Keith Ellison

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Reclaiming my time, so for practices the Fed says are deceptive, if they are proscribed, you believe that is something that the credit card companies will react with interest rate increases on consumers for?

Mr. ELLISON. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, I submit the following: Yesterday a Veteran Died John Amiott, USAF 1967-1970 Yesterday a veteran died but the world hardly noticed. Age or race or gender, it made no difference; soldier or sailor, airman or marine, it made no difference. Yesterday a veteran died. He was one of the millions, who, over the centuries, interrupted his life to serve when his country called. Yesterday a veteran died. He wore his uniform with pride and sense of purpose. He went where he was asked to go and performed the duties for which he had been trained. He committed to fight their fights and to safeguard their secrets with a solemn oath that remained unbroken. Yesterday a veteran died. He was changed forever by his experiences but his society also changed. The lines of social consciousness were redrawn, the old morality was altered and by the time of his return he found different standards applied. Yesterday a veteran died. Like the hundreds of generations before him and the endless roster of those who will follow, he tried to make sense of the chaos and confusion created by the metamorphous of a citizen turned warrior and then returned to the life of a civilian. Yesterday a veteran died. And, as with far too many of his peers, the real conflict began when the tour of duty ended. His personal battle would become a private hell; a hell born from the memories of the reality of life in a shadow world. A place where a chosen few practiced their craft; a world few outsiders knew existed and even fewer understood. His was that shadow world, the one he could never completely leave; the one from which there was no escape. Yesterday a veteran died. Now his soul would find the elusive peace of mind and spirit for which he had been searching. No longer will he awake, sweating and screaming in the night, plagued by the nightmares of his past. No longer will the ghosts of war haunt him, no longer will the cries of conflict echo in his ears. Yesterday a veteran died. When he is laid to rest an honor guard will fire a rifle volley to mark his passing. And for him the mournful wail of a bugle will sound one final time. Yesterday a veteran died. He will face his God knowing he served his country and did his best. The family and friends he loved will weep and mourn their loss. And the world will hardly notice that we have all been diminished. Yesterday a veteran died. But with the grace of God and the wisdom of nations, perhaps we are closer to the time when we will no longer need to say, ``Yesterday a veteran died.'' And then, perhaps, finally, the world will notice.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, there is a real difference between the Democratic and Republican plans when it comes to energy. The comprehensive Democratic plan is an American-owned, 21st-century energy plan, and the Republican plan is not. The Democratic plan lowers prices for consumers and protects taxpayers, expands renewable sources of energy, and increases our security by freeing America from the grip of foreign oil. Perhaps this is the problem with the objection to the Democratic plan: it requires Big Oil to pay what it owes taxpayers. It ends subsidies to Big Oil companies. Maybe some people don't like that. And it creates good- paying jobs here in America. The Republican bill is more of the same old Bush-Cheney, two oilmen in the White House energy policy written by and for the oil companies. It is time to end that policy.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, I am honored to congratulate the citizens of Richfield, Minnesota on the celebration of the city's 100th anniversary. Richfield is a diverse, vibrant community whose history mirrors that of the State of Minnesota. Originally, the territory was inhabited by the Ojibwe and Dakota tribes, and, in the late 18th century, was claimed by the French. The territory was first settled in 1852 by Riley Bartholomew on the eastern shore of Wood Lake; the Bartholomew homestead remains there to this day, and is listed on the National and Minnesota Registers of Historic Places. In 1804, the territory was purchased by the United States Government from France as a part of the Louisiana Purchase, and in the years following, would become a village, revered for the fertile texture of its soil and its farming communities. Richfield's economy would remain focused on agricultural commodities until the conclusion of World War II. Today, Richfield is a prosperous community, home to families, education facilities, businesses, community organizations, wetlands and parks. The city will celebrate its first century this year by remembering the past. In honor of the city's centennial, a statue of Charles W. Lindberg, who helped to raise the United States flag atop the island of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945, will be dedicated at Veterans Park on July 4, 2009. The dedication will also include a memorial to all veterans from Richfield. I am honored to represent the residents of Richfield, Minnesota in the United States House of Representatives, and I applaud everyone, past or present, who contributed to the history of this great city. I hope the events scheduled to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the city are enjoyed by all residents and I look forward to making the next 100 years just as successful as the previous century.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness I rise today to mourn the passing of Imam W.D. Mohammed--the spiritual leader for millions of American Muslims. Imam Mohammed was accepted by his followers to lead The Nation of Islam in 1975 after the passing of his father, Elijah Muhammad, leader and builder of The Nation of Islam. Imam Mohammed led Americans toward tolerance, inclusion and civic engagement. In 1992 he delivered the very first Invocation in the United States Senate given by a Muslim. He gave an Islamic Prayer at both of President Clinton's Inaugural Interfaith Prayer Services. His dedication to interfaith dialogue led him to address the Muslim- Jewish Conference in 1996 with leaders of Islam and Reform Judaism. He met with Pope John Paul II on two occasions including in 1999 on the ``eve of the New Millennium'' in St. Peter's Basilica with other world religious leaders. He served on the Advisory Panel for Religious Freedom Abroad, formed by then Secretary of State, Madeline Albright. He was at his best promoting religious freedom in America and abroad. Imam Mohammed's loss is immense. His life was led and lived by his faith--a faith that inspired him to reach across the divides of many religions; to knock down the walls of division and search for the commonalities that all faiths share: peace and understanding. The Imam believed he had a responsibility to speak out on the social issues of the day, taking it upon himself to apply scriptural interpretation to those issues. His leadership was recognized by all. The world is smaller today because of the passing of the Imam. We all would do well to stop and listen to the lessons left behind by Imam W.D. Mohammed. May his soul continue to guide leaders and legions alike to the world of peace and understanding.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, last year on August 1, 2007, at 6:05 p.m., the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed into the Mississippi River. Thirteen people lost their lives, injuring nearly 100 people. The 13 victims were mothers, fathers and children. Last year on August 1, this day, we as a Nation were united in our grief for the victims. Today, the new I-35W bridge stands almost complete over the Mississippi River. I have had a chance to tour it, and it is a good-looking bridge. But we can never forget about the victims and the lessons that we have learned from the collapse. We will be having a memorial today in Minneapolis for the victims, and we will be celebrating the fact that we have come back and been a resilient community after this collapse. But I believe the tragic bridge collapse serves as a national call to action for our political leaders to focus on improving our domestic infrastructure. The time is now, Madam Speaker.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, last August 1, 2007, at 6:05 p.m., the Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota collapsed into the Mississippi River killing 13 people and injuring nearly 100 people. The 13 victims were mothers, fathers, children, workers, good people, each and all. I ask my fellow colleagues to recognize a brief moment of silence to honor the victims and families of the tragic bridge collapse.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6309) to amend the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 to define environmental intervention blood lead level and establish additional requirements for certain lead hazard screens, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise to strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6309, the Lead-Safe Housing Act of 2008. Let me start by thanking Chairman Frank, Subcommittee Chair Waters, and Housing Subcommittee Ranking Member Shelley Capito, for all of their work on this legislation to protect low-income children in public housing from lead exposure. I also want to thank the Energy and Commerce Committee and Chairman Dingell for their work on this bill as well. H.R. 6309 requires that the Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, update its blood lead level intervention regulations to reflect the level used by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The legislation simply requires HUD to update its blood lead regulations from the current 20 micrograms per deciliter to 10 micrograms per deciliter. The Center for Disease Control, the CDC, has that as their recommended threshold. Or if the CDC updates their standard to a lower number, that lower number. Madam Speaker, this legislation is long overdue. The CDC, in 1991, 17 years ago, determined that a blood lead level of 10 micrograms per deciliter was the threshold for potential damage in children. Lead poisoning causes destructive physical, intellectual and behavior problems, including weight loss, decrease in IQ, hyperactivity, lethargy, and even sometimes, Madam Speaker, death. In fact, a 4-year- old young man swallowed a lead charm and died in my district a couple years ago. Lead poisoning is one of the largest environmental hazards affecting children in America today, and it is also one of the most preventable hazards. Madam Speaker, our most vulnerable children often face a greater risk of being exposed to lead. Children of color, children from low-income families are more likely to reside in older homes, and these homes are much more likely to contain lead paint. Thanks to congressional action in the 1990s, our country has seen significant progress in reduction of children exposed to lead. Between 1991 and 1994, 4.4 percent of children under six, or more than 800,000 children, had unacceptably high levels of lead in their blood of 10 micrograms per deciliter or higher. The CDC now estimates that this number has dropped to 1.6 percent of children or more than 300,000 children. That's progress, but progress is not enough. Though this is progress, 300,000 children are still 300,000 too many; 1 is too many. Madam Speaker, my legislation is just one attempt to tackle the problem. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to some day eradicate this problem of elevated blood lead levels in children. This legislation is supported by numerous organizations from the Children's Defense Fund to the Sierra Club. Madam Speaker, let me just note that challenging and reducing childhood lead exposure will help our society lower the number of children who have reduce IQ because of this exposure, reduced hyperactivity, reduce children experiencing impulse control, and all of these things have implications for our juvenile court system and our adult court system, not to mention shutting off, closing down the tremendous potential that is locked up in every child. Madam Speaker, with that I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

