Danny Davis

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I came to this session with the simple notion of coming to do a job and to go do my work. Listening to my colleagues' representations and their articulation of experiences and what this bill really means, I am renewed, and I am delighted because it is an important bill, seriously important. Yes, in many places the economy is good; people are able to work. But bridges connect and transport, and this bridge connects people to the opportunity to get a job, to go back to work, to be able to take care of their families, to have money so that their children can go to college or they can sustain themselves while their daughter is completing her education. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleagues, Mrs. Murphy and Ms. Torres Small; the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mrs. Walorski; and Mr. LaHood, my colleague from Illinois, for their ingenuity, creativity, and for the introduction of this tremendous piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend Chairman Lewis and Ranking Member Kelly for their tremendous work on this bill. I feel like today might be one of my best days in Congress, because I had the opportunity a moment ago to talk about helping individuals who are unemployed. Now, we are talking about helping individuals with their income tax preparation, individuals who might be low income; individuals who have difficulty reading and writing and understanding; individuals who are disabled; individuals who are poverty stricken, people who make less than 250 percent of what is known as the poverty level in this country. I feel good because I have spent much of the day talking about helping those individuals in our country and in our society who need help the most. It is a great bill, and I am proud to support it. I thank all of those operations in Chicago, the Center for Economic Progress, the City-Wide Tax Assistance Program via Ladder Up, the United Way, and all the rest of those agencies in the city of Chicago that are helping low-income people with their income tax.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which prepared this statement for me in acknowledgement of Black History Month. Minority populations, especially the African American population, continue to remain in relatively poor health when compared to the majority population and also continue to be underserved by the healthcare delivery system. One of the biggest health challenges facing our country today is obesity, and the African American community is especially at risk. In a 2015-2016 study by the CDC, the report found non-Hispanic Black adults, at 46.8 percent, had a higher prevalence of obesity than non-Hispanic White adults, which was 37.9 percent. Compared to other States, Illinois' obesity rate is a significant area of concern, with 31 percent of adults having obesity. This statistic is higher than the U.S. median. Illinois has the 27th highest adult obesity rate in the Nation and the 7th highest obesity rate for youth ages 10 to 17. Chicago's African American community is the demographic with the highest obesity rate at 39.8 percent. With such a high percentage of the African American community falling in the obese category, this demographic runs a higher risk for obesity- related conditions, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer that are some of the leading causes of preventable, premature death. Compared to the general population, African Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes. African Americans constitute more than 35 percent of all patients receiving dialysis treatment for kidney failure but only represent 13.2 percent of the overall U.S. population. High blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure among African Americans and remains the leading cause of death due to its link with heart attacks and strokes. With these troubling statistics, where do we go from here? Awareness, education, and access are the keys to changing our Nation's health, and food and nutrition practitioners play a very important role in leading the health revolution. Obesity is partially attributed to poor nutritional intake and has been implicated as a contributor to cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Food and nutrition practitioners have an opportunity and an ethical obligation to positively influence the healthcare experience of individuals. These experts have the power to influence factors affecting health disparities at the individual and the population levels, including programs such as SNAP, WIC, adult care food programs, and other nutrition programs. By connecting with individuals who are most at risk, food and nutrition practitioners can make a huge change when it comes to the health of African Americans, as well as the health of all Americans. I thank the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for preparing this information for me.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics who prepared this statement for me in acknowledgement of Black History Month. Minority populations, especially the African American population, continue to remain in relatively poor health when compared to the majority population, and also continue to be underserved by the health care system. One of the biggest health challenges facing our country today is obesity, and the African American community is especially at risk. In a 2015-2016 study by the CDC, the report found non-Hispanic black (46.8 percent) adults had a higher prevalence of obesity than non-Hispanic white adults (37.9 percent). Compared to other states, Illinois' obesity rate is a significant area of concern, with 31.1 percent adults having obesity. This statistic is higher than the U.S. median. Illinois has the twenty-seventh highest adult obesity rate in the nation, and the seventh highest obesity rate for youth ages 10 to 17. Chicago's African American community is the demographic with the highest obesity rate at 39.8 percent. With such a high percentage of the African American community falling in the obese category, the demographic runs a higher risk for obesity- related conditions, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer that are some of the leading causes of preventable, premature death. Compared to the general population, African Americans are disproportionately affected by diabetes. Adult Illinoisans with hypertension is 32.32 percent, while 11 percent have diabetes--both illnesses directly related to obesity. 