Danny Davis

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 1206, which would restrict the IRS' ability to hire qualified personnel until it has documented that each one of its 80,000 employees has not violated an unusual, uncertain tax standard. This legislation is totally unnecessary and promises to further undermine taxpayer service and tax enforcement. First of all, it is totally unnecessary, suggesting that IRS employees are tax delinquent when, in reality, IRS employees demonstrate a tax compliance rate much higher than that of Members of Congress or other Federal agencies. Indeed, 99 percent of IRS employees are tax compliant in contrast to only 95 percent of the House of Representatives. Further, IRS employees already are subject to the Federal Payment Levy Program that can levy Federal salaries to recover tax debts. Certainly, this is a bill in search of a problem. Secondly, this bill would further impede the ability of the IRS to serve taxpayers and enforce tax laws. Due to Republican insistence on dramatically reducing the IRS funding by over $1 billion in the last 5 years, the IRS has already experienced extraordinary reductions in personnel and service. Seven former IRS Commissioners from both parties have spoken about this unprecedented reduction and its negative impact on our tax system. My constituents, your constituents, and constituents all over the country have suffered enough. Our national debt has suffered. Every time we collect $1, that yields another $4 in revenue. So I would urge my colleagues to vote against this bill. I certainly will do so.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Robert Simpson, an outstanding labor leader who is being honored by the Chicago Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists for a life time of dedicated service and commitment to labor union development and progressive causes. Bob's career began in the City of Chicago as a Montgomery Ward Catalog House employee in 1952. In 1953, he began actively organizing employees at Montgomery Ward, served as Union Steward and became a member of the negotiating committee. His union organizing activities were interrupted by two years of service in the U.S. Army Signal Corp. and he was sent to Germany. In 1962, Bob was elected as Trustee of Local 743 and assigned as an organizer; in 1966 he became Director of Organizing for Local 743 and in 1972 he became Recording Secretary for Local 743. In 1972, Bob was elected President of the Chicago Chapter of the CBTU and Corresponding Secretary and Executive Council of the International Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, a title which he currently holds. In 1983, Bob was Co- Chairman of organized labor's support for Harold Washington for Mayor of Chicago, in 1984, he was elected Vice President of Local 743, in 1985 arrested in Washington, D.C., demonstrating against Apartheid in South Africa, in 1988 elected President of Teamster Local 743, the largest local in the International Teamsters representing 23,000 members. In 1990 Bob became an International Brotherhood of Teamsters Trustee, in 1994 co-leader of the U.S. Labor Leaders Delegation to observe the first historic South African Election Affiliates. He was a National Board Member of Operation Push, Board Member of the Teamsters Black Caucus, Little City Foundation, NAACP, A. Philip Randolph Institute and Coalition of Union Women. Bob Simpson has never missed a beat; he has served on the transition teams of Secretary of State Jim Ryan and Attorney General Roland Burris, and he was a close confidante of Congressman Charles Hayes and Mayor Harold Washington and introduced President Barack Obama to the National CBTU when he was a State Senator. Since 1952 Bob has been actively involved and engaged in any labor issue, injustice issue or wherever people needed help. He distributes food to needy families, has testified before various legislative and other public bodies, has picketed and been involved with other protest efforts such as Black Friday, Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter. Mr. Robert (Bob) Simpson has been on the Wall for Justice since 1952 and will not come down until his time on this earth is up. What a dedication, what a commitment, what a man and what a life.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join Congressman Todd Young in leading H.R. 4472, the Modernizing the Interstate Placement of Children in Foster Care Act. I joined my friend from Indiana in introducing H.R. 4472 because it would help us make progress on an important issue: reducing the barriers and delays that continue to exist when the best new home for a child is in a different State than the unsafe home the child had to leave. Given that my Congressional District has one of the highest percentages of grandparents raising grandchildren in the Nation, followed closely by two other Congressional Districts in Illinois, child welfare issues are very personal to my constituents, to Chicago, and to my home State. Removing barriers that delay or prevent interstate child placements is a long-time, bipartisan goal within Congress. This bill addresses an important factor in those delays: the ability of State computer systems to link up to process the paperwork. The current paper-based system is antiquated and slow. As part of an HHS pilot project, seven States and the District of Columbia currently participate in the National Electronic Interstate Compact Enterprise, or NEICE, an online tool that allows State office systems to talk to each other and process interstate placements more quickly. I am very proud of the fact that Illinois is one of these States. An early evaluation found that this system reduced waiting times for affected children by about one-third. Ten other States have already announced plans to join the exchange over the next 2 years. H.R. 4472 would accelerate the number of participating States in the short run and ensure that all States participate in the long run. The Director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, George Sheldon, often emphasizes that we need to operate in kid time, not adult time, meaning that we need to recognize the urgency of restoring permanency for children in child welfare, rather than allowing adult bureaucracy to impede permanency. Modernizing the technology to increase efficiencies and quicken placements is common sense and respects the urgency of finding permanent, loving homes for children. I am grateful to Mr. Young of Indiana for ensuring that the bill expands upon existing progress on modernization within States and includes tribal foster care systems. This is a good bill. I thank Mr. Young and his staff for their excellent work. I am indeed pleased to join them. I urge support to move forward on H.R. 4472. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, while we are discussing H.R. 4472, reducing the time that it takes to process a child who might come from a different State for adoption or foster care placement, there are other issues of child welfare, one that I will mention. The issues of child welfare have a long history of bipartisanship. In addition to the Modernizing the Interstate Placement of Children in Foster Care Act, I hope to engage my colleagues in addressing the substance abuse needs of families involved in child welfare. Aside from neglect, alcohol and other drug use is the number one reason for removal from the home. More specifically, approximately one- third of cases list alcohol or other drug use as the reason for the child's removal. What is exciting is that we have good, clear empirical evidence that certain strategies have demonstrated effectiveness. Specifically, these quality interventions help children and families affected by substance abuse experience fewer days in care, higher reunification rates, less recurrence of child maltreatment, and better permanency over time. I am preparing to introduce a bill that scales up these successes from smaller targeted interventions into full-scale interventions while building the research to better inform Federal policy overall. My bill does two key things. First, it dedicated staff under Title IV-E for the coordination of substance abuse prevention and treatment services with child welfare services. Secondly, it creates grants to expand the lessons learned from the research on smaller scale efforts to the State level, funding additional research to improve related Federal policy. My home State of Illinois has led the Nation in addressing substance abuse issues in child welfare. We know that we need to do more to address this problem. We know that it works. And, of course, I look forward to being engaged in the development of programs and activities that would further enhance that kind of success. Again, I want to thank Mr. Young for his tremendous work on H.R. 4472. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett). He is one of the outstanding members of the Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to associate my remarks with those just made by Mr. Doggett relative to continuing the Social Services Block Grant funding, which has provided a tremendous amount of resources, and continues to do so, for social welfare programs, including those affecting children. I also want to associate myself with the comments made relative to the Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities. It just happens that one of the judges from my district, the presiding judge of the Child Protection Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, serves on that commission and, of course, had some findings that were different than the commission report. I think we need to consider all of those things as we move forward. But I am pleased to note that we are indeed making progress dealing with the issues of child welfare. Again, I want to commend Mr. Young and his staff for their work on H.R. 4472. I am pleased to join, and urge strong support for it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight and pay tribute to one of Chicago's most effective public schools, the Andrew Jackson Language Academy. Andrew Jackson was opened in 1894 to serve children from the crowded tenement community surrounding the Polk Street station, a port of entry for immigrants. That very same year, one of the first public school kindergartens was established in Chicago. Since 1981, this school has offered foreign language instruction to its students. In 1988, Andrew Jackson Language Academy moved into a new, up-to-date facility. The building is equipped with science and computer labs, a library, media center, and a large outside area for play and gardening activities. Today 550 students from diverse racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds attend the school. Students at Jackson receive extensive instruction in Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. The curriculum not only emphasizes the skill of understanding and using these languages, but also introduces students to the geography, history, and tradition of other cultures. As a result, students are more adequately prepared for the international marketplace and for success in the 21st century. The Andrew Jackson Language Academy is a well-organized, safe, and orderly school with an excellent student code of conduct, and the dress code has been developed to promote a suitable learning environment. It has a wealth of school spirit, which is promoted through the Merit Club, family reading night, Project Backpack for the Homeless, musical performances, student ambassadors, Big Sisters and Big Brothers, a Chinese painting workshop, and the Weigi workshop. French and Italian shops are ongoing. Japanese students are learning to work in class, and Spanish students from kindergarten through eighth grade are working hard on building their Spanish skills. The Dads Club at Jackson is very active and