Danny Davis

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, for more than thirty- five years the Austin Peoples Action Center (APAC) has been an integral part of the Austin community. Organized principally by the Williams family and parishioners of the Third Unitarian Church, APAC has grown to become one of the premier social service agencies in the state of Illinois, and its principal staff person Ms. Cynthia Williams is known as one of the most effective agency directors in the state. As a social service agency, APAC provides quality health and human services to thousands of Chicago's neediest residents, including people with disabilities, seniors at risk, children, youth and adults with mental illness and substance abuse problems. APAC is known for having the largest women, infants and children's program in the state of Illinois and I might add the most effective. For thirty-five years of great leadership and community service I commend Cynthia Williams and the Austin Peoples Action Center for their contributions to improving the quality of life for Chicago residents.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, Esther Golar was called home by the Lord on Monday, September 21, 2015 at age 71. Esther was born in Chicago, Illinois and was educated here including attending college at Malcolm X; and she was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ. Esther devoted her adult life to a tireless quest for social and economic justice; and she worked with Alternative Policing Strategy, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago and Robert Fulton Elementary Local School Council. In 2006, Esther was appointed to represent the people of District 6 of the Illinois State House of Representatives and was first elected in 2006 to the Illinois House and re-elected again in each election since and she was known and loved as one of the kindest and most compassionate elected officials in Illinois, a woman who used her powerful voice and enduring passion to selflessly champion for her constituents. Esther leaves to mourn her passing her daughter: Tiffany Golar; and grandchildren Briana Golar, Toni Thomas, Ananda Thomas and Jayden Golar, along with a massive host of friends and co-workers. Now, therefore be it resolved, that we deeply mourn the passing of our dear friend Esther Golar; and be it further resolved, that we express to her family, friends and all who knew her, our appreciation, admiration and respect for her life and works and we commend her soul to the Almighty God for peaceful repose.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, Esther Golar was called home by the Lord on Monday, September 21, 2015 at age 71. Esther was born in Chicago, Illinois and was educated here including attending college at Malcolm X; and she was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ. Esther devoted her adult life to a tireless quest for social and economic justice; and she worked with Alternative Policing Strategy, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago and Robert Fulton Elementary Local School Council. In 2006, Esther was appointed to represent the people of District 6 of the Illinois State House of Representatives and was first elected in 2006 to the Illinois House and re-elected again in each election since and she was known and loved as one of the kindest and most compassionate elected officials in Illinois, a woman who used her powerful voice and enduring passion to selflessly champion for her constituents. Esther leaves to mourn her passing her daughter: Tiffany Golar; and grandchildren Briana Golar, Toni Thomas, Ananda Thomas and Jayden Golar, along with a massive host of friends and co-workers. Now, therefore be it resolved, that we deeply mourn the passing of our dear friend Esther Golar; and be it further resolved, that we express to her family, friends and all who knew her, our appreciation, admiration and respect for her life and works and we commend her soul to the Almighty God for peaceful repose.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, the confectionary industry directly employs 70,000 people in the United States and more than 400,000 jobs in agriculture, retail, transportation, and other industries that rely, in part, on the sale of confections for their livelihood. For every job that is created in confectionary, another six are supported in related industries, which means that candy drives a multiplier effect of 6 to 1. Chicago was once known as the candy capital of the world. However, due to an unfair sugar program, many decent and good-paying manufacturing jobs are now located outside the United States. The candy industry is comprised of hundreds of small- and medium- sized family-owned businesses, as well as the multinational companies with global brands that operate more than 1,000 manufacturing facilities in all 50 States. The confectionary industry is doing its part to help address the ongoing conversation about food and nutrition, policy wellness, and food safety. NCA member companies are providing consumers with the information options and support they need to make the choices that are right for them. Candy helps to make America just a little sweeter.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mrs. Helen Burns Jackson, the mother of Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson. Rev. Jackson often spoke of his love, his appreciation and close relationship with his mother and my heart goes out to him and the entire Jackson and Burns families. Of course, Mrs. Jackson was, on her part, justly proud of her sons. In her family and her life she leaves a mighty legacy for all of America. The entire Jackson and Burns families are in my prayers in this time of bereavement.