13.2 percent of all African Americans aged 20 years or older have diagnosed diabetes. African Americans are 1.7 times more likely to have diabetes as non- Hispanic whites. African-Americans are significantly more likely to suffer from blindness, kidney disease and amputations. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in African Americans. African Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as Caucasians. Approximately 4.9 million African Americans over 20 years of age are living with either diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes. African Americans constitute more than 35 percent of all patients in the U.S. receiving dialysis for kidney failure, but only represent 13.2 percent of the overall U.S. population. High blood pressure is the second leading kidney failure among African Americans, and remains the leading cause of death due to its link with heart attacks and strokes. With these troubling statistics, where do we go from here? Awareness, education, and access are the keys to changing our nation's health. And food and nutrition practitioners play a very important role in leading the health revolution. Obesity is partially attributed to poor nutritional intake and has been implicated as a contributor to cancer, heart disease, stroke, arid diabetes. Food and nutrition practitioners have an opportunity and an ethical obligation to positively influence the health care experience of individuals. These experts have the power to influence factors affecting health disparities at the individual and the population level, including programs such as SNAP, WIC, adult care food programs, and other nutrition programs. By connecting with individuals who are most at risk, food and nutrition practitioners can make a huge change when it comes to the health of African Americans, as well as all Americans.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on the following legislative measures. If I were present for roll call votes, I would have voted ``aye'' for the following votes: Roll 88, February 25, 2019: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 539, the Innovators to Entrepreneurs Act of 2019. Roll 89, February 25, 2019: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 276, Recognizing Achievement in Classified School Employees Act.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a dear friend and one of the most revered ministers of the gospel that the Chicago metropolitan area has ever known. Reverend James Bass was born on May 7, 1920, to the late Frank and Hattie Bell Bass in a rural Mississippi town. James began school at the age of 6 in a little church house near Sunflower River Road, where he attended with his two brothers and one sister. His first teacher, Mr. Lee, taught all of the classes that were in session when the farming seasons were not in force. As a little boy, James loved playing marbles, pitching horseshoes, and playing church, with him preaching. He also would preach the funeral for any of the animals that died and became known as the boy preacher. Every Sunday, James attended church with his family in their mule- driven wagon. In 1929, he officially joined church after sitting on the mourners bench during a revival. He continued to grow and develop, got a job at the church as custodian, and attended and graduated from the Booker T. Washington High School in Ruleville, Mississippi. In 1938, James revealed his calling and preached his first sermon as a full-fledged minister at the age of 18. On December 7, 1941, James was drafted into the military and served 3 years in the U.S. Army during World War II. He carried no weapon and continued his ministerial work. After being discharged, he returned home and enrolled at Tougaloo College in 1948, majoring in history. He attended the Mississippi seminary in Jackson in 1951. He became pastor of the Mt. Israel Baptist Church in Clarksdale, Mississippi, where he sponsored a radio broadcast for senior citizens and those who were sick and shut in. In December of 1955, James was invited to Detroit to preach a revival at Canaan Baptist Church. On the way back, he stopped in Chicago to visit his brother and sister and was honored to preach at the Greater Open Door Baptist Church. In August of 1956, Reverend Bass organized a small mission. The mission grew, and the Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church was founded in September of 1956. He returned to Chicago and commuted between Chicago and Mississippi for 6 years, and, after fasting and praying, he decided that his type of ministry really needed to be in a large urban city. In 1967, Reverend Bass and Helyn Maxine Julius were united in holy matrimony and were blessed with two children, Vincent in 1968 and Vikkeda in 1970. Under Reverend Bass' leadership, Mt. Olive grew into a substantial Baptist church, with significant influence in the community. When Dr. Martin Luther King came to Chicago and lived on the West Side, Reverend James Bass was there with him and stood shoulder-to- shoulder when others sleeked away or refused to stand. Reverend Bass was known as an activist, independent-minded preacher who used his pulpit effectively to foster something called liberation theology. He will be remembered as one who knew that the doors of the church must be open both ways: inside so that people could come and be spiritually nurtured, but also outside so that they could use the information for the benefit of themselves and their communities. For more than 90 years, Reverend James Bass preached what he called the gospel. He was an effective messenger, and what a messenger he was. May his soul rest in peace.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, age is relative, and many people look at it in very different ways. Many people look forward to being old enough to work, and of course, many of us look at it in terms of opportunity to retire. Work is indeed a virtue and it is indeed a dignified way of contributing to the well-being of society. Today we highlight and honor Mrs. Torres for her longevity, her dedication to service and her inspiration to human kind. Mrs. Luz Gonzalez Torres was born in Trujillo, Peru on January 2, 1935, which marked her almost 84 years old. She came to the U.S. in 1963 and married Victor Torres in 1966. She and her husband have six (6) children, three (3) boys and three (3) girls and five (5) grandchildren. She widowed in 2007. Prior to becoming a letter carrier, Mrs. Torres worked for Walgreens, Illinois Bell, Western Electric and a travel agency. In 1985, Mrs. Torres was hired by the postal service and worked until 1989. She took a break and came back in 1992 as a PTS. Luz became a regular in 1994, and has had her current route since 2010. She had two knee surgeries and a broken left hand, yet she is still an active carrier. What a woman. What mail carriers do for all of us.