Danny Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam speaker, I rise to express my best wishes to celebrate the life and achievements of Joyce Ann Brown. I had the pleasure of having Ms. Brown serve on a reentry panel during the 39th Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference. Ms. Brown was unjustly convicted of a crime she did not commit and served nine years, five months and 24 days in prison before this injustice was realized and the guilty verdict was reversed. Upon release, Joyce started the not for profit organization, Mothers (Fathers) for the Advancement of Social Systems Inc. (MASS Inc.) in Dallas, TX. This organization focuses on assisting released ex- offenders reintegrating into society. The reentry of ex-offenders is an issue of very high priority and importance to me and I am personally invested in the success of organizations like MASS, Inc. With the passage of the Second Chance Act in 2008, organizations such as MASS will benefit from additional federal grant funding to strengthen programs that aid ex-offenders in becoming productive contributing members of society. Throughout my career, I have fought for the underserved and underrepresented and on my journey have come to admire Joyce Ann Brown for all her work and achievements in the area of social justice. Ms. Brown spent three years writing letters to appeal the atrocious injustice she faced and continued to fight upon release. Therefore, I am delighted to be included in commending Joyce Ann Brown and would like to thank her for her assistance with our work here on the hill. The organization she has created has helped many ex-offenders as well as their families, and has provided the support needed for a healthy society. Providing support to ex-offenders is paramount to becoming productive citizens, taxpayers, mothers and fathers. Research has shown that successful employment interventions among ex-offenders benefits not only the ex-offender, but also his or her family, social networks, communities and society at large. The benefits reaped by society through the MASS organization and the work of Joyce Ann Brown are vital to the preservation of a healthy society and should rightfully be congratulated and recognized.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 831) supporting the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by promoting national awareness of adoption and the children in foster care awaiting families, celebrating children and families involved in adoption, recognizing current programs and efforts designed to promote adoption, and encouraging people in the United States to seek improved safety, permanency, and well-being for all children.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 831, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month. I am pleased to have worked with Congresswoman Brown-Waite, Congressman Tiberi, and Congressman McDermott on this legislation. On any given day, there are over a half million children in our Nation's foster care system, of which nearly 130,000 are waiting for a permanent home through adoption. While 51,000 children found a family to call their own last year through adoption, far too many children in the foster care system remain waiting for some level of permanency. Adoption provides children who are unable to return to their biological homes with the opportunity to be raised in a safe and loving home, providing them a level of stability that generally cannot be found in foster care. Adoption is an important option for many children in the foster care system. It allows children to be raised as a member of a new family, a family that will provide the love, security and support that every child deserves. The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act supported adoption as an important pathway to permanency. This historic law also recognized the need to support multiple avenues to permanency, given that adoption may not be the best option for all children and families. I have worked with Representative Jim McDermott and my colleague from Illinois, former Representative Jerry Weller, to include language in the fostering connections law to provide additional opportunities to children in foster care via kinship guardianship. Kinship guardianship gives a child a permanent home with their grandparent or other relative, providing the same level of love, security and support that an adoption home provides but without the termination of parental rights. An evaluation of Illinois' subsidized guardianship waiver found that children in kinship guardianship fair as well as those in other permanency settings on measures of well-being, including school performance, engagement in risky behaviors, and access to community resources. A recent GAO report identified kinship guardianship as a key Federal policy to decrease the overrepresentation of African American children in our Nation's child welfare system. African American children enter foster care at higher rates and remain in foster care for longer periods of time when compared to children from other racial or ethnic groups. Indeed, African American children make up nearly one-third of the children waiting for adoption in this country. There are a variety of reasons why these children remain in the system longer, with one reason being that adoption is not equally availed by families from different races and ethnicities, especially among African American and Native American communities. Research shows that allowing a child to achieve permanency with a relative enhances their development and long-term well-being by maintaining their cultural identity and sense of family belonging, which, understandably, is particularly important for African American and Native American children. I personally know the value of kinship guardianship because Illinois has been a leader in developing and demonstrating the effectiveness of pioneering child welfare reforms such as kinship guardianship and extension of foster care to age 21, also included in the fostering connections legislation. In addition to seeing the positive effects of kinship caregiving Statewide, I have seen the importance of kinship guardianship in Chicago. My congressional district has the highest percentage of children living with kinship caregivers in the Nation, followed by the First Congressional District of Illinois with the second highest percentage, and the Second District with the 10th highest percentage in the Nation. I am proud that the fostering connections law worked to increase adoption and other avenues to permanency such as kinship guardianship to help children find the permanent, safe homes they deserve. Despite the reforms that we have achieved in this legislation, more work needs to be done to improve the experiences of all children and all families in the system and to end racial disparities that continue to persist. This spring, I joined with Representative Jim McDermott and Todd Platts to introduce legislation that would provide Federal funding to support evidence-based early childhood home visitation programs. These programs provide important home-based instruction and services to pregnant mothers and families with preschool-age children that help to improve the health and educational outcomes of children and their parents. A growing body of evidence has found that early childhood home visitation programs serve as an effective child abuse prevention strategy, reducing the incidence of child abuse and neglect by nearly 40 percent. Home visiting also produces significant health benefits to children and their families, such as improved child health, child development, parenting skills, and school readiness. I am pleased that it was included as part of the health care reform proposal that was reported out of the Ways and Means Committee. A similar proposal was included in the health proposal that was reported out of the Senate Finance Committee earlier this month. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to improve our Nation's foster care system through adoption, guardianship, home visitation programs, and other important initiatives. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting the ideals and goals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month by voting in favor of H. Res. 831. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I want to thank Representative Brown-Waite for her introduction of this legislation and also for her remarks. It's my pleasure now to yield such time as he might consume to the chairman of the Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee, the gentleman from Washington, Representative Jim McDermott, one of the real champions of child welfare in this country and one who knows exactly what is needed to make sure that children have safe and comfortable environments in which to live. (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H. Res. 831.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. To close, Mr. Speaker, let me just commend Representative Brown-Waite, Chairman McDermott, Mr. Tiberi, and all those who have worked on bringing this legislation to the floor. Our children are, indeed, the future, and it's our responsibility to provide every opportunity that we possibly can for them. I think this legislation and this resolution all combine to help make America a better place for children, so I would ask that all Members support it.

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

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and congratulate Tibotec Therapeutics, part of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, for demonstrating continued innovation and corporate responsibility in the fight against HIV/AIDS by conducting the groundbreaking GRACE study. GRACE, which stands for Gender Race and Clinical Experience, is the largest study to date in treatment- experienced women with HIV to examine gender and race differences in response to an HIV therapy. Findings from this historic study were recently presented at the International AIDS Society conference in Cape Town, South Africa. In the United States, women are increasingly affected by HIV/AIDS, accounting for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses, with African American and Latina women representing seventy-nine percent of women living with the disease. People of color, both women and men, have been historically underrepresented in clinical trials in the United States, and HIV/AIDS disproportionately impacts our African American and Latino communities. In my home State of Illinois, there are over 35,000 people living with AIDS: African Americans represent 50% of these cases, and Latinos represent 13%. In terms of new HIV infections, African American women are infected at a rate fifteen times higher than white women, and Latino women are infected at a rate almost four times as high as white women. In recent HIV studies of treatment-experienced patients, women accounted for less than 11 percent of the patients being studied, on average. This trial was designed to help overcome some of the barriers, identified by the advisors, which have historically deterred women and people of color from participating in clinical studies, including stigma, lack of child care, transportation and personal support systems. Based upon advisor and community input, study participants could obtain assistance to cover costs associated with their participation in the study, including funds for travel and childcare, as well as food vouchers. Through innovative strategies like these, the GRACE study was able to enroll nearly seventy percent women, sixty percent African Americans and twenty-two percent Latinos. I am proud to say that two of the study sites in this historic clinical trial are located in my congressional district. Results of the GRACE study showed that there were no statistical differences in the safety, tolerability or effectiveness of the HIV regimens used in the study between male and female participants, or for people of different ethnicities. Importantly, from my perspective, the GRACE study clearly showed that, with the appropriate commitment from the trial sponsor and input from affected communities and providers, clinical trials can, indeed, enroll meaningful numbers of women and racial and ethnic minorities. With the GRACE study, Tibotec Therapeutics and Johnson & Johnson continue to demonstrate their leadership and corporate social responsibility as innovators and leaders in the pharmaceutical industry. I commend them for their continuing commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS and for their leadership in addressing the disproportionate impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on women and people of color.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on the following legislative measures on September 29, 2009. If I were present for rollcall votes, I would have voted Yea on each of the following: Roll 740, September 29, 2009: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended: H.R. 905, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act. Roll 741, September 29, 2009: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree: H. Res. 16, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Life Insurance Awareness Month. Roll 742, September 29, 2009: On Motion to Instruct Conferees: H.R. 2997, Making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman McDermott for yielding. I also want to commend him and the ranking member for expeditiously getting this legislation to the floor. Mr. Speaker, when President Obama took office, we were in the middle of an economic recession which showed itself for real in December of 2007. Notwithstanding economic recovery activities, stimulus activities, green initiatives and other efforts that are beginning to take hold, we still hear the song. And I turned my radio on just the other day, and I heard a song from probably the seventies that said, Every morning about this time, she bring my breakfast to the bed crying, get a job. It said, When I read the papers, I read it through and through, trying to see if there is any work for me to do. Unfortunately for many people, there is no work for them to do at the moment, but we know that the time is coming. But in the meantime, they need help. And the help that we can give them today is the help of knowing that their unemployment benefits are extended. That's the very least that we can do while we continue to work to try to make sure that our economy regroups, re-energizes itself so that that song does not have to be played, ``Get a Job.''