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I support the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear agreement reached between the P5+1 nations and Iran. This month marks the 70th anniversary of the nuclear age. The dangers of nuclear war remain very real but the path to contain the nuclear demon has not been easy. The Iran Nuclear Agreement is the latest attempt to reduce the nuclear danger and perhaps one of the most complex set of issues ever confronted in shaping an international agreement. In my judgment this agreement enhances the security of the United States and reduces the likelihood of nuclear confrontation in the Mideast. Failure to accept the terms of this agreement, on the other hand, seems likely to either exclude the United States from a role in preventing nuclear proliferation in the Mideast as other nations move ahead without us or, more ominously, set the region on a path of escalating tensions. I believe either of those last two options are unacceptable, and reckless. With determination, patience and U.S. leadership, this agreement has the potential of opening the door to further agreements on non-nuclear security issues. No agreement is perfect and no agreement will fully satisfy everyone. Agreements negotiated with our adversaries by their nature mean that we are seeking to achieve our security goals by diplomatic means not by imposing our will by military means. U.S. security experts have expressed their support for the agreement as the best option as have our nation's nuclear experts. Leading Israeli security experts have also voiced their support as have the leaders of many leading U.S. Jewish organizations because of their concerns for Israel's security. Should our diplomatic efforts in this agreement fail to close the path to an Iranian nuclear weapon we would still be in a better position as to time and means to choose other options. I commend President Obama and Secretary Kerry for their leadership on this issue. The stakes for the United States, for the Mideast region and for the world are too high for us to miss this opportunity.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, after listening to this debate, I commend President Obama and Secretary Kerry for their leadership and resolve in crafting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action reached between the P5+1 nations and Iran. I do so because this is a plan which promotes peace and security, not war or the continuous threat of war. Yes, no agreement is perfect, and no agreement will fully satisfy everyone, but I can tell you that, for me and the constituents of the Seventh District of Illinois, we say let's give peace a chance. We say let's support the position of our President, but we also say let's support the position of our experts, let's support the position of our allies, let's heed the words of the prophets who say, ``Come and let us reason together'' or we shall all be ``utterly destroyed by the edge of the sword.'' Yes, we say let's support the most rational, the most logical, the most comprehensive, and the most effective path to peace that we know. Yes, it is not about supporting the position of any single individual, but it is about supporting what is good for America. It is about supporting what is good to help stabilize our world so that we can exist with the idea that peace is, indeed, possible and war is not inevitable. Yes, I support the President.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. I thank the gentleman from Washington for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the gentleman. I agree that we are squeezing and squeezing and extending and extending when we know better and we know the difference. We know that we could have a meaningful solution to the problem that we face. We know it. We come and we kick the can a little bit, add a little bit more to it. Like him, I am going to vote for it. But I am going to vote for it not because I think it is the best approach; I am going to vote for it because I want to see construction crews continue to work. I want to see families who are looking for paychecks be able to continue to get them. I am going to vote for it because I want to see roads and bridges and highways repaired. I want to see veterans be able to go to the doctor and not wonder whether or not the doctor is going to be there to take care of them. So, yes, I will vote for it; and I will look up and see that we will be back in December voting again, but we do what we have to do. We have to keep America working. I will vote for it to keep America working.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, we all know that on July 31, the highway trust fund will expire, but we didn't just learn it. It is not that we just found out last week or last month. We have always known it. Now, we come to where we are backed up against the wall. We know we need a long-term fix, but I am going to vote for a short- term fix. I am going to vote for it because I want the contractors in my State to keep working. I want the construction workers to keep laying concrete. I want the bridgebuilders to keep repairing bridges. We can't afford to have a short season. In Illinois, if you don't do construction now, you may not get a chance to do much. On the basis of the logic of keeping the construction industry moving, I vote ``yes'' for the highway bill that we are considering today.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, we have had a very rigorous and robust debate on trade. Trade is important to not only the entire country, but certainly it is important to the communities that I represent. Throughout this process, I have followed the dictates of organized labor, and I have followed the dictates of the people I represent, which means I voted ``no.'' I listened to the logic of the Democratic leader just this moment, and I am going to vote with her. I am going to vote for this legislation today because it is necessary to help those individuals who are going to be displaced, and they need all the help we can provide. I will vote to help them.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I was thinking what a difference a week does not make. The vast majority of the people in my congressional district were opposed to fast track last week, and they are even more opposed to fast track this week. We have seen fast track before. We have seen the jobs leave our community, our district, our State, and our Nation fast enough. They don't need our help. They don't need anybody else's help. We need to create jobs here in America, not have them flee. I agree with my colleagues who have said vote ``no.'' I agree with the people of my congressional district, and I shall vote ``no.''