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on the following legislative measures. If I were present for roll call votes, I would have voted ``No'' for the following vote: Roll No. 423, November 29, 2018: On Agreeing to the Resolution, H. Res. 1160, Providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 88) to modify the boundary of the Shiloh National Military Park located in Tennessee and Mississippi, to establish Parker's Crossroads Battlefield as an affiliated area of the National Park System, and for other purposes. If I were present for roll call votes, I would have voted ``Aye'' for the following votes: Roll No. 424, November 29, 2018: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 7187, the National Flood Insurance Program Further Extension Act; and Roll No. 425, November 30, 2018: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended, H.R. 6901, the Federal CIO Authorization Act of 2018.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding. I also want to commend the Subcommittee on Health and the Committee on Energy and Commerce for its outstanding work under the leadership of Dr. Burgess. Mr. Speaker, I am going to speak about sickle cell, a bill that has been worked on and passed. Of course, sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder characterized by affected red blood cells that mutate into the shape of a crescent or sickle. And as such, these cells are unable to pass through small blood vessels. It is a recessive- genetic condition that occurs when a child inherits two sickle cell genes, or traits, from each parent. The consequences and complications of this disease are extreme. The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, whom we have worked with for many years on this legislation, have studied and reported that common complications with this disease include early childhood death from infection; stroke in young children and adults; lung problems similar to pneumonia; chronic damage to organs, including the kidney, leading to kidney failure; damage to the lungs, causing pulmonary hypertension; and severe, painful episodes. In fact, pain episode are a hallmark of sickle cell disease. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are at this juncture in passing S. 2465, a bill designed to help improve, treat, prevent, and conduct research on sickle cell disease and to include other blood diseases for surveillance and data collection. While this legislation includes other blood diseases, its original intent and its continuing focus is to put major emphasis on sickle cell disease and issues related to it. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues, Representative Michael Burgess, and Representative G.K. Butterfield, Senator Tim Scott, and Senator Cory Booker for their tireless support and efforts to bring this bipartisan and bicameral bill to fruition. There has been a great deal of back and forth on this bill. Therefore, I want to thank, again, Dr. Burgess, the chief Republican cosponsor and advocate. I want to commend the leadership on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Chairman Greg Walden and Ranking Member Frank Pallone. Mr. Speaker, I want to highlight the work of my colleague and friend, Representative G.K. Butterfield, who carried the bill for this legislation in the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Our staffs did outstanding work, and I commend all of them, especially my Health Subcommittee staffer, Dr. Caleb Gilchrist. I want to acknowledge and thank our advocate organizations, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, the American Society of Hematology, and other organizations, hospital providers, families, and those infected with the sickle cell disease. Mr. Speaker, those who say that Congress does not work and is not working, I tell you, when we pass legislation of this sort, it tells me that America is on the right track and we are, indeed, moving forward to help make our communities as safe and healthy as they can possibly be. I end by just thanking Dr. Burgess, again, for his outstanding leadership on this issue.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, the cruelty, heartlessness and failure of the Trump administration immigration policy have reached a new low point with the reprehensible use of chemical agents against unarmed asylum seekers including children. The unilateral, unlawful policy requires those seeking asylum in the U.S. to remain in Mexico after adding their names to an interminable waiting list facing deteriorating living conditions in what increasingly have come to resemble detention camps. The use of violence and fear to deter legal asylum applications ignores the real social, political and economic forces driving emigration and the role of current and historical U.S. foreign and economic policies in creating those conditions. A nation of immigrants such as the United States deserves, demands, a policy collectively-negotiated with our neighbors grounded in democracy and human rights and dedicated to mutual social and economic development.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, when I came to Chicago in 1961, one of the first radio shows that I listened to was the Big Bill Hill's Shopping Bag Show on WOPA Radio. Being a native Arkansan, anything or anybody connected to Arkansas gets my attention and perks me up. Such has been the cause with Big Bill Hill, born in England, Arkansas. True to form, Big Bill Hill was a big man, 250 lbs, and over 6 feet tall. He was born in England, Arkansas in 1914 and rolled into Chicago in 1932 looking for work. He found work at a steel mill, but he wanted to be on the radio. Nobody would hire him so he saved his money and bought air time on brokered stations. He started on WLDY-AM in Elmwood, and later WCRW-AM. He had his shtick down by the time he started his program ``Shopping Bag Show'' in 1995 on WOPA-AM in Oak Park. WOPA-AM signed on in 1950. It's call letters the Oak Park Arms, a hotel on Oak Park Avenue, where their studio was originally installed. Their 250 watt signal was strongest on the west side of Chicago, and William Klein's Village Broadcasting Company wisely targeted those black demographics so the schedule was full of blues, jazz, R&B, and gospel. Most of their day was