Steve Cohen

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Fred L. Davis on receiving the 2014 Be the Dream MLK Legacy Award. This special award is given to those individuals whose lives have ``embodied the spirit and legacy of service, sacrifice and hope'' that characterized the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a businessman, public servant and a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, it is fitting that this award be bestowed upon Fred Davis in recognition of his accomplishments and contributions. Fred Davis was born in Memphis, Tennessee on May 8, 1934, and graduated from Manassas High School in 1953 before graduating with a B.S. from Tennessee State University in 1957. Mr. Davis entered the Army after college and served two years in France. Soon after returning from the Army, he opened the Fred L. Davis Insurance Agency in 1967, becoming one of the first African-American insurance agencies in the South. He was the first African-American policy writing agent in six neighboring states and the first African-American member of the Independent Insurance Agents of America. In 1968, his insurance agency was appointed to represent the Hartford Group and has maintained the contract ever since. In that same year, Fred Davis was one of three African-Americans elected to serve on the newly formed Memphis City Council. He was selected Chairman of the Public Works Committee and fought for sanitation workers during the Sanitation Strike of 1968. The strike, which brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Memphis, afforded Davis the opportunity to march with and stand alongside Dr. King as he delivered his ``I've Been to the Mountaintop'' speech at Mason Temple Church of God In Christ in Memphis. In 1972, Davis became the first African-American to chair the Memphis City Council and was judged by black and white Memphians alike as fair and honest in his dealings. Davis also served as president of the Liberty Bowl, a beacon of pride for Memphis sports, making him one of the few African-Americans to head a major bowl in the U.S. He holds certifications in many areas of the insurance industry, including licenses in property and causality coverage, the Life Underwriting Training Council (LUTC) Certificate and a securities registered series seven with the National Association of Security Dealers (NASD). Mr. Davis is also a founding director and past president of the Mid-South Minority Business Council and a Certified Minority Vendor. In addition, he is an active member of Beulah Baptist Church, serving as a senior deacon and trustee. Fred Davis has always supported me in my State Senatorial and U.S. Congressional races, and I am honored to know him as a successful businessman, a leader in the community for over half a century and a friend. A civil rights activist and defender of democracy for all, he has shown his dedication to the people of Memphis no matter their race. There is no doubt that his work is worthy of this award named after Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating Fred L. Davis on being awarded the 2014 Be the Dream MLK Legacy Award.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Reverend Samuel Billy Kyles on receiving the 2014 Be the Dream MLK Legacy Award. This special award is given to those individuals whose lives have ``embodied the spirit and legacy of service, sacrifice and hope'' that characterized the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a revered pastor and a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, it is fitting that this award be bestowed upon Rev. Kyles in recognition of his accomplishments and contributions. Samuel Kyles was born in Shelby, Mississippi in 1934. At age 17, he moved to Memphis, Tennessee and in 1959, at age 25, he was installed as the first pastor of Monumental Baptist Church and to date, has served as its only pastor. Under his nearly 55 year leadership, Monumental has served the Memphis community well. The church strives to uplift young people and operates Monumental Pride Homes, which offers senior citizens affordable living. Rev. Kyles maintains his connection with the broader religious community through his membership with the World Baptist Alliance and his participation in the Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC). He is also a former instructor at the National Training Congress of the PNBC and previously served on the Board of Directors of the Morehouse School of Religion. Rev. Kyles was an important leader during the Civil Rights Movement, helping to desegregate public institutions and businesses. As a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, in 1961, he enrolled his five-year old daughter in the all white public school system, thereby helping Memphis to become the first city in the South to integrate elementary schools. Rev. Kyles, along with other prominent Memphis fighters for racial justice and equality, worked to integrate the city buses and end segregation in restaurants, movie theaters, department stores and workplaces. Rev. Kyles once referred to his work as, ``an extension of my ministry.'' In the early 1970s, Rev. Kyles became a founding national board member of People United to Serve Humanity (PUSH). He was also the executive director of Rainbow/PUSH-Memphis and the executive producer of Rainbow/PUSH WLOK Radio for over 30 years. During the Clinton Administration, he served on the Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad, investigating religious persecution throughout the world, and as a panelist at the White House Conference on Hate Crimes. In 1994, he traveled to South Africa as an election monitor in its first multi-racial election, which saw Nelson Mandela elected as South Africa's first black President. Reverend Kyles shares a unique connection with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as pastors, civil rights leaders and friends. He stood beside Dr. King while he delivered his famous ``Mountaintop'' speech at Mason Temple Church of God In Christ in Memphis. There is no doubt that Rev. Kyles' work is worthy of this award named after Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating Reverend Samuel Billy Kyles on being awarded the 2014 Be the Dream MLK Legacy Award.