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I rise in strong opposition to the trade bill before us, and I am also in opposition to using 1 cent of Medicare money for anything other than paying for health care for senior citizens. I am not antitrade; I believe in trade, and I want a trade bill, but I want a trade bill that creates jobs and economic opportunity for the communities that I represent. I want a trade bill that creates fair wages and opportunities for employment. I don't want a bill that continues to help the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and the middle class get squeezed into oblivion, and I don't want a fast track. As a matter of fact, the jobs in economic development have left the communities I represent fast enough. They don't need our help, and they don't need to be gone. We need jobs in America. I am going to vote against this. If I do and if it is the wrong vote, I am going to be voting with the people that I represent, the people who sent me here, the people who have said ``represent us.'' They want a ``no'' vote. I vote ``no'' because I represent them.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my congratulations to Rev. Dr. Michael Louis Pfleger, the Senior Pastor at Saint Sabina Church in Chicago on his 40th Anniversary of the priesthood. I am sincerely thankful for the forty years of his devotion to community service and endless effort in fighting social injustice. Michael Louis Pfleger was ordained a Catholic Priest for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago on May 14, 1975 and since 1981 has been Pastor of the mostly African American Parish of Saint Sabina, a Catholic church in Chicago's Auburn Gresham Neighborhood. His uninterrupted tenure in just one neighborhood is normally unheard of in a diocese where Pastors usually serve for only six to twelve years. When he was appointed to his present position, at the age of 31, he became the youngest Pastor in Chicago Archdiocese. Under Pfleger's leadership, Saint Sabina has established an outstanding social service program including job programs, conflict resolution, Employment Resource Center, a Social Service Center, and also an elder home. Father Pfleger has adopted three sons, and led efforts to curb drug and alcohol use, especially among teenagers. He has led protests of all kind, encourages people to register and vote, take positions on all kind of controversial issues, always on the side of the people. He has fought against the proliferation of hand guns and hold regular lecture series at Saint Sabina featuring individuals like Reverend Jesse Jackson, Reverend Al Sharpton, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Dick Gregory, Minister Louis Farrakhan, Reverend Joseph Lowery, Harry Belafonte and others. He has called out disrespectful rappers, embraced salvation for prostitutes, defied the Cardinal and pushed for the Ordination of women as Priests. Michael Louis Pfleger, a man among men, a Priest among Priests, a force for good, a friend to humanity, my brother and a Servant of God.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, the Chicago Crusader Newspaper is celebrating its 75th year Anniversary with a festive gala on June 5th, 2015 at the Loews Chicago Hotel and I take this opportunity to commend and congratulate them for 75 years of pleading the cause for Black America. To maintain itself for 75 years as a free and independent Black oriented publication is indeed a great business accomplishment. The Chicago Crusader's mission has not changed since it was established by Mrs. Leavell's late husband, Balm M. Leavell and his late partner Mr. Joseph H. Jefferson. The Chicago Crusader was founded in 1940, was published in the Ida B. Wells Housing Development and financed with donations. Mrs. Dorothy Leavell has worked at the Crusader for more than fifty years and has been editor and publisher, for forty-seven years since the death of her late husband. The Chicago Crusader Newspaper and Mrs. Dorothy Leavell affectionately know to ``tell it like it is''. In 1941, the Chicago Crusader acquired the Gary Crusader and they are recognized as one of Chicago and Gary's most successful Black owned business enterprises. The Chicago/Gary Crusader maintains its roots in the heart of the Black community with its headquarters being located in the 6400 Block of South King Drive in Chicago. Mrs. Dorothy Leavell is a stalwart member and leader of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, has served as Chairman of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, is a patron of the Arts and a Crusader for Civil Rights, equal opportunity and equal justice for all. We salute you Chicago/Gary Crusader, we salute you Mrs. Dorothy Leavell, may you and the Crusader forever live.