sacrifice was their life. Even those that survived did not return unscathed. Many returned home with physical and emotional pains of war to a country that had turned a deaf ear to their needs. Those Vietnam Veterans, like the generation before, came home to raise their families and continued to contribute to our country. Many have passed away, but all have left their imprint on their families and our nation. For those families still waiting for the return of their soldiers, it has been a long, mournful time. Recently John Adam was returned home after missing for 41 years. On May 22, 1968, twenty-year-old Air Force, Senior Master Sergeant John Adam disappeared while serving in Vietnam. His remains were located near Laos and identified through DNA. Now one family has closure; however, many of our veterans remain missing and the prayers continue. So, on September 12, 2009, fifty years after the first casualty in Vietnam I, as the United States Representative of Missouri's 5th District, will host a Town Hall event at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, to honor the men and women who courageously served in that war--to finally give them the respect and honor they deserve as heroes of our country. Madam Speaker, please join me in thanking and appreciating the sacrifices of a great generation of American Patriots, our Vietnam Veterans.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I proudly rise today in recognition of the 100th anniversary of Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel, the oldest African-American owned business of Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which I am honored to represent. The Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel will celebrate its centennial milestone beginning this weekend on Saturday, June 13th, when they will have the first series of events dedicated to the great service this business has bestowed upon Missouri's Fifth Congressional District. I am privileged to have been asked to partake in these celebrations. The Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel has been an influential and unwavering force since founders John ``J.T.'' and Theron ``T.B.'' Watkins first opened the chapel's doors in spring of 1909. After John's premature death, Theron remained determined to carry on the business and the vision that he and his brother had worked so hard to make a reality. The Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel has now seen five generations of Watkins run the family business. The chapel is known throughout the greater Kansas City metropolitan area for its excellent service and the high level of care and concern it affords both the families and the individuals involved. The Watkins family has been highly influential in the arena of Kansas City politics. Since the beginning, Theron was very involved in neighborhood development; so much so that there is now an important housing project in Kansas City named in his honor. From 1941 to 1948, Theron sat on the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. The story of Theron filling up one of his funeral cars with coal and delivering the coal to families in desperate need during the peak of the Great Depression signifies his deep commitment to those around him. His heightened awareness of the needs of others led him to encourage his son, Bruce Watkins, Sr., to pursue a career in service and politics. Bruce Watkins, Sr. spent most of his adult life relentlessly pursuing the greater good through political service. He was one of the co- founders of Freedom Incorporated, an African-American political organization that worked to increase their community's influence by generating votes for candidates they felt would best empower African- Americans. Bruce Watkins, Sr. was also one of the first two African- Americans elected in 1963 to serve on Kansas City's City Council. In 1979, he became the first African-American councilperson to run for mayor of Kansas City. Though he lost, his progressive views of African- American leadership and political influence endured. His legacy lives on in the form of Bruce Watkins Drive, a 10.2 mile long stretch of highway that connects the southern, suburban part of Kansas City to its northern, urban counterpart. Throughout the years, the Watkins family has remained active in the Kansas City community. Working alongside the CODA Jazz Fund, the Watkins family provides financial assistance for dignified funeral services to jazz musicians who have passed. Individual members of the family are involved in organizations ranging from the Mutual Musicians Fund to the Boys and Girls Club. The Watkins family has remained true to their philosophy and goal ``to serve humanity, persons of all faiths, under all circumstances, with dignity, respect, and understanding, with attention to he needs and desires of each family.'' Considering their tremendous contribution to Missouri's Fifth Congressional District and surrounding areas, it is an honor and a privilege to recognize the Watkins Brothers Memorial Chapel and the Watkins family for their one hundred years of excellent service to the Kansas City area. Madam Speaker, please join me in celebrating and expressing our gratitude to this family and their incredible dedication to both their business and their community. The African-American community has long benefitted from figures such as Theron Watkins, Bruce Watkins, Sr., and the many other members of the Watkins family. Due to their unyielding persistence, they helped change the reality of African-Americans' political power and influence. The Watkins family is one to revere and respect, and they truly are role models that the Missouri Fifth Congressional District is proud to call our own.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 385) celebrating the life of Millard Fuller, a life which provides all of the evidence one needs to believe in the power of the human spirit to inspire hope and lift the burdens of poverty and despair from the shoulders of one's fellow man.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous materials thereon.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to recognize and celebrate the life of Mr. Millard Fuller, the founder and strength behind one of our Nation's most well-known and beloved nonprofit institutions. Mr. Fuller led Habitat for Humanity from its founding in 1976 until 2005. He was an amazing man who was able to turn a simple idea into a global housing juggernaut serving over 100 countries. Through his leadership, Habitat for Humanity has created affordable homes for more than 300,000 families and 1 million people, families that otherwise would have remained in substandard housing. So, Mr. Speaker, I think that it is appropriate for this body to pass this resolution for a gentleman who certainly is worthy of having this recognition. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to my colleague and friend, the gentleman from Georgia, Mr. Sanford Bishop.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, let me just agree with my colleague, who talked about the living out of beliefs. I read a story in one the newspapers today which I thought was one of the most theologically unsound things I've seen or read recently. It compared the times President Obama and President Bush said the name ``Jesus,'' as if there is something that is magically going to happen as a result of calling the name. And I think we are going into a slippery slope when we begin to compare people by how they call the name of their deity. But in the case of Millard Fuller, he acted out his beliefs. And we believe in, at least my religious tradition, that there can be no faith, measurable faith, unless there are works. And we say faith without works is dead. And so you see today on the political scene, a lot of talk about religion, but after all is said and done, there's almost always more said than done. And so we have reason to stand up and celebrate Mr. Fuller, who put his faith into action. I never had the opportunity to work on more than two Habitat homes, and I really hate the fact that I've not been able to do more. But I appreciate the fact that former President Jimmy Carter has become one of the most ardent supporters of Habitat for Humanity and has actually worked on tens and tens of homes, not only in this country, but around the world. And by the organization's 25th anniversary, tens of thousands of people like President Jimmy Carter were volunteering with Habitat, and more than a half million people were living in Habitat homes. I am proud to count myself among the numbers of Habitat volunteers, and I'm also proud that I have the opportunity to speak in favor of Millard Fuller, a prolific writer, authoring 10 books, and a man who put his faith in action. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to convey my support for the Taiwanese president, Ma Ying-jeou, his many successes, and the guiding principles of his country. President Ying-jeou is to be commended for championing strengthened ties between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China, since assuming office on May 20, 2008. It is with tremendous pride that we will collaborate with our long- time friend and ally, the Republic of China (Taiwan), at the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA) later this month in Geneva, Switzerland. This is the first time since 1972 that Taiwan has been afforded international standing among sovereign nations at a United Nations event. This Congress most recently honored the U.S.-Taiwan bilateral relationship with the passage of H. Con. Res. 55, recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act, the cornerstone of U.S.-Taiwan relations. The passage of this Act illustrates the commitment and friendship between our two great nations. The strong leadership and cooperation of President Obama and President Ma Ying-jeou will unquestionably help strengthen our nations' unity. Charged with the task of promoting global public health, the work of the WHA assumes great significance particularly in the midst of H1N1, HIV/AIDS, SARS, and avian flu threats. We welcome the meaningful cooperation of world-wide partners to make for safe and sensible solutions amidst continued dangers that jeopardize public health. I am confident of Taiwan's intention and ability to help combat these threats and help meet the ever-changing demands and needs of its people and the global community at large. I urge my colleagues of the 111th Congress to please join me in extending continued best wishes to President Ma Ying-jeou on his first anniversary in office on May 20, 2009.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize Officers David Loar and Christopher Skinner of Kansas City, Missouri, as recipients of the 2009 Top COPS Award. This award is presented to outstanding law enforcement officers by the National Association of Police Organizations for acts that go above and beyond the call of duty. Officers Loar and Skinner were nominated for this award by their peers for actions they undertook in helping a 70 year old homeless man. Officer Loar and Officer Skinner first met Harold, a retired trucker, on New Year's Eve in 2008 in the underground parking garage of a local shopping center in my district. Harold, who had lost his home in a divorce, also had his identification papers stolen while staying at a homeless shelter. Unable to get back on his feet, Harold was living in the underground garage. Upon meeting Harold, Officer Loar and Officer Skinner made the decision to help this elderly man reclaim his life. Officer Loar and Officer Skinner worked to help Harold obtain a birth certificate, a Social Security card, photo identification, as well as a post office box. They brought him sandwiches and checked on him during the cold winter nights. Upon some investigation, Officers Loar and Skinner found that Harold was eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits, and this enabled Harold to collect almost $10,000 in back benefits. Eventually, Officer Loar and Officer Skinner helped Harold find an apartment, and even paid for Harold to stay in a hotel until the apartment unit was ready for him to move into. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring Officer Loar and Officer Skinner for their commitment to helping Harold. These two police officers stand as an example to all in the Fifth District of Missouri, as well as the rest of the Nation. Many of us walk by homeless men and women everyday, yet few take the time to stop. Officer Loar and Officer Skinner walked into the parking garage that cold New Year's Eve and made the decision to help; they made the decision to be one of the few to change the course of someone's life. Officer Loar and Officer Skinner showed true compassion when they decided to help a stranger fight his way back off the streets. It is for these commendable actions that Officer Loar and Officer Skinner were awarded the 2009 Top COPS Award. I urge my colleagues of the 111th Congress to join me in congratulating Officer Loar and Officer Skinner on their well-deserved honor.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chairman, there is perhaps no need for me to use the 2 minutes since there's no opposition. I would like to commend my colleague from Arizona for the vision of submitting this amendment. Mr. Chairman, the truth of the matter is that 20 percent, 20 percent, of Americans go to school each day, not unlike the pages who are here in Washington, who go to school every single day. And when you consider that 20 percent of the population is in school, if we take advantage of the fact that they are in school to teach them why and how we are greening America by beginning to green their schools, it cannot help but build an America, our Nation, in a manner that will utilize to the best of the ability of its people the resources we have. So I commend the gentlewoman from Arizona. I also appreciate the support for this amendment from the other side.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. I am so glad that you brought that issue up because, as I mentioned at the beginning, how I think this Nation is maturing with regard to the issue of race. It is unsettling then to see how there have been people--and I am not sure all the motivation and I am not sure it is important at this point, why they would continue to say day after day after day after day that CRA caused the crisis. It boggles the mind. Our colleague, Mr. Green from Texas, had mentioned earlier that the chairman of the Federal Reserve found it necessary to come out and declare that this was not a fact. Sandra Bernstein, the director of the Federal Reserve's Consumer and Community Affairs Division, stated at a hearing before our committee, ``I can state very definitely that, from research we have done, the Community Reinvestment Act is not one of the causes of the current crisis.'' And then Alan Greenspan, the former Chair of the Fed, pointedly did not blame the Community Reinvestment Act or low-income borrowers. In fact, his statement was, ``The evidence strongly suggests that without the excess demand for securitizers, subprime mortgage originators''-- undeniably the original source of the crisis--``would have been far smaller and defaults accordingly far lower.'' Only 25 percent of these subprime loans were made by CRA regulated banks. I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota.