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Judge Russell B. Sugarmon, Jr. on receiving the 2014 Be the Dream MLK Legacy Award. This special award is given to those individuals whose lives have ``embodied the spirit and legacy of service, sacrifice and hope'' that characterized the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a trailblazer for African-American stewardship in public office in Memphis and a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, it is fitting that this award be bestowed upon Judge Sugarmon in recognition of his accomplishments and contributions. Judge Sugarmon was born in Memphis, Tennessee on May 11, 1929, and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Memphis. He attended Morehouse College before receiving his B.A. degree from Rutgers University in 1950 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1953. He then served in the Army for two years, where he received a letter of commendation for his tour of duty in Japan. Upon returning to Memphis, in 1956, Russell began his work in private practice and later became a founding partner in the Memphis law firm of Ratner, Sugarmon, Lucas, Willis & Caldwell, the preeminent firm for civil and human rights cases. This was the first integrated law firm in the South. In 1959, Russell Sugarmon became the first African-American in Memphis to run for a major city office when he ran for Public Works Commissioner. While this race was marred by heavy racial opposition to his candidacy, Russell's tenacity during this campaign paved the way for other African-Americans in Memphis to seek public office. Never one to be deterred by racial injustice, Russell successfully ran for a position on the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee in 1964. Two years later, he was elected to the Tennessee General Assembly, becoming the second African-American in Tennessee to be elected to the Assembly post Reconstruction. From 1976 to 1987, Russell was a Referee in the Memphis Juvenile Court System before being appointed to serve as a judge for the General Sessions court. Judge Sugarmon was subsequently elected and re-elected to the bench and held his seat for 20 years until his retirement in 2006. Over the course of Judge Sugarmon's life, he has been an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Working alongside notable Memphis pioneers and leaders in the fight for racial justice and equality, including the late Judge H. T. Lockard, Vasco and Maxine Smith, and A.W. Willis, Judge Sugarmon was instrumental in using the courts to desegregate public transportation, restaurants and public facilities. He also made headway in desegregating Memphis public schools. Both the NAACP and ACLU have honored Judge Sugarmon for his contributions to Memphis. Judge Sugarmon was often a behind-the-scenes strategist in nearly every progressive political campaign in Memphis, including helping me during my State Senatorial and U.S. Congressional races. I am honored to know Russell Sugarmon as an attorney, a judge, a civil rights leader, an instrument of change and a friend. There is no doubt that his work is worthy of this award named after Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating Judge Russell B. Sugarmon, Jr. on being awarded the 2014 Be the Dream MLK Legacy Award.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. James L. Netters, Sr. on receiving the 2014 Be the Dream MLK Legacy Award. This special award is given to those individuals whose lives have ``embodied the spirit and legacy of service, sacrifice and hope'' that characterized the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a pastor, a public official and a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, it is fitting that this award be bestowed upon James Netters in recognition of his accomplishments and contributions. James Netters was born in Aliceville, Alabama in 1927 and moved with his family to Memphis, Tennessee in 1942. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1946, and nine years later was ordained by Reverend L.O. Taylor at Olivet Baptist Church. In 1956, Mr. Netters was installed as pastor of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church-Westwood in Memphis. Under his leadership, Mt. Vernon has been active in the community, operating Mount Vernon Christian Academy, which provides education for infants, and Westwood Manor Elderly Cottages, which offers affordable housing for independent-living seniors. In 1963, James received his B.A. degree from Lemoyne-Owen College and later earned his Master of Divinity from Memphis Theological Seminary in 1987 and his Doctor of Ministry in 1994. In 1963, as the Civil Rights Movement gained momentum throughout the country, Dr. Netters travelled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the March on Washington, standing on stage while Dr. King delivered his ``I Have a Dream'' speech. Invigorated and inspired by this experience, Dr. Netters returned to Memphis and was successful at working to integrate public buses. Dr. Netters later joined Reverend J.O. Patterson and Fred Davis to become the first African-Americans elected to the newly formed Memphis City Council. As a Councilman, James Netters worked to bring Dr. King and other national civil rights figures to Memphis to support the sanitation workers