Danny Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson).

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, Judiciary Committee, and Budget Committee and known to those of us in the Alpha fraternity as Brother Constitutional Scholar.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott), an Alpha brother who holds a master's degree in business administration from the Wharton School of Business, a distinguished businessman before becoming an elected official, who hails from Atlanta, Georgia.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from the great State of Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) who, of course, is not an Alpha, but of course, she could indeed marry an Alpha man if she chose to do so, but a tremendous leader from the State of Texas. (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the sponsor of this resolution who represents the area where Alpha Phi Alpha was indeed founded, Representative Maurice Hinchey from New York.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time, and, first of all, I want to thank Representative Hinchey from New York for introducing this resolution. I also want to thank my colleague from Nebraska for his management of the bill, Representative Osborne, a tremendous educator and legislator. And let me thank all of those who have spoken. Mr. Speaker, when I think of Alpha Phi Alpha I think of its motto: First of all, servants of all, we shall transcend all. Alpha is a great service organization, and I want to congratulate our national president Daryl Matthews and brother Harry Johnson, who is leading the effort to build the Martin Luther King monument on the mall. Alpha is a great role model for young boys and men seeking manhood. Every chapter has mentoring programs, educational programs, creating opportunity for young boys to become young men, and then to become the distinguished leaders that our country is so greatly in need of. One of the things that I always liked about Alpha was that it helped one learn to communicate. And, of course, in my chapter, in order to get in, you had to say these poems and you had to go through all these processes. So I will end with this one: Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried allowed. Under the bludgeonings of chance, my head is bloody but unbowed. It matters not how straight the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul. That is the teaching of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. We commend Alpha for its 100 years of existence. Mr. Speaker, I yield my next 30 seconds to end to Mr. Chaka Fattah, from the great City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my thanks to Dante Polk, my intern, who is also an Alpha brother and is in the audience today. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, simply to close, I would just simply reiterate that America has never known a greater athlete nor a greater spirit in terms of one who would interrupt his career as a professional athlete, join the military, and go and fight for a cause greater than the World Series. Bob Feller was a hero to thousands and thousands and thousands and will continue to be. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me just say that I know that Dr. Gingrey had a great time in terms of all of those memories and being as close to all of that action as he was. And so I would simply say that Bob Feller was indeed one of the greatest athletes that we have ever known; and this resolution is indeed a tribute to not only his athletic abilities, but his great spirit as an American. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3082, the Veterans Small Business and Memorial Affairs Act of 2006. I would also like to commend my good friend from my home state of Arkansas, Mr. Boozman, for his leadership on this important and timely topic. The Small Business Association believes that approximately 4 million small businesses in the United States are owned by veterans. Many of the 4 million veteran owned businesses are owned by veterans that were permanently disabled while serving this country. This legislation makes a step toward paying our debt to America's veterans by ensuring that veterans are not overlooked by the Small Business Administration. H.R. 3082 requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish annual contracting goals for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to enter into with small businesses owned and controlled by veterans and service-disabled veterans. The goal for service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses would not be less than three percent. Additionally, H.R. 3082 makes strides toward ensuing that our veterans receive important employment training services to meet the needs of our increasingly technologically driven economy. I am a strong believer in the utility of employment training and will continue to work in the Committee on Education and the Workforce to expand employment training so that we remain competitive in the 21st century. I hope that the efficacy of vocational training will once again be demonstrated by this program and that this body will invest sufficiently in employment training programs. Improved job skills make a real difference for both workers and our economy.