Yvette Clarke

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. The achievement gap is real. It is well-documented. And if these children had that Head Start, had the early childhood education, it closes the achievement gap by leaps and bounds. The clock to education doesn't start when we slide that child into the kindergarten door. There is so much more that goes into it. And I am a witness to what early childhood education can do. I have seen it for generations in New York, for working-class parents, parents that by no means are wealthy, but we had a period of time in our city's history where we understood that early childhood education was a critical component to not only helping working families but to giving those children that educational boost, that stimulating environment, that healthy and wholesome environment while their parents were at work. There is nothing worse than a parent that has to worry about their child. We hear these horrible stories about people who go to work and leave their child in a car, or worse leave it with a younger child that is then caught in a situation where harm comes to them. We need to be able to allay those types of fears for parents. And this is a win-win- win scenario, our investment in Head Start and Child Care and Development Block Grants. It's a win-win-win scenario.

Ms. CLARKE. Or gentlelady, how about $110,000 a year for a child in juvenile detention?

Ms. CLARKE. What it is is the coming of age. Our economy is evolving in ways that generations before us could have never imagined. That means that we have to redouble our efforts when it comes to the education of our young. We have to come up with the winning strategies for Americans to be able to move our Nation forward. This is the way to go. This is the way to go.

Ms. CLARKE. I think that your daycare provider has really said it all. I don't think there is a dollar value that can you truly put on the work that these women and men do with our youngest, most vulnerable ones. And they make that sacrifice. Wouldn't it be awesome if they were rewarded and our communities were rewarded and our families were rewarded with a government that responded and really put the funding in place, to not only raise the level, but to get rid of all of those waiting lists that we see. What a difference that would make in every one of our communities around this Nation. Thank you very much for your commitment.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the Representative from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for yielding time, and for his words about this important resolution. I also wholeheartedly thank Chairman Howard Berman of the Foreign Affairs Committee along with Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairman Eliot Engel, full committee ranking member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and subcommittee ranking member Dan Burton for their support and great help in moving this legislation through committee to the House floor. The release of the U.N./World Bank report, ``Crime, Violence and Development: Trends, Costs and Policy Options in the Caribbean'' should be a wake-up call for every American interested in the security of our Nation. As the report points out, a variety of factors, including some for which we in the U.S. are partly responsible, such as a seemingly insatiable and heavy illicit legal drug consumption and extremely problematic deportation policies has contributed to our neighboring Caribbean region having the highest crime rate in the world. While today the region remains a wonderful place for Americans to visit, and most hospitable tourist destination in the world, in the long term, if this trend continues, it will wreak serious social, economic, and security troubles for many of the tranquil Caribbean nations. Allowing this situation to deteriorate for years to come will ultimately create a security threat, not just for the Caribbean states, but, indeed, for our own country, as well as an unstable Caribbean region, and would create a vast vulnerability in America's border security. Many of the problems identified by this report have long been recognized by Caribbean leadership. These emerging democracies and developing nations are doing everything within their means to collaborate on the safety of their respective nations and, by extension, our hemisphere. Now, with the confirmation provided by this report in hand, ignorance is no excuse. The U.S. must partner with its Western Hemisphere neighbors and allow it to find workable solutions that will help the people of the Caribbean and ensure long-term security and stability of our region. As the daughter of Caribbean immigrants, and a district that boasts the largest concentration of Caribbean Americans in the Nation, and as a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, I ask my colleagues to support this resolution calling for the U.S. to take up the solutions contained in the very important U.N./World Bank report. If we act now, we will help our allies to reduce crime greatly at levels before the situation becomes far less manageable and a threat to the Western Hemisphere that is, indeed, within our global community.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Record my heartfelt support for H. Res. 1061, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. April 4, 1968 was a tragic day for America and the world. We lost a visionary leader whose conviction that all men and women are created equal, be brought to fruition in our time. Today I will not mourn, but celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King. Although we have come a long way in remedying the social injustices of our country's history, we must continue to be engaged in a dialogue of racial and economic equality. and for the peace that Dr. King gave his life for. He fought for peace here in America, and he fought for peace for all around the world. America is currently engaged in a war that has taken the lives of over 4,000 U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis. The uncanny similarities that the war in Iraq has with the Vietnam war must lead us to adhere to Dr. King's message of nonviolence. Dr. King spoke out against the Vietnam war even when his colleagues questioned his wisdom. On April 4. 1967, a year to the day of his death. Dr. King addressed his colleagues at a meeting of Clergy and Laity Concerned at the Riverside Church in New York City. His speech that day was entitled Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence. His message was poignant then and speaks directly to us today. Dr. King stated, ``Somehow this madness must cease. We must stop now. I speak as a child of God and brother to the suffering poor of Vietnam. I speak for those whose land is being laid waste, whose homes are being destroyed, whose culture is being subverted. I speak for the poor of America who are paying the double price of smashed hopes at home and death and corruption in Vietnam. I speak as a citizen of the world, for the world as it stands aghast at the path we have taken. I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours. The initiative to stop it must he ours.'' In order for us to continue Dr. King's legacy of peace and justice, we must take a stand to end the illegal and unjust war in Iraq. Today I reaffirm my commitment to ending this war and continuing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. The gentleman from Florida really has emphasized what we know is a challenge for America right now. And we are making the marriage here in our conversation, the marriage between the fact that we have to disengage from Iraq, that we realize that our policies have failed there, that it is now a diplomatic mission more so than anything else. And, yes, there will be a cost to redeployment, but the cost to American families has been extensive. And as our brave men and women come back to the United States of America, come back to our respective communities and they face the economic challenges that we have all been facing over the past couple of months, couple of years in some communities, that just compounds the whole reintegration process that is going to be required, the health care, the ongoing health care that is going to be required. And I think that we have positioned ourselves as a Congress to really meet those issues. We know what the challenges are. We have heard firsthand. And when you look at our first economic stimulus package that will provide child tax credits as a rebate to these families, when you look at that expansion of financing opportunities for those who may be in mortgage crisis; and, believe me that we can't separate the wounded warrior from the home they own in the community and the cost of gasoline to get back and forth to the VA hospital and the milk that they have to buy for their child. This economic stimulus is going to be of support to those families as well. But they are going to face what we are facing as civilians in a very special way. And I know that the work we are doing here, Mr. Altmire and Mr. Ryan, is making a difference in their lives. That is why it was important for me to talk about the baseless rhetoric that I heard coming from across the aisle because I don't want Americans to overlook the fact that we have raised the bar and set the standard for how we are going to treat one another as Americans, how we face our challenges head-on, and come up with the solutions that are most important. Right now there is a crisis in health care. There is a crisis in affordable housing and mortgage financing, and there is a crisis called Iraq. There is a direct correlation if you put the equation together, the type of money that we have been spending on this war in Iraq, and let's not forget our soldiers who are also fighting in Afghanistan, but the primary cost, the overwhelming cost is going into the war. And our hope is that we will down surge, redeploy, have a surge in diplomacy and get our economic house in order in the United States of America and treat our veterans and their families as they ought to be treated, treat all Americans as they ought to be treated, and help them through this time of extreme pressure and extreme challenge. I am proud to be a member of this Democratic caucus that has looked at the landscape in its entirety, that is dealing with it in a holistic way. We are not compartmentalizing these issues because one has a direct bearing on the other. I see Mr. Ryan standing here in rare form, and I know he wants to chime in.

