Danny Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson), a Lincoln scholar, a civil war era buff, and a great historian who has studied and written extensively about this period.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and though I do not have any additional speakers, I will close by simply saying that I grew up an Abraham Lincoln fan as a little boy. My mother, who did not have much formal education, nor did my father, they were both Abraham Lincoln fans and they told us stories about Abraham Lincoln. This obviously whetted my appetite, and I became an Abraham Lincoln guy who read everything that I could get my hands on about Lincoln. It is obvious from all of the comments that we have heard that Indiana, Illinois, and I guess we have to add Kentucky, have great memories and great fondness for the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, who would probably be considered a great communicator. We did not talk so much about people being communicators then. Now we talk about communication skills and abilities; but I guess he could communicate so much in just a few words, in things like the Lincoln Gettysburg Address and other comments that he made. The one quote that I often like to suggest that Lincoln made was about education. He said that ``education makes a man easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.'' So as we put resources into budgets for education, I always try to remember Abraham Lincoln.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. Mr. Speaker, President Abraham Lincoln is considered by many to be the most outstanding President this country has ever had. As a matter of fact, many have suggested that he was courageous, often misunderstood, renowned in his ability to see situations and then move on them. So I am pleased to join with my colleague from Indiana in consideration of Senate bill 858, a bill to extend the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission was established by Congress in 2000 to plan the national observances of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday in 2009. Fifteen Americans were named by the White House, the House of Representatives and the Senate to work together to propose and craft programs of celebration and education. S. 858 would extend the authorization for the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission through the bicentennial year of 2009. Under current law, the commission would pass out of existence in 2004, 5 years before the event it is supposed to commemorate. In addition to the requirement that the commission submit an interim report in June of 2004, S. 858 also requires that a final report be issued in 2010 after the conclusion of bicentennial festivities. Obviously, Mr. Speaker, this legislation has tremendous support, and I would urge its passage. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, down-size, out-source, privatize, erode, dismount, turn back the clock, all buzz words which characterize the thought and actions of many of our Republican colleagues. And now Medicare is on the hit list. And our seniors are being told that they are going to get a prescription drug plan. Yes, we need a plan, but we do not need one that dismantles Medicare. We do not need one that turns back the clock. We do not need one that skyjacks our seniors and prices them out of the market. They want real government for all people, including our seniors.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, the current Medicare debate highlights the need for fundamental changes in the way that health care is provided in the United States. The Medicare prescription drug bill currently before the House fails to address any of the fundamental problems in our health care system. The need for affordable prescription drugs for our Nation's seniors is one component of the health care reform needed in the United States. And just like last year, this House will pass a Medicare prescription drug bill that fails millions of Americans. The current plan will perpetuate the inequalities in health care suffered by poor and rural Americans, as this plan hurts both groups. Seniors with incomes between 135 and 150 percent of the Federal poverty level will pay the same deductible and copays as someone with an income 300, 500 or 1,000 percent of the poverty level. The only relief is a sliding scale premium. Those with incomes 150 to 200 percent of poverty will receive no relief at all. Rural Americans have already faced severe restrictions in their choice of providers. And in 2003, only 19 percent of rural Medicare beneficiaries have the option of enrolling in a Medicare managed care plan. These seniors are likely to face similar restrictions in the choice of prescription drug plans, without a fall-back prescription plan through Medicare. This discrimination against certain seniors is intolerable. Not only does the current plan restrict access to drugs, but it also could limit what drugs seniors can take. In 2002, 55 percent of all Medicare private plans covered only generic drugs, provided no coverage for brand names. This means that those who must take a specific brand-name medication for which no generic form exists or need a new, more effective drug cannot obtain them. The answer is not to provide more private prescription drug plans. The current Medicare prescription drug bill only perpetuates the failures of our health system. The solution to the current crisis lies in a prescription drug benefit that helps to contain prescription drug costs, provides better access to generic drugs, and is built into Medicare. Absent a comprehensive solution that provides medical and prescription drug coverage for all Americans, there is no excuse for restricting the access of our Nation's seniors to prescription drug coverage. Our seniors need a comprehensive standard benefit for all. We cannot afford to further privatize Medicare, offer