Danny Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Further reserving the right to object, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from St. Louis, Missouri (Mr. Clay), for whatever comments or remarks he might have.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I will not object; but I yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Sullivan) to explain the resolution.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, as a matter of fact, I will not object, but I ask the gentleman from Oklahoma to explain this resolution.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, further reserving my right to object, I yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Sullivan).

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a fallen leadership in the disability and human rights community. Justin Dart, Jr., recognized by many as the father of the Americans with Disabilities Act, died this past Saturday, June 22. Mr. Dart was known by many Members of Congress and by millions of Americans for his inspirational leadership and determined efforts to open the doors of opportunity wider for all Americans. The grandson of the founder of the Walgreen drugstore chain and the son of a wealthy businessman, Justin was born in Chicago into a life of privilege. At age 18, however, his world view as well as the world's view of him was to change. Mr. Dart contracted polio and became a wheelchair user. His concern for the civil rights of all people first became apparent when he founded an organization to end racial segregation as a student at the University of Houston. Justin also experienced the misunderstanding people have regarding the capabilities of people with disabilities when he was denied a teaching certificate upon completing college. In 1966, Mr. Dart traveled to Vietnam to investigate the conditions of its rehabilitation system and had an experience which caused him and his wife, Yoshiko, to dedicate the rest of their lives to the advancement of human rights for all. Instead of rehabilitation centers for children with polio, he found squalid conditions where children had been abandoned on concrete floors. He was confronted with a young girl who reached out, held his hand and gazed into his eyes as she lay dying. ``That scene,'' he would later write, ``is burned forever in my soul. For the first time in my life, I understood the reality of evil, and that I was a part of that reality.'' After several years of building a grassroots movement and advocating for the rights of people with disabilities in Texas, Justin Dart was appointed in 1981 by President Reagan as Vice Chair of the National Council on Disability. He and his wife embarked on a nationwide tour at their own expense during which he met with activists in all 50 States and helped lead the Council in drafting a national policy that called for civil rights legislation to end the centuries-old discrimination of people with disabilities. This policy laid the foundation for the eventual passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Mr. Dart held leadership positions in both the Reagan and Bush administrations, first as Commissioner of the Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration and then as the chairman of the President's Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities. As Chairman of the President's Committee, he directed a change in focus from its traditional stance of urging people to hire the handicapped to advocating for full civil rights of people with disabilities. Justin is best known for the pivotal role he played in ensuring passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. As Co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on the Rights and Empowerment of Americans with Disabilities, he once again toured the country at his own expense to build grassroots support for his landmark civil rights legislation. The sight of Justin in his trademark Stetson hat and cowboy boots was a familiar sight to all Members of Congress. He made what he called a very difficult decision of conscience in 1996 and campaigned for the reelection of President Clinton, telling his followers to get into politics as if your life depended upon it, because it does. In 1998, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civilian award. The revolution of empowerment Mr. Dart talked about extended far beyond the rights of people with disabilities to making the world a better play for all humanity. Please hear, as I close, some of the words that Mr. Dart addressed to a group of us in his final public statement a few weeks ago at a rally for the passage of the Micassa bill. ``Listen to the heart of this old soldier. As with all of us, the time comes when body and mind are battered and weary. But I do not go quietly into the night. I do not give up struggling to be a responsible contributor to the sacred continuum of human life. I do not give up struggling to overcome my weakness, to conform my life, and that part of my life called death, to the great values of the human dream. Let my final actions thunder of love, solidarity, protest, of empowerment. I adamantly protest the richest culture in the history of the world which still incarcerates millions of humans with and without disabilities in barbaric institutions, back rooms and worse, windowless cells of oppressive perceptions, for the lack of the most elementary empowerment supports. I call for solidarity among all who love justice, all who love life, to create a revolution that will empower every single human being to govern his or her life, to govern the society and to be fully productive. I die in the beautiful belief that the revolution of empowerment will go on. I love you so much. I'm with you always. Lead on. Lead on.'' Mr. Speaker, Justin Dart was truly a great American, and I join with millions around the country who are interested in the empowerment of people with disabilities to extend condolences to his wife and family.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the roofing professionals who volunteered their time and effort to repair the roof of the Pentagon following the September 11 terrorist attack. Mr. Speaker, the Pentagon was struck by a horrible act of terrorism on September 11, 2001. One hundred twenty-five employees at the Pentagon and 64 hostages on Flight 77 perished as a result of the terrorist attack that day. The attack also resulted in the destruction of more than an acre of the Pentagon's slate roof. The renovation effort, known as the Phoenix Project, is under way to restore the damaged portion of the Pentagon and is pushing to have the Pentagon personnel back to work in that portion of the building by September 11, 2002. Contributing to this effort were roofing professionals from throughout the United States, mostly from small, family-owned businesses who volunteered to work together to replace the destroyed section of the Pentagon's roof. These hard-working Americans donated approximately a half million dollars in materials and labor to the replacement effort and successfully replaced 60,000 square feet of the Pentagon's roof at no cost to the American taxpayers who have already shared a large burden of the emotional and financial costs of September 11. The completion of this project reflects the spirit that we as Americans can work together, rise from the ashes and overcome any obstacle. I commend those who have come forth with this resolution. I urge its support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), the ranking member of the Committee on Small Business. (Ms. VELAZQUEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We have no further request for time, and in closing I would commend again the chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Small Business for the introduction of this resolution and certainly extend heartfelt appreciation to the family roofers who came together as small businesses to indicate that, when small businesses come together, they can tackle big problems and meet big needs. So I simply commend all of those who are in support of this resolution and urge its passage.