Ms. CLARKE. That's real, Mr. Ryan.

Ms. CLARKE. Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Altmire, and to my colleague the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) and to my colleague the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan), it is great to be here with you once again. I just wanted to come and have a conversation with you folks out there and, of course, my colleagues here. I was in my office when I heard the wrap-up of the last Republican hour, and I thought I heard one of my colleagues state that we are in this economic crisis currently due to the last 13 months of Democratic control. I couldn't believe what I heard, because I thought to myself, what a joke. Who does he think he is fooling with this type of baseless rhetoric? Americans know exactly who and what caused this economic downturn. Pointing the finger right now does not help us to put milk in the refrigerators of our neighbors and our constituents, and it certainly doesn't fill the gas tank, and it certainly does not enable people to stop fretting about whether they can make next month's mortgage payment. One of the things that we can all be grateful for is that this Democratic-controlled Congress saw fit to rise to the occasion to forecast what we see as a real economic downturn by putting forth in a bipartisan way an economic stimulus package that we hope will bring at least a moment of respite, a moment where folks can catch their breath and catch their bearings as we present to them the opportunities to refinance their homes and the opportunities to just sort of take a look at the landscape and be able to catch up. Right now, everyone is sort of running after themselves and trying to catch up with the mounting costs of just living today. And it is really just not a time for us to be pointing fingers. It is a time for us to put our shoulders to the wheel with real solutions for all Americans. Certainly this ``New Direction'' Congress has enacted an economic stimulus package that brings relief to our families and provides recovery rebates starting next month, that raises loan limits for mortgages backed by the FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and allows our families to get mortgages with better terms. That is the type of language that Americans want to hear today. That is what the families of my district need to know is coming from us today. When you think about the fact that we are going to be putting hundreds of dollars in the hands of more than 130 million American families who will spend it immediately to invigorate the economy, then you know that we are concerned, that we are not just saying that you got yourself into this, now get yourself out. I noticed that no one said to Bear Stearns, you got yourself into this, now get yourself out. We decided as a nation that we had to make sure that the underpinning of our economic society was not withdrawn from under us. We need to do that for every single family here in America. We need to get that done. Listening to our caucus and the conversations we are having as Democrats around phase two of our economic stimulus is quite heartening; knowing that we are examining what is needed to really get this economy going, which means really innovation, which means bringing to the table the idea that we cannot continue to buy oil which is not an unlimited source, but that we have to look at renewable energies and the type of industry that will be developed in the years to come through that industry and looking at our infrastructure that has not been addressed, at least in my lifetime, that we know that we are going to need to get this done over the next decade or so. So all of these things are on the table. These are things we are discussing as Democrats in terms of phase two, because we know that this stimulus is just the beginning of a multi-pronged strategy that we must take to ensure the future economic growth and strengthening of America. So I want to just thank my colleagues for their continued focus, and not being distracted by those who would rhetorically joke about what is really a major concern to so many Americans right now as they sit at their kitchen tables, at their dining room tables, and they look at the energy bills that have come in from a very harsh winter and a very rough climate in many parts of the country, as they look at the fact that the cost of milk per gallon is now the same cost as gasoline per gallon, as they look at what it takes to travel from one part of this Nation to another, the cost, or from their homes to where they work each day, the cost. All of this is what we need to be focused on, and I am really excited that we are on our way. We talked about the war in Iraq, and there is a direct correlation between what is happening with us economically and what we are able to do economically when we have got so much invested in a war in Iraq. Just this last week, we have looked at 5 long years of war. I can't ever recall in my lifetime, and that is just to give you a sense, of us ever being at war this long. It says something to those who have given their lives and who are veterans of the wars of years gone by and those who would give their lives as our soldiers in the future that we can't be reckless about the call to arms in this country. Some would say that what we have done with the war in Iraq has not been the best moment in our history. So as we look at the fact that over 29,000 Americans have been injured and more than 31,300 have been treated for non-combat injury and illness, I hope that we will also focus on the redeployment that will ultimately have to take place once the Iraqi government stands up. It is in the capacity to do so, and we are hoping that these things will happen simultaneously, quite frankly. But that we also pay attention to these families in our communities, of the walking-wounded warriors who will need our support and will need our help as they readjust to coming back to an America that has a faltering economy, that is struggling to keep its own people in their homes. We need to pay very close attention to what is happening with our veterans, and this Democratic Caucus, this Democratic Congress, has been in the forefront of veterans' rights, of veterans' benefits, in a way that no other part of this government has paid attention to it. So when I hear my colleagues in the last Republican hour focus on trying to cast aspersions at what the Democratic Congress has done, I really hope that they will join us in the bipartisan effort to focus on what is real. What is real are the veterans that are coming home to our communities and the struggles of their families and the duress that their families have been under in just trying to make ends meet on veterans' salaries. It is the struggle that everyone in our communities is facing, whether it is personally or it is a neighbor, in seeing those for-sale signs going up throughout the neighborhood. These are the issues that we are concerned about.

Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Ryan, you've put your finger on the pulse of what we are trying to accomplish here. It is our responsibility to redirect those who would take the debate to its lowest common denominator and distract the American people from the realities of where we are today. Where we are is a Democratic Congress that has risen to the occasion, that has filled in the gaps and is holding the line while others would seek to continue failed policies that are costing us more and more and more with each day. Basically mortgaging, you know, the lives of our children and our grandchildren in order to pay for it, while at the same time neglecting all that needs to be done to make sure that we can live a decent standard of living here in this country. So we have fought this and we are still fighting. I yield.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to give praise to the State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) and NeighborWorks America for their commitment to form a partnership to promote homeownership in underserved neighborhoods in the great state of New York. This partnership will increase awareness of SONYMA products in low-income and minority neighborhoods, which have been the most effected by predatory lending and the sub-prime mortgage crisis. Through the Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City, many communities including Flatbush, Brooklyn, will receive the much needed outreach and access to affordable mortgage products from reliable institutions. Today, I enter into the Record an article published by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle highlighting the efforts of the partnership in the advancement of homeownership in underserved communities. [From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 30, 2008] Groups Team up to Promote Homeownership in Underserved Brooklyn Communities New York.--The State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA), which offers low cost mortgages to first-time homebuyers, and NeighborWorks' America, a national nonprofit dedicated to promoting homeownership, have formed a partnership to promote homeownership in underserved neighborhoods in the state, including several in Brooklyn. Under the one-year $450,000 agreement, NeighborWorks America's Northeast District and six local New York NeighborWorks' organizations will work with SONYMA to increase awareness of SONYMA's products in low-income and minority neighborhoods. In the city, NHS of New York City is one of the NeighborWorks network organizations participating in the program and it covers all five boroughs, including Brooklyn. NHS will be reaching out to help people buy homes with SONYMA mortgages in Brooklyn's target areas--Sunset Park, Williamsburg, Bushwick, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville and Flatbush. ``This unique partnership with NeighborWorks' offers a tremendous opportunity to boost the visibility of SONYMA's programs in communities where they could do the most good,'' said Priscilla Almodovar, SONYMA president and CEO. ``Homeownership, when done responsibly, creates strong neighborhoods and stable families.'' Said Deborah Boatright, Northeast District director of NeighborWorks, ``Now more than ever, low-income and minority communities need access to affordable mortgage products from a trusted source like SONYMA. It is these very communities that have been the most impacted by predatory lending and the sub-prime mortgage crisis.''

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Madam Speaker, today I rise to express my dismay regarding the housing crisis. It's a multifaceted housing crisis. It's a mortgage crisis for home buyers. It's an inventory crisis for the affordable rentals. It is an investment crisis for public housing. Two top executives at Countrywide Financial are expected to receive a combined golden parachute totaling $19 million, and while these top executives cash out their stock options, hardworking Americans are left struggling, trying to prevent the loss of their homes and ultimately their financial ruin. It is truly incredible how the Bush administration, SEC Chairman Cox, Treasury Secretary Paulson, and Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke have seen fit to extend billions of dollars for a Wall Street bailout but won't provide additional, adequate aid to borrowers fighting every day to save their properties. Today, we are looking at one of the biggest financial catastrophes since the Great Depression. Brooklyn, New York, has five of the top 10 neighborhoods with the highest subprime lending rates, including East Flatbush, which is located in my district. Madam Speaker, after analysis and examination, the sharp increases in foreclosures are connected to predatory lending practices from abusive lending institutions. New York City will likely see more than 10,000 foreclosures this year, which is roughly double the number of foreclosures in 2004. But while Washington is concerned about the impact of the subprime mortgage crisis on Wall Street, on Main Street many hardworking people are getting left behind. Hardworking families and individuals like those I represent in central Brooklyn have for far too long been targets of predatory lending practices; yet this administration comes to the rescue of the high-profile executives and leaves the very people who they are sworn to serve, defend, and protect to fend for themselves. We must not forget that there is another dimension to the housing crisis occurring in communities less traveled by many, in the community where many are suffering from the affordable rental housing crisis. These families are being squeezed out of their homes as landlords convert their apartments to high-priced condominiums, earning double- digit rent increases or opting out of Federal subsidy programs such as Mitchell-Lama or project-based section 8 as more affordable rental apartments are being lost while the demand increases. Let's not forget as well public housing's vital role in this housing crisis. Public housing is home to more than 400,000 New Yorkers. The New York City Housing Authority, which has a running deficit of more than $200 million every year, has been severely reducing their spending on security, maintenance, sanitation, and repairs, leaving many residents living in uninhabitable conditions. NYCHA had to lay off employees and close youth centers in an attempt to preserve its core services, and in housing projects located in neighborhoods such as Brownsville, Brooklyn, crime continues to reach into the lives of our families. Public housing is essential to New York City, and this negligence simply cannot continue. So, in conclusion, Madam Speaker, the Bush administration's actions, or lack thereof, clearly demonstrates that instead of preventing the devastating loss to our communities by providing financial assistance to homeowners, providing full funding to reduce the affordable housing stock from dwindling, and preventing public housing units from deteriorating, our President has taken the path of least resistance by bailing out corporate fat cats and turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to the hard-working families of my district and of our Nation. Madam Speaker, I look forward to working with my colleagues to turn this devastating condition around and restoring the pride and dignity of responsible, thriving communities.