brokered time so it was also peppered with ethnic programming of every stripe. But 1490 was short spaced between WXRT-AM and WMOR-AM, so it was never going to have much juice. The solution in 1953 was 102.3 WOPA-AM. WMOR had gone bankrupt and they bought the license at 3,600 watts. This signal had solid Chicago coverage. Though FM listenership was low in the 50s, it grew steadily. Initially, the stations just simulcast all programming. But in 1966, the FCC mandated that FM simulcasts carry 50 percent originating programming. The brokered ethnic moved to the FM side, but Big Bill Hill remained simulcast in the evening, even after the station bumped the wattage up to 6,000 watts. His career changed forever in 1963. He already owned a booking agency, a dry cleaner, a management company and he owned his own club, the Copa Cabana. Supposedly, he did remotes from all locations, even the dry cleaner. In 1967, it looked like it was all going to fall apart. WOPA was born again as a free form FM station full of underground music and hippies. His already floundering club, the Copa Cabana, closed. However, Bill defied all odds and started a R&B TV dance show on WCIU-TV. The ``Red Hot and Blues'' show ran until 1971. It was overtaken by another R&B dance program . . . Soul Train.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to another tax giveaway to the wealthiest in this country who need it the least. The Republicans' tax cut already has damaged the health of the Medicare trust fund. This bill is more of the same. After decades of wage stagnation, when over 41 million laborers earn less than $12 an hour, when almost none of their employers offer health insurance, when more than one-quarter of Americans struggle to cover housing costs, this Republican bill helps millionaires giving an average tax cut of over $39,000 to the top 1 percent. The Republican plan will permanently double tax over 40 million families due to the cap on the State and local income tax deduction. The Republican plan permanently takes away critical personal exemptions from millions of families with children which we need to help. We need to help hardworking, middle-class citizens. We don't need to give $39,000 tax breaks to the wealthy.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague. Mr. Speaker, only 39 percent of Americans have enough savings to cover an emergency costing $1,000. The median savings of workers earning the median income of $54,000 in my congressional district is only around $2,000. The median savings of women is $2,000. The median savings of African Americans is $1,000, and of Latinos, it is $1,500. Yet this bill bestows tremendous tax benefits on the wealthy who can stockpile tens of thousands of dollars in multiple savings accounts, leaving the working class out in the cold. When hard work in one or two jobs isn't enough for most Americans to escape poverty because wages have stagnated for decades and because recovery from the Great Recession is concentrated in the small percentage of Americans who invest in the stock market, when we know that low- and moderate-income families have a harder time saving for college because they have less extra cash available to put away in a savings account, the Republican solution embraces the privileged and fails the working families. What is absent from this bill is telling. The 529 plan does not cover childcare for apprentices, one of the number one costs they face with training. This bill throws crumbs to apprentices by allowing 529 plans to cover minor training expenses like books and supplies. Given that employers pay for the coursework of apprentices, the remaining education costs are relatively small. That is why apprentice advocates asked for and why the original bill included coverage for childcare, yet childcare is not covered in this bill. What also is absent is the Jenkins-Kind provision to help middle- class families save for college by allowing employers to match up to $600 a year in 529 contributions, which could help families who can't afford to put much aside for college or increase their savings. I cannot understand how, when our citizens are struggling under crushing student loan debt, the Republican solution is to allow the elite, with impressive 529 plans, to pay off their student debt while leaving the working class out in the cold. Absent is a true investment in helping working and middle-class families pay for college. Rather than helping working families, this Republican bill additionally, ideologically attacks the reproductive freedom of women by unnecessarily defining unborn children as beneficiaries of 529s. I agree that we should help families cover the cost of needed health services to help students learn, such as speech and language services, occupational therapy, or physical therapy. Yet, rather than requiring that insurance companies cover these health services that help students learn, the Republican solution is to allow the privileged, with thousands of dollars in savings, to pay for these costs, while working and middle-class families must forego the services for lack of funds. When 67 percent of Americans say that they will outlive their retirement savings, the Republican solution to helping families pay for expenses associated with a new child or adoption is to undermine these families' retirement security. The Republican tax approach gives corporations and millionaires tens of thousands of dollars directly, but working Americans must take money from their retirement. Government should strengthen the economic security of working and middle-class Americans whose wages have stagnated, not the very wealthiest. This bill fails that charge.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, homicide is the leading cause of death among youth, especially among people of color between the ages of 13 to 34. The Center for American Progress reported 17 young people are murdered every day in America. Imagine if 17 of our nation's best doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists, poets, and politicians lay waste everyday due to gun violence. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, the murder rate has declined by 3.4 percent from 30 of the largest cities in America. The murder rate in Chicago also declined by 12.3 percent in 2017, but remains more than 60 percent above 2014 levels. Some cities saw their murder rates rise in 2017, such as Baltimore (7.8 percent) and Philadelphia (13.1 percent). This is the daily reality of America, particularly for urban cities like Chicago and Philadelphia. This issue should outrage us all. Mothers In Charge, Inc. (MIC) is one organization that is here today in our nation's Capitol to inform Members of Congress of the impact of gun violence. MIC is comprised of impassioned mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and others who are committed to working towards saving lives and preventing another parent or guardian from having to experience their terrible tragedy. They advocate for families affected by violence and provide counseling and grief support services for families when a loved one has been murdered. One of the advocates is Mrs. Johnson-Speight, who is spearheading a movement to make the nation aware of homicide among young people. She works with juvenile offenders--some of whom are incarcerated for murder--using a cognitive skills development model titled, ``Thinking For A Change''. This program addresses the development of pro-social and proper decision making skills, violence prevention, and preparation for re-entry back into their communities. I commend all of the organizations and institutions working hard to bring attention to homicide, and their efforts to eliminate the threat of gun violence. In honor of the many precious lives lost as a result of gun violence, Congress, in 2007, designated September 25th as the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims. On this day, every year, we are reminded of the lives lost, and the need to continue the fight against violence so their deaths are not in vain.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following Proclamation: Whereas, the Almighty God has called to his eternal rest the Reverend Columbus Ewing, Pastor of Community Fellowship Baptist Church; and Whereas, prior to organizing Community Fellowship, Reverend Ewing was a longtime loyal assistant to Reverend Matthew Thomas who organized the Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church where my wife's aunt, Aunt Hattie Harrell was one of the first fourteen members and my dear friend Mrs. Earline Lindsey and Deacon Davis may have been the persons who introduced me to Reverend Ewing; and Whereas, Reverend Ewing was a Precinct Captain and political worker in the 37th Ward; and Whereas, Reverend Ewing organized Community Fellowship and I was privileged to attend his first banquet; and Whereas, Reverend Ewing and Community Fellowship have always opened their doors and been a part of community events, political meetings and everything I have been involved with to benefit the community for all of these many years; and Whereas, Reverend Ewing loved and nourished all of his family, his wonderful wife Emma, all of his children, grandchildren and other relatives, he pointed out their achievements all of the time. I would not say that he had favorites but he was extremely proud of church and community activist, teacher, principal, Doctor, Reverend, Pastor Shirley Ewing of Community Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church; and Whereas, both Reverend Ewing and I liked to eat and we shared many a meal together, both at the church and soul food restaurants throughout the city; Therefore, we extend our condolences to Reverend Dr. Shirley Ewing, the Ewing Family and the Community Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Representative Ron Dellums, who, among other things, was known as one of the most outstanding, articulate, and eloquent persons to ever serve in this House of Representatives. He was a political, social activist who used his voice and his mannerisms to educate millions of people throughout the world about issues, AIDS, HIV, Free South Africa. He was an icon. He is an icon and will always be an icon, a great Member of this body.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, some of my Tamil American constituents brought to my attention the passing of an extraordinary man: Muthuvel Karunanithi who was born June 3, 1924 and passed away August 7, 2018. Muthuvel Karunanithi became involved in social justice issues at age of 14, publishing a handwritten journal that has been published as a weekly ever since. He wrote regularly until he fell ill at the age of 92. Muthuvel Karunanithi was a poet, writer, publisher, orator, novelist, and literary critic in the Tamil language. His books sold millions of copies and his movie scripts shattered old boundaries of political possibility, articulating a new vision of human relationships. He ran for political office thirteen times and never lost over a seventy year period. He was chief minister of the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India five times. His career was marked by a lifelong commitment to breaking the barriers of the caste system, especially for the lowest caste people who handle human waste. Karunanithi led a successful effort for an affirmative action program for their admittance to medical schools and subsequent admission to the practice of medicine. He visited Chicago in 1972. Muthuvel Karunanithi was a man from the lowest rung of the social ladder who climbed the highest political mountains, but kept his lifestyle simple and his thoughts and actions fixed on the highest aspirations for all of his people.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Master Sergeant Stephen Mallette on the occasion of his retirement from the United States Air Force. Chief Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force is the highest senior-level enlisted person in the U.S. Air Force. Chief Master Sergeant Stephen J. Mallette was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Proviso West High School and enlisted in the Air Force in 1988. After joining the Air Force, Sergeant Mallette took courses in Korea 1989: 1990 Korean Cryptologic Analytic Technical Training Course (Distinguished Graduate) 1993 Airman Leadership School (Distinguished Graduate) Davis-Monthan Graduate 2003 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Lackland Air Force Base in Lackland, Texas Chief Master Sergeant Stephen Mallette has excelled at every level to which he has been assigned. Sergeant Stephen Mallette is exactly the kind of person our country would like to see in the military: well- trained, highly motivated and loyal to our country. He is the best, and as he leaves the military he will continue to be the best. I thank him for his many years of service, and may the good Lord continue to bless and keep him.