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank the chairman for yielding me this time. I also want to commend him and the ranking member and the members of the subcommittee for the great work that they have done on this bill. I am very pleased to be a cosponsor, an original cosponsor of H.R. 22. I am basically pleased to have been so because for a number of years we have known that the postal service was operating in a different environment. We have seen the tremendous increase in e- commerce. We have seen the utilization of other means and methods of communicating, and we have always known we were going to have to do something. The something we have done does not cost the taxpayers any additional money. As Delegate Norton said, it is not a bailout. It is a sane, rational approach to dealing with the problem, and I want to commend the postal service for their efforts to operate in an environment of diminishing returns. So, again, I commend the chairman and the ranking member. I strongly support this legislation.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, as we enter into the month of August, I would like to take this opportunity to commemorate the anniversary of The Voting Rights Act of 1965. On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. The date marks a pivotal moment in our country's progress in extending equal membership in the political processes to every American. The right to vote is a fundamental principle of all democracies. Yet, in our great nation whose founding fathers and documents boasted of its creation to promote equality, there was a substantial period of history during which minority men and women were barred from that very right. The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right to vote for every citizen, but the discriminatory practices of Jim Crow in the antebellum south used taxes, literacy tests, gerrymandering, and language discrimination to prevent Blacks from voting and taking part in the government. Without the right to vote, many African Americans were subject to intolerable injustices and appalling prejudice. The Voting Rights Act represents a culmination of the great efforts of civil rights organizations and activists to inform the nation of the extensive disenfranchisement taking place throughout the country. The anniversary of the enactment of this historic law provides an opportunity to acknowledge these activists. Most notably, their tremendous dedication and uncompromising pursuit of equality took the form of peaceful marches from Selma to Montgomery that were met with vicious attacks by state and local police forces. These events caught the attention of the President and Congress, contributing to a commitment to new civil rights legislation to counter the resistance and discrimination laws within the states. The enactment of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 allowed African-Americans across the country to finally have a say in the functioning of the country. Today, I celebrate the anniversary of this law as a reflection of what our country represents: a nation pledged to representing the views, values, and beliefs of all the people it serves.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on the following legislative measures on July 27, 2009. If I were present for rollcall votes, I would have voted yea on each of the following: Roll 647, July 27, 2009: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree, as Amended: H. Res. 593, Recognizing and celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the entry of Hawaii into the Union as the 50th State Roll 648, July 27, 2009: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended: H.R. 1376, Waco Mammoth National Monument Establishment Act of 2009 Roll 649, July 27, 2009: On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended: H.R. 1121, Blue Ridge Parkway and Town of Blowing Rock Land Exchange Act of 2009

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, as we enter into the month of August, I would like to take this opportunity to commemorate the anniversary of The Voting Rights Act of 1965. On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. The date marks a pivotal moment in our country's progress in extending equal membership in the political processes to every American. The right to vote is a fundamental principle of all democracies. Yet, in our great nation whose founding fathers and documents boasted of its creation to promote equality, there was a substantial period of history during which minority men and women were barred from that very right. The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right to vote for every citizen, but the discriminatory practices of Jim Crow in the antebellum south used taxes, literacy tests, gerrymandering, and language discrimination to prevent Blacks from voting and taking part in the government. Without the right to vote, many African-Americans were subject to intolerable injustices and appalling prejudice. The Voting Rights Act represents a culmination of the great efforts of civil rights organizations and activists to inform the nation of the extensive disenfranchisement taking place throughout the country. The anniversary of the enactment of this historic law provides an opportunity to acknowledge these activists. Most notably, their tremendous dedication and uncompromising pursuit of equality took the form of peaceful marches from Selma to Montgomery that were met with vicious attacks by state and local police forces. These events caught the attention of the President and Congress, contributing to a commitment to new civil rights legislation to counter the resistance and discrimination laws within the states. The enactment of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 allowed African-Americans across the country to finally have a say in the functioning of the country. Today, I celebrate the anniversary of this law as a reflection of what our country represents: a nation pledged to representing the views, values, and beliefs of all the people it serves.