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Madam Speaker, last Thursday was a tragic day in Jerusalem. An ``act of terror and depravity'' as Secretary Rice defined it, took the lives of eight young students, while gathering to have dinner. At 8:45 pm, Thursday night, two terrorists infiltrated to a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem and opened fire in a dining hall. The shooting was continuing for a few minutes until police forces arrived and the gunmen were stopped. Eight students were killed and seven others were wounded and are still hospitalized. Mercaz Harav Seminary is a center for studying of Judaism that is located in Kiryat Moshe quarter at the entrance of the city. The seminary holds around 500 students, including foreigners, some of them Americans. In this specific evening there were about 80 people in the dining hall when the gunmen opened fire. The victims are Neria Cohen, 15 years old; Segev Paniel Avihail, 15 years old; Yehonathan Ytzchak Eldar, 16 years old; Avraham David Moses, 16 years old; Roy Rot, 18 years old; Yochai Lifshitz, 18 years old; Yehonadav Haim Hirshfeld, 19 years old; and Doron Mahareta, 26 years old. I urge my colleagues to come together and find ways to resolve the conflict in the Middle East. I would also like to express my deep sorrow for the loss of the young students. To the parents and families of the victims, I offer my sincerest condolences, and grant the families comfort and peace at this time.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Thank you so much, Mr. Meek. It's great to be back here once again with the 30-Something Working Group in what I call my sophomore year of my freshman term. I wanted to just share some reflections on the economic stimulus package, because I think before we even get to the point of looking at where our economy is today, there should be a moment to pause and look back about 7 years ago when our Nation's budget was in surplus. And in such a short amount of time we've seen our economy just totally get out of kilter, get out of whack, a lot of hocus-pocus being done in the markets, particularly around subprime mortgages, in addition to the fact that there's just been a slow economic growth in some of the sectors that have traditionally provided that economic growth and boost in our economy. But it's great to know that we all recognize the writing on the wall, and that there wasn't the type of struggle that we have seen around other pieces of legislation with regard to economic stimulus. It was bipartisan effort, and we recognized that it was important and critical that we do this timely, we do it targeted, and we make sure it's temporary because, as my colleague, Mr. Meek, has already stated, we're borrowing this money. But we know it's important. It's important to jump-start our economy. It's on life support right now, and this is just the type of jolt that we need. It, as has been stated, gives hundreds of dollars to people who will spend it. That is the ultimate goal here is that we spend this money, that we get it back into the stream of economic growth as quickly as possible. And that will be going to 130 million American families and seniors, including about 8.3 million families in my home State of New York. And what we were able to determine is that the average rebate for New York families would be about $807, putting an estimated $6.7 billion into the hands of New Yorkers, into the hands of those who really, really need it. And I think what is so crafty about the stimulus package that the Democrats led here in our caucus was the fact that we looked at the struggle that our parents are having; that for our children there's going to be a rebate for each child in the family; that there will be an ability for us to make sure that our small businesses are able to invest in new equipment and that workers will have half a million jobs by the end of this year. We are looking at providing relief for lower wage and part-time workers by guaranteeing at least $300 for those who are making at least $3,000 in earned income. This is phenomenal. It's unfortunate that we have to come to these measures, but we know that this stimulus is going to be going directly to those who have suffered the most in our economic crises right now. And I think that the Democratic caucus has certainly led the way with innovation with regard to this stimulus package, and I want to commend, to the extent that I can, the folks on the other side of the aisle who saw that this was a much needed measure and did not spend a whole lot of time debating it but putting it in place, so that by May of this year, we should begin to see some of this really kick into effect across this Nation. It's extraordinary. You know, our Democratic Party worked with our Republican counterparts in the House and the Senate and the administration to pass this quick relief to help prevent a full-fledged recession, but we didn't get everything we wanted. We really didn't just get everything we wanted. We got it done quickly. I believe that we need to expand upon the stimulus to keep the relief coming, because even after the rebate checks come, there are people who will continue to be hurting. We need to increase funding for food stamp programs and unemployment benefits, then we need to address the infrastructure problems in our country, Mr. Speaker, including needed repair to our schools, waste water systems, transportation systems, which will also create jobs. We need to invest in affordable housing. That creates jobs. But it also creates local economic development. Creating jobs through many different means, and the buzz word is ``green'' jobs, which is, of course, looking at renewable energies and how we really embed that into our economy, so that as we wean ourselves off of the dependency of foreign oil, we see the growth of industry across this Nation from the rural parts of our Nation to the urban parts of our Nation, like New York City, where green jobs can be a major engine for sustainable growth in our Nation. Of course, we have looked at summer jobs, which is critical. This is a way that we can immediately impact, particularly on our young people and their families, is by giving them that opportunity for exposure to the workplace in the summer job capacity, job training for our workforce, to reorient them to a lot of the emerging industries that we have. We just need the jobs. So we have a full plate ahead of us. Economic stimulus is just the beginning. That is just shocking the system so we can begin to put the treatments in place to repair and restructure it, and I'm really looking forward to that, because coming out of this Democratic caucus had real innovation, real forward thinking, and real focus on the needs of our people. As has been stated, Mr. Meek, you are struggling with the foreclosure crisis in your community. I'm struggling with it in my community where we're in the process of rolling out a series of clinics so that people will feel free to come forth and have their financial situations assessed, their mortgages assessed. Those that can be refinanced, we want to get them in the stream right away, because this is predicted to be a foreclosure phenomenon that will last a number of years. So we want to try to head it off at the pass for those who may be struggling today. And this economic stimulus package can at least put some funds into the stream by helping homeowners who are struggling with their mortgages and who are in danger of losing their homes. So I'm excited about the fact that the President signed the package today and that we can get the wheels of the bureaucracy moving to get this stimulus into the stream, into our communities, into the hands of our families as quickly as possible. It's really an important measure, and I look forward to seeing it implemented in each of our communities.

Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Meek, I think you're being too kind. We have to put this where this is. The President released his last budget, and this budget is devastating. It's a Republican budget that plunges our country deeper into debt, a debt that we will pass onto our children, our grandchildren, and maybe even our great-grandchildren if we don't turn this situation around and turn it around quickly. In the area of health care alone, the types of cuts in Medicare and Medicaid for our seniors and to low-income Americans, it's unconscionable. Again, we're facing a crisis in health care. And what are we seeing? Cuts. Cuts to the SCHIP program that are almost $20 billion over the next 5 years. After all we've done to try to expand the program for all eligible children, the National Institutes of Health funding frozen just as we're about to have some breakthroughs in research around Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease and cancer and other diseases that we're desperately looking for treatment and cure for. I mean, in the area of education, and this is supposed to be the leave-no-child-behind administration, we see that the budget totally eliminates crucial programs that provide to the States for technology in classrooms. It eliminates vocational education programs altogether. It completely eliminates the supplemental educational opportunity grants, Perkins loan programs. I mean, our commitment to the development of our Nation has to include a robust educational system. We are in competition with nations from around the world. And in other nations they're cranking out their engineers and their scientists by the hundreds. We're struggling to keep up. We're struggling to be competitive. This Republican budget does nothing to aid in our cause to go forward in a robust manner. It reduces the funding for after-school programs by over 26 percent. These are the areas where our communities, our States across this Nation need the support systems in place now that we have a 21st century society where parents are working, where they're not going to be there necessarily all the time at 3 o'clock to pick up their children from school. This is that period of time where all law enforcement agencies will tell you that children get into trouble between 3 and 6 o'clock. Here we see this Republican budget does not take into account the realities of the lives of the constituents that we present. So we're going to have to bring that to the table and make sure that is a part of the conversation as we move forward to shape what has been presented to us, which is really something that is devastating to our Nation at this time. Homeland security. Now this is an area that really hits home for me. Coming from New York City, knowing what has gone into just building out a new bureaucracy to address our concerns for safety and for real protection of our homeland, to hear after all that our first responders have done to really bring themselves up to speed to be able to meet the needs of their jurisdictions, to then have the Federal Government renege on its commitment to them is a shame and it's a sham. To cut assistance to firefighters where local fire departments have needed equipment to keep our communities safe is unconscionable, totally unconscionable. For example, in New York State where New York City's FDNY are considered national heroes, almost $32 million have been cut in funding. Where do they get that money from? Where are these departments around this Nation going to be able to make up for the shortfall of the commitment made to them by our national leader? Unbelievable. Cuts to homeland security grant programs, which funds every State based on risk by $750 million, that's an ounce of prevention there, and we see it being pulled away. The important Urban Area Security Initiative, UASI, homeland security funding received an increase of only $5 million, which is not even enough to keep up with inflation. So what are we talking about here? I often hear my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and their concern about border protection. Well, this is it folks. And it's the other side of the aisle that has turned the other way in addressing the priorities through this budget. Cuts to port security, critical transportation infrastructure, targeted infrastructure protection grants programs, and other important homeland security programs, right before our very eyes. And one of the areas that I would have thought we would have really just taken a little time to get fixed up, the Office of Appeals of Redress, which was totally left out of the budget, this department is the department that is responsible for enabling us to travel across this Nation. And for those who have, unfortunately, been put on the terrorist watch list, this is the area where just a little bit of funding would have made the difference between how we are currently conducting business that has shown a low value for our civil liberties and really bringing our processes up to date to meet the needs of real Americans. So it's devastating. This budget is not reflective of the needs that Americans have been talking about, are concerned about, and it's unfortunate. But it's my hope that we will push, we will move, we will negotiate so that we can get some of this turned around in time for it to make a difference in our lives. Just think about cuts to child care development block grants, when so many parents now need that extra assistance to be able to make sure that their families are well taken care of as they earn income to keep up with the cost of living. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, as my colleague Mr. Meek talked about, this is critical in the northeast region where energy costs are skyrocketing and we're seeing some of the worst record winters in my lifetime, perhaps in many folks' lifetime, and not only here but in the Midwest and up the whole northern seacoast. Social services block grants, these have been the areas where our communities have been just sort of held together by a safety net. It continues to be cuts. And then of all places, veterans' health care. We talk so much about our concern and our gratitude to veterans particularly in this time of war, and it is just so hypocritical to see the type of budget cuts that are taking place in terms of health care services for our wounded warriors. This is unbelievable. The Republican budget also assumes that the alternative minimum tax is not fixed. This assumes a significant increase in taxes for over 21 million Americans after 2009, 21 million Americans, and enacting a permanent fix to prevent this tax from taking effect will cost about $313 billion over the next 5 years, and it is something that we as Democrats are committed to doing. Yet nothing, we receive nothing in this budget that indicates that we are gearing up to address this very important issue for working-class Americans. The Republican budget does not contain accurate numbers for the cost of the Iraq War, as has been stated by my colleague Mr. Meek, and the administration requested $70 billion, but the average monthly cost of the war is over $10 billion a month. That means that the true cost of the war will be upwards of at least a baseline of $120 billion next year. So as you can see, we have a real dilemma. The dilemma is do we accept the last budget of Mr. Bush, the Republican budget, which continues to plunge our country deeper and deeper into debt, or do we, as we have in the Democratic caucus, continue to push, to organize, to negotiate, to make sure that the needs of all Americans are attended to in this upcoming budget? It's a mammoth task, but I believe, Mr. Meek, we are up to it. It is critical that we do this. We have to get on good ground going forward. I mean, it's going to take a lot to get us out of this deficit. First of all, we are going to have to bring an end to this war in Iraq because that's unfettered spending. That's unfettered spending. But, simultaneously, we need to really set priorities for the American