different plans to different people, and threaten the program that has provided health care for over 39 million people. Our Nation's seniors need a uniform, comprehensive plan. Absent a comprehensive solution that provides medical and prescription drug coverage for all Americans, there is no excuse to do anything less. The solution to the current crisis lies in a plan that helps to contain prescription drug costs, provide better access to generic drugs, and is built into Medicare. Just as hospital and physician coverage is assured by Medicare and includes a standard benefit for all seniors, so must prescription drug coverage. In the complex world of medical insurance, it is crucial for us to provide reliable coverage under one plan to reduce confusion on the part of Medicare beneficiaries. We cannot afford to further privatize Medicare, turning it only into a health voucher program by the end of the decade, and threatens the program which has provided health care for over 39 million Americans. Let us be real and have a real prescription drug program for our seniors.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, let me first of all thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands for yielding me this time. I also want to commend the chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo), and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), for bringing this legislation to the floor and getting us to this point. When we talk about small businesses and we talk about the development of small business, one of the primary problems that people face is finding enough money to actually get a business off the ground, keep it going, keep it moving, have enough capital to actually carry the business on until they reach the point where they have the kind of cash flow and they have the kind of returns that they know they need in order to be stable and keep being successful. This PCLP Improvement Act helps to do all of that. It helps to make capital available and it gives people assistance to acquire what they actually need. While it is true, Mr. Speaker, that some of the best things in life are free, I remember the song that says ``But you can give it to the birds and bees, what I need is money.'' And what small businesses need is capital to help them grow, develop and flourish. This legislation helps to do that. Again I commend Chairman Manzullo, my colleague from Illinois, and the ranking member for bringing this to the floor.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on June 11 because I was attending a very important meeting involving healthcare with the President of the United States in my district in Chicago, Illinois. If I was present for rollcall votes for the following bills: Rollcall 258 on agreeing to the resolution H.R. 2115, Flight 100-- Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act; Rollcall 259 on motion to suspend the rules and agree to Expressing Support for the Goals and Ideals of Human Genome Month and DNA Day; Rollcall 260 on motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amend the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act; Rollcall 261 on motion to suspend the rules and pass the Welfare Reform Extension Act; I would have voted Yeas to all of these bills.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my commitment to world peace and to stress the importance of establishing dialogue and understanding among all people. It is in recognition of this need that on Tuesday, June 24th, at 6:30 p.m. in Rayburn room B3338-340, the American Leadership Initiative will hold a special awards ceremony to honor great Americans from all 50 states who have demonstrated a commitment to peace. Many of my prestigious colleagues will join with me and co-chair Congressman Kurt Weldon in giving tribute to some of the outstanding Americans from our districts. Members of the clergy, legislators, educators, and business and community leaders will be among those honored with the ``Ambassadors for Peace Award--Excellence in Leadership'' award. These committed citizens have been working to renew and strengthen our families and marriages, restore our communities, and rebuild our nation and world. We are grateful to the founders of the Ambassadors for Peace, the Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon, for promoting the vision of world peace and we commend them for their work. These Ambassadors for Peace have become increasingly effective and relevant in their communities since the tragedy of 9/11. They have been working together to promote understanding among all faiths, particularly with Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders. With the realization that many of the tensions currently facing the world cannot be addressed without consideration of the religious implications involved, the Ambassadors for Peace have formed an American Interreligious Council. This council seeks to support and advise our Nation's leaders concerning the issues and challenges of seeking lasting peace. The American Interreligious Council is also a part of the effort to create an international council of religious leaders. The members of this council will support the leaders of the United Nations as they work to resolve conflicts throughout the world. This body will provide a direct link between international leaders and the various religious peoples in their constituencies. This will help to ensure that peace agreements are embraced by the diverse communities these leaders represent. Today, though crisis is at our doorstep, we must maintain an unwavering hope for peace. It has become clear that the establishment of a lasting peace throughout the world will only come to full fruition through the ongoing dialogue and cooperation of religious and political leaders. The Ambassadors for Peace are working tirelessly to bring about international cooperation and are to be commended for their leadership in this great effort.