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you very much, Representative Ellison. Let me, first of all, commend you for the leadership that you continue to display as the message leader for the Progressive Caucus. I see you here every week and oftentimes Representative Edwards is here with you. So I'm pleased to join you and her and Representative McDermott, with whom I serve on the Ways and Means Committee, and I know that Chairman Rangel was here a few minutes ago and others. You know, as I listened to Representative Edwards and as she talked about the winners and the losers, it is amazing that individuals in the health care arena are earning these kind of salaries, and that people are able to somehow or another not want to pay, and people somehow or another don't want to add a few extra dollars. I come from a county with over 5 million people, and unfortunately, many of them are low income. They are poor. Many of them don't have any insurance at all. They don't have any way to access care, any way to be taken care of. Some of them go to emergency rooms of hospitals that are as many as 8 and 10 miles away in an urban area, and they can't get there. To think that we now have an opportunity to reform, in a real way, health care delivery and to create the kind of health care delivery system that says that all of our citizens have worth, I don't know how those who are opposing a public option, I don't even know how you could begin to talk seriously about reforming our health care delivery system without a public option. I have sat through the many hearings that we have had in Ways and Means. I have sat through countless hours of discussions with staff and experts. No matter what we come up with, we know that we need a robust, not a minuscule, not a weak, not an anemic public option, but we need a real public option, one that can help build upon the network of community health centers that we have spread across the country, which have proven to be worth their weight in gold, which have proven that they can deliver first-rate health and medical care in a cost-efficient way with individuals who understand the language, the culture, and the lifestyles of the people who come. I agree with the Progressive Caucus members, as well as others, that there just ought not to be a plan without a serious public option. Again, I want to commend both of you for the tremendous leadership that you continue to display. I know with the kind of attention and care that you give to these issues, that our Congress and our people are going to be in good shape for many years to come. So, it has been a pleasure for me to stop by and to join with you and have a few words to say. Of course, you know, I remember a term we used to use a lot back in the sixties and seventies. We used to say ``a luta continua,'' meaning that the struggle must continue and we will conquer, without a doubt. If we dare to struggle, we dare to win. Thank you so much. It is a pleasure to be here.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Thank you very much.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as we continue with the debate surrounding health reform, I wish to take a moment to recognize the anniversary of the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid into law. Since July 30, 1965, when Lyndon Johnson signed the bill creating these fundamental health initiatives, these two programs have evolved together to reliably meet the demands of aging and medically vulnerable Americans who may not have had access to medical attention otherwise. Medicare and Medicaid currently provide a lifeline to over 100 million Americans. In my district, I can attest that Medicare and Medicaid serve as an indispensable safety net for many constituents. The Seventh Congressional District of Illinois includes some of the most medically underserved communities in America. Census data show that 24 percent of families and 44 percent of children under 18 live below the poverty line. In fact, some communities on Chicago's west side experience infant mortality rates comparable with third-world countries. In the State of Illinois, 14 percent of all residents are enrolled in Medicare and 19 percent in Medicaid. Clearly these government health programs provide vital health care coverage to Illinoisians when almost one- fifth of the State is covered by Medicaid and one-sixth by Medicare. Indeed, Illinois' mothers and children are the biggest beneficiaries of Medicaid. This Federal program finances 40 percent of total births in Illinois and helps ensure that over 1 million children in Illinois receive access to affordable health care. It is this commitment to our citizens that drives Congress to work actively for comprehensive health reform. We must provide a public option within that reform. Further, we must continue to support and expand community health centers as outstanding deliverers of primary care. These providers are proven to reap solid benefits to our patients, communities, and State and local governments in terms of efficiency. For example, Medicaid beneficiaries relying on health centers for usual care were 19 percent less likely to use the emergency department than Medicaid beneficiaries using outpatient and office-based physicians for usual care. Overall, health centers save the health care system between $9.9 billion and $17.6 billion annually, a figure that will grow. I acknowledge the tremendous step that Lyndon B. Johnson took 44 years ago when he signed the Medicare and Medicaid bills into law as titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act. We must continue to make use of these programs because they have served us well and will continue to do so.