people. And that priority has to be demonstrated in the budget that we pass here. It has to be demonstrated in the way in which we fund the critical areas of our growth and our development as a Nation. And, believe me, this budget falls far short of that. It's time for folks to get their act together. This Republican budget plunges this country deeper into debt. We cannot afford that. We must become much more sober about our work here and recognize that in order for us to grow, we have to make sure our educational system is sound, our health care system is sound, and certainly make sure that our homeland is protected. And based on what we have received thus far, the Republican budget falls extremely short of that, and that is totally unacceptable. So, Mr. Meek, I know that our time together here is winding down. I just wanted to say that this is a very important time for this House. And as we look at our priorities going forward, the stimulus package gave us a window into where we are right now, and that is we are in an economic crisis. And anyone who can't see the writing on the wall is walking around with blinders on. When you compound the economic distress that we are in with a budget that doesn't account for hundreds of billions of dollars that can be spent at a moment's notice, particularly in the misadventure in Iraq, and neglects to build the infrastructure of the Nation, areas of education where we become competitive, our talent is cultivated and developed, providing the support systems for working families like child care support, being able to make sure that we are healthy enough as Americans to continue to do the job and being productive, these areas are very important and crucial areas for us to move this Nation in the 21st century. I think President Bush has thrown up his hands. This was his last budget. This was the best that he could do. And, unfortunately, it fell too short. I want to thank you, my colleague, for sharing this time. I look forward to participating with you further in the future. And I want to thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me this time during the 30-Something Working Group.

Ms. CLARKE. What I found interesting was our commitment to small business in the stimulus package. I think that too often small business is overlooked and forsaken for the big, megacorporate folks who are always getting the tax breaks. But this stimulus package also takes into account our small business, our ``mom and pop,'' our emerging new start-ups and other organizations in our communities. The plan will double the amount small businesses can immediately write off their taxes for capital investments made in 2008 from $125,000 to $250,000, and for purchases of new equipment up to $800,000 from $500,000. And that's significant because with the cost rising for materials, and there is a rising cost for oil, and people don't recognize what the rising cost in oil alone does to small business, particularly for those who have to have their goods or their services trucked or shipped. All of that goes into the bottom line of someone who is trying to operate a small operation. It also provides immediate tax relief for all businesses to invest into new plants and equipment by speeding up the depreciation provisions so that firms can write off an additional 50 percent off of investments purchased in 2008. That is extraordinary. That is extraordinary because, again, because small business is really saddled with the weight of an economy that has been skyrocketing, particularly with the cost of oil and with the cost of doing business overall just escalating each and every year. And we expect that there will be about $7.5 billion sent out to small business and small business investments over the next 10 years, close to $44 billion in 2008 alone. So we have looked at every sector of our economy that may be struggling as a result of the sluggishness of the economy at this time, and a recession in some areas; some folks would say even depression in others. But for our businesses, it's important that we provide that buffer so that they're enabled to continue to grow, notwithstanding the challenges that they're facing right now. So we have covered many bases with this stimulus package. We have covered both the home and the family as well as the small business environment of our communities. And I hope that, as you've said, everyone will take advantage of the rebates and the incentives that have been built into this stimulus package because we are counting on you to spend it out there. It's important. We want to make sure that we can provide the life support to our economy that's required so we don't fall in any deeper into economic crisis. And this is just the opening salvo. We have a lot more to work out for our communities, for our Nation with regard to sustainable job development and job growth, and I'm looking forward to that part of the conversation, because we are in the 21st century here. We've got the talent, the expertise. We've got the ability out there. We have to be able to make sure that we drive the process of economic growth right here starting from the Hill.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Madam Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 3524, the ``HOPE VI Improvement and Revitalization Act of 2007,'' which eradicates severely distressed public housing. Ever since public housing was first created, there were many obstacles that hindered its success. As time progressed, many public housing units became nothing more than a highly concentrated community containing many of society's social problems such as poverty, high crime, and unemployment. Consequently, many units became deplorable and uninhabitable. But H.R. 3524 would help transform many severely distressed neighborhoods into the livable communities that public housing was originally intended to be for many low-income families. The HOPE VI program was created in 1992 and has been credited with eliminating and replacing some of the most dangerous and distressed public housing in the country with new mixed income communities. It has been reported that mixed-income communities have resulted in increases in per capita incomes, decreases in unemployment rates, decreases in the number of households receiving public assistance, and declines in violent crime. Therefore, one of the reasons why I support H.R. 3524 is because this bill would require public housing agencies to create more mixed-income housing on demolished low-income housing sites. Also, these mixed- income housing units developed to replace demolished public housing would have to be built in low-concentrated poverty areas to avoid concentrating public housing in low-income neighborhoods. Other reasons why I support this bill is because it provides more replacement housing units; ensures residents have access to revitalized sites; provides residents with more involvement in the planning and redevelopment process; and establishes green development standards for HOPE VI revitalization activities. Therefore, Madam Chairman, I urge my colleagues for strong bipartisan support of the HOPE VI Improvement and Revitalization Act of 2007, which will redefine public housing by transforming distressed communities into new, safe sustainable communities for many families who deserve it.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend and give praise to the gentlewoman from Ohio for her management of this very important legislation and, of course, to our distinguished chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, the dean of our New York delegation, for his leadership on this issue and bringing this issue to the floor today. I rise in support of H.R. 3648, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, because Americans need relief. We need relief. And under this bill, the mortgage debt forgiven through foreclosure, sale, or loan restructuring would no longer count as taxable income. Mr. Speaker, this bill is extremely vital to many New Yorkers, since a subprime tsunami is now sweeping across this Nation and many experts confirm that this wave will continue well into the next year with no end in sight. As a result, foreclosures are increasing at an alarming rate. As we count the last days of 2007, many expect more than 14,000 foreclosures to be filed in New York City alone. Mr. Speaker, Congress must do all that it can to help Americans to keep their homes. So today I will cast an ``aye'' vote in support of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, which helps struggling homeowners cope with the unanticipated penalty of foreclosure.