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I simply rise to say we are always delighted and pleased to see Steve Kerr display the skill and talent he learned in Chicago. But more importantly, I rise to congratulate the city of San Antonio for being one of the most beautiful cities in the country and also the great championship, the skill displayed by the Spurs as they won the 2003 NBA championship. But, Mr. Speaker, I was really touched hearing of the great contributions of David Robinson, not just on the court but off the court in the community, in the neighborhood, his willingness to give of his resources and of himself, to display what it really means to be a great American. And so I rise to really congratulate him. Oftentimes we hear that athletes are not willing to give back, that they get whatever it is that they get from being what they are and who they are and do not necessarily give back to the rest of the world. Well, I think that David Robinson is the epitome of a gentleman, a great man; and I congratulate all of you for the fact that he is a Texan and part of the San Antonio Spurs.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my commitment to world peace and to stress the importance of establishing dialogue and understanding among all people. It is in recognition of this need that on Tuesday, June 24, at 6:30 p.m. in the Rayburn Room B338-340, the American Leadership Initiative will hold a special awards ceremony to honor great Americans from all 50 States who have demonstrated a commitment to peace. Many of my colleagues will join me and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), co-chair, in giving tribute to some of the outstanding Americans from our districts. Members of the clergy, legislators, educators, business and community leaders will be among those honored with the ``Ambassadors for Peace Award-Excellence in Leadership.'' These committed citizens have been working to renew and strengthen our families and marriages, restore our communities, and rebuild our Nation and indeed our world. We are grateful to the founders of Ambassadors for Peace, the Reverend and Mrs. Sun Myung, for promoting the vision of world peace, and we commend them for their work. These Ambassadors for Peace have become increasingly effective and relevant in their communities since the tragedy of 9-11. They have been working together to promote understanding among all faiths, particularly with Muslim, Jewish, and Christian leaders. With the realization that many of the tensions currently facing the world cannot be addressed without consideration of the religious implications involved, the Ambassadors for Peace have formed an American Interreligious Council. This council seeks to support and advise our Nation's leaders concerning the issues and challenges of seeking lasting peace. The American Interreligious Council is also part of the effort to create an international council of religious leaders. The members of this council will support the leaders of the United Nations as they work to resolve conflicts throughout the world. This body will provide a direct link between international leaders and the various religious peoples in their constituencies. This will help to ensure that peace agreements are embraced by the diverse communities these leaders represent. Today, though crisis is at our doorstep, we must maintain an unwavering hope for peace. It has become clear that the establishment of a lasting peace throughout the world will only come to full fruition through the ongoing dialogue and cooperation of religious and political leaders. The Ambassadors for Peace are working tirelessly to bring about international cooperation and are to be commended for their leadership in this great effort. I again commend them for their efforts because they understand that peace is not necessarily found in covenants, treaties and charters, as was once echoed by President John F. Kennedy, but is indeed found in the hearts of men and women. And as they work throughout the Nation and throughout the world to spread the message of peace, we look forward to seeing them here on Tuesday, June 24, and share with them as they give awards to those who do the work in the field.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez) for the leadership that they have shown and displayed. I just left the markup in the Committee on Education and the Workforce where we have been babbling, I guess one could say, all day long. We have been debating Head Start. And there are certain principles that we have tried to maintain, and one is that the program must be kept comprehensive. It must remain comprehensive and not be streamlined and categorized so that young people will get the full benefit of the most effective program that we have had coming out of the civil rights movement, coming out of the war on poverty. No other program has been as successful as this one. We also have to make sure that the block granting does not creep in, and we have obviously crept up, and they are down to talking about eight States now that would be demonstration projects, but we have got to watch that because those eight States will still represent one-third of all the children in Head Start. So if we are talking about eight States with large populations, with large populations of Head Start children, then that becomes a significant number. We are still opposed to the block granting all the way. We know that we need additional funding, especially as we now have a mandate that 50 percent of the teachers ought to have a college degree by 2008. But how does one get a college degree if one is a Head Start teacher making $12,000, $15,000, $10,000, $11,000, $14,000 a year without some help. So we are proposing stipends and scholarships, things that are going to help those individuals. And I was pleased to note that I did get an amendment accepted a