sponsors a number of family events such as the annual basketball fundraiser, family skate night, the daddy-daughter dance, and a number of other ways for dads to be involved. The Andrew Jackson Language Academy has a very strong and actively engaged local school council. Its chairperson is Ms. Angela Bryant; principal, Ms. Marilou Rebolledo; secretary, Ms. Margaret Kempster; members, Mr. Kevin Lopez, Ms. Mary Clare Maxwell, Ms. Tara Roden, Mr. Jeff Sadoff, Mr. Luis Oviedo, and Mr. Stephen Smith. The parents council at Jackson Language Academy is actively engaged and involved, led by Heather Alvarez, president; vice president, Rubi Alvarez; recording secretary, Emerlie Ilarde; Virgil Nita; and treasurer, Pamela Alfaro. I commend and congratulate all of those who work to make and keep the Andrew Jackson Language Academy the great Chicago public school that it is. Someone--perhaps a philosopher--once said: It takes great souls to make great schools. We thank all of those who have been involved in making the Andrew Jackson Language Academy the great school that it is. It takes great souls to make great schools.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a personal friend who was an outstanding award winning columnist and photographer for the Chicago Daily Defender Newspaper. In addition to her outstanding work at the Defender Newspapers as a woman's editor and society columnist, Teesee published articles about community events and social activities. She was indeed a social activist and involved herself in many organizations such as the Westside Association for Community Action where I was also actively involved. Teesee started working with the Chicago Defender Newspaper in 1961 and although she may have retired, she never quit. While Teesee was comprehensive in her approach to journalism, she was totally dedicated to issues involving women and girls. Theresa Fambro Hooks was known to the world as ``Teesee,'' the socialite who traveled the world highlighting the lives and achievements of others put her in a class by herself. When your name appeared in Teesee's column, you knew that you had arrived. Family and friends of Teesee Frambo Hooks, you have our condolences and may she rest in peace.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3442, and I do so because the bill imposes burdens on Treasury that are totally unnecessary and will do absolutely nothing to improve our national debt. It is Congress that makes spending and revenue decisions, and it is Congress' responsibility to raise the debt limit, when needed, to enable Treasury to fulfill the debt obligations that we have made. If you owe, you pay. Rather than wasting our time on a redundant report by Treasury that does nothing to grow the economy, we should focus our time on creating jobs and strengthening families. I can think of many things that we could be talking about: raising the minimum wage, creating summer jobs for youth, creating jobs through infrastructure development, supporting businesses to hire more workers, and increasing grant aid to families so that they can afford college. Although our economy has demonstrated some solid labor market trends, we know that there are still individuals who are not benefiting from the tremendous economic recovery that we are experiencing. For example, the University of Illinois at Chicago just completed a study that showed that half the African American males in the city of Chicago between the ages of 20-24 are not working and not in school. And we could be using this time--our time--to figure out ways to bring these individuals into the labor market so that they become productive citizens, rather than reviewing another report that tells us nothing that we don't already know. So I oppose the legislation not because it is such bad legislation, but it is just a waste of our time, energy, and effort. We need to be figuring out ways to solve problems.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Otis Clay, an outstanding international artist who lived, worked, and was intimately involved in the North Lawndale community of Chicago, which I am proud to represent. Otis Clay was born in Waxhaw, Mississippi, and ultimately made his way to the west side of Chicago, where he made his home. Otis began his musical career as a gospel singer and, like many other artists, switched over to rhythm and blues and recorded his first hit in 1967, ``That's How it is When You're in Love,'' which reached number 34 on the national charts. Otis performed and recorded in Europe, Japan, and Switzerland. Although Otis Clay reached national acclaim, he continued to live in the North Lawndale community, was a regular at local churches, festivals, and community events. He established his own recording studio, owned a local cleaners, and was known as a regular in the community. I was fortunate to have Otis Clay attend and perform at many events that I sponsored over the years, and it was indeed an honor to be able to call him my personal friend. Otis was involved with the Tobacco Road Project and was instrumental, along with Alderman Dorothy Tillman, in establishing the Harold Washington Cultural Center in the Third Ward on the south side of Chicago. My neighborhood and our world community has lost a great artist and entertainer, but also a great human being. I extend condolences to his family. I know that, when the gates swing open, Otis Clay will come walking in.