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California for yielding me time. I also want to thank Representative Brady for his characterization of my State, the State of Illinois, as being research driven, and indeed it is. I am also proud to know that, from the time I have been here, I have always been number one or number two in our delegation of supporting research, so I am research oriented. It amazes me how much doubletalk we engage in. We talk a great deal about deficit reduction and reducing spending, and yet, at the same time, we are passing a bill that is not paid for while we cut greatly needed programs and activities that could give balance to individuals all over the country who are just simply trying to survive and to make it, activities like Medicaid and SNAP. In my communities and in many others throughout America, we are struggling right now with the idea of how do you develop summer work opportunities for young adults so that we could have a real attack on some of the rash of violence and activity that we see approaching and being engaged in throughout urban America. I have always been in favor of research and development, and I have always been in favor of using tax incentives as a way of spurring economic development and stimulating the economy. But, you know, I am also interested in passing credits. I am interested in credits for businesses. We have talked about businesses. Well, let's pass some credits so that businesses can hire hard-to-employ individuals, so that they can hire these young people looking for summer jobs, for something to do. So I am in favor of credits, but I am not in favor of a bill that is not paid for, a bill that will not be comprehensive across the board, and a bill that will put more wealth in the pockets of the 1 percent and do nothing to aid the overall economy.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I was just thinking that one of the reasons I like spring so much and so well is that we get an opportunity to interact a bit more with young people, with our children, and I have seen many around here this morning all over the place, and I simply want to welcome them. Also, yesterday, I got an opportunity to visit two schools. The first was the Proviso Area School for Exceptional Children in Maywood, Illinois, where we just had a wonderful time. Then, in the afternoon, I did a book fair at the Lovett Elementary School with its principal, Dr. Haney. The young people at Lovett were saying they just love being at Lovett, so it was a refreshing day. Like many of my colleagues, I also use a lot of interns and fellows who come and learn and work and who are engaged and involved. The statement that I am going to read today was developed by one of my interns, Jakie Martinez. Jakie has been working on health issues, and she came up with this statement. So I come here today to speak of a health concern that many women are likely to develop in their lifetimes. Known as one of the most common gynecological disorders, uterine fibroids affect nearly 70 percent of Caucasian women and more than 80 percent of African American women by the age of 50. For many of these women the associated symptoms of this diagnosis will significantly impact their quality of life, work, personal relationships, and daily activities. The prevalence of uterine fibroids is one that increases with age. Although we see a commonality in the disorder and its symptoms, the greater public has not yet received the proper continued education into the causes and treatment options available for women who suffer from these fibroids. In response, we see that hysterectomies are the most commonly performed major gynecologic surgery in the United States, with over 400,000 hysterectomies performed annually; yet there are also several minimally invasive surgical options for the treatment of uterine fibroids that feature less blood loss, shorter hospital stays, smaller incisions for minimal scarring, and less need for pain medication than with traditional open surgery. It is important to remember that the best surgical option for each woman, whether it is open or minimally invasive, is reserved for a case-by-case evaluation. In recognizing the health and educational needs of women in the United States, it is important that the greater public be educated in greater detail on the alternatives to more or less invasive surgical treatments so that women can have access to a full spectrum of treatment options. After all, it is my hope that women will become more educated and empowered in regards to their reproductive health and in the understanding of safe options available for the treatment of symptomatic fibroids. I thank Jakie Martinez for writing this statement. It is very important.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill that would add hundreds of billions of dollars to our deficit to deliver a windfall to the heirs of the wealthiest estates in the country. Although the Republican budget holds that we must make draconian cuts to domestic programs in the name of fiscal prudence, cuts that harm the elderly, the working poor, the infirm, the middle class, the Republican leadership lauds a bill that would provide inequality in our Nation and give an average tax break of $3 million to the most secure. In my congressional district, the median income is $48,841. The unemployment rate for African Americans is 24.5 percent. The poverty level for children is 38.3 percent, the poverty rate for the elderly is 21.4 percent, and over 63,000 households receive food stamps. In the State of Illinois, over 13,000 children are homeless. At the end of last year, Chicago had the fifth-highest foreclosure rate in the Nation. This bill is fiscally irresponsible and reflects misplaced priorities for our Nation. We can make improvements to the bill to address the concerns of small businesses and family farms if current law is inadequate, but wholesale repeal reflects poor leadership. The fiscal recklessness of the Republican approach that balloons our deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars via dozens of tax cuts reminds me of the adage that says ``death by a thousand cuts,'' only this time it is debt by a thousand tax cuts. Debt by a thousand tax cuts is bad for our economy, it is bad for our citizens, and it is bad for our Nation. I will vote ``no.''