few minutes ago that will call for the creation of a fatherhood initiative, and I noticed that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez) mentioned that, as a father, we find that many fathers are absent from the lives of their children and that one of the things that we can do in Head Start is stimulate the growth and development of that. So I just, again, want to commend all of my colleagues here, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) as he leads the Congressional Black Caucus, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), and it was good to see the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez), chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and I know that the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Davis) is here, and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) who has been doing an outstanding job in the Committee on Education and the Workforce, we have been there together all day. So I thank the chairman so much.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, the NCAA 2003 National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Champions. I thank the Gentleman from Minnesota, Mr. Oberstar, for allowing the House this opportunity to congratulate and recognize the Bulldogs on winning their third straight championship. During the championship game against Harvard University, the Bulldogs showed tremendous strength and ability, going into double overtime, finally winning with a score of 4-3. This season, they won an impressive 31 games, while only losing 3 and tying 2. And as we prepare to celebrate the upcoming thirty-first anniversary of Title IX, this team serves to be a prime example that Title IX is working. And since it is working, to weaken or water down Title IX in any way would be detrimental to the future of events like these and to teams like the Bulldogs. I happen to be one who believes that there ought to be absolute equality in all endeavors in all walks of life. I am amazed, as a matter of fact, sometimes when I recall even the Preamble to our Constitution, when we say, ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,''; and at the same time, we left out women. Some people would suggest that when they said ``men'' they meant women as well, but I am not always sure of that. As a matter of fact, we can look at what the experiences have been. Even though we have Title IX, only 42 percent of college athletes are female and female athletes receive $133 million fewer scholarship dollars per year than their male counterparts. This proves that, if anything, Title IX needs to be strengthened as we still face inequities in athletics today. We have to keep Title IX alive; we have to make sure that it is strong; and we have to keep working so that there is in fact equality across the board without regard to race, gender, ethnicity, or any other form of origin. America is a great Nation. We have made lots of progress and we have come a long way, but we still have much further to go. I do not believe we will ever get where we need to be unless we reinforce all of those processes that we have used to get us where we are. Keeping Title IX will continue the successes that we have seen with teams like the Bulldogs and with other athletic teams in the future.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of Senate bill 342, the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act to amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. First of all, I want to commend Chairman Boehner and Ranking Member Miller for their movement of this legislation to the floor. Obviously I am pleased with my participation as a member of the conference committee. I also commend the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood), and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) for their participation. Also I would like to thank the House committee Democratic staff, Ruth Friedman, Ricardo Martinez, and Maggie McDow and the Republican committee staff, Pam Davidson, Krisann Pearce, Kate Houston, Rebecca Hunt, and Judy Boyer for all of their hard work and collaboration with the Senate staff in shaping this legislation to better serve some of our neediest and most helpless citizens. In the year 2000, about 879,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect in this country. Of this number, approximately 1,200 children died of abuse or neglect, and 44 percent of those children were under the age of 1. It is indeed a disturbing thought that an adult would want to hurt an innocent, helpless child. Yet it occurs and it occurs daily in this country. The United States Congress has in the recent past taken to the floor to bring awareness to the problem and the need to deal with child abuse in this country. This resolution allows us to not only acknowledge this tragic problem but also to provide some assistance to the children and the families that are victims of abuse. I am very proud of the many good provisions of this legislation. One is the increase of funds from $33 million to $80 million for community- based groups that run programs to strengthen and support families in efforts to reduce the level of child abuse that exists and that exists among families. There are also other new funds and emphasis to better meet the needs of abused children, such as providing funds to meet the needs of children who witness domestic violence and have policies in place to address the needs of infants who are born and identified as having been physically affected by prenatal exposure to illegal drugs or to HIV or who are HIV-infected. However, this bill would only be doing half its job if we did not also look at individuals who assist the victims of abuse. There will be grants made available to improve child protection services, particularly cross-training to enable child protection service workers to better recognize the signs of domestic violence and