during the strike of 1968. He was also influential in working out an agreement to end the strike. In 1971, he stepped down from the City Council to serve as the Administrative Assistant to Mayor Wyeth Chandler from 1972 to 1975. Dr. Netters was the first African-American to serve in this position in Memphis. Dr. Netters has received numerous awards and recognitions, and has served in various leadership positions including Chairman of the Board of Memphis Light, Gas and Water as well as its Interim President and CEO. He continues to pastor at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church and has grown its membership from 300 to over 4,000. Today, Reverend Netters is the most senior pastor in Memphis. There is no doubt that his work is worthy of this award named after Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. James L. Netters, Sr. on being awarded the 2014 Be the Dream MLK Legacy Award.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, before I was elected to Congress I served 24 years in the Tennessee State Senate. For 20 of those years I worked hard to create a Tennessee education lottery, an opportunity for students to go to college and come out without a debt and without having to have a job when they were in college to succeed. Next Monday will be the 10th anniversary of the Tennessee Education Lottery. It has raised over $2.8 billion for education, yet, with education costs rising, it is still not enough. We, in Congress, need to work hard to make sure that Pell Grants increase and that Pell Grants go to students at not-for-profit schools and those for-profit schools that graduate students and get them gainful employment. Ladders of opportunity for the middle class are paved through education. The Tennessee Education Lottery is one of those ways. I continue my work in Congress working for Pell Grants and other opportunities to see that monies are efficiently channeled to students to give them an opportunity to improve their lives.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the colleagues that have joined me today for our 30-minute Special Order, and this is a special Special Order.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of discussion recently about extending benefits to the unemployed, and it is critical we do that. I would like to talk about 226 people who are in my district who have jobs but still can't come to work to perform those jobs and get paid. They worked at the Kellogg plant in Memphis, making cereal like Corn Flakes and Frosted Flakes, but they have been locked out by Kellogg since October 22 due to a national contract dispute. The company, with sales of $14 billion at last estimate, hopes to bring in so-called ``casual'' employees who would be paid less and work fewer hours and get fewer benefits than the steady middle class jobs that the company offers now. I am proud Kellogg is in my district, and I have toured their plant. When I am flying out of Memphis, I drive up and down Airways Boulevard. I go past the Kellogg plant, and I see those employees out each day, day and night, even in 10-degree weather earlier this week. Like the post office, they are out in rain, snow, or sleet. I see them on holidays, weekends, you name it, fighting for their rights, standing up for themselves. It is time to end this lockout. Put those people back to work. Let's produce our cereal with good Memphis employees.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Thank you, Mr. Yarmuth. Mr. Perlmutter, a member of our class, represents a district that has seen so much tragedy from firearms. I know he has been a leader on this effort in Colorado and in the country, and I appreciate him being here as one of the strong members of our class on this issue and other issues. I yield to Mr. Perlmutter.

Mr. COHEN. I thank you, Mr. Perlmutter. I appreciate your remarks. You are a leader on this issue, and so is Mr. Courtney who is so intimately involved with Newtown, another area that suffered from gun violence. I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney), another member of the class of '06.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, how much time do we have remaining?

Mr. COHEN. Gabby was a member of the NRA; I don't know if she is now. I passed the right-to-carry bill in Tennessee because I think you can have reasonable laws that allow people to defend themselves, but there is reasonableness. And the problem we have had has been reasonableness, and Gabby's effort with her husband Mark is responsible solutions. It is not banning guns; it is responsible solutions. Mental health is certainly one of those issues that has been raised, and yet we in our budgets have cut mental health with the budgets that we have had up here. Some have blamed and the response has been about violent games that children might play or be exposed to. Those weren't around when Charles Joseph Whitman went to the tower in Austin, Texas, and killed 17 people and wounded 32. That wasn't the cause of it. It is something, unfortunately, uniquely American. It is a uniquely American problem. Studies have shown that the U.S. homicide rates are 6.9 times greater than the rates in other high-income countries, and they are driven by firearm homicide rates that are 19.7 times higher. In the 27 countries that were studied of higher industrialized countries, 80 percent of all firearm deaths occur in the United States, and 86 percent of women killed by firearms were United States women, and 87 percent of the children were United States children. The gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch), a member of the class of '06 has joined us, and I know he has understandings of these issues, too, and is a responsible and reasonable voice. I yield to him for his comments and thoughts.