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the recent accreditation of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago by the American Association of Museums. Accreditation is awarded to less than 5 percent of museums in the United States, and the Field Museum now stands among those few museums honored for its high professional standards and excellence in education and stewardship. Anyone who has ever been to the Field Museum knows than an award for excellence befits this well-known Chicago institution. Mark Twain wrote, ``It is hopeless for the occasional visitor to try to keep up with Chicago--she outgrows his prophecies faster than he can make them. She is always a novelty; for she is never the Chicago you saw when you passed through the last time.'' Twain's comment remains timeless. Chicago's wonderful museums are never the same since the last time you walked down their halls, especially the Field Museum. As we speak, hundreds of thousands of advance tickets have been booked from visitors around the world who are waiting to experience the Field Museum's latest exhibition, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs. The Museum's commitment to educational programs for people from all backgrounds and educational levels, provides an important window to our world and an educational venue paralleled by few institutions of its type. The exhibits contained within the Field Museum elucidate remote and ancient cultural practices from around the world for others to learn. Their archaeological work has produced astonishing finds from the earth's past. Current groundbreaking work in avian genetics may expose important information that will help address an avian flu pandemic. Beyond traditional museum activities, the Field Museum, in collaboration with the Chicago Cultural Alliance, contributes to Chicago cultural life in many ways. Together the Alliance is developing an innovative program that targets at-risk youth by engaging them in arts workshops that allows them to address issues of identity, conflict resolution, and their heritage. These are but a few of the ways the Field Museum enriches all of our lives through discovery, education, and community outreach. Museum staffs go to great lengths to consult State educational curricula and guidelines when designing exhibits, thereby further enhancing the quality and relevance of the museum experience. Each year, we spend over $1 billion to create and stage educational exhibits and special programs. The men and women of the Field Museum are to be commended for their dedication to stewardship, rigorous research, and the creative educational ways they reach out to the community to feed people's curiosity and wonder for the world in which we live. Just as the American Association of Museums recognized the Field Museum of Natural History with accreditation, today I also want to celebrate and congratulate those responsible for the amazing work that transpires within and outside its halls.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise in celebration of the trailblazing work done by Advancement Via Individual Determination. Twenty-five years ago, Mary Catherine Swanson founded an organization rooted in the belief that, if the desire to go to college is met with a willingness to work hard, then those students who are capable of completing a rigorous curriculum but are falling short of their potential can realize their desire if schools provide them with the necessary tools. AVID expands opportunities to those students who have traditionally been neglected by the system. AVID is changing the belief system of entire communities by showing that low-income and minority students can achieve at the highest levels and succeed in college. In 2004-2005, 49.4 percent of AVID students were Hispanic and 17 percent were black. The success of these students is critical to closing the achievement gap. In Chicago is a legendary educator named Marva Collins. She argues, ``When we cease destroying [students'] self-esteem by making them doubt their abilities and leading them to believe that their worth is unimportant and valueless, we shall see the poor student become a good student, and the good student become a superior student. Creating doubt in the mind erases self-esteem and self-value.'' We have put hurdle after hurdle in front of our students, but we have forgotten to teach them how to jump. We expect them to demonstrate what they have learned in school, but we have not taught them to read. We expect them to go to college and get a job, but we have not given them the learning skills they need to graduate from high school, much less college. In the absence of a college-going tradition in their families and communities, how can we be surprised that students are not meeting our unrealistic expectations? Teaching organizational and study skills, working on critical thinking, providing tutors, and creating enrichment and motivational activities, AVID has challenged all of us to examine the lessons we are teaching our children. AVID has reminded all of us to stop blaming the victims of an education system in crisis, and it has realized tremendous success rates. In 2004-2005, 75.1 percent of AVID graduates were accepted to 4- year colleges. 99.1 percent of AVID students graduated from high school, compared to 70 percent nationally. While 36 percent of students completed the 4-year college entrance requirement nationally, a staggering 86.7 percent of AVID students did so. Ms. Collins reminds us: ``Our children and parents surrender themselves to those who are identified as protectors, but who actually destroy them. Children come to school to get what they lack, and they are told, instead, all the things they cannot do. We, the educators, [--and indeed I believe the politicians--] should be the hope of our children. We should be their insurance against the dark side of failure and mediocrity, and, far too many times, we cancel that insurance by labeling them `At Risk students.' They come to be complete and far too many schools split them in halves.'' I commend and thank all of the men and women that have contributed to AVID's success over the past 25 years--empowering students to make responsible decisions and contribute positively to society.