substance abuse in addition to child abuse. It also calls on States to provide better training and to strengthen efforts toward child abuse prevention programs. As our economy worsens and the number of unemployed, especially long- term unemployment, rises, we need to recall the correlation between the state of the economy and violence. With high unemployment and a weak economy, more adults will become frustrated and depressed, both of which often lead to child abuse. You mix together an unemployed individual who feels depressed, frustrated and stressed, who becomes overwhelmed, and it is unfortunate that more of them will take out their rage or their emotion on whoever is closest or whatever is closest to them. At times, sadly, this may be released on a spouse or a child. Just as the bill would be incomplete if it did not acknowledge improvements for child protection systems, we would be incomplete in our focus on improving the status of at-risk children if we did not acknowledge the state of the economy and the need of a tax credit for our neediest families. One may not see the correlation, but it is there. If we are going to stand here today and send the message that we sincerely care about the well-being of the less fortunate victims in our Nation, we cannot then in the next breath send the message to the once-abused mother or father that they are not worth the child tax credit, or to the children who witness domestic violence or violent crimes around their home on a regular and ongoing basis that they are not worth a concrete, comprehensive program like Head Start. Mr. Speaker, as I have said, I am proud of this bill, Keeping Families and Children Safe Act; but I also do not believe that we are doing a complete job, that we are doing enough to help the neediest and the most helpless, and sometimes youngest, victims in our Nation to be safe and secure. And so I commend the gentleman from Michigan; I commend all of those who have worked and helped shape this legislation. I support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am going to note it is a pleasure to see as many children in the Chamber as there are to see this bipartisan legislation being approved. I would reiterate that there is nothing more important that America could do than to demonstrate how important children are and prepare for the future leaders of our Nation to emerge, to have the kind of services that they need, the kind of programs. We cannot afford to lose a single one. So every time we can go out and bring in a child who may have been lost, may have been neglected or may have been abused we are actually doing the best work that we could do. I would urge support of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 6 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), who is indeed an advocate for children, not only an advocate for children but who is indeed an advocate for whatever is good and wholesome for the United States of America.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 4 minutes. Mr. Speaker, I noticed that the chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce has come to the floor, and again I want to reiterate my commendations to him for the outstanding leadership that he has provided in bringing this legislation before us and to the floor of the House. I have always been told that the greatness of a society can be determined by how well it looks after its old, how well it looks after its young, and what it does for those who have difficulty in looking out for themselves. And when we think about abused and neglected children, we are thinking about individuals who have difficulty looking out for themselves. For the last 10 or more years each Christmas Eve, I and a group of my friends visit what we call halfway houses for neglected and abused children; and to see little children in the basements of apartment buildings, in the basements of churches or in many instances just places that the keepers of these facilities have found and to see them there with little hope, with no real encouragement, and not even knowing what the season is about, and to see the glee and the joy that they have just when they are given an apple or an orange or some fruit or a toy that someone else may have just given away, that speaks to what this legislation will mean. If we can prevent families from taking out their frustration on children, if we can find children who have left home, who themselves are confused, if we can bring hope to the hopeless and help to those who are helpless, then that is really what America should be about; and that is one of the things that this legislation helps to do. So once again, I commend all of those who have been instrumental in bringing it to this point. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Chicago (Mr. Emanuel), my neighbor and friend, for organizing this Special Order and certainly for giving me an opportunity to participate. Our districts abut each other; and as a matter of fact, I guess before now some of what is my district was his district. Maybe some of what was his district is my district. So we have many similarities and certainly represent some of the same people and some of the same thoughts. It is no secret that I am a supporter of the notion of reimportation of prescription drugs. As a matter of fact, I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 847 introduced by the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), my good friend. Some people might ask me why do I support the concept of reimportation of prescription drugs, and I generally say to them it is no real big deal if they understand as I do, but I do it for a lot of reasons. One, the increasing use of prescription drugs has revolutionized health care. As a result, spending on prescription drugs has increased at a rate of 12 to 13 percent a year for the past decade and will continue to increase in cost at that rate for the foreseeable future. Prescription drugs are the fastest-growing portion of State health care budgets, and many States are facing serious budget crises relative to being able to come up with enough money to actually operate. Yet millions of seniors, perhaps tens of millions, are skipping doses of their prescribed medication or splitting pills or facing a choice between food on the table or taking their prescription drugs. I know this because of the statistics. I know it because of the recent studies. I know this because every weekend when I go home, I hear about this dilemma from one or more seniors in my district. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical industry remains the most profitable sector of the U.S. economy with profit-to-revenue ratios of over 18 percent. I heard the gentlemen discussing profits and being capitalists and living in a capitalistic environment; and like them, I do not have a problem with profits, but I do have a problem with overcharging our seniors. So when I learn that Glucophage for diabetics is 74 percent cheaper in Canada than in the United States, I have a problem with that. When I learn that Tamoxifen for treatment of breast cancer is 80 percent cheaper in Canada than in the United States, I have a problem with that. Time does not permit, but I could easily go on and on with the list of prescription drugs available outside the U.S. at a fraction of the cost to my constituents, and when I learn that almost 80 percent of the ingredients of prescription drugs are imported, that redoubles the problem I have with the cost of prescription drugs in the United States. And when I learn that these prescription drugs are developed with millions upon millions of dollars of Federal tax money, I have a serious problem with the cost of prescription drugs in the United States. I know that reimportation is not the sole or even most important element in providing affordable prescription drugs for our people. I for one will not rest until we have real and effective prescription drug coverage preferably as part of a system of universal health care. But absent a comprehensive solution, there is no excuse in denying Americans the same access to prescription drugs enjoyed by our Canadian neighbors. Mr. Speaker, the prescription drug industry is sick, and that sickness is endangering the health of all America. Reimportation would be a good first dose of castor oil to bring the industry back to a more regular and healthy state. So I want to thank my colleague and neighbor from Chicago again for organizing this complex discussion on the issue of prescription drugs and how we can get the costs down, and I yield back to him and thank him so much for the opportunity to participate.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Yes.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Absolutely. And one does not have to be on Medicare or Medicaid to feel the bite.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I want to associate myself with the comments that the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) and the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) have made. While I stand in strong support of this resolution, and it is a great resolution, great ideas about what need to be done, but in reality, we need to get serious about the business of doing it. The Congressional Black Caucus has a program called WOW, With Ownership Wealth, and in my congressional district, we have been going around promoting the purchase of homes by African Americans. We find that many people, once they reach the point where homeownership is in their mind, there is not the availability of homes that they can purchase. When we start talking about incomes of $25,000 and $30,000, people cannot purchase a $250,000 home. There must be affordable homes built. Just recently a study was done that the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) is associated with the organization, pointed out there are 850,000 individuals at the Chicago metropolitan area who live at or near the level of poverty. If these individuals are going to be able to purchase a home, not only must there be mortgage money available, but there also has to be the affordability of a house that they can buy. Madam Speaker, I support this resolution, strongly suggest that we find ways to implement the concepts of it and make real the idea that people can live in their house by the side of the road, and the only way we will do it is have affordable housing that they are able to purchase.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, as we discuss keeping children and families safe, I cannot help but be reminded of a popular song that Marvin Gaye used to sing, and the words went sort of like this. He says, ``Who will save the children? Who is willing to try? Who will save a world that is destined to die? Save the babies.'' The reality is, Mr. Speaker, that when we talk about protecting families and saving children and refuse to provide a meager tax credit for those at the bottom of the barrel, for those who can barely survive, who can barely make it, it seems to me we are being contradictory. It is abusive in my mind when we refuse to fully fund education so that every child can have a meaningful head start, to get a grip and a handle on life. It is abusive when we leave children out of being protected so that they can have the kind of health care that they need. And it is certainly abusive that we have 2.7 million people who have lost their jobs in the last 2 years and cannot find a way to really make it. And while I agree that programs and activities are always good and meaningful and beneficial, policies are even better. I would hope that as we try and find these ways to protect our children, that which would protect their families by giving them a meaningful opportunity to earn a living, to have a job, to have the monies that are needed so that they are not frustrated and resort to behavior that causes them, in many instances, to abuse children. So, Mr. Speaker, I would have to ask, who will save the world? Who is willing to try? Who will save a world that is destined to die? Let us save the children.