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the colleagues that have joined me today for our 30-minute Special Order, and this is a special Special Order. This Special Order is particularly relevant because this is the third anniversary of the shooting in Tucson that took six lives and injured 13 people, including our colleague, Gabby Giffords. And when I say ``our colleague,'' it is our colleague of all of us here in the House of Representatives, but as a member of the class of '06 of which Representative Giffords is, we take special significance in this day because she was one of our prized Members. We all loved her, and we all miss her. The class of '06 is a close class, and we are joined here by one of the presidents of the class of '06, Mr. Yarmuth, and Mr. Perlmutter, an active member of the class of '06, and there will be other members here, as well. We want to express our remembrances of Gabby, and particularly the article that she wrote that is in today's New York Times, an op-ed called ``The Lessons of Physical Therapy.'' It is a very touching article that talks about her recovery and her indomitable spirit where she tells about her exercises every day to get back her strength and to be able to recover speech and physical mobility. Today, in fact, she skydived. She is a great spirit who has not let the problems that she has experienced limit her in any ways more than they have, and she is trying to overcome these obstacles and teach people that they can overcome obstacles. She left the House after serving 5 years as a great colleague and coming back here on August the 1 of 2011 in what was a very memorable moment on this floor to vote on the debt ceiling, which was a close vote, and came back in case her vote was needed. And on that day, I was out at the airport greeting a very close person in my life and coincidentally was there when she came off the airplane. I saw Gabby and was able to see her for the first time since the January 8 incident. Then she was on the floor and of course we all got to see her. But she came back and made that effort, and she thought about how can she contribute more. And after Newtown, she knew that she could contribute more by starting an organization with her great husband, Captain Mark Kelly, Responsible Solutions, on firearms and gun laws. She tried to really lead the effort and to make America's laws more sensible, to save other people from the tragedy that she experienced as did the six victims that day that died and the others that were injured, including Congressman Barber, who led us in a moment of silence earlier today on the floor with the members of the Arizona delegation. So we wanted to remember that day which is significant. It is a significant day in congressional history and American history because that was an assault on Congresspeople meeting with their constituents, open government, democratic form of government and meeting and listening. Gabby was engaging in a Congress neighborhood meeting at the grocery there, which our Ed Perlmutter did a lot of those. I remember him talking about them in the Caucus. I first would like to yield at this moment to the president of our class. Mr. Hodes isn't with us, but the others, the surviving member of our class, Mr. Yarmuth, from Louisville, Kentucky.

Mr. COHEN. At this point, I would like to yield to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter).

Mr. COHEN. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all the Members. There were others that would have been here but had certain conflicts at this time. We all loved Gabby. She was the star of our class. It was before 3 years ago on the 8th of January that she was the star of our class. We all knew it, and we all loved her. I want to thank each of our colleagues for joining us. I want to thank Gabby for her service and her continued service. She is an American hero. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I oppose this legislation because it is window dressing, and it is not the big picture. Thirteen million dollars is less than 1 percent of the $1.5 billion sequester cut. It is less than 1 percent. The NIH is our research institution. It is our Department of Defense. It defends us from cancer and heart disease and Alzheimer's and AIDS and diabetes, but it is not being prioritized. It should be the number one priority of this House-- keeping Americans safe and alive. Now, the $13 million was picked because that is the amount of money we put into political conventions. It just so happened to fit. We could have picked the F-35 bomber and saved billions of dollars and taken that out, which we don't need, and put in that money, which would have made a real difference in research. As for Kids First Research, I live in the city that has the best pediatric cancer facility in the world, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. It needs more than this. Kids later will get Alzheimer's and AIDS and heart disease and cancer, and they need to be protected. In the long run, they can only be protected with the full funding for the NIH. I urge the full funding for the NIH and not smoke and mirrors.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the achievements of long-time Memphian Phillip Coop, founder of EnSafe Inc. and a pioneer in the field of environmental remediation. Phillip Coop founded EnSafe Inc. in 1980, and began with only two people on board. Since then, EnSafe has expanded to employ over three hundred people, earned Memphis Business Journal's Small Business of the Year distinction and received many other distinguished awards. The success of EnSafe is a testament to Mr. Coop's entrepreneurial spirit and incredible ingenuity. More than thirty years later, Mr. Coop is still leading efforts in environmental sustainability by combining business, science and policy to ensure continued improvement in how we conserve energy, establish meaningful and practical regulations, and accurately evaluate our environmental performance. Mr. Coop also serves on the Board of Advisors for both the Herff College of Engineering at the University of Memphis and the Engineering Department at Christian Brothers University. In addition, he received the inaugural Distinguished Leadership Award from the Environmental Financial Consulting Group in New York, and was honored with induction into the Society of Entrepreneurs in 2010. Phillip Coop's achievements in environmental preservation and dedication to enriching programs in education have done great things for the city of Memphis and for people across the United States. His work serves as an example of how we all can contribute to making our community a better place to live. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Phillip Coop on his achievements.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the work of Memphis-based U.S. Biologic in their work to halt the spread of Lyme disease. U.S. Biologic was recently awarded a grant of $1 million from the Global Food and Health Innovation Challenge to expand their research on this important topic and I am proud to honor the hard work of their dedicated research team, especially Maria Gomes-Solecki. I believe that our Nation's true department of defense is made up of the doctors and researchers who work hard to find cures and prevention methods for the diseases that threaten the lives and livelihoods of Americans every day. The research of people like Dr. Gomes-Solecki is integral in our mission to make the United States a safer place for the grandchildren of our generation, and I encourage more federal investment in the initiatives of the National Institutes of Health, as well as private funding like that provided through the Global Food and Health Innovation Challenge. I congratulate U.S. Biologic and Dr. Gomes-Solecki on their achievement and I look forward to more developments from some of the Nation's most advanced researchers who are based in my district.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. President Kennedy inspired me to get into government. I was only 14 years old when he passed. His death left an indelible mark on me and everybody of my generation who experienced that national sharing of grief that went on that weekend. President Kennedy was a person who said that politics is an honorable profession. I believe it is, and I believe people should get involved in politics and public service. He founded the Peace Corps and asked people to ``ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,'' which was a call for service. It was a great loss to our Nation. He gave a great deal to our country. I would ask everybody to watch the TV specials, to read as much as they can, and to learn what they can about an honorable gentleman who tried to inspire people to get into government and do the right thing. I thank his family for his coming along because it inspired me. I got to see him in Memphis when he campaigned. He is my hero.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, this week I had the pleasure of attending a business meeting with a high level delegation from Morocco during His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco's visit to Washington. During this meeting, we discussed U.S.-Morocco trade and I am glad that FedEx, a major provider of high value-added logistics, transportation and other business services that is headquartered in my district, was also able to take part in this constructive meeting. As Morocco was the first country with whom the U.S. signed a treaty of commerce and friendship, I commend this week's meeting as symbolic of our long and trusted relationship. The business delegation meeting was hosted by our former colleague, Toby Moffet, and the Mayer Brown law firm. The Moroccan delegation included: Mr. Abdessalam Ahizoune, CEO of Maroc Telecom; Mr. Mohamed El Kettani, CEO of Attijariwafa Bank; Mr. Karim Hajji, CEO of the Casablanca Stock Exchange; and Mr. Said Ibrahimi, CEO of the Moroccan Finance Board. In addition to FedEx, which is present in 55 African countries and growing, American companies represented at the meeting were JP Morgan Chase, BNY Mellon, Citi, Bank of America, Chevron and the Global Cold Chain Storage Alliance. We heard from Mr. Said Ibrahimi, who also serves as the head of the Casablanca Finance City project, on how the city of Casablanca is positioning itself as a location for U.S. multinational companies to consider for their African headquarters. This would significantly increase economic opportunities in the region and expand markets for U.S. companies. In addition to our strong business ties, the U.S. and Morocco share similar democratic values and common foreign policy goals in North Africa and the Middle East. In August 2011, I spearheaded a letter to His Majesty King Mohammed VI recognizing Morocco's constitutional reforms that included protections for the rights of vulnerable groups and a national plan to promote human rights. His Majesty King Mohammed VI also established the Economic and Social Council to ensure that all Moroccans are afforded opportunities for economic independence. Since that time, His Majesty King Mohammed VI has shown great leadership in his dedication to his people and support for broader democratic reforms and decentralization of decision-making to the local level. Morocco has also lent its support to emerging democracies across the African continent as well as long-overdue peace agreements between Israelis and the Palestinians. It is indeed refreshing to see the enormously constructive role Morocco continues to play not only in its region but across the continent and beyond. As we welcome His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco and his delegation to Washington, let us remember that Morocco was the first country to recognize our independence and that today, we share commitments to peace, democracy, regional stability and economic stability. Through our continued cooperation and increased business relationships, we will continue to meet our common security and economic goals while strengthening our relationship for years to come.