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate having the opportunity to share with you my thoughts on the Extension Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the enormously positive impact it has had on our Nation. I am very gratified to know the strong support for reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act and appreciate your leadership on this important issue. The importance and necessity of the Voting Rights Act cannot be overemphasized. We have learned through experience what a difference the vote makes to us. In 1964, the year before President Johnson signed the Act into law there were only 300 African American elected officials in the entire country. Today, there are more than 9,100 black elected officials including 43 members of Congress. Let me be clear: expanding the opportunity to vote in America goes far beyond simply ensuring that minority voters have a voice or that African American politicians get elected. The Voting Rights Act has enhanced the lives of all Americans, not just Black Americans, not just minorities. By opening up the political process, the Voting Rights Act has made available a broader pool of political talent, greatly improving the quality of representation for all voters. Just as important, the Voting Rights Act has been instrumental in moving America closer to its true promise and, thus, has significantly benefited every single American, regardless of their race, economic status, national origin or political party. I've heard it suggested that the Voting Rights Acts--or certain key provisions--need not be reauthorized because its very success has rendered it obsolete. This is a fallacy--and I urge you in the strongest possible terms not to fall for it. The Voting Rights Act must be reauthorized because it works! African Americans in the South were prevented from voting by a battery of tactics--poll taxes, literacy tests that were for blacks only, and the crudest forms of intimidation. From the Southwest to some urban areas in the Northeast and Midwest, Latinos were discourage from voting by subtler but also effective techniques that exploited the vulnerabilities of low-income newcomers, for whom English was a second language. Both groups were also the targets of districting designed to dilute their ability to elect officials of their own choosing--a fundamental freedom that all too many Americans take for granted. That is why it is so important that the Congress renew all three provisions that are set to expire: Section 5, which requires a federal approval for proposed changes in voting or election procedures in areas with a history of discrimination; Section 203, which requires some jurisdictions to provide assistance in other languages to voters who are not literate or fluent in English; and the portions of Section 6-9 of the Act which authorize the federal government to send federal election examiners and observers to certain jurisdictions covered by Section 5, where there is evidence of attempts to intimidate minority voters at the polls. I am gratified at the degree of support--on both sides of the aisle-- for the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act. I urge you to also recognize the continued need for preclearance and other special provisions that are so necessary for the continued progress we must make as a nation.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, Benjamin Disraeli once exclaimed, ``The health of the people is really the foundation upon which all their happiness and all their powers as a state depend.'' Rooted in this reality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lead vital public health initiatives to prevent and control infectious and chronic disease, injuries, workplace hazards, disabilities, and environmental health threats. However, the effectiveness of its work depends on its strong partnerships with other organizations, notably, the National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Foundation was founded by Congress in 1995 to bridge outside resources and partners with CDC scientists, and it has greatly enhanced the CDC's impact in such areas as global health, anti- microbial resistance, the obesity epidemic, healthy aging, and emergency preparedness and response. Most recently, the foundation created the Emergency Preparedness & Response Fund. This fund will provide the CDC with resources it needs for rapid response to large- scale public health emergencies, such as terrorist attacks or an avian flu pandemic. Given this organization's immeasurable contribution to national public health initiatives, I urge members to support S. 655. This bill proposes increased funding for grants to the foundation, allows for more voluntary service to the CDC by foundation individuals, and permits the CDC Director to provide facilities, utilities, and support services to the foundation if doing so is advantageous to CDC programs and the American people. Provisions of this bill will indeed strengthen the CDC and National Foundation's partnership and result in better public health outcomes for our Nation. Thomas Carlyle once said, ``He who has health, has hope, and he who has hope has everything.'' Let us ensure that we do everything in our power to improve the health status of our people. In doing so, we will most certainly ensure the productivity and fruitfulness of their lives.