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The State and local sales tax deduction is an important tax provision for Americans living in States without a State income tax who cannot take advantage of the State and local income tax deduction. Although I support this deduction as an important alternative for taxpayers in States without income taxes, H.R. 622 is fiscally irresponsible, given that it permanently extends this deduction without any offsets. Frankly, I am quite surprised that the Republican leadership is advancing this bill that would add $42 billion to the deficit. Just last year, then-Chairman Dave Camp proposed eliminating the State and local sales tax deduction in the Republican tax reform draft. At that time, current Chairman Ryan said he approved of eliminating the sales tax provision before us. Further, just last month, the Republican leadership presented a budget that requires offsetting the cost of any tax extenders that are made permanent with other revenue measures. Indeed, the GOP budget principle is in line with the Republican tax reform draft last year, which adopted a fiscally responsible approach. I am at a loss to understand why the Republican leadership is adding $42 billion to our deficit to permanently extend a provision it thinks should be repealed. This bill coupled with the next bill under consideration would add over $300 billion to our deficit, almost half of the amount the Republican budget said we must cut from domestic discretionary spending. The Republican budget said that we had to cut $759 billion over the next 10 years in domestic discretionary spending in the name of fiscal prudence but can throw $300 billion to the wind for a provision that they have proposed eliminating in tax reform. We need to provide certainty to taxpayers in affected States that the sales tax deduction will be available to them this year, and then we need to focus on comprehensive reform. This bill moves us farther away from tax reform, not closer. In addition to being fiscally irresponsible, this bill coupled with the next one under consideration reflect misplaced priorities for this House; rather than pushing a piecemeal, deficit-inflating agenda, we should be helping hard-working American families by raising the minimum wage, ensuring equal pay for equal work, making college more affordable by increasing the Pell grants and improving student loans, helping low- income families afford quality child care, encouraging work via effective tax programs, improving investment in low-income communities, and strengthening the research innovation and competitiveness of our Nation, just to name a few critical efforts on which we should focus. I am ready to work with the majority on tax reform. However, I cannot support this piecemeal, fiscally irresponsible approach, and I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I emphasize my surprise at Republican priorities before us. This week, the Joint Economic Committee issued a report on the economic challenges facing the African American community. The findings are stark and detail the significant racial inequities in employment, earnings, wealth, and poverty. The report shows that the median income of African American households is $34,600, nearly $24,000 less than the median income of White households. Black Americans are nearly three times more likely to live in poverty than White Americans. At 10.1 percent, the current unemployment rate for Black Americans is more than double that for White Americans. In my congressional district, the rate of Black unemployment is 24.5 percent compared to only 5.1 percent for White unemployment. These facts exemplify the extraordinary growth of inequality in recent years. Massive inequality and the injustices which flow from the great imbalance grips so many of our neighborhoods, so many of our towns and villages, so many of our people who need and deserve the opportunity to share in all of our Nation's potential and all that it has to offer. These are the topics on which policymakers should focus, not hundreds of billions of dollars in piecemeal tax cuts for the wealthiest corporations and heirs to estates over $10 million. The Republican budget proposes to raise taxes on 26 million working families and students by discontinuing important improvements to the earned income tax credit, the child tax credit, and education tax credits. The Republican budget proposes making college more costly by freezing the maximum Pell grant award, eliminating mandatory Pell funding, reducing eligibility for Pell grants, eliminating the in-school interest subsidy, and cutting the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. The Republican budget would end Medicare as we know it and proposes undermining the retirement and employee benefits of Federal workers and postal workers. It cuts funding for the Internal Revenue Service, which results in less revenue for our government, undermines taxpayer assistance, and encourages fraud. We should focus on repairing our Tax Code and enacting policies to help hard-working Americans share in the economic opportunity enjoyed by the wealthiest Americans and most profitable companies. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Katrina Adams, president of the United States Tennis Association. Mr. Speaker, the community in which I live, work, and represent is well-known for its production of high-profile and world renowned male athletes, individuals like Ernie Terrell, world heavyweight champion; basketball stars Doc Rivers, Isaiah Thomas, Mark Aguirre, Mickey Johnson, Kevin Garnett; footballer Darryl Stingley; and countless others who have excelled in athletics. All of them are males. However, I take this opportunity to mention two females. One is Dorothy Gaters, the girls' basketball coach and athletic director at the John Marshall High School in Chicago, Illinois, the winningest high school basketball coach in the Nation. The other is Katrina Adams, who grew up not far from Marshall High School and whose parents still live in the East Garfield Park community. Earlier this year, Katrina Adams became the first African American and the first former pro tennis player to become president and CEO of the United States Tennis Association, which is a 134-year-old organization that had barred Black athletes from its premier event--the U.S. National Championship, currently known as the U.S. Open--until 1950, when it