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

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage; and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano).

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In closing, Mr. Speaker, let me just say that from time to time people will ask me, Why do we do these resolutions? Why do we name post offices? Why do we take the time? I think anyone who heard this discussion this afternoon should never have to ask that question again. They should never have to ask that question again because what we have heard speaks to the embodiment of what America is. It is a Nation of values, it is a Nation of contributions, and it is a Nation that many people have helped to shape. I think that naming a post office after Frank Sinatra in Hoboken, New Jersey, is an indication of that level of understanding.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), the originator and sponsor of this bill. (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks and include extraneous material.)

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 with the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Sullivan) in support of this resolution. I rise in support of H.R. 3034, legislation naming the Post Office after the legendary Frank Sinatra. H.R. 3034, which was introduced by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez) on October 4, 2001, has met the committee policy and enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire New Jersey delegation. Frank Sinatra was an Academy and Grammy Award winning singer and actor from Hoboken, New Jersey. He was born in 1915 and died in 1998. He cut his first record in 1939 and went on to make more than 1,800 recordings in his lifetime. Who could ever forget Frank Sinatra singing ``My Way,'' ``The Lady Is a Tramp,'' ``Strangers in the Night,'' ``Nice and Easy,'' ``New York, New York,'' ``Nancy,'' ``Three Coins and a Fountain,'' or ``Chicago, Chicago, My Kind of Town? `` The man who read lyrics with great clarity and emotion practically brought the house down every time he performed. He garnered nine Grammies and was heralded by fans as the most preeminent singer of the century. Frank Sinatra's distinguished and versatile acting career included appearing in at least 60 films. He will always be remembered for such greats as ``The Man With the Golden Arm,'' ``The Manchurian Candidate,'' ``Ocean's Eleven,'' ``The House I Live in,'' ``From Here to Eternity,'' and many others. Sinatra, nicknamed ``Old Blue Eyes'' and ``Chairman of the Board,'' was famous for the good times he had with his ``Rat Pack'' friends, which included Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. He was also remembered for sticking up for his friends and for sticking by his pals in times of need. He helped open the doors for his friend, Sammy Davis, Jr., and fought Hollywood's blacklist in the 1950s, often putting unemployed actors and friends on his payroll. He was also known as a philanthropist, often sending money to people in need and donating generously to charities. In 1983, Frank Sinatra was honored by the Kennedy Center; and in 1985 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Mr. Speaker, I certainly join with all of those who would urge adoption of this measure.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4070, the Social Security Program Protection Act of 2002. This legislation provides needed safeguards for the over 6 million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries who cannot manage their own financial affairs and need a ``representative Payee.'' I fully support increased oversight of Representative Payees to prevent abuse, and the mis-allocation of taxpayer money. I also agree with this bill's provision that allows for the re-issuance of benefit payments that have been taken from the rightful beneficiaries and the recovery of these funds from unscrupulous Representative Payees. I want to underscore the importance of one of the items in the bill's final section containing miscellaneous and technical provisions. This is the provision that improves the effectiveness of the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. It will ensure that employers who hire individuals with disabilities through referral by an employer network also qualify for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Americans with disabilities experience an unemployment rate of 70 percent, and we must do everything in our power to make sure that incentives exist to open the doors of opportunity wider to these individuals. Finally, I want to draw attention to this bill's provision that disqualifies those who have been convicted and imprisoned more than a year from serving as Representative Payees. The bill also allows the Commissioner of Social Security to exercise judgment in determining cases where certain ex-offenders may be certified as Representative Payees despite this prohibition. While we must do everything possible to protect Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous individuals, we also must not unjustly condemn ex-offenders who have paid their dues and need to re-gain their ability to participate fully in society.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I will, indeed.