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I pause today to think about history. I thought a lot about the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination, and today is the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. I thought I should bring some words to us from the Address. The world can never forget what the soldiers of Gettysburg did: It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this Nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth. I am proud to serve in this House where John Kennedy served. I am proud to serve in this House where Abraham Lincoln served. It is my opinion that part of that work was providing equality, freedom, and fairness. I believe President Lincoln would support the Affordable Care Act and health care for all.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained at a hearing of the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law, on which I serve as Ranking Member. I was therefore unable to be present for rollcall vote No. 583, the Previous Question on the Rule to consider H.R. 3350. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Maloney for his work and Mr. Shuster for his work. We ``dam'' well better get prepared to increase our infrastructure spending, or we will have more problems in this country. The motion to instruct conferees is well-taken and well-drafted. Our roads, rivers, railways, and runways got a D-plus on the American Society of Engineers' 2013 report card for America's infrastructure. That is inexcusable, a D-plus on our infrastructure. It used to be the pride of our country and one of the ways that we produced jobs and took goods to market. The fact that this score was awarded to a world superpower and a leader in technological innovation is completely unacceptable. Passing WRRDA is an important step towards turning around our Nation's infrastructure investment program. I was proud to work with and support our outstanding chairman, Chairman Shuster, and Ranking Member Rahall when we passed the bill in both the Transportation Committee and on the House floor. Our committee understands--I think not totally, I can't speak for the whole committee, but in general--that earmarks aren't a bad thing and earmarks are something that greases the wheels that make the engine of government run and work effectively and bipartisanly. We need to bring those back to make this House work together, Democrats and Republicans, so we all have something invested for our districts. That is important. People ask about dysfunction here and people not working together. It is because everybody doesn't have some part of the pie, something for their districts that they can be proud of. We need to get that back. People need to understand that article I says this Congress is supposed to appropriate the moneys. That is why our infrastructure has weakened. That is why we have so many projects along rivers where the Corps of Engineers don't have adequate funding and direction to keep our rivers moving and moving commerce forward. WRRDA doesn't mean that just our Nation's waterways, locks, and dams will be the subjects of targeted investments, which it needs to be. It means that thousands of people will be put to work on making the improvements necessary to improve the national infrastructure. The effect of sequestration on our Nation's infrastructure is real. It is time to get back on track toward smart investments that make our Nation more competitive in the global marketplace. The Corps of Engineers has a backlog of authorized projects in excess of $60 billion. The Corps construction account has been reduced by $688 million since 2010. We should be doing more to build that infrastructure and create jobs, not less. According to a study by the American Society of Civil Engineers, if we don't make new investments in our new water infrastructure, we will lose $416 billion in GDP by 2020 due to increased costs and loss of work productivity. This means real loss for real American families. Madam Speaker, I think in Turkey they are probably improving their infrastructure. We should be doing the same thing here in America, Madam Speaker. It is important we do that. Without investment, the average American family would have to adjust their household income to account for a $900 squeeze as a result of rising water rates and falling personal incomes. The longer we put off investment in our Nation's infrastructure, the more that investment will cost and the more people will be out of work and the more difficult it will be for our economy to get righted. I support this motion to instruct conferees today. I thank Mr. Maloney and Mr. Shuster, and hopefully we can put America's infrastructure investments back on the right back. But to do that in the long run, we need bipartisanship, which will involve earmarks and making the transportation bills like they used to be when Mr. Shuster's father was there and like Mr. Shuster would like to make them. If we can just take Mr. Shuster and clone him, we can work together and have a greater America and more jobs and a greater country.

Mr. COHEN

Mr. COHEN. Sure there isn't, because a group that is unknown, they don't know who they are. The victims' organizations are concerned about victims in the future. They have suffered. They project into the future. They want to help other people put into their position. They are reaching out in a benevolent manner. Mr. Vento's widow and her organization and the other organizations are against it. They had no voice. The only voice they have is through Representatives, and they ask the Representatives to vote ``no.'' I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COHEN. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.