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Robert ``Bob'' Von Drasek, as he is better known. Bob was the most dedicated, committed, and loyal Saul-Alinsky-trained organizer who I have ever known. Bob came to the south Austin community during a time of great turbulence. The community was in the throes of a great transition from being 80 percent White to becoming 80 percent Black within a 10-year period of time. Blockbusting, panic peddling, redlining, disinvestment, and all manner of malfeasance were taking place. Police brutality and other forms of law enforcement misconduct were rampant. I met Bob during this period. It was also during this time that the Organization for a Better Austin, under the leadership of Gail Cincotta, was organized; the South Austin Coalition Community Council, SACCC, was formed with Bob as a lead organizer; and I decided to run for the city council. Over the years, I have followed Bob's work without exception. South Austin is practically an all African American community, except for a few merchants who never left the area, a few White citizens, school teachers, and policemen. Of course, Bob is White or Caucasian, and yet he won the hearts of the community and the trust of the people. He has developed intimate relationships with many of the residents and, to many, he is like a member of their family. Through Bob's leadership, SACCC became known as the top grassroots community organization in the Chicagoland area. Bob was always a great strategist, but the members, like Mr. Ed Bailey, Mrs. Irene Norwood, Mrs. Lillian Drummond, and Mr. George Lawson, were the voices. Many people don't know it, but it was SACCC who led community reinvestment. It was SACCC who organized senior citizens. It was SACCC who led the fight for LIHEAP. It was SACCC who kept the Austin Bank on its toes. It was SACCC who united block clubs. It was SACCC who got people to join local school councils. And it was SACCC who got churches to open their doors for community meetings. I have been in buildings with Bob where there was no heat. I have been in homes where there was no food. I have been on streets where there were no lights. I have been with Bob in allies where there was no hope. I have been with Bob and families after their relatives were shot. Bob has worked to bring help to the helpless and hope to the hopeless. Bob VonDrasek, you are a good man, and I thank you and your family, your wife and children, for what you have meant to our community and to our world. True soldiers are always reluctant to come off the battlefield, but there comes a time when we must put away our swords and shields to practice war no more. When that time comes, Bob, just know that you have made a difference. When you came to south Austin, newspapers were writing that it would be the next big slum. They did not know you and they did not know the people of south Austin. South Austin is not a slum. It is a vibrant, forward-thinking, and forward-moving community. Bob, you have done the Master's work. You have fed the hungry, clothed the naked, brought hope to the hopeless, and help to the helpless. You have lifted spirits and you have taught people how to love, how to live, and how to work together. I close, Bob, by leaving these words with, and for, you. If when you give the best of your service, telling the world that the Savior is come, be not dismayed when men don't believe you, He understands, and will say, ``Well done.'' Oh, when I come to the end of my journey, weary of life and the battle is won, carrying the staff and the cross of redemption, He'll understand, and say, ``Well done.'' If when this life of labor is ended, and the reward of the race you have run, oh, the sweet rest prepared for faithful, will be His blest and final, ``Well done.'' But if you try and fail in your trying, hands sore and scarred from the work you've begun, take up your cross, run quickly to meet Him, He'll understand, He'll say, ``Well done.''

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague who demonstrates with regularity the intensification of real care for the people. Today, we take up another bill that does nothing to make up for the long-term Republican sabotage of the Affordable Care Act. Tens of millions of working families also see their healthcare costs skyrocket due to the repeated Republican efforts to undermine the healthcare system. Tens of millions of Americans with preexisting conditions will still fear the loss of guaranteed health protections with the horrible choice of loss of health insurance or untenable premiums. The Republicans' sabotage will cost a typical family of four in my congressional district $2,250 more in insurance premiums in 2019. The Republicans' sabotage will cost a typical 55-year-old couple in my congressional district $3,570 more in 2019. The 2019 premium hikes follow an average 37 percent increase in 2018. These premium hikes are especially disturbing when contrasted with the billions in tax cuts the Republicans gave to insurance companies in their tax law. H.R. 6199 makes a small change to health savings accounts used exclusively by the wealthy. Many of my constituents have trouble paying for basic living costs like heat, food, and housing. They ask me regularly for a few hundred dollars to help their kids stay in college. The vast majority of my constituents can't set aside tens of thousands of dollars to pay for their medical care out of pocket in a health savings account. This legislation does nothing to increase coverage, improve affordability, or change the skyrocketing costs of healthcare. I urge my colleagues to reject this bill, and I urge my Republican colleagues to bring up meaningful legislation to improve coverage and lower costs to help the tens of millions of Americans in need.