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to, first of all, thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton) for her leadership on so many issues. I mean, she has provided outstanding leadership in the area of agriculture and in the area of making sure that there is food for people who are hungry not only here in the United States, but worldwide. And she has certainly been the Congressional Black Caucus's leader when it comes to home ownership. She has provided leadership as we have tried to get our WOW initiative under way, and as a matter of fact, it is pretty difficult to keep up with her in terms of all of the many areas in which she has worked, and it is certainly a pleasure to join with her this evening. I rise today in recognition, first of all, of Home Ownership Month and appreciate the opportunity to talk about an issue that is important to me and all of my constituents and to all Americans, especially those who share the dream of owning their own home. I am fortunate to represent one of the most diverse districts in the country. I represent many people who are rich, many people who are near rich, some people who are economically well off, the middle class. I represent people who like both the Cubs and the Sox. But I also represent an awful lot of people who are at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder. I represent 60 percent of public housing in the city of Chicago. I represent people who own their own homes and a lot of people who do not. It is this segment of the American population, those people that rent their living space and want to own their own house, but either feel that they cannot afford to, or do not know how to purchase a house and then turn it into a home. Home ownership is important for individuals, families, and communities alike. There is no denying the fact that when someone owns their own home, there is a tendency to treat it with tender loving care. They work to increase its value. They cut their lawns, fix their windows, add additions, and take pride. Home ownership is also important to the family. It is a place, it is a refuge, it is a haven. I shall never forget growing up in this rambling house where my mother had this flower garden out front, and one could wake up early in the morning and walk out on the porch and just breathe in the aroma of all these flowers. Of course, it was also hazardous because you could not touch them, and you had better not step on one, and you certainly knew better than to break one. But it was a haven, as a matter of fact. For most Americans, buying a home is the biggest investment of their lives and one of the most meaningful. But for a large number of Americans, especially Americans of minority descent, the American Dream of owning their own home seems like fantasy rather than reality. Minority home-ownership rates are 26 percent lower than home-ownership rates of the majority of Americans. In my own congressional district, African American home ownership is down to 28 percent. In the whole district it is actually 38 percent, and that is a far cry from the 76 percent that one might expect to experience. But buying a home is not only the best investment for the individual buyer and the community, it is the best investment for the owner's children and the children of the owner's children. It is a way of creating inheritable wealth. And that is why the WOW program is so important, because it recognizes the concept that with home ownership comes wealth. If you pay rent for 50 years, and you can pay $1,000 a month for rent for 50 years, and at the end of 50 years all that you have got to show for it is a drawer full of rent receipts; nothing that you can pass on, nothing that you can transfer, nothing that you can call your own, nothing that you can give away. There are some people who like church. So if you do not want to have something that you want to leave to your children or your grandchildren, well, you might want to bequeath it to some institution, some charity that you believe in, some work that you believe in doing. So home ownership provides you with not only a stake, but something to pass on. I am so pleased that this WOW initiative has been generated by the Caucus. In communities all over America that are represented by African American Members of Congress, this initiative is going. In my own district we have had two extremely successful housing fairs where we have had 700, 800 people come to each one. We have banks and mortgage companies, credit counselors, individuals who are willing to help you clean up your credit, help people understand that there are instances where you can get a house for no money down or little money down. The Chicago Housing Authority has even come up with a plan where people who have Section 8 can purchase homes using their Section 8 certificate. So there are lots of opportunities.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Well, it was actually under the gentlewoman's leadership in terms of the experiences people have which give them special insight into problems, situations, and circumstances. Then, if they can bring those to a place like the Congress and work with other people to put them into action, then we see change. Now, these individuals, who may have been on public assistance, who may have had to live in public housing, who maybe did not have anything to inherit when they came along, now their children or their grandchildren can have a head start, a beginning. It is a concept. It is value-generating. My father is 90 years old, and one of the things he wanted to make sure was that he had something to leave. He has a little piece of land. I have been trying to get him to sell it, to use it. It is down in a place that I am sure nobody in my family wants to go. He refuses to do anything other than leave it, so that when he goes, he can say that he left some inheritance to his children. And, of course, I am pleased to be one of them, which means that I will get a little piece of the rock. But I just want to commend the gentlewoman again.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Hawaii for yielding to me, but also for bringing to light and sharing with all of America the importance of this 30th year anniversary. 