Mr. CLEAVER. Thank you, Mr. Green. I think that those forward- thinking Members of this body who in 1977 approved the Community Reinvestment Act did a tremendous service for all of us. It provided us with opportunities to buy homes--and our children. It is refreshing for me to know that the young pages who work here in the Capitol--we have two helping us tonight, Raven Tarrance and Jasmine Jennings. These pages will not have to suffer what my father had to experience and what our parents and grandparents had to experience because, in part, the Community Reinvestment Act will not allow banks to take deposits from people and then not make loans to them. And it's really so ludicrous that we have to argue this point because the law is so clear. I just added another section of the law here with us. The bill text of section 2903, Financial Institutions Evaluation, reads thusly: ``A, in general, in connection with its examination of a financial institution, the appropriate Federal financial supervisory agency shall, one, assess the institution's record of meeting the credit needs of its entire community, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods consistent with the safe and sound operation of such institutions.'' Now, according to recent data, we found out that 75 percent of the higher-priced loans during the peak years of the subprime boom were made by independent mortgage companies not operating under CRA, which means that it is absolutely ridiculous to blame CRA for the crisis when the institutions that ignited the crisis were not operating under CRA. It is so sad that a Nation that is moving in many ways far beyond where most of us thought it would move, at least at this moment in time in history, is still, in part, dealing with those who are spreading divisive messages that CRA, or poor people, caused this crisis. When you read about the Great Depression or when you read about recessions even in foreign countries, for some perverted reason, and maybe it's a part of human nature, people always look for a villain instead of us saying that we had a problem. Housing prices in the United States rose precipitously for a 50-year period. There was not one year during the 50-year period that the housing prices did not rise. There was no way that they could continue to go as such. And so eventually they were ballooned, and the balloon burst, and what we have here is a result of creating a housing market that was never real. In Washington, D.C., if you walk within a couple of blocks of our offices, you will find homes at $450,000 to $500,000. You go to California, we have the jumbo loans out there, with $750,000 homes that would probably cost, in the Midwest, $200,000 or less. And so we had this explosion of growth and everybody was getting their little piece. Everybody participated in it. People were making bad loans because money was plentiful and victims were plentiful. There were a lot of people who were steered into getting these loans. All of us had people in our own congressional district to tell us horror stories about how they ended up in a home underwater, where the mortgage owed on the home is far greater than the value. What we find right now is that those mortgages, as my colleague Mr. Green mentioned, have been bundled, securitized, and then sold on Wall Street. When we passed the Toxic Asset Removal Program, known as TARP, it was designed to remove the toxic assets, mainly mortgages, bad mortgages. Toxic assets were bad mortgages. If we could move those out of the market, then there would be a higher level of confidence on the part of investors to invest their money. Unfortunately, at the time, Hank Paulson and President Bush used the money for something else. It gives me an opportunity to say at this time, Mr. Speaker, that I spoke to a group of students in an MBA program from the University of Missouri-Kansas City a couple of hours ago on Capitol Hill. I asked them to raise their hands if they believed that the Congress had approved money to give to the banks. Two-thirds of the people raised their hands. I think the rest believed that they thought they might get a bad grade or something, or congressional punishment, if they raised their hands, so they didn't raise their hands. But probably most of the people looking at this program believed that we voted to give the money to the banks. I would remind the public that we voted to approve the Toxic Asset Removal Program to buy the toxic assets. It was the Secretary of the Treasury, acting with the President of the United States, without consulting Congress, who decided to move the money from its intended purpose that was approved right here in this Chamber and give it to banks. I think that they have been able to do that pretty much with impunity because most of the country probably still believes that we sat in here and voted to give the money to the banks. But the purpose of that was to remove the bad mortgages, and the bad mortgages did not come as a result of the Community Reinvestment Act. I yield back to the gentleman from Minnesota.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker and Mr. Green, I flew into Washington on Monday of this week and sat next to a gentleman who serves on a board of a bank. When he found out that I was on the Financial Services Committee, we began to talk about the crisis, and I am sure that happens to you and all of us who end up on this committee at this particular time in history. During the conversation he said to me that at a recent bank board meeting, one of his colleagues on the bank board said to him: CRA is going to ruin this bank. It is forcing us to give loans to people who don't qualify. And he said no matter how he argued, the man would not release the notion that somehow the requirement that is placed on institutions to be fair caused the financial crisis. I think that the Members of Congress in 1977 who had the vision of creating or beginning the task of creating an America where people could live where they wanted would be pleased today to know that we have made significant progress. We have not made the ultimate progress, but we have made significant progress. Imagine this, Minneapolis, Minnesota, having an entire section of the city where banks are not making loans. And then as that city goes into decay, people would drive back and say, You know, poor people don't take care of their property. See what is going on over there, not understanding that banks were not making loans to that area. That was supposed to stop in 1977. Now there are banks in my hometown who are very active in making loans in the urban core. There are other banks that I think are prodded by the passage and the enforcement of the CRA. I did not have this on the airplane, but I wanted to bring it here tonight. This comes from chapter 20 of the Community Reinvestment Act, section 2901, Congressional Findings and Statement of Purpose. It reads: ``It is the purpose of this chapter to require each appropriate Federal financial supervisory agency,'' those are the agencies that I mentioned earlier, ``to use its authority when examining financial institutions to encourage such institutions to help meet the credit needs of the local communities in which they are chartered consistent with the safe and sound operation of such institutions.'' This is in the language of the law. And in spite of the clarity of this statement, there are people, even unfortunate and tragically who are part of this body, who are still going around on TV shows saying that CRA caused the financial crisis. I would yield to my colleague Keith Ellison from Minnesota.