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as one who grew up in the rural South where my parents and their neighbors and friends had to pay a poll tax to vote, and as one who lives in an urban inner city community where polling places are oftentimes moved without proper notification and where unsuspecting voters are intimidated, especially those with language and education barriers, the Voting Rights Act is one of the best safeguards of our democracy that we have seen. Mr. Speaker, I urge its renewal, I urge its passage.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. Justice for all--yet every year when this appropriation comes up we have to debate funding for Legal Services. Mr. Speaker, I rise to remind this chamber about the vital and indispensable role Legal Services plays in providing access to our civil justice system for all people who would otherwise be financially incapable of seeking justice in our courts of law. Mr. Speaker, we need to make a decision right now about what kind of government we want to be. We can either decide to ensure justice for all Americans or we can have justice for all Americans with thick wallets. We can honor all of the men and women who have sacrificed corner offices and 6-digit paychecks to work at Legal Services offices, like the one down the hall from my Chicago office, or we can turn our back on them. I know funding is tight. I know there is a war to pay for and hundreds of other worthy causes to fund. The money pot is only so big. But this is where we need to make our decision. We promise liberty and justice to all, not liberty and justice to all who have the resources to pay for it. We are talking about the most basic representation to those Americans who have nowhere else to turn to seek justice. When we are serious about improving race relations, relationships between law enforcement and communities, when we are serious about reducing racial profiling on our streets and roadways, in our airports and in our courtrooms, when we are serious about the real pursuit of justice for all of America, we will secure the resources necessary so that everybody will have an opportunity to bridge the gap between those who have and those who have not. We must provide access to the judicial system for every single person who seeks it.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, the problem of successfully reintegrating ex-offenders back into normal life is one of the major issues facing especially low-income and minority communities throughout the Nation. This problem continues to fester throughout the United States of America. It is indeed a social as well as a public safety problem. Nearly 650,000 people are being released from Federal and State prisons this year. There are over 3,200 jails throughout the United States, the vast majority of which are operated by county governments. Each year these jails will release in excess of 10,000 people back into communities throughout the Nation. We will continue to have these massive releases over the next several years. The massive increase in incarceration in the United States that occurred during the past 25 years now must turn public attention toward the consequences of incarceration without providing meaningful rehabilitation measures and access to reentry programs and opportunities. As we know, the large numbers of ex-offenders being released from prison will cause enormous public safety problems for many communities, especially where large numbers of ex-offenders will return and live in the same neighborhoods. The Justice Department reported that the cost of crime to victims is approximately $450 billion a year. Therefore, these communities will absorb the high cost of further victimization as a result of the presence of such a high number of ex-offenders. The Congressional Black Caucus is concerned about the administration not requesting or adequately funding the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program, Gang Prevention Program, Juvenile Accountability Block Grant, Juvenile Delinquency Block Grants and other programs. The Congressional Black Caucus recommended increasing the funding level up to $3.1 billion for Justice programs and to expand the re- entry programs for nonviolent ex-offenders to facilitate their transition from prison to normal community life. The CBC wants to ensure that specific programs are receiving adequate funding to prevent crime, increase public safety, and reduce recidivism. We, of course, can do that by passing the Second Chance Reentry Bill that now has more than 100 sponsors in the House, 22 sponsors in the Senate, is actually awaiting markup in the Judiciary Committee. And I would urge all of my colleagues to sign on, join up, help rehabilitate and prepare the individuals who are coming home from jail and prison. Support the Second Chance Reentry Bill.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to one of the proud sons of North Carolina and a sponsor of this legislation, Representative David Price. (Mr. PRICE of North Carolina asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to another favorite son of North Carolina, who probably didn't play much hockey but who in all likelihood delighted many North Carolinians on the basketball court, Representative Bob Etheridge.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to another son of North Carolina, Representative Mike McIntyre.