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Robert (Bob) Von Drasek the most dedicated, committed and most loyal Saul Alinsky-trained organizer that I have ever known. Bob came to the South Austin Community during a time of great turbulence. The community was in the throes of a great transition from being 80 percent white to becoming 80 percent Black within a ten-year period of time. Block busting, panic peddling, redlining, disinvestment and all manner of malfeasance were taking place. Police brutality and other forms of law enforcement misconduct were rampant. I met Bob Von Drasek (during this period. It was also during this time that the organization for a Better Austin was organized, the South Austin Coalition Community Council (SACCC) was formed with Bob as lead organizer, and I decided to run for the City Council. Over the years I have followed Bob's work with SACCC. South Austin is practically an all black community except for a few merchants who never left the area, a few white residents, school teachers and policemen, Bob is white or caucasian and yet he won the hearts of the community and the trust of the people. He has developed intimate relationships with many of the residents and to many he is like a member of their family. Through much of Bob's leadership, SACCC became known as the top grassroots community organization in the Chicago land area. Bob was always a great strategist but the members like Mr. Ed Bailey, Mrs. Irene Norwood, Mrs. Lillian Drummond and Mr. George Lawson were the voices. Many people don't know it, but it was SACCC who led community reinvestment. It was SACCC who organized senior citizens. It was SACCC that led the fight for LIHEAP. It was SACCC that kept the Austin Bank on its toes (best behavior). It was SACCC that united block clubs. It was SACCC that got people to join local school councils, and it was SACCC that got churches to open their doors for community meetings. I have been in buildings with Bob where there was no heat. I have been in homes where there was no food, and I have been on streets where there were no lights. I have been in alleys where there was no hope. I have been with Bob and families after their relatives had been shot. Bob has worked to bring help to the helpless and hope to the hopeless. Bob Von Drasek is a good man and I thank him and his family, his wife and children for what they have meant to our community and to our world. True soldiers are always reluctant to come off the battlefield, but there comes a time when we must put away our swords and shields to practice war no more. When that time comes, just know that he has made a difference. When he came to South Austin, some newspapers, urban planners and prognosticators were predicting that Austin would be the next slum. They did not know him, and they did not know the people of South Austin. South Austin is not a slum. It is a vibrant, forward-thinking and forward-moving community. Bob has done the Master's work. He has fed the hungry, clothed the naked, brought hope to the hopeless, and helped the helpless. He has lifted spirits and he has taught people how to love, how to live, and how to work together. I close with words of my favorite song: ``If when you give the best of your service, Telling the world that the Savior is come; Be not dismayed when men believe you; He understands; and say, ``Well done.'' Oh, when I come to the end of my journey, Weary of life and the battle is won; carrying the staff and the cross of redemption, He'll understand, and say ``Well done.'' If when this life of labor is ended, And the reward of the race you have run; Oh! the sweet rest prepared for faithful, Will be his blest and final ``Well done.'' But if you try and fail in your trying, hands sore and scarred from the work you've begun; take up your cross, run quickly to meet Him; He'll understand, he'll say, ``Well done!''

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 2069.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express strong opposition to this resolution, which is nothing more than political posturing. This nonbinding resolution does nothing to control increases in healthcare premiums. Republican actions have wreaked havoc in the healthcare market, driving up healthcare costs for Americans, especially older Americans. This nonbinding resolution does nothing to limit skyrocketing drug prices after giving tens of billions of dollars in tax cuts to the drug industry. The Chicago Fire Department was in to see me this week, and they talked about the high cost of drugs. For example, the cost of nitroglycerin tripled over 4 years from $37 to $120. The cost of naloxone more than doubled during this time period. If the Chicago Fire Department is having trouble paying for pharmaceuticals, then you can imagine what smaller entities would be experiencing. This resolution does nothing to increase jobs, nothing to help parents afford the high cost of childcare and college. It is indeed a do-nothing resolution. That is exactly what it does. I will vote against it.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Neal for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I support H.R. 6 as a step to the puzzle to address substance abuse. However, I think we need to expand this bill in an important way as it moves forward. To prevent opioid addiction, we must address the social and emotional harm caused by trauma that often underlies opiate use. Research demonstrates that exposure to four or more adverse childhood experiences, such as neglect, experiencing a parent battling addiction, witnessing violence, or observing domestic violence, makes an individual 10 times more likely to misuse illicit narcotics. These drugs serve as a coping response to traumatic life experiences. The Senate's bipartisan Opioid Crisis Response Act included provisions from my Trauma-Informed Care Act with Senator Durbin to help improve the Federal response to trauma to help prevent opioid abuse. These provisions would expand the workforce capacity to help children exposed to trauma, they would improve our understanding of trauma by improving Federal data and best practices, and they would increase services for children exposed to trauma to help these young people heal. Our efforts to prevent the opioid crisis will be insufficient unless we address the role of trauma in it, which is why 28 organizations supported my effort to amend H.R. 6 to focus on trauma--organizations like the Child Welfare League of America, the Jewish Child and Family Services, the National Association of Social Workers, Partners for Our Children with the University of Washington, and the YMCA USA--but my amendment was not made in order. The science is clear that trauma has devastating effects on a child's healthy development well into adulthood. When children experience traumatic events, stress alters the developing brain, which harms them physically and mentally. Mr. Chairman, I include in the Record this outline of the research by the Society for Research in Child Development documenting the harm caused by trauma and parental separation. [From the Society for Research in Child Development, June 20, 2018] Statement of the Evidence--The Science Is Clear: Separating Families Has Long-Term Damaging Psychological and Health Consequences for Children, Families, and Communities After the United States Department of Justice announced the ``Zero olerance Policy for Criminal Illegal Entry,'' Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE--an