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I want to take this moment to recognize the tenth anniversary of a monumental United States Supreme Court decision that represented a great advance in our contemporary civil rights struggle. On June 22, 1999, the United States Supreme Court asserted the right of individuals with disabilities to reside in their community via a 6-3 ruling. The Olmstead v. L.C. decision stated that making services for disabled individuals available only in institutions, thereby forcing them out of their homes, went against the Americans with Disabilities Act. Essentially, the Olmstead decision clarified the fact that the Americans with Disabilities Act gives individuals with disabilities the right to choose to receive their care in the community rather than in an institutional setting. Provision of care within one's community via personal care assistants is cost- effective and improves the quality of life of persons with disabilities. Studies show the cost of providing services in the community is much lower than in institutionalized settings, thereby allowing more individuals to receive services for the same cost. In addition, the ability to receive community based services and supports improves the ability of persons with disabilities to lead independent lives, work, and participate in their communities. The federal government bears the responsibility of restructuring our current health care system. The inequities that exist in our health care system are profoundly disturbing. It is essential that we take the steps necessary to create an overhaul of the health care system that is both moral and practical. As Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said: ``Of all the forms of inequality injustice, health care is the most shocking and inhumane.'' In this spirit, I urge concerned citizens to mobilize to help us create a system that best serves those in our society who have limited resources. As a policymaker who is adamant about improving health care for persons with disabilities, I believe it is imperative that the health care reform legislation that Congress intends to enact this year take a substantial step forward in requiring that all Medicaid-eligible individuals with disabilities have a choice between receiving care at home or in an institution. The option to receive care in one's community is critical to conforming to the goal of the Americans with Disabilities Act and with the Olmstead decision. The Olmstead decision was a great step forward in allowing persons with disabilities the option to receive care in their own community. The tenth anniversary of the Olmstead decision symbolizes the struggle to create more options in our current health care system. We must strive to include the tenets of the Olmstead decision in our health care reform plans. Including provisions that provide choice in location of care to Medicaid-eligible persons with disabilities in comprehensive health care reform legislation would be a wonderful way to mark the tenth anniversary of the Olmstead decision.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I wish to take a moment this week to recognize the thirty-seventh anniversary of Title IX. When I think of this historic legislation that champions equal rights for women, I am reminded of something Betty Friedan said in her book, the Feminine Mystique. She said, ``The problem that has no name--which is simply the fact that American women are kept from growing to their full human capacities--is taking a far greater toll on the physical and mental health of our country than any known disease.'' Ms. Friedan--a leader of the women's rights movement and a founding member of the National Organization for Women--described an ongoing battle; a battle that has plagued our country for far too long. Title IX was enacted with the purpose of removing the barriers that could negatively constrict the potential of over 50% of our population. This monumental advance in equal rights for women was passed on June 23, 1972, with the goal of prohibiting gender discrimination in education programs, especially concerning athletic opportunities for young men and women. I have time and time again commended this milestone in U.S. legislation for empowering women to engage and contribute positively to society as well as for encouraging women to make responsible decisions. Upon celebrating the thirty-seventh anniversary of Title IX, it is only right to recognize what has thus far been accomplished since the enactment of Title IX in 1972. In the arena of athletics, we have seen tremendous increases in the participation of women in sports. In 1972, there were merely 294,000 female high school athletic participants, in contrast to the 3.6 million male participants; now, looking at 2006, there has been a 904% increase with just under 3 million female high school athletes. In 1972, only about 30,000 women continued on to collegiate athletic participation, compared to 170,000 male participants. But in 2006, that number also increased exponentially, by 456%, to 167,000 female collegiate participants. In the world of business, the percentage of women general counsels in Fortune 500 companies rose from 4% to 15% between 1994 and 2002. Within the legal profession, the percentage of women in tenured positions at law schools increased from 5.9% in 1994 to 25.1% in 2006. In addition, I am certain that Title IX laid the foundation for other advancements in equal rights for women, such as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 that President Obama signed into law this January and that I proudly co- sponsored. Even with this progress, the United States still has quite a journey ahead toward the goal of equality for women. There still exists resistance to efforts to treat women and men equally. Even now there is still a remarkably large gap between the number of female and male high school and collegiate sports participants. Beyond athletics, there still exists gender inequality in the work force on multiple fronts, including: the ratio of male to female professionals; the difference in the earnings of male and female employees; and the ratio of male to female leadership positions in the workforce. It is true that in 2003 female professional earnings had risen to 76% of what their male counterparts were making; nevertheless, 76% is still far less than 100%. So, I celebrate the advances made during the thirty-seven years since Title IX was enacted, and I promise to continue to dedicate my time and efforts to champion equal rights for women.