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, when Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States, there were a number of statements that were subliminally made to the Nation and, indeed, to the world. And one of the statements was that we, as a Nation, had moved significantly from the days of not only chattel slavery but even the days of Jim Crow and the bitter segregation that enveloped the entire United States. I can remember growing up in Texas, in Wichita Falls, Texas, and my father purchased a home in what was then, very clearly, what was known as a white neighborhood. And when my father purchased the home across the street from, I think, a shopping center that was going to be built, a strip shopping center, he had to move the home from its location to the east side of the tracks, where the African American community lived. He purchased the home, hired a moving company that moved homes, and the home in which my father lives in today, the home in which I and my three sisters grew up in now stands at 818 Gerald Street in Wichita Falls, Texas, and it has been moved, probably, 8 miles from where it was built, because in those days African Americans could not live on the other side of the tracks. Now while I speak very clearly and experientially about Wichita Falls, Texas, please understand that was the case all over the length and breadth of the United States. We had problems where the banks would not lend money to purchase homes in certain neighborhoods. It was called ``red-lining,'' where if a white homebuyer wanted a home, it was clear that the banks would not sell them a home or would not finance the home in certain areas, and they would only finance homes in certain areas for African Americans and to some degree to Hispanics. And this went on in our country for years and years and then decades and decades. And then, finally, as our Nation began to experience what I like to call the ``Great Awakening,'' we found that Martin Luther King, Jr. and Whitney Young really began to change things. And things began to change, really, in the 1950s with Brown v. Topeka Board of Education. And then with the movement, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Martin Luther King, Jr., when you look at what was going on with the NAACP, the Urban League, and I think a beginning of an awakening by all of the country, things began to change, albeit very slowly. And we had the Voting Rights Act approved. We had the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 1965. And then by the 1970s, there was, for the first time, a very clear movement of the United States Congress toward creating some kind of a society that would allow all Americans to enjoy the benefits of America. And so, in 1977, the Congress of the United States put in place something called the Community Reinvestment Act. It is called CRA. And in this act, there was an attempt by Congress to address discrimination in loans made to individuals and businesses from low to moderate income neighborhoods. Now, this is important because finally in 1977--and I know probably for young people who may be watching this broadcast on C-SPAN, they probably are having difficulty even grasping the fact that in 1977 the Congress of the United States had to pass a law that would stop the redlining that pretty much pushed African Americans and Hispanics in certain neighborhoods. They don't see that as much today, although we are still, unfortunately, still bitterly segregated in terms of housing. But in 1975, to reduce discrimination, Congress moved to pass the Community Reinvestment Act. That was a major piece of legislation. And while many Americans probably don't even know what CRA is, this is an opportunity for you to understand what began to change the whole housing drama in the United States of America, the Community Reinvestment Act. This act began to cancel out, to erase, the practice known as ``red- lining.'' And in this Community Reinvestment Act, it required that appropriate Federal financial supervisory agencies would regulate financial institutions to meet the credit needs of the local community in which they were chartered, consistent with, I might add, safe and sound operations. And that is important, and I will get to that in just a moment. The agencies that have been commissioned with the responsibility for regulating these agencies, I think most people would know who they are. They would be the FDIC, they would be the Federal Reserve, they would be the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the OCC, and the Office of Thrift Supervision, the OTS. And those agencies would have the responsibility to monitor what banks in the United States did to make sure that they did not arbitrarily and capriciously exclude entire segments of cities for loans both in terms of residential homes and in terms of businesses. And therein, Mr. Speaker, we began a new chapter in the United States. At this time, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield time to my friend and colleague from Houston, Congressman Al Green.

Mr. CLEAVER. Would the gentleman yield? Congressman, it may be of some value for you to share with us the yield spread premium, which is one of the critical developments that we find that people suffer as they are losing their homes. And what has happened over the past year is that in the middle of a tidal wave of foreclosures, people have sought to place the blame on somebody or somebodies. And tragically and painfully, it has fallen on the poor and the minorities. They are being blamed for the crisis. One of the people I really liked a lot, and we had a very good relationship, was former Congressman Jack Kemp, the former Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He, of course, died, and I think all of Capitol Hill is mourning Jack Kemp. He was a former quarterback in the NFL, and he was a great guy. He wrote a book where he talked about what happens to the poor and how the poor get blamed. I have that autographed book in my office in my basement in Kansas City. He lays out clearly how the poor always seem to get the blame. When we say that CRA caused this tidal wave of foreclosures, it is a way of blaming poor people because what that means is when the government passed the Community Reinvestment Act and said you cannot discriminate any more, what is being suggested from Capitol Hill, and you can hear it at night on the television and radio talk shows, is that banks and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were forced to make bad loans, and there were a lot of bad things happening, including the yield spread premium.

Mr. CLEAVER. The three of us serve together on the Financial Services Committee with our chairman, Barney Frank, who has been roundly beaten about the face and head by some of our colleagues and as well as some of the talk show folk around the Nation, and I think it is important to mention at this time that he is an unbending advocate for the Community Reinvestment Act. I also take a great deal of joy in saying that as a very clear sign that we are in fact moving in the right direction on issues of race in this country. When you look at Barney Frank, who is not, as the three of us, African American, and who has been as strong an advocate for equality of lending as I have ever seen in my life, and I count myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve with him. But I think it might be of some value for me to mention, and I think the two of you mentioned earlier, that Barney Frank has been chair 2 years and a little more than 100 days, and so all of a sudden the blame has been pushed on him, and secondarily us, for causing a crisis and blaming a bill that was actually passed in 1977. The truth of the matter is many people believed, and they were led to believe, that these were new homebuyers rushing out to buy homes. From 1998 to 2007, 50 percent of the subprime loans were refinancings. They were people who simply refinanced their homes and fell victim to an exotic product. So these are people who already had loans and there were crooks out there ready to take advantage. By the way, the three of us were in a hearing today trying to stop another problem from arising. There is no lack of ingenuity for wrongdoers, and there are people now ready to take advantage of people trying to get their mortgages modified and they are doing all kinds of tricks. So I am pleased that we have this opportunity to stand before our colleagues and you, Mr. Speaker, to try to clear up the problems that have been created by people who have given the wrong information about the Community Reinvestment Act. Testimony of Hon. Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League, October 16, 2008 Chairman Dodd, Ranking Member Shelby, thank you for this opportunity to testify today to set the record straight about what I call the Financial Weapon of Mass Deception: the ugly and insidious and concerted effort to blame minority borrowers for the nation's current economic straits. This Financial Weapon of Mass Deception--as false and outrageous as it is--has taken hold, thanks to constant and organized repetition and dissemination throughout the media and political circles. This is not a harmless lie, an innocuous stretching of the truth for some fleeting political advantage. It is an enormously damaging and far-reaching smear designed to shift the blame for this crisis from Wall Street and Washington, where it belongs, onto middle class families on Main Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard who are most victimized by their excesses. For years, the National Urban League and others in the civil rights community have raised the red flag and urged Congress and the Administration to address the predatory lending practices that were plaguing our communities. For example, in March of 2007, I issued the Homebuyers Bill of Rights in which I called upon government to clamp down on predatory lending and other practices that were undermining minority homebuyer. Unfortunately, my call went unheeded until disaster struck. Now that disaster has struck, many of those who caused it are trying to blame the minority community and measures that helped to clear the way for qualified minorities to purchase homes--most notably the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). In fact, it was the failure of regulatory policy and oversight that led to this debacle. Let's start with the plain and simple facts: 1. Wall Street investors--not Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-- were the major purchasers/investors of subprime loans between 2004 and 2007, the period for which this data is available. 2. While minorities and low-income borrowers received a disproportionate share of subprime loans, the vast majority of subprime loans went to white and middle and upper income borrowers. The true racial dimensions of the housing crisis have been reported in a number of outlets, including the New York Times. 3. African-Americans and Hispanics were given subprime loans disproportionately compared to whites, according to ComplianceTech, leading experts in lending to financial services companies. Also, African-American borrowers are more than twice as likely to receive subprime loans as white borrowers. Furthermore, according to a detailed analysis by ComplianceTech: In each year between 2004-2007, non-Hispanic whites had more subprime rate loans than all minorities combined; In 2007, 37.3% of African American borrowers were given subprime loans, versus 14.21% of whites, according to ComplianceTech. More than 53% of African-American borrowers were given subprime loans compared with 21% of whites, according to the National Urban League's Equality Index published in our 2008 State of Black America report; The vast majority of subprime rate loans were originated in largely white census tracts, i.e., census tracts less than 30% minority; The volume of subprime rate loans made to non-Hispanic whites dwarfs the volume of subprime rate loans made to minorities; In each year, the white proportion of subprime rate loans was lower than all minorities, except Asians; Upper income borrowers had the highest share of subprime rate loans during each year except 2004, where middle income borrowers had the highest share; Contrary to popular belief, low income borrowers had the lowest share of subprime rate loans; It is becoming clearer everyday that a large number of people who ended up with subprime loans could have qualified for a prime loan. That's where the abuse lies; Non-CRA financial services companies were major originators of subprime loans between 2004 and 2007, the period for which data is available. These facts are unequivocal. They are clear. They are indisputable. Yet these facts are being buried in an avalanche of false accusations, scapegoating and downright lies being spread by the purveyors of the Financial Weapon of Mass Deception. Conservative commentators from Fox News commentator Neil Cavuto to ABC News analyst George Will to Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer have fanned out across the airwaves, talking points in hand, telling the world that this crisis is NOT the result of a failure of regulation but the fault of minority borrowers who bit off more than they could chew. Charles Krauthammer tells us that ``[f]or decades, starting with Jimmy Carter's Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 . . . led to tremendous pressure to . . . extend mortgages to people who were borrowing over their heads. That's called subprime lending. It lies at the root of our current calamity.'' George Will tells us that regulation: ``criminalize[d] as racism and discrimination if you didn't lend to unproductive borrowers. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac existed to gibber--to rig the housing market because the market would not have put people into homes they could not afford.'' And even right here in the halls of Congress, echoes this same, false refrain, as we heard from Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota (R-Minn), who added Congressional weight to this myth when she quoted an Investor's Business Daily article from the floor of the House that said banks made loans ``on the basis of race and little else.'' As seen in the attached internet blogs from highly trafficked sites, this baseless blame game has turned into vicious attacks on African-Americans, Hispanics, Jews and Gays and Lesbians. In the last few weeks, I have undertaken an aggressive campaign directed at the nation's financial leaders to dispel this myth. In letters to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman, Benjamin Bernanke, I have asked that they both publicly refute claims by some conservative pundits and politicians that most of the defaulted subprime loans at the root of the crisis were made to African- Americans, Hispanics and other so-called ``unproductive borrowers.'' On the basis of hearsay, rumors and misinformation, seeds of division are being sown all across the United States in a volatile political environment where Americans are terrified by the economic situation. History provides too many lessons on the consequences of singling out only certain segments of the population as culprits for a country's woes for us not to do all within our power to stop this ugly and insidious smear campaign in its tracks. I urge you, in the strongest possible terms, to join me in standing up to this big lie, this Financial Weapon of Mass Deception. It is your duty to stop the precious waste of time and energy being spent on blaming the victims and force a healthy debate on what must be done to curb too much Wall Street greed and too little Washington oversight. This hearing is an important step toward that end and I applaud you for holding it. I call upon you to join with me to ensure that innocent people in our community who look to you for protection are not further scapegoated, victimized and exploited by unscrupulous and greedy players and those who do their bidding. I call upon you to not allow yourselves to be distracted by the attempts to undercut the Community Reinvestment Act and undermine regulatory reform. I call upon you to stay focused and to take strong and positive steps to strengthen our communities and the nation's financial foundation through regulatory reform. I call upon you to do your part to disarm this false and dangerous Financial Weapon of Mass Deception. In this time of global crisis, we must bring Americans together and not continue to divide ourselves with false racial arguments. Please enter my testimony into the record.