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. I thank the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson) for his leadership in this body and the management of this bill. Mr. Speaker, the extended military deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan have placed a great economic burden and hardship on many of our military families. Countless thousands of families are forced to not only cope with anguish of having a family member serving in harm's way, but also must deal with the economic hardships. That is why I am proud that H.R. 3933, a bill that I introduced, has a significant place in the heart of the HEART Act, which makes permanent three provisions that bring vital tax relief to help our soldiers and their families. This bill assures military compensation is excluded from income if it is earned in the combat zone or while hospitalized for wounds, diseases, or injuries received in combat, and permits active duty Reservists to make penalty free withdrawals from retirement plans and ends the penalties. I want to thank Mr. Rangel for his consistent leadership on this issue and for including my bill, H.R. 3933, as part of the HEART Act of 2007. I am just proud to have been able to play a part in paying down on the debt of gratitude we owe to our women and men that serve and protect us on the front lines.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor this evening feeling compelled to speak on an issue that has had an adverse and devastating impact in my district and many districts across this Nation. The phenomenon known as subprime lending, which has grown so rapidly over the past decade or so, has made it possible for many New Yorkers with modest incomes and poor credit histories to purchase homes. The question is, at what cost? The Federal Government has found that subprime loans made up 32 percent of all mortgages in New York City last year, which is up from 28 percent in 2005. However, an estimated 364,433 subprime loans remain outstanding. As a result, as we stand here tonight, Brooklyn has 4,864 homes facing foreclosure. When certain unscrupulous lenders aggressively and deceptively convince vulnerable borrowers seeking relief in their pursuit of the American Dream to accept unfair and abusive loan terms, many of these same borrowers have, unfortunately, lost their homes, leaving them displaced, penniless, and bankrupt. Today, mortgage finance programs in the subprime lending industry are growing more severe, with soaring loan default even diminishing home prices. These defaults have depreciated about $71 billion in housing wealth. I must tell you this evening that this crisis will and is currently affecting State economies. It has been estimated that there will be 1.3 million foreclosures from mid-2007 through 2009 in subprime mortgages, resulting in an estimated loss of $102.4 million in property taxes. Also, it has been reported that the subprime mortgage crisis will cost States $917 million in lost property revenue through the end of 2009 and more than $103 billion in lost property values, including $9.5 billion for New York. What is alarming to me is that there have been reports which have found that embedded within this American crisis there appears to be real racial disparities when it comes to subprime lending. For example, one report stated that blacks and Hispanics are 30 percent more likely than whites to be charged with higher interest rates. Additionally, in New York, blacks are five times and Hispanics almost four times more likely to pay higher interest rates for homes. Even in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, which is located in my district, an astounding 44 percent of blacks and Hispanics earning between $40,000 and $50,000 received their loans from subprime lenders. We must make a conscious and focused effort to address the subprime lending crisis in predominantly black and Hispanic neighborhoods in New York City and across the Nation. What is so ironic about this issue of the subprime mortgage crisis is that as a former New York City council member, my colleagues and I saw this crisis arise as representatives of the municipality. We even passed legislation, anti-predatory lending legislation, yet the legislation went nowhere due to the threat of litigation by the financial services sector. Now the crisis is upon us. Hundreds of thousands of Americans across this country are facing this crisis. I am supporting and will champion any and all measures that ensure that all borrowers, especially those living in underserved communities, are no longer hurt by the recent events and tactics occurring in the mortgage market. It is our responsibility, and in the public interest, to make certain that we eliminate predatory practices that have the potential to financially harm mortgage consumers living in America. If we do not, I believe that we will generate an environment where predatory lenders will continue to actively sell high-cost, high-risk mortgages in many communities, including underserved communities, making the American Dream of all Americans an American nightmare.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Chairman, first I would like to thank the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) for her leadership in bringing this bill to the floor today and her steadfast commitment to the small businesses of our Nation. I support the Small Business Contracting Program Improvements Act, which encourages participation by qualified small businesses and improves key sections of the Small Business Act to prevent fraud in the SBA's contracting programs. H.R. 3867 requires the Small Business Administration to immediately implement the Women's Procurement Program after 7 years of no action by the administration to put the program in action. It will allow agencies to limit competition for Federal contracts only to women business owners in industries that have been closed to them. This legislation now requires SBA to evaluate industries where women entrepreneurs are economically disadvantaged and gives the SBA authority to waive any restrictions where women-owned enterprises are substantially underrepresented. I believe this bill will finally correct the imbalance in the number of women-owned businesses nationally when compared to their presence in the Federal marketplace. H.R. 3867 also strengthens the HUBZone program by requiring construction contracts to be performed within a reasonable distance of the particular HUBZone the contractor is to benefit. It will limit construction contract awards being performed more than 150 miles from the primary office location of the HUBZone-approved company. The Small Business Contracting Program Improvements Act modernizes the 8(a) program to update and revise qualification requirements and ensure that 8(a) contracts go to qualified companies. This bill provides an opportunity for all qualified small businesses to have a fair opportunity in the Federal marketplace. I want to thank Chairwoman Velazquez for her steadfast commitment to the women, minority-owned and disabled veterans and disadvantaged small businesses of America. I strongly support this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do likewise.