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2454. I want to commend Chairman Waxman, Chairman Rangel, Mr. Barton, Chairman Peterson, Chairman Markey, Mr. Dingell, and all of those who have worked so hard to reach compromises which help to make this legislation possible. Especially do I want to commend Representative Bobby Rush for his hard work to protect low-income consumers, Representative Butterfield for making sure that Historically Black Colleges and Universities and predominantly black institutions had an opportunity to be involved in the research and job creation. And I also want to thank Representatives Jan Schakowsky and Donna Christensen for their hard work on environmental issues to help reduce health disparities. It's a good bill, Mr. Speaker, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of it.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise to acknowledge Roberta Rakove, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, of Sinai Health System for her outstanding leadership in creating grassroots and community activity in support of her hospital's mission. Roberta Rakove was first nominated by the Illinois Hospital Association (IHA), and later awarded by both the IHA and the American Hospital Association (AHA) the Partnership for Action Grassroots Champion Award on April 28, 2009. The Partnership for Action Grassroots Champion Award was established to recognize hospital leaders who most efficiently inform elected officials of the affect major issues have on a hospital's fundamental role in the community; to recognize hospital leaders who have done an exemplary job in broadening the base of community support for the hospital; and to recognize hospital leaders who continue to advocate on behalf of the hospital and its patients. Roberta Rakove's commitment to advocating for the hospital community extends to her 15 years of devotion on IHA's Advocacy Council, DSH Steering Committee, and other membership groups. For 90 years the hospitals and caregivers of Sinai Health System have provided medical care and social services to Chicago's neediest communities in west and south Chicago. Sinai Community Institute provides social service outreach for the lifestyle issues that contribute to health while the Sinai Urban Health institute researches the prevalence of chronic disease in Chicago neighborhoods. Collectively, the Sinai Health System provides a full continuum of care for acute, primary, specialty and rehabilitation to meet the needs of the communities and patients it serves.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise to acknowledge Roberta Rakove, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, of Sinai Health System for her outstanding leadership in creating grassroots and community activity in support of her hospital's mission. Roberta Rakove was first nominated by the Illinois Hospital Association (IHA), and later awarded by both the IHA and the American Hospital Association (AHA) the Partnership for Action Grassroots Champion Award on April 28, 2009. The Partnership for Action Grassroots Champion Award was established to recognize hospital leaders who most efficiently inform elected officials of the affect major issues have on a hospital's fundamental role in the community; to recognize hospital leaders who have done an exemplary job in broadening the base of community support for the hospital; and to recognize hospital leaders who continue to advocate on behalf of the hospital and its patients. Roberta Rakove's commitment to advocating for the hospital community extends to her 15 years of devotion on IHA's Advocacy Council, DSH Steering Committee, and other membership groups. For 90 years the hospitals and caregivers of Sinai Health System have provided medical care and social services to communities in west and south Chicago. Sinai Community Institute provides social service outreach for the lifestyle issues that contribute to health while the Sinai Urban Health institute researches the prevalence of chronic disease in Chicago neighborhoods. Collectively, the Sinai Health System provides a full continuum of care for acute, primary, specialty and rehabilitation to meet the needs of the community.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. First of all, I want to commend Representative Marcia Fudge for the tremendous leadership that she continues to display each and every week by hosting, organizing, convening, and giving all of us the opportunity to discuss issues that are pertinent to all of America, but especially to the African American community. I also want to commend Representative Donna Christensen for the outstanding leadership that she has displayed for a number of years as chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Brain Trust, and all of the members who consistently try and protect, promote, and project the health care needs and opportunities that should exist for all of us in America. We are poised right now to do serious health reform. I want to commend President Obama for having the courage to tackle one of the most pernicious issues of our day, and that is the issue of trying to make sure that each and every American, that each and every one of our citizens have the opportunity to receive cost-effective, as comprehensively as we can provide it, quality health care that is culturally competent, provided by individuals who understand their needs and individuals that they can understand