arm of the Department of Homeland Security) separated approximately 2,000 children from their parents in April and May 2018 as they approached the U.S. border. Children and parents were placed in separate facilities as they were being processed and were not told when or how they would be reunited. This policy and its consequences have raised significant concerns among researchers, child welfare advocates, policy makers, and the public, given the overwhelming scientific evidence that separation between children and parents, except in cases where there is evidence of maltreatment, is harmful to the development of children, families, and communities. Family separations occurring in the presence of other stressors, such as detention or natural disaster, only adds to their negative effects. Evidence on Harmful Effects of Parent-Child Separation The evidence that family separation is harmful dates back to studies on the effects of parent-child separations on children's well-being during World War II. This research documented far reaching effects of these separations into adulthood, including increased risk for mental health problems, poor social functioning, insecure attachment, disrupted stress reactivity, and mortality (Pesonen & Raikkonen, 2012; Rusby & Tasker, 2009; Mitrani, Santiste-ban, & Muir, 2004). Other research similarly documents the harmful effects of parental separation on child wellbeing in a variety of other child populations including children in Romanian orphanages (Zeanah, Nelson, Fox, et al., 2003), children in foster care (Flannery, Beauchamp, & Fisher, 2017) and children of incarcerated parents (Geller, Garfinkel, Cooper & Mincy, 2009; Miller, 2006). More recent work has documented the increased mental health risk faced by both parents and children when they are separated in the immigration process (Suarez-Orozco, Bang, & Kim., 2011; Rusch & Reyes, 2013). Parent-child separation has long-term effects on child well-being, even if there is subsequent reunification. After being separated, reunited children can experience difficulty with emotional attachment to their parents, self-esteem, and physical and psychological health (Smith, Lalonde, & Johnson, 2004; Gubernskaya & Debry, 2017). For some children, time does not appear to fully heal these psychological wounds (Shonkoff et al., 2012). Parents Buffer Children from Adverse Effects of Toxic Stress Parental separation is considered a toxic stressor, an experience that engages strong and prolonged activation of the body's stress-management system (Bridgman, 2014) The physiological and psychological toll of early life stress, including parental separation, changes how the body responds to stress in the long term, disrupting higher-order cognitive and affective processes as well as negatively altering brain structures and functioning (Lupien, McEwen, Gunnar, & Heim, 2009; Pechtel & Pizzagalli, 2011; Kumar et al., 2014). Such stressors put children at greater risk for a multitude of health and psychological impairments, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, lower IQ, obesity, immune system functioning, physical growth, cancer, heart and lung disease, stroke, and morbidity (Granqvist, Sroufe, Dozier, Hesse, & Steele, 2017, Heim & Nemeroff, 2001; Mamam, Antornadis, & Morris, 2014; Pechtel & Pizza-galli, 2011; Shirtdiff, Coe, & Pollak, 2009; Taylor, 2010). Children depend on their primary caretakers to successfully navigate stressful and traumatic events. Children's physiological responses to stress can be significantly reduced by access to their primary caretaker (Hostinar, Sullivan, & Gunnar, 2013). The separation of the family unit under extreme conditions of stress worsens the psychological and physiological ramifications of that stressor on children, especially younger children (Masten & Narayan, 2012). Conversely, ongoing contact with primary caregivers under conditions of stress can protect against risk (Rodriguez & Margolin, 2015). Child-Separation from Parents Impacts Children at All Ages Much of the research on family separation has focused on the impacts on children early in development. However, puberty is also an especially vulnerable time of rapid change (Doom & Gunnar, 2013). Stressors during adolescence can have lasting impacts--the effects of which may not become evident until adulthood--(Humphreys, Gleason, Drury, et al., 2015; Lupien, McEwen, Gunnar, & Heim, 2009). Further, the effects of traumatic experiences are cumulative; children and adolescents who have already faced previous adversity are particularly susceptible to long term further negative consequences (Brown, Anda, & Tiemeier, et al, 2009, MacKenzie, Bosk, & Zeanah, 2017) Thus, the research shows that across infancy, childhood, and adolescence, child-family separations can be related to negative outcomes across the lifespan. Impact of Border Family Separations on U.S. Citizens There is also evidence that family separations harm U S. citizens whose family members experience border detention or deportation. Parental separation increases the risk for these U.S. children's mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, behavior problems, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (Allen, Cisneros, & Tellez, 2015; Rojas- Flores, Clements, Hwang Koo, & London, 2017; Zayas, Aguilar- Gaxiola, Yoon, & Rey, 2015). U.S. citizens of Latino descent also report heightened worries and concerns for their families and their communities as a result of changes in implementation of immigration policies such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy (Roche, Vaquera, White, & Rivera, 2018). Moreover, countries with supportive integration policies are more likely to have child populations with better overall health and mental health indicators than those with less supportive approaches (Marks, McKenna, & Garcia Coll, 2018). Thus, there is evidence that policies about parental separations can negatively affect American citizens. The Policy Implications are Clear The scientific evidence is conclusive. Parent-child separations lead to a host of long-term psychological, social, and health problems that are not necessarily resolved upon reunification. In particular, the disruption of biological stress regulation mechanisms in the body induced by the need to seek refugee or asylum status are further taxed by the absence of parental support. The science is clear: policies that separate immigrant families upon entry to the U.S. have devastating and long-term developmental consequences for children and their families.