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I proudly rise today in recognition of the outstanding achievements and cultural legacy of the Kansas City Public Library in Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which I proudly represent. The Kansas City Public Library, having received the prestigious 2008 National Medal for Museum and Library Service presented by former First Lady Laura Bush for their ``Books to Go'' project, events and exhibits, represents preservation and celebration of Missouri's Fifth District's diverse history. The Kansas City Public Library's role is to ``actively provide timely, accurate and useful information; support individual of all ages pursuing a program of independent learning; and assists researchers in conducting in-depth study or investigation in specific subject areas''. The library has come to serve nearly every contingent of the Fifth District population, in both urban and suburban areas, actively seeking to engage our citizens in classes, discussions, lectures and events. It allows our citizenry to explore its role as America's heartland evolving from a frontier city to a modern day metropolis with racial and cultural diversity. Through clubs, movies and exhibits, people of all ages can participate in the many opportunities that the library has to offer. Under the wisdom and guidance of Chief Executive Crosby Kemper III and its Board of Directors with Jonathan Kemper serving as Board President, the Kansas City Public Library has emerged as a crucial cultural center in our community. Housing and preserving in multimedia and primary source, the library system has come to foster intellectual enrichment through working collaboratively with our many world-class organizations of cultural preservation and celebration, such as the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, and the National World War I Museum, to name a few. Our hallowed library serves as an extension of the works of these fine institutions to ensure that not a corner of our community is denied the opportunity to share in our heritage. Mr. Crosby Kemper, a graduate of the esteemed Yale University and member of one of Kansas City's most philanthropic families, serves tirelessly as a distinguished administrator and innovator to expose our community to intellectual growth. Due to his efforts and that of the Board of Directors, the Kansas City Public Library provides events and lectures that provoke thought, information and discussion. The library has become a focal point of intellectual conversation in our community. Perhaps most importantly, the Kansas City Public Library houses the freedom of opportunity which our nation cherishes as the cornerstone of its efficacy. Our understanding of peace and justice requires an intellectual grounding in the events of our shared history. Through history, we find our cultural underpinnings and past solutions which evolve into today's paradigm. For these reasons and more, I am proud to have nominated the Kansas City Public Library for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Madam Speaker, through their efforts, they have let loose imaginations, inspired change and become a cornerstone around which our entire community gathers. A city can only be as good as its public libraries, and we all take pride that ours is among America's very best. Please join me in congratulating the Kansas City Public Library, its Board, Crosby Kemper, and the staff, volunteers and supporters that help to make our state-of-the-art Kansas City Public Library a national award winner.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, today along with my colleagues, Representatives Akin, Blunt, Carnahan, Clay, Emerson, Graves, Luetkemeyer, and Skelton, I am introducing a bill designating the Liberty Memorial at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri as the National World War I Memorial. This bill also establishes a Centennial Commission to ensure a fitting observance of the centennial of World War I. The First World War extended through four of the bloodiest years in world history. This truly global conflict involved the world's major powers, mobilizing over 70 million military forces. The War to End All Wars ended with an armistice on November 11, 1918 on the Western Front in Europe, after approximately 16 million military and civilian deaths across the globe, including 375,000 American casualties. The death and destruction of World War I irrevocably impacted the lens through which people viewed the world: The optimism that initiated the early 1900s was swiftly sobered by a consciousness that came to be known as the Lost Generation. Many people, however, were determined to make this generation a generation remembered and honored. Concerned American citizens in Kansas City, Missouri initiated a movement to erect a lasting and meaningful monument to the men and women who served and died for liberty in World War I. According to R.A. Long, the founding president of the Liberty Memorial Association, the 217-foot Liberty Memorial was intended to represent ``on the part of all people, a living expression for all time of the gratitude of a grateful people to those who offered and who gave their lives in defense of liberty and our country.'' In 1919, the people of Kansas City, Missouri expressed an outpouring of support and raised more than $2,000,000 in two weeks for a memorial to the service of Americans in World War I. This fundraising was an accomplishment unparalleled by any other city in the United States and reflected the passion of public opinion about World War I, at the forefront of everyone's memory. H. Van Buren Magonigle won a national architectural competition officiated by the American Institute of Architects to further transform the Liberty Memorial idea into reality. On November 1, 1921, nearly 200,000 people witnessed the dedication of the site for the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. The dedication marked the only time in history that the five allied military leaders--Lieutenant General Baron Jacques of Belgium, General Armando Diaz of Italy, Marshall Ferdinand Foch of France, General John J. Pershing of the United States, and Admiral Lord Earl Beatty of Great Britain, were together at one place. General Pershing echoed the significance of the dedication by asserting, ``[t]he people of Kansas City, Missouri are deeply proud of the beautiful memorial, erected in tribute to the patriotism, the gallant achievements, and their heroic sacrifices of their sons and daughters who served in our country's armed forces during the World War. It symbolized their grateful appreciation of duty well done, an appreciation which I share, because I know so well how richly it is merited.'' Shortly after its dedication, the Liberty Memorial was again distinguished during an Armistice Day ceremony in 1926 when President Calvin Coolidge marked the beginning of its three-year construction project by laying the cornerstone of the memorial. In his dedication speech, President Coolidge declared that ``[. . .] the magnitude of this memorial and the broad base of popular support on which it rests, can scarcely fail to excite national wonder and admiration [. . .].'' A message on the Liberty Memorial's tower bears an inscription that inspired its namesake: ``In Honor of Those Who Served in the World War in Defense of Liberty and Our Country.'' Four stone ``Guardian Spirits'' representing courage, honor, patriotism, and sacrifice proudly perch above an observation deck, making the Liberty Memorial a noble tribute to all who served in World War I. Undoubtedly, hundreds of thousands of people--since the memorial's inception and even today--regard the Liberty Memorial as a powerful symbol of and tribute to Americans who served in World War I. The grandeur and significance of the Liberty Memorial was recognized by the 106th Congress as a national symbol of World War I. The Liberty Memorial that overlooks Kansas City extends far beyond the Kansas City limits. The Memorial serves as a perennial reminder