allowed Althea Gibson to compete. At 46, Adams is the youngest of the 53 people--among them, just four women--who have been the USTA leaders, an unpaid volunteer position. In an article done by the Chicago Tribune, the writer states that, although her term lasts only 2 years, Adams understands that her being the face of the U.S. Tennis Association can have a significant impact, especially at a moment when the best female player in the world, Serena Williams, is also an African American. Katrina is supposed to have said: I think having an African American as president is a huge statement. It shows how far we have come within the USTA as a whole. As family, friends, community leaders, old coaches, volunteers, and tennis fans gathered to congratulate and honor Katrina, they were reminded of something her mother, Yvonne, told her many years ago. Her mother said: Katrina, other little Black girls may not want to reach where you are, but they will want you to do well, and you are showing them they can do it if they put their minds to it. Philip Hersh also mentions in his article something that Billie Jean King is supposed to have said to her friend Katrina. She said: Katrina, if you can see it, you can be it. Her being the first person of color as the U.S. Tennis Association president--and as a former pro besides--sends a strong message. Her family, friends, and former classmates at Whitney Young High School, at Northwestern University, and in the East Garfield Park community were, indeed, a proud bunch as they gathered to salute the young lady they had watched grow up in the inner city, become a high school and college tennis star, a tennis pro, and, ultimately, the president of the United States Tennis Association. Congratulations to you, Katrina. We are all proud of your accomplishments.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, since its inception, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was and remains a civil rights law. ESEA plays a fundamental role in protecting the rights and educational opportunity of students living in poverty, students of color, students learning English, and students with disabilities. In the last 50 years, we have made great progress, but tremendous work remains. Any reauthorization of ESEA must maintain the strong civil rights protections of this historic law. We must advance progress, not undermine it.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Payne, for the leadership that he provides, and I am delighted to be here with my colleagues as we talk about one of the most pernicious problems that exists in our country, and that is the tremendous disparity that exists among minorities--African Americans, Latinas, and Native Americans--when it comes to health and health care. Millions of racial and ethnic minorities have been and continue to be disproportionately suffering. Health disparities among minorities have been neglected for many decades in this Nation, and as a result, millions of racial and ethnic minority Americans continue to lack access to reliable and quality health care. They are often suffering more from comorbidities and poor health outcomes and are more likely to die prematurely from preventible causes compared to their white counterparts. Examples of these pervasive health disparities include the following: The infant mortality rate for African Americans and American Indian/ Alaska Natives are more than two times higher than that for whites; African Americans with heart disease are three times more likely to be operated on by high-risk surgeons than their white counterparts with heart disease; Hispanic Latina women have the highest incidence rate for cancers of the cervix, 1.6 times higher than that for white women, with a cervical cancer death rate that is 1.4 times higher than for white women; Puerto Ricans have an asthma prevalence rate over 2.2 times higher than non-Hispanic whites, and over 1.8 times higher than non-Hispanic blacks; Together, African Americans and Hispanics account for 27 percent of the total U.S. population yet account for 62 percent of all new HIV infections; American Indian/Alaska Natives have diabetes rates that are nearly three times higher than the overall rate; Of the more than 1 million people infected with chronic hepatitis B in the United States, half are Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Of course, one of the bright spots in healthcare delivery in this Nation now is the Affordable Care Act. Minorities make up about 30 percent of the population but are 50 percent of the uninsured. Currently, the ACA, since its enactment, has allowed health insurance coverage for 16.4 million Americans who were not insured prior to this law. Another bright spot is community health centers, which are celebrating their 50th year. The first of these centers was actually approved and funded, the first one being a project between Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and Bolivar County, Mississippi. It was called the Tufts-Delta Project. Since that time, they now are providing quality health care to more than 23 million low- and moderate-income individuals throughout the Nation. Of course, one of the great needs is the need for health education and the recognition that, as people learn how to better care for themselves and to make more effective use of the resources that are available, not only do we save money, but we also save lives. I was amazed, as people spoke against the Affordable Care Act, where, for the first time in their lives, many individuals were going to have access to a regular primary care physician so they didn't have to go to the emergency room of hospitals and get what is called episodic care. So while the disparities are great, we know that progress is perhaps even greater. I end with being at a church just the other day where we were having something called organ transplant Sunday, and the minister of this particular church had had two heart transplants and a kidney transplant. He preached every Sunday and owned a construction company that he ran. That is why we need to make sure that we put adequate resources into research and the funding of new approaches and new techniques. I want to thank my colleagues for this evening, for the opportunity to talk about not only the great needs, but also to talk about some of the progress that is being made. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey, my colleague, Mr. Payne.