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, that even today women, for the same work, with the same training, earn less than 75 percent of what men earn for doing the same work with the same training, the same experiences. 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 think 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. I want to commend the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) and congratulate and all of my colleagues who take the floor and talk about this achievement, and also let us know that we have to keep going, because if we do not, we can always slip back. So I commend the gentlewoman and join with her and all of my colleagues in expressing appreciation for the enactment of title IX. Of course, we have to keep it alive; we have to make sure that it is well; 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.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join with all of my colleagues and all of the people across America who support a real prescription drug program for seniors. I understand the concerns that some express for the need to reform Medicare, and I agree. But I believe that prescription drug coverage for seniors should be an integral part of the Medicare program. We are aware that since its creation Medicare has remained stagnant, while advances in medicine have grown rapidly. We are aware that even our fundamental vision of medicine has dramatically changed from diagnosis and treatment to preventive care. Today, due to our realization of the need for modification and reform of Medicare, to our seniors, which has been an overwhelming process of paperwork with worries about reimbursement and regulations, it is not a form of security as it was once thought to be. Medicare reform is necessary, but the time is now to listen to our seniors and to give them what they have been requesting, that we give them financial relief and provide them with a prescription drug plan that will actually cut their monthly prescription drug expenses. It has been stated on the floor of this House a number of times that we have seniors choosing between food and drugs, splitting their prescription in half and denying themselves other medical care due to the cost of their monthly prescription drug costs. In fact, seniors are declaring bankruptcy at a record pace due in large part to the rising cost of health care. We need a prescription drug coverage that covers all seniors. It is not just our poorest seniors who are having problems paying for their prescription drugs. It is also middle-class seniors who are struggling with the burden of outrageous drug costs. As Members of Congress, we need to ensure that we provide a Medicare prescription drug benefit that is voluntary, universal and accessible. No senior should be denied a benefit based on where he or she lives or what his or her income is. We see our European neighbors offering their seniors drugs at half the cost of what American companies are charging. American seniors are being encouraged to travel overseas or across our borders to Canada and Mexico just to save money on the same prescription drug they can get in the United States. This is outrageous and absurd and should shed more light on the importance of why this great Nation needs a serious drug plan for seniors. Once again we need to let our seniors know that we hear them loud and clearly. We need to let our seniors know that we stand firmly behind them in the fight to cut their monthly drug costs. We cannot let our seniors down again this year. Let us do the right thing. Let us enact a real prescription drug program for all of our seniors so that they never have to cut back on the basic necessity to keep living.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, the House Democratic prescription drug proposal is a real one. It provides a solid $25-a-month premium cost, a $100-a-year deductible, coinsurance. Beneficiaries pay 20 percent, Medicare pays 80 percent, an out-of-pocket limit of $2,000 per year per beneficiary, and low-income beneficiaries with incomes of 150 percent of poverty will pay absolutely nothing. This is a real plan, a plan that benefits all of the people. Let us pass it.

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 Committee on Government Reform, I rise in support of H.R. 4794, legislation naming a post office after Ronald C. Packard. H.R. 4794, which was introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa) on May 22, 2002, has met the committee policy and enjoys the support and cosponsorship of the entire California delegation. Ron Packard was elected to Congress on November 2, 1982, by a write- in vote, only the fourth successful write-in candidate in the history of the United States Congress. Representative Packard represented the 48th District in California for 18 years, until his retirement from Congress on January 3, 2001. A member of the United States Navy Dental Corps, Ronald Packard founded the Packard Dental Clinic before becoming active in community and business affairs. He began public service as a trustee and chairman of the Carlsbad Unified School District, going on to serve as a city councilman and later as mayor of Carlsbad. While in Congress, Representative Packard served on the Committee on Appropriations, chairing the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, the Subcommittee on Military Construction, and the Subcommittee on Legislative. He also worked as a senior member of the Subcommittee on Transportation and the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs. Previously, he served on the Committee on Public Works, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Committee on Science, the Subcommittee on Space and Technology. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.