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for her leadership and for being here to give guidance during this hour for the CBC. And I want to thank our chairwoman, Ms. Carolyn Kilpatrick, for seeing fit to add this particular perspective to the conversation that we are having with our Nation around the Children's Health Insurance Program in our States. And, Mr. Speaker, I'm elated to stand with my colleagues today to once again voice my support, my wholehearted support for children's health insurance coverage, also known as SCHIP. Just over a week ago, the President vetoed bipartisan legislation that would have provided 10 million American children health coverage through SCHIP. Since the beginning of my tenure here, you know I'm a freshman, in this 110th session, this is the second time the President has vetoed important health care legislation with broad bipartisan support; the other veto being an expansion of potentially life saving stem cell research. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and duty to stand with my fellow Democrats, telling this administration that this veto will not deter nor distract us from protecting the health and well-being of our children. The people that I represent in central Brooklyn have spoken loud and clear, and so has the rest of America. Republicans and Democrats alike have expressed their dismay with the President's decision to veto this bipartisan legislation. Additionally, the country overwhelmingly supports the Children's Health Insurance Program. A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll indicates that 72 percent of the country supports the extension and reauthorization of the CHIP program. Governors of both parties across the country support the bipartisan bill. Now, following the veto, the fight for health insurance for 10 million low-income children moves back to this body where the hard work of rebuilding and building consensus among both Democrats and Republicans has already taken place. Now, the rubber-stamp Republicans who have sided with the President and are standing between 10 million low-income children and their health care must hear from the American people. We will override the President's rejection of health coverage for 10 million children, but the voices of the American people must be heard by those in Washington. SCHIP was created to provide health care coverage for children and families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford private insurance. It costs, as my colleague, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, has already stated, less than $3 a day to cover a child through the Children's Health Insurance Program. Ensuring kids is also cost-effective for taxpayers, who pick up the tab for indigent care in emergency rooms, the most expensive way to care for a child's health, as well because a healthy child is more likely to succeed in education and life. Over the last 10 years, the children's health program has proven to be popular and successful, with 6 million children now enrolled in the program. The bipartisan children's health insurance bill has broad bipartisan support. It's supported by 68 Senators, including 18 Republicans; it's supported by 43 Governors, including 16 Republicans; it's supported by more than 270 organizations representing millions of Americans; and it's supported by a strong majority of the American people. This bipartisan bill renews and improves the Children's Health Insurance Program, providing health care coverage for 10 million children, preserving coverage for 6 million children currently covered by SCHIP, and extending coverage to nearly 4 million uninsured children according to the nonpartisan CBO. Ironically, this morning I had an opportunity, along with my colleague, Nydia Velazquez, to attend a press conference hosted by the Working Families Party, ACORN, SCIU and Mothers in Our Community to reach out to a corporation in New York called KKR in midtown Manhattan. This is an investment firm that owns Toys-R-Us and Dollar General. These two toy retailers have already subjected America's families to massive and unprecedented recalls of millions of poisonous lead toys that have flooded the market. This is a great concern. If we don't get a commitment for a code of conduct protecting our children from lead poison, our holiday toy-buying season could mean putting the health of millions of American children at risk. This concern is compounded by this administration's reckless disregard for our most vulnerable, our children. Just imagine the confluence of two of these things happening at the same time. Right now, parents and families, mothers are concerned about lead-tainted toys. And at the same time, when we need health care coverage that can identify lead poisoning, that can help to ameliorate some of those concerns, because, on the one hand, our safety is not being protected through the consumer protection, we need to have SCHIP in place. Two-thirds of uninsured children are currently eligible for SCHIP or Medicaid. This bill is simply designed to give States the resources and incentives to enroll children who are eligible but not signed up for SCHIP and Medicare. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to be here to say that when we look at communities of color, in particular, black communities across this Nation, it has been this type of safety net health care that enables our communities to grow from strength to strength. These are just those American policies we need to give our families the boost they need so that when children go to school with asthma, they can be treated, they don't have to be out for days on end. When our children have hepatitis, tuberculosis, when they have any type of communicable disease, these diseases can be treated quickly before they reach the level of crisis in the emergency room. SCHIP gives us that tool to be able to make sure that Americans are safe and secure, that their health and well-being is something that we all value as part of the American fabric of who we are. And so I want to thank you, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, for anchoring this hour for the CBC. When we think about our communities and how critical this legislation is, not only for our communities, but for all Americans, this transcends race, ethnicity, gender. It's American children. I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to share this time with you.

Ms. CLARKE. Thank you very much.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove my name as a cosponsor of H. Res. 618.

Ms. CLARKE

Ms. CLARKE. Would you put a pin in it right there for me, my colleague? I just also wanted to quote two other Senate Republicans. Senator Orrin Hatch said, We are talking about kids who basically don't have coverage. I think the President has some pretty bad advice on this, you think? Then Senator Susan Collins says, I can't believe the President would veto a program that benefits low-income children. Mr. Speaker, we are talking bipartisan effort here. As we salute and talk about the heroism of those who would fight for our freedoms abroad, we have got to bring some heroics here right now. This is one of those issues where the faint of heart should not be casting a vote. This goes to the fiber, the core of who we are as a Nation, not as a party, not as an individual, but as a Nation. Where are we going to set the bar for what is acceptable in leadership and what is not? I say that the President in this case has abdicated his responsibility as a leader. Our children need us. Their health care is critical to the growth and development of our communities. For every child that falls ill, we have more and more that we have to invest in getting that child to wellness. In the meantime, the educational advances that that child should have been making have not been made. The turmoil within the home and family, the setbacks there, and, by extension, the entire community Mr. Speaker, so I just wanted to point out to you and just to highlight, as you both have, my colleagues, that this is not a Republican issue, this is not a Democrat issue, this is an American issue, and we have got to focus on this like a laser. It is now up to us in this House of Representatives to make sure that our colleagues recognize their responsibility and leadership to override this veto.