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have been told that all that glitters is not gold. There isn't much that is absolutely perfect, and this extender package certainly is not. However, I am pleased to note that it does make the child tax credit permanent, the American opportunity tax credit permanent, the earned income tax credit permanent, extends deductions for expenses for elementary and secondary schoolteachers, extends deductions for State and local general sales tax, extends deductions for certain charitable giving, and extends deductions for research activities, which helps to create jobs. The new market tax credit has been beneficial to districts like mine all over the country, and I am indeed pleased to see it extended. The work opportunity tax credit is a godsend for long-term unemployed. I have worked on an issue called Work Colleges, and I am pleased to note the exemption for students who work under this provision. I am also pleased to note the elimination of residency requirements for disabled individuals who are eligible for the ABLE program. I am also pleased to note the exclusion for wrongfully incarcerated individuals. Mr. Speaker, these extensions are good. I am not sure that they are going to do enough. They are not paid for, and I am not sure that they are going to do as much for low- and moderate-income families and communities as I had hoped, or for job creation or for disadvantaged areas. I am convinced that they will do good, but I am not sure that they will do enough.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge a dear friend and an exceptional leader, Mr. Ted Beattie, as he retires as President and CEO of Chicago's Shedd Aquarium. Ted has very many notable achievements during his tenure at Shedd, from the $45 million Wild Reef exhibit that features one of the largest and most diverse shark exhibits in North America; the renovation of the aquarium's popular Abbott Oceanarium marine mammal pavilion; and housing of eight amazing beluga whales. I have had been pleased that Ted opened the doors of Shedd to several of Chicago's school groups to learn more about marine based sciences and get an in depth look into the vast exhibits to encourage our children to engage in science and biology based careers. Further, I have been told that Ted is an amazing golfer and as a high school golfer, played with Renee Powell against Legendary Boxer Joe Louis and Althea Gibson. While Ted has called Chicago home for many years, he is undoubtedly an extremely passionate and dedicated Ohio State graduate and fan (a rival of our Flagship University of Illinois). Ted is an active member of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA), and serves on several boards including the American Association of Museums, the Arts Club board of directors and is a member of the Chicago Club, the Commercial Club of Chicago, Economic Club of Chicago, the Onwentsia Country Club and the Plantation Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. I am hopeful that Ted continues his services to the greater arts community and his Alma Mata, the Ohio State University. I am certain that he will continue to enjoy the game of golf that he loves and will inspire those involved in marine sciences for many years to come. Transition to retirement can be fun, enjoyable and relaxing, so to Ted . . . May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the remarkable young men of Chicago's Wendell Phillips Academy High School football program, their parents, administrators, coaches, and teachers. Last Friday, in a stunning 51-7 win against Belleville's Althoff High School, the Wildcats won the 4A title for Public League's first football State crown since the playoffs began in 1974, completing an amazing 13-0 season. The 51 points scored by Phillips set a State title game record. The game featured record-shattering performances by a host of Wildcat players, including senior quarterback Quayvon Skanes, who rushed for 141 yards and four touchdowns on 13 carries, passed for an additional 44 yards and another touchdown--just to prove that he could throw the ball. Quayvon is headed to the University of Connecticut next year. Other thrilling performances included Kamari Mosby, who ran for 151 yards and a score; Qadeer Weatherly, who pulled in Quayvon's pass for a 36-yard touchdown; Amir Watts, who returned an Althoff fumble for a 19- yard score; and a 21-yard field goal by Isaac Osei to demonstrate the Wildcats' comprehensive offense. The Phillips football program, the second largest in the Chicago Public Schools, is a study of the potential and the problems of urban education. With more than 90 student athletes, the varsity team is led by 19 seniors, all of whom are on track to graduate. In an after-game interview with the Chicago Tribune, Phillips' Coach Troy McAllister noted: ``When we go to practice, we go with footballs. There are no sleds, no chutes, no kicking nets, nothing like that. It goes to what our coaches have done and what these young men can do. ``We have five stipends for coaches. Everywhere else it is 10 to 14. That makes a huge difference, but these young men have bought into what we are trying to accomplish, and they have done something that nobody else has done.'' These young men are not just athletes. They are also proud scholars and are members of a school which last year saw 100 percent of its seniors accepted to college, with more than $5 million in scholarships. In his after-game interview, Principal Matt Sullivan summed it all up. He said: ``It is fantastic. We want to be the beacon, the shining beacon in the Bronzeville community.'' Mr. Speaker, all of Chicago is thrilled and delighted by the performance of this team. I offer my congratulations to their parents, administrators, coaches, and teachers for going above and beyond the call of duty. I extend my congratulations to each and every one of those young men and wish for them continued success in everything they set out to do in the years to come.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I support the Every Student Succeeds Act. It preserves critical civil rights protections for students, maintains the historic commitment to low-income children and communities, and strikes a delicate balance between federal accountability and state flexibility to meet local needs. I thank Ranking Member Bobby Scott and Chairman Kline--as well as the former Committee leaders George Miller and Buck McKeon--for their leadership. This is not a perfect bill, but it is a good bill. It represents an improvement over the current waiver process and over the outdated, one- size-fits-all, punitive No Child Left Behind law. I especially am proud that the bill includes multiple provisions that I have championed for years. Foremost, the bill maintains federal accountability in public education. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act at its heart is a civil rights law, and, as such, it is essential that the federal government provide oversight to ensure equal educational opportunity under the law. Although the bill transfers considerable power to the states to oversee their improvement and limits some Secretarial authority, it requires states to take action in every school in which any group of students is consistently underperforming under the state's accountability system, in all high school dropout factories where one- third or more of students fail to graduate, and in the lowest- performing 5 percent of schools. The bill enhances transparency into the educational success of vulnerable students. Many years ago, I wanted to know how African American boys were doing in school only to learn that we did not know because we did not collect student data in a way to answer that question. I have fought to change this because we cannot develop educational interventions to help students--especially vulnerable students--if we lack a clear understanding of how various groups of students are learning. This bill requires reporting of outcomes and indicators by important student characteristics to inform our understanding of student learning and direct interventions. Further, the bill adds to the our understanding of student experiences by including critical information about discipline practices, including rate of suspensions, expulsions, referrals to law enforcement, and school-related arrests. Given that African Americans-- especially African-American boys--disproportionately experience harsh discipline that contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline, clear information about actual practice is key. Importantly, the bill also discourages the overuse of exclusionary and dangerous discipline practices by requiring state plans to describe how they will improve learning by decreasing such practices. Similarly, the Every Student Succeeds Act promises to improve the school environment for students by decreasing bullying. For over a decade I have led a bill to direct greater federal resources to promote bullying-free learning environments. In addition to requiring states and districts to report incidents of discipline, bullying, and harassment, the bill provides funding for states and localities to implement evidenced-based positive behavioral interventions and supports and other successful approaches that improve behavior, reduce harsh discipline, and decrease bullying and harassment so that teachers can teach and students can learn. The bill addresses key educational challenges for foster youth for which I have advocated, including: ensuring that foster youth can remain in their current school when they enter care or change placements when doing so is in their best interest; allowing immediate enrollment in a new school, prompt access to educational records, and assistance in transferring and recovering credits to remain on track for graduation; assuring a point of contact for foster youth within the education system when such a contact exists in the corresponding child welfare agency; requiring school districts and child welfare agencies to work together to ensure funding for transportation exists to allow students to remain in their schools of origin and to remove negative effects of unreliable transportation; and mandating that the Department of Education and Health and Human Services report on the progress made in and remaining barriers to addressing educational stability. Further, the bill requires states and localities to report on the student outcomes of foster youth and homeless youth to better understand their educational attainment. The bill provides critical protections for students with disabilities that I have promoted, such as advancing high learning standards for students with the most significant disabilities. It caps the use of alternative, less-rigorous tests for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities at one percent of all students and prohibits states from counting lesser credentials as a regular high school diploma. The bill does many additional important things. It invests in teachers by improving professional supports, recognizing that states and localities are better-suited to implement teacher evaluations than federal officials, and requiring collaboration with teachers and the prohibition on overturning existing collective bargaining agreements if states voluntarily develop teacher evaluation programs. It helps improve equitable distribution of resources among school districts, promotes responsible testing policies that reduce over-testing and discourage the use of tests for high-stakes decisions, expands early childhood education, increases federal investment in education, and maintains the historic and necessary state financial commitment to education. This bill does raise concerns and the need for vigilance. With the greater responsibility given to states, there is a heightened need for monitoring by the federal government, advocates, and the civil rights community to ensure that critical supports go to the schools and students in need to close achievement gaps and improve learning. This is not a perfect bill, but it is a good bill that advances educational opportunity. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting its passage.