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close. I had the good fortune on this past Saturday night to run into and spend some time with Dr. John Hope Franklin, one of the legendary historians of our time. And, of course, he, too, was talking about hockey, I think, which sort of is an indication of how widespread interest there is and it has become relative to North Carolina's winning the Stanley Cup. You see, Mr. Speaker, the Stanley Cup is a trophy awarded to the winners of the annual National Hockey League playoffs. It is one of the most recognized symbols in North American sports, and it is at the center of several legends and superstitions. The Stanley Cup is treated like royalty, attended to by full-time chaperones who wear white gloves to carry it. Unlike the trophies awarded by the other three major professional sports leagues of North America, the Stanley Cup is never kept. The Stanley Cup winners keep it for only 1 year unless they repeat as league champions. It is also the only trophy in professional sports that has the name of every member of the winning team engraved upon it. The Carolina Hurricanes, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, will have the honor of keeping the Stanley Cup for the next year. The franchise won its first Stanley Cup title in its 26 years in existence using grit, togetherness and a rookie goalie who unexpectedly carried his team on the ride of their lives. The Carolina Hurricanes did what most deemed impossible when the season started; they won the Stanley Cup in a game seven showdown against Canadian hockey royalty. The Hurricanes worked hard for home ice all season, and it paid off when 22-year-old Cam Ward turned back the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 to win the Conn Smythe trophy as the post-season's most valuable player. The Carolina Hurricanes are the second consecutive Southeast Division team to defeat a Northwest Division team in post-season play. The Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2003-2004 season, like the Hurricanes, defeated a team from the Northwest Division. Congratulations to the players, coaches and North Carolina for winning the Stanley Cup. I know that Representative Brad Miller had intended to be here to also add his congratulations, so on his behalf, and not only on behalf of all North Carolinians, but on behalf of all of us in America, we congratulate this outstanding franchise for a job well done. I urge passage. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise on this auspicious occasion to celebrate the 34th anniversary of Title IX--the landmark legislation to ensure equal access to sports opportunities for young men and women. At the outset, I commend and thank all of the men and women that have contributed to its success over the past 34 years-- empowering women to make responsible decisions and to contribute positively to society. Mr. Speaker, on this anniversary, I must express my concern over the Title IX loophole created by the Department of Education on March 17, 2005. This loophole undermines this important civil rights legislation. Rather than continuing the mandate on institutions to maintain equality in men's and women's sports, the change shifted the burden to female students to show their interest in and entitlement to participation opportunities, effectively allowing schools to justify disparities in treatment. This loophole--which was established without notice or opportunity for public comment--is having a devastating impact on women's sports. Mr. Speaker, if the fabric of society is only as strong as the threads that hold it together, then surely the duty of government must be to reinforce those threads, not to pull them apart. Yet allowing colleges to gauge interest in women's sports based on a single e-mail survey does exactly that--it unravels the fabric. It sends the message to girls that the ability to play sports is somehow unnatural. No one questions a boy who wants to play soccer; no one asks him to fill out a survey. So why do girls have to jump over hurdles to enjoy the same activity? Hurdles must remain in track and field where they belong, not in civil rights legislation. That is exactly the battle Title IX was designed to end, and it did . . . until March 17, 2005. Mr. Speaker, in 1971, 1 in 27 high school girls participated in athletics. Now it's 1 in 3. The explosion in athletic opportunities open to young women has generated enormous interest. The ratings for the women's final at Wimbledon, the most watched women's sporting event, are generally the same as the men's. In 1996, it was the U.S. women's soccer and basketball teams that captured Olympic gold. Interest follows opportunity, not vice versa. Mr. Speaker, I call on this Congress to demonstrate our commitment to our Nation's young women. We know that playing sports improves self- esteem, teamwork skills, and psychological well-being. We know that 82 percent of executive businesswomen played organized sports after elementary school. What we don't know is why the current Administration, in light of overwhelming evidence touting the benefits of athletics, has made it easiest for colleges and high schools to shirk their responsibility to women. Mr. Speaker, this is why I, along with fellow members of the House of Representatives, are working to protect Title IX. In addition to urging the President to withdraw the new rules, I am an original sponsor of House Resolution 735 expressing that these changes are inconsistent with longstanding Department policies and fundamental principles of equality. I will continue to fight to address these inequalities that threaten to reverse 34 years of progress.