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the House Committee on Government Reform, I am pleased to join my colleague in consideration of H.R. 2254, which names a postal facility in Boulder City, Nevada, after Bruce Woodbury. H.R. 2254, which was introduced by the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter) on May 22, 2003, has met the committee policy and has been cosponsored by all members of the Nevada delegation. Mr. Woodbury is a native of Las Vegas, Nevada, and has lived in Boulder City for over 25 years. A distinguished community and civic- minded member of Boulder City, Mr. Woodbury has long been involved in city politics. As a member of the Clark County Commission for 21 years and the Regional Transportation Commission, Mr. Woodbury has successfully tackled a number of challenging transportation projects. As chairman of the Regional Transportation Committee, Commissioner Woodbury was a driving force behind the construction of the Las Vegas Beltway and reducing traffic delays. I commend my colleague for seeking to honor the numerous contributions of Commissioner Bruce Woodbury in this manner. I note that H.R. 2254 also enjoys the support of the Honorable Robert S. Ferraro, mayor of Boulder City, and members of the entire city council. Mr. Speaker, I certainly concur in the passage of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. I want to thank the gentleman from Texas for his remarks, and I am pleased to join with him as we consider H. Con. Res. 220, a bill commending Medgar Wiley Evers and his widow Myrlie Evers-Williams for their lives and accomplishments. Mr. Speaker, on June 12, 1963, a black civil rights activist was murdered in front of his home and became a martyr for the cause. On that same day, that very same day, his wife became even more committed to the cause and to the work that they were doing. Medgar Wiley Evers was born July 2, 1925, near Decatur, Mississippi, and attended school there until he was inducted into the Army in 1943. After serving in Normandy, France, he attended Alcorn College, where he met Myrlie Beasley of Vicksburg, Mississippi. They were married the next year on December 14, 1951. After receiving his degree, Medgar Evers moved to Mound Bayou, Mississippi, during which time he began to establish local chapters of the NAACP throughout the Delta and organizing boycotts of gasoline stations that refused to allow blacks to use their restrooms. He worked in Mound Bayou as an insurance agent until 1954, the year a Supreme Court decision ruled school desegregation unconstitutional. Despite the Court's rulings, Evers applied for and was denied admission to the University of Mississippi Law School. His actions caught the attention of the NAACP's national office, and he was appointed Mississippi's first field secretary for the NAACP. Medgar and Myrlie moved to Jackson where they worked together to set up the NAACP office, began to investigate violent crimes committed against blacks and rallied civil rights demonstrators and organized voter registration drives. On June 12, 1963, a few hours after President Kennedy had made an extraordinary broadcast to the Nation on the subject of civil rights, Medgar Evers was shot in the back and killed. It was then that Myrlie Evers-Williams began her relentless search for her husband's killer. Medgar Evers's accused killer, Byron De La Beckworth, a white segregationist, was tried and released after two hung jury mistrials. Despite these initial defeats, Myrlie Evers-Williams continued searching for new evidence in the case. Mr. Beckworth was finally convicted in 1994 and sentenced to life in prison. In June of 1988, Myrlie Evers-Williams became the first black woman to be appointed to the Los Angeles five-member Board of Public Works. In 1995, she ascended to the national chairmanship of the NAACP and served until 1998. She had written two books, one, ``For Us, the Living,'' and two, ``Watch Me Fly: What I Learned on the Way to Becoming the Woman I was Meant to Be.'' One can look at the number of black elected officials in Mississippi--today the State that has more African Americans elected to public office than any other State in the Nation--and when we do that we see the work of Medgar and Myrlie. Look at the number of blacks enrolled in each of Mississippi's public and private institutions of higher learning, and we see the work of Medgar and Myrlie. We can look at the former Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Espy. We can look at State Senator David Jordan, and of course, we can look at the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), a Member of this body and the originator of this legislation. When we look at all of that development, we see the work, we see the impact, we see the influence, we see the lives of Medgar and Myrlie Evers. So it is indeed altogether fitting and proper that, on this day, I am often reminded of the fact that the Constitution of the United States of America suggests that all men, I guess if we were writing it today, it would say ``all men and women, are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that among those would be life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'' Medgar and Myrlie Evers pursued rights, not only for themselves but rights for others, and as a result of that pursuit, he gave the most precious thing that one could ever have and the most precious thing that one could ever give, that is, indeed, his life. So I am pleased to join with those who would pause on this day to pay tribute to their lives and to their legacy. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.