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you with the words that are inscribed on our Statue of Liberty that reflects our history of a nation of what America is, should be, and to become to many people regardless of nationality, ethnicity, and creed (religious belief). We are a nation of Native Americans, descendants of slaves, and immigrants. Historically, these words have not always reflected the true meaning of freedom through time and periods of conflict. The American Safe Act is a bill that attempts to infuse fear on Americans about terrorism and would lead to slowing down the process of resettlement in the Syria and Iraq region for the most vulnerable refugees possibly for years to come. History is a tool that we should always learn from and always seek to build on the existence of our past to make America better and not a spectator on the wrong side of history. Remember what was said about the Japanese Americans during World War II, when they were placed in internment camps. Fear was the reason and rationale as to why specific citizens were looked on as enemy aliens that needed to be put away to protect our national security and make America safe from danger of foreign influences. Remember what happen to immigration quotas and restrictions of Jewish refugees fleeing from a holocaust in Europe. Where American polls were suggesting to not allow German and other political refugees from entering America due to fear and concern of possible entry of German agents among refugees. What about the Haitians and Africans who are turned back or returned to their country of origin while seeking refuge in America? Mr. Speaker, Deja vu all over again, yes we should be cautious and yet wise in our decisions that are temper with compassion and not fear to reject a people in their greatest hour of need. I submit the following Statue of Liberty Poem: new colossus (statue of liberty poem) Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. ``Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!'' cries she With silent lips. ``Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!''

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have never known a more gracious, generous, efficient, engaged, well-liked, admired, respected and beloved person than Ms. Jeanette Lamar. She and her family became known to me when I was a young block club organizer and they lived in the community of North Lawndale in Chicago, a neighborhood undergoing change. Their home was always immaculate, a place for block club meetings, for neighborhood discussions and a place where you just simply enjoyed being. She and her husband Rev. William Lamar raised their children to be productive, successful and outstanding citizens who have contributed significantly to society. Family, church, community engagements are the hallmarks of Ms. Lamar's long and well-lived life. I count myself blessed and fortunate to have known one of the most delightful ladies known to humankind, Ms. Jeanette Lamar.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Reginald ``Hats'' Adams, a dear friend whom I have known and worked with since the late 1960s. In 1986, Hats was hired as the chief youth worker at the Mile Square Health Center. He had previously worked with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Chicago. After having the titles of community liaison and employee relations coordinator, he was named director of community affairs at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in 1974 and held that position which he defined and redefined several times to coincide with what he was doing. Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center is a large, complex, and diverse corporate entity which trains thousands of doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel and has an excellent record of patient care. Much of Mr. Adams' work involved outreach to the broad community on the medical center's behalf. Over the years, he has worked with municipal, county, and State entities, while at the same time developing and maintaining close ties to grassroots organizations, social service agencies, and faith institutions. Mr. Adams has always been seriously interested in and involved with young people. His youth development work is legendary. He has paid special attention to the educational concerns of minority students. As a result, Rush sponsors summer work study programs for minority college students, summer internships for high school students, and math and science enrichment programs for students at more than 60 elementary and high schools. Through Mr. Adams' efforts, the Science and Math Excellence Network was launched in 1991. The network is a coalition of public and private organizations working directly with the local schools to improve science and math education for elementary students. Rush and its corporate partners sponsor after-school science clubs, provide judging at local science fairs, offer summer training programs for teachers, and sponsor a mobile science lab that visits schools without laboratory facilities. Each year, the network hosts an awards dinner to recognize the top science and math students at participating schools. Since 1991, the network also has coordinated the construction of 10 science laboratories in local schools, including several specially designed facilities for preschool-age children. Mr. Adams served as president of the network. Notwithstanding his outstanding professional work and civic involvement, Mr. Adams has always been endeared to his personal family, church, and friends. He was passionate about his family, and at times was known to have his own seat staked out at church. Mr. Adams was also actively involved in the affirmative action activities of the medical center and helped assure that minority vendors, contractors, and business interests had access to business opportunities at the medical center. Hats was a man of great wisdom, courage, and determination, always protecting the interests of the medical center but never forgetting the community from which he came and was a part of. The poet Kipling may have had Hats in mind when he wrote: If you can walk with Kings and Queens and not lose the common touch; if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; if all men matter with you, but none too much; and finally, if you can give the unforgiven moment with 60 seconds' worth of distance run; yours will be the Earth and all that is in it; and what is more, you will be a man, my son. Reginald ``Hats'' Adams, what a man. His life is gone, but his legacy lives on.