of and for all Americans who served our country during World War I. The evidence articulated above demonstrates that the Liberty Memorial already is, has been, and deserves to be regarded as a national tribute to World War I. This legislation aims to make official what so many people already consider to be the National World War I Memorial. While we look to the Liberty Memorial in remembrance of World War I, we likewise must look to the upcoming World War I centennial, to be honored in 2017. To ensure a proper observance of the World War I centennial, this legislation also aims to create a commission to be known as the World War I Centennial Commission. The Commission will promote not only a suitable observance of the centennial of World War I, but will also recognize the values of honor, courage, patriotism, and sacrifice, in keeping with the representation of these values through the four Guardian Spirits sculpted on the Liberty Memorial Monument. The Commission will plan, develop, and execute programs, projects, and activities to commemorate the centennial of World War I. With Kansas City, Missouri as its official host, the Commission will be composed of twenty-four members who will work together to facilitate and coordinate activities throughout the United States to honor the Great War. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I wholeheartedly introduce this legislation to make official the historic, powerful, and unparalleled stature of the Liberty Memorial as the National World War I Memorial coupled with the establishment of the World War I Centennial Commission to properly observe the World War I centennial. We owe the Liberty Memorial's designation as the National World War I Memorial to the hundreds of thousands of people, including those who served our country in World War I, who have looked to the Liberty Memorial as the interminable symbol of sacrifice and sovereignty that continue to shape our country. The World War I Centennial Commission will further observe America's historic commitment to freedom and appropriately remember those who fought for our country in the War to End All Wars.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, President Barack Obama assumed the presidency with the United States in a condition worse than any President in the history of our Republic. He came in with problems on every single front, not the least of which was our budget. I am very pleased to be supporting the President's budget. It includes over $2 trillion worth of budget savings through ending what at one point cost us more than $10 billion a month, which was the war in Iraq; we are ending the tax breaks for corporations that ship their jobs overseas; and, asking those who make more than $250,000 a year and have had huge tax cuts over the past 8 years to pay just a little bit more. This budget cuts taxes for 95 percent of American workers, it cuts the deficit in half in over 4 years, and ends an era of irresponsibility and budget gimmicks. So I am proud, Mr. Speaker, to support the President's budget.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I proudly rise today in recognition of the 90th birthday of Mr. Fred Curls, a pioneer for civil and political rights and a resident of the Fifth District of Missouri, which I am honored to represent. On March 31, 2009, Mr. Curls will be 90 years young. This weekend on March 26th and 27th, he is to be honored in Kansas City, Missouri by family, friends, and acquaintances. I am privileged to be a part of this ceremony. Mr. Curls is one of the original Founders of Freedom Incorporated, an African-American political organization which at one time could generate nearly 70,000 votes. Freedom Inc. was and has been very influential in delivering votes for a candidate or a cause. The organization has been at the forefront in serving as a catalyst for change in civil rights, public accommodations, and the election of candidates at all levels of government. Freedom Inc.'s office has been visited by City Councilpersons, Jackson County Executives, Mayors, Missouri State Senators and Representatives, Governors, Congresspersons, Senators, Presidents, and those who have Presidential aspirations. For nearly fifty years, Mr. Curls has dedicated his life to the Greater Kansas City community, promoting and improving political empowerment and the civil rights of people of color. His children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren have followed in his footsteps in acknowledging their responsibility of giving back to the community. His son, State Senator Phil B. Curls, Sr. was the President of Freedom Inc. when I was Chairman. It was a period when Freedom Inc. was recognized as one of the most potent political organizations in the United States and brought about the election of the first African- American Congressman from the Fifth District of Missouri, U.S. Representative Alan Wheat. The ``kids'' have also held many public offices. Two of them were and one is presently a Missouri State Representative, one was a city councilwoman, and two have been School Board members in the Metropolitan Kansas City area. Since the mid-1950s, Mr. Curls has been involved in real estate sales and appraisals, most notably in the African-American community of Kansas City. He fought against ``restrictive covenants'' whereby residential homes could not be sold in certain areas to minorities. He was part of a class action lawsuit which resulted in the United States Supreme Court outlawing such covenants. In all of his activities, Mr. Curls demonstrates his dedication and commitment to the greater good of others. He is actively involved with his high school graduating class, the ``Class of 1937,'' which has been very close to this day. He was honored by Jackson County, Missouri as one of its ``Legacy Awardees'' for its 175th anniversary as a political subdivision. He also has been honored by fellow Missourian U.S. Representative William Lacy Clay of St. Louis and myself as an awardee of the ``Missouri Walk of Fame'' designation, as one of the pioneers of Kansas City's African-American political struggle. Throughout his life, he has believed in the saying ``make it happen.'' He has put his principles into practice, and the effects of his efforts have ``made it happen'' throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. He has had broad shoulders all his life and has held us on those shoulders all these years to promote equality in all walks of life. For those reasons and more, it is indeed an honor and a privilege to recognize Mr. Fred Curls on his 90th Birthday celebration. Madam Speaker, please join me in expressing our appreciation to Mr. Fred Curls and his endless commitment to serving the residents of Kansas City and the State of Missouri. Whatever we, as African-Americans, may attain in the political arena, Fred Curls and those who labored to act on our behalf as political pioneers have helped to change the course of history with the election of our first African-American President, Barack Obama. He is a true role model not just to the African-American community in Missouri, but to the entire community at large.