instructions and what is being given. We are about to do something that has been needed, and that is we're going to expand--and I'm confident that we will do it. No matter which option people look at, no matter what kind of coverage they suggest, that when we finish, we're going to have the best health care delivery system that this country has ever seen. In many instances, I don't think that we have to reinvent the wheel. Yes, there are large numbers of uninsured individuals in our country, probably about 50 million of them, and some of those individuals, no matter what plan we come up with, are going to be covered. But just as important as coverage--just as important are the delivery mechanisms and systems which are provided. I often say to people that as far as health care improvement, I don't think anything has done much more than Medicare, Medicaid, and the development of community health centers and community mental health centers. And so any plan or system that we come up with, I hope that we will expand community health centers, because as deliverers of primary care, I don't think that there's anything in America that has done a more effective job for low-income people than what these institutions have done. In addition to that, I would hope that we take a hard look at nursing home care. What happens to people once they begin to reach the ``golden'' ages? What happens to them as they have given every measure of devotion that they could possibly provide for their country? We need to make sure that they don't languish in some place. One of the proudest things in my family is the fact that we decided, for example, that neither one of our parents would have to experience that kind of care. My mother was an invalid for about the last 10 or 12 years of her life. But, of course, we decided that she would stay at somebody's house, in somebody's home, and that we could be assured. I think that every senior citizen should have the assurance of knowing that they're going to be cared for. I don't want us to forget those individuals with disabilities, those individuals who are sometimes shunned aside, who are not perceived as being a part of the mainstream population. And so in order to be effective, health care reform must be quite comprehensive. I know that our committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Education, all of these committees are working jointly together to come up with the kind of plan that the President is going to be proud of. So, again, Representative Fudge, I want to commend and thank you for the opportunity to be here, and I want to thank, again, my classmate who has led the charge, and that's Representative Donna Christensen, who, for so many years, has been the caucus' point person on health care. And we're going to make health care in this country a right so people will understand that it does not have to be a privilege. I thank you all so much.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in recognizing May as ``National Foster Care Month''. This occasion provides an opportunity to examine key issues affecting foster children. I am very pleased that Congress recently improved our child welfare laws greatly, extending coverage till the age of 21 and promoting kinship care. The Recovery Act also included additional funds for child welfare to support states in caring for vulnerable children during hard economic times. As unemployment rates continue to rise, it is critical that we continue to invest in safety net programs that ensure our children are protected and are able to develop into healthy adults. Most children in the child welfare system are from low-income families. As policymakers, we must stand ready to provide the aid needed to help families so that child welfare supports are not needed. We must continue to promote all permanency options so that children do not remain in the foster care system longer than necessary. And, we must ensure to integrate the needs of foster care children in relevant policy areas. For example, there currently are federal protections for homeless youth to ensure that they have stability in their educational environments during elementary and high school. We should expand these protections to cover all foster children. In the areas of health care reform, job training, and higher education, we must consider the needs of foster care children. National Foster Care Month is a time for us to remember that it is crucial that we support foster care families and children by making a national investment in our children. Our children are entitled to stable, caring homes; if we deny them what they truly deserve, we can anticipate a colder, more uncertain future for our nation.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I want to thank Chairman Brady for yielding. I was not here when Jack Kemp was here. But of course I recall his football career. I recall his legislative career. But I knew him when he was Secretary of HUD. I represent a large area with low-income people and public housing. Then when I did come here when J.C. Watts and Jim Talent and I introduced the American Community Renewal Act and New Market Initiatives, Jack Kemp was there. One of the most pleasant calls that I have had from anyone was when we were working on the Second Chance Act to provide opportunity for individuals who had been incarcerated to get assistance when they returned home, to try and successfully reintegrate themselves back into normal society, I got a call from Jack Kemp simply saying: I want you to know that I support this legislation. Anything that I can do to help make sure that it gets passed, give us a call. And so I agree that Jack Kemp was not only a quarterback on the football field, but he was indeed a quarterback for justice, quarterback for equality, and a quarterback for trying to make sure that each and every individual has the greatest opportunity to live a high quality of life. I salute you, Jack Kemp.