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to recognize the life of Dr. William (Bill) T. Stanley. Born in Lebanon, Bill grew up in Kenya and moved to the United States with intentions of becoming an animal scientist. Bill was in charge of some 29 million objects and specimens at the Field Museum in Chicago. Scientists and students would reach out to Bill for his resourcefulness in their respective fields of study. He helped many graduate students reach their potential with his assistance on their theses and dissertations. His knowledge and ability to explain specimens in detail motivated his audience to engage and learn. Reaching his goals of becoming a mammalian researcher, Bill's character touched the lives of everyone he came in contact with. Bill was known not only for his research but also his ability to fill the room with his good spirits and incredible sense of humor. Bill will be missed by his family, friends and the mammalian research community to which he devoted his life. I would like to thank Dr. William T. Stanley for his strong leadership and contributions to the city of Chicago. His legacy will live on and may he rest in peace.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to recognize the life of Mr. William T. Stanley, a scientist from the Field Museum located in Chicago, IL. Born in Lebanon, Bill grew up in Kenya and moved to the United States with intentions on becoming an animal scientist. Bill was in charge of some 29 million species at the Field Museum in Chicago. Scientists and students would reach out to Bill for his resourcefulness in their respected field of study. He has helped many graduate students reach their potentials with his assistance to their thesis and dissertations. His knowledge and ability to explain specimens in detail motivated his audience to engage and learn. Reaching his goals to becoming a mammalian researcher, his character touched the lives of everyone he came in contact with. Bill was known for not only his research but also his ability to fill the room with his good spirits and incredible sense of humor. Bill will be missed by his family, friends and the mammalian research in which he devoted his life too. I would like to thank William T. Stanley for his strong leadership and contributions to the city of Chicago and may he rest in peace.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Pay China First Act. I am truly shocked that the Republican leadership is advancing a bill that approves America defaulting on its debt. This is a dangerous action that jeopardizes the full faith and credit of our Nation. It also jeopardizes the well-being of millions of our most vulnerable citizens. I cannot support a bill that would tell my constituents that repaying our debt to foreign countries is more important than paying their salaries for military service or paying their disability benefits or providing them student loans. How can I tell small businesses in Illinois that repaying our debt to a foreign government is more important than paying them for providing goods and services to our government? How can I tell Illinois doctors and hospitals that we can pay China for lending us money, but we cannot pay them for taking care of our elderly? The Council of Economic Advisers estimated that the 2013 debt limit standoff and shutdown cost us 120,000 jobs, and the GAO estimated that it resulted in $70 million in increased borrowing cost on securities issued during the last crisis. The 2013 debt limit fiasco already damaged our economic recovery, yet the Republican leadership insists yet again on a path to harm our national economy and well-being simply for political posturing. I urge my colleagues to oppose this shameful bill that says that debt to foreign countries is more important than our citizens. We should protect our economy. Pass a clean bill to raise our debt ceiling.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the Girls Like Me Project Inc for their 4th Annual Chicago Day of the Girl, this organization has connected more than 500 Chicagoland girls with the global girl empowerment movement. Since 2011 this non-for-profit group has been mentoring urban African-American girls in hopes to help them make positive life choices and connect globally with their peers. International Day of the Girl was adopted by the United Nations in 2011, since then millions of girls and women around the globe have participated in this movement to help educate and shed light on social and political injustices impacting girls and women across the globe. I support the Girls Like Me Project and commend them for their continued efforts to help the disenfranchised young women in the Chicagoland area and for their continued work with the global initiative known as International Day of the Girl.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to commend and congratulate the Proviso East Class of 1975 on their 40th year reunion. As all of us know, we can take great engagement to make use of the lessons learned and skills developed while students at Proviso East. The Class of 1975 can be proud of the heritage, accomplishments and proud of what being a Pirate has meant. The Class of 1975 can have pride in the accomplishments of the Proviso East graduates who left a great school well prepared to confront the challenges of everyday life. The families have been and continue to be role models of excellence and community engagement. Best wishes and good luck to the Proviso East Class of 1975.