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I just returned from a briefing held by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and their Caring Connections Program for children. I have never been more inspired, I have never been more motivated, and I have never been more stimulated than when I heard all of these young people who grew up in foster homes talking about their experiences and where they have come. So I simply want to commend Senator Landrieu and Representative Ginny Brown-Waite for their leadership of this activity and others. We need to make sure that all of our children have warm, caring families in which to live.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill which reauthorizes the Older Americans Act. This act was developed with the goals of improving the lives of older people in areas of income, housing, health, employment, retirement, and community service. At the outset, I have to commend and thank Chairman McKeon, Ranking Member Miller, Subcommittee Chairman Tiberi, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Hinojosa for this incredible bipartisan bill. This has been one of the most bipartisan efforts in which I have engaged during my tenure in Congress. Also, I extend my sincerest appreciation to the majority and minority staff members for working diligently to address my concerns. Also, I would like to thank the delegates of the White House Conference I on Aging for their input on and promotion of this reauthorization. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill. Mr. Speaker, I have a Seniors and Eldercare Taskforce composed of a wonderful group of experts who advise me on key issues regarding seniors in my district--the great city of Chicago. I want to recognize and thank the cochairs of this taskforce--Karen Graham and Phyllis Mitzen--and the members of this taskforce for their leadership and attention to the needs of seniors in Chicago.'' This act advances many areas of concern to my district. Foremost, it expands access of younger grandparents to the National Family Caregiver Support Program, and it encourages states to adopt Kinship Navigator programs for relative caregivers. In the United States, 2.4 million grandparents are responsible for raising grandchildren in their homes. My congressional district has over 10,000 grandparent-headed households; it has the second highest percentage of children living in grandparent-headed households in the nation. This bill aids these caregivers with services that help in their care giving responsibilities. Further, the bill promotes community based services via self-directed models of care. It specifically directs the Assistant Secretary on Aging to help individuals avoid depleting their assets in order to qualify for Medicaid. This bill would reduce instances of abuse and neglect and improve data collection on the subject by broadening the definition of abuse to include self neglect and better coordinating the efforts of state and local agencies, building on the ideas promoted by my colleague from Illinois, Mr. Emmanuel. I also am very happy that the bill emphasizes the importance of mental health in many ways, drawing on the spirit of the Positive Aging Act sponsored by Mr. Kennedy. Mr. Speaker, The 38th Vice President of the United States, Hubert Humphrey, once said, ``The moral test of government is how it treats those who are in the dawn of life . . . the children [and] those who are in the twilight of life . . . the elderly.'' The Senior Independence Act of 2006 ensures that our Government continues to recognize the needs of the elder within our country and continues to fulfill these needs.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the reauthorization of the community health centers for a number of reasons. First of all, more than probably anything else, community health centers are the reason that I am a Member of Congress. My public work began at a community health center, the Martin Luther King Center in Chicago, then the Miles Square Center in Chicago. I became a member of the association when we organized it, ultimately became chairman of the legislative committee. The current president of the association, Tom Van Coverden, was my staff person when I was chairman of the legislative committee. I became its speaker of the house and eventually became president of the National Association of Community Health Centers. And so I used to be one of those people who would run around here knocking on Members' doors asking them to appropriate money and to support community health center programs. Community health centers are the best thing that has happened to ambulatory health care since Medicare and Medicaid for large numbers of poor people throughout the country. I commend them. I have been in centers all over the country, and they do outstanding jobs. They are also the main economic engine in many communities, the biggest employer. People get a chance to work who have never had a job before. I know individuals who are nurses and physicians who came to work in community health centers as aides, as orderlies, who are now professionals. It is really the best thing that I have ever encountered in health care. My district, this is the one time that I envy the members of Commerce and Energy because I also have 26 hospitals in my congressional district, probably more than any other district in the country, five medical schools, and so health is a big part of what goes on where I live on a daily basis. I commend the committee for an outstanding piece of legislation, the great work that it does. And, yes, they are going to have their convention in Chicago in August of this year, and we look forward to hosting them at that time.