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009, which my good friend Chairman Oberstar introduced. In particular, I am very proud to support the Oberstar Amendment, containing provisions to ensure that no less than 20 percent of all sewer overflow control grants allocated through this legislation will be spent on projects that incorporate green infrastructure practices. H.R. 1262, the Water Quality Investment Act authorizes significant federal investment aimed at reducing sewer overflows in the, United States--a problem that threatens human health and the environment across the country. Currently, most cities that have created EPA-mandated plans to reduce their sewer overflows have relied on the increase of treatment and storage capacity, and the separation of sanitary and stormwater sewers--so-called ``grey solutions.'' However, research and demonstration projects have shown promising results for the use of ``green infrastructure'' to help solve the sewer overflow problem. Green infrastructure takes nature as its guide, using plants and natural systems to infiltrate stormwater into the soil before it enters the sewers, taking pressure off of cities' collection and treatment systems. I was proud to contribute a provision in the Oberstar Amendment that will ensure that no less than 20 percent of grant funds made under this bill for sewer overflow control will be spent on projects that incorporate green infrastructure approaches and practices. This strikes a reasonable balance between green infrastructure and traditional control systems, as both have a role in creating a sustainable and workable solution to sewer overflows. Green infrastructure has significant advantages over grey solutions. These strategies reduce stormwater runoff, relieving combined sewer systems of large quantities of stormwater that contribute to sewer overflows. At the same time, these natural systems can filter stormwater, removing pollutants that otherwise can be conveyed to streams and lakes. By holding stormwater runoff in the watershed where it falls, green infrastructure helps recharge groundwater sources that many cities rely on for drinking water. Green infrastructure also provides more greenspace to our concrete-covered cities. These open areas allow for recreational uses as well as reducing the urban heat island effect, which reduces energy needs. This reduced energy use combined with greater sequestration of carbon in trees and plants helps mitigate the effects of climate change. Building and maintaining these natural systems create green jobs as well. Finally, by reducing runoff, green infrastructure can alleviate flooding issues. Perhaps most importantly, given the size of the federal contribution that this water quality financing bill represents, green infrastructure can be more cost effective than traditional grey solutions, even without considering the ancillary benefits listed above. Numerous demonstration projects have shown that green infrastructure can achieve the same level of runoff control for less money. For example, studies of new residential developments have found that green infrastructure can control stormwater for $3,500 to $4,500 less per lot than traditional stormwater controls. At the same time, the developments with green infrastructure have higher property values. Moreover, retrofitting existing urban spaces for green infrastructure is competitive in cost with conventional stormwater controls, especially when viewed as a component of a coherent watershed approach. When the additional benefits of green infrastructure are included, it becomes a very attractive alternative. No one argues that green infrastructure alone can solve the enormous sewer overflow problem. But my amendment recognizes the growing consensus that green infrastructure deserves a place among the suite of tools used by watershed managers in an increasingly environmentally conscious society. Americans are demanding that we as lawmakers account for and take steps to reduce the footprint that we make on our fragile planet. This bill is a step toward meeting those expectations. Indeed, America's cities are already moving in the direction of making green infrastructure an integral part of sewer overflow control strategies. Green roofs cover more than 1 million square feet in Chicago, thanks in part to grants of $5,000 the city offers to building owners that install a green roof. Chicago is also aggressively pursuing permeable pavement along its 2,000 miles of alleyways. In the face of rising costs and economic challenges, the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati in 2007 took the bold step of re-examining its EPA-mandated combined sewer overflow (CSO) control plan, proposing that an aggressive stormwater management strategy using green infrastructure be implemented to reduce the burdensome cost of conventional grey solutions in their original plan. Washington, DC has investigated the stormwater benefits of green roofs and trees, and estimated that aggressive implementation of green roofs and tree planting could reduce CSOs by 1 billion gallons annually. Kansas City, Missouri, which I proudly represent, has decided as a community that green infrastructure must be a main component of its sewer overflow control strategy. To that end, Kansas City's plan allocates tens of millions of dollars toward implementing green infrastructure solutions. The plan continues and expands the City's award-winning ``10,000 Rain Gardens'' campaign, which educates citizens about the benefits of installing rain gardens and provides resources to residents who want to plant a rain garden. The program will be expanded to help residents disconnect their downspouts. Recognizing the economic benefits of green infrastructure to the long term local economy, Kansas City is also allocating significant resources to developing the green collar workers that are needed to build green infrastructure. In tough times, these jobs will provide an economic stimulus to distressed areas. Finally, Kansas City has kicked off the largest demonstration of green solutions for CSO control in the nation, in the Marlborough neighborhood. Covering 100 acres, the project will be designed to store 500,000 gallons of stormwater. This project will replace the original plan for management of this area--two underground storage tanks that would have contributed no additional benefits to the neighborhood or the environment. This bill will help cities adopt these and other innovative strategies, and it is in keeping with the New Direction this Congress has charted: one in which economic prosperity, environmental protection, and social well-being are not mutually exclusive. That is why I am proud to support H.R. 1262, particularly the amendment by my good friend Chairman Oberstar. I urge all my colleagues to support this vital piece of legislation.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Yes, sir. The people of the District of Columbia work hard every day. They pay their taxes, they do the right thing. But when time comes to vote, the Government of the United States says, ``Shut up, you don't have a right to vote. We just want your tax dollars. We want your sons and daughters to go into the sands of Iraq and Afghanistan, but we don't want you to vote.'' Now I was elected to Congress because the people of the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri, Kansas City, Independence and the surrounding areas, needed a representative in Congress. I am that representative, but the people of the District of Columbia, in over 200 years, have never been able to say, ``This is my representative.'' So, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say that if the people of the United States would like to get something to be angry about, I mean there are a lot of things, fluff issues that people get connected with that really are not significant, but if you want something that is significant then try getting involved in and becoming supportive of the effort to make the District of Columbia, the citizens thereof, an opportunity to be full Americans, full Americans. They are not asking for anything special, they want what all other Americans have, the right to vote, the right to have their own municipal government that does not have to cow down to the Federal Government. As I close, I would just like to say that this is a Nation of people who love justice. I mean, of all the nations on the planet, the United States is a Nation that says it is a just nation, and yet we will not act in any way to support the people of the District. And further, all the opinion polls in the United States will reveal that the public, the people of the United States are just and they believe that an injustice is taking place here.