Mr. ELLISON. Let me also thank the gentleman from California. Madam Speaker, it's wonderful when we can come together on both sides of the aisle to protect our children. In fact, one of the most important things we can do is to protect community and children, and so I am honored to be able to share the floor with the gentleman tonight. With that, Madam Speaker, let me just thank all of the community groups that came forward, including Sierra Club, Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota, and many others who have come to make this moment possible.

Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. The bill also requires bridge inspections every 2 years and even more frequently for structurally deficient bridges. There will be some critics who will say that we cannot afford to meet our infrastructure needs. In reality, Mr. Chairman, as you understand, we cannot afford to not meet our infrastructure needs.

Mr. ELLISON. Madam Chairman, I rise today to strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3999, the National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act. But let me start by thanking my fellow Minnesotan, Chairman Oberstar, for his vision. It would be much better if we had listened to him so long ago. We wouldn't be in this critical infrastructure crisis that we have today. But, unfortunately, we have events that have focused our attention, and we cannot dare to take our eyes off the tragedy before us. I heard Chairman Oberstar quote a famous American who said, it's a tragedy to lose the opportunity----

Mr. ELLISON. A tragedy is indeed a terrible thing to waste. Whenever a tragedy befalls us, it does not do proper justice and honor to the victims of that tragedy to not learn from it and to do better into the future. As the world knows, the tragic collapse of the Interstate 35 bridge occurred in the Fifth Congressional District, my home district, less than a year ago on August 1, 2007. During the evening rush hour, the Interstate 35 bridge collapsed, 13 Minnesotans lost their lives and over 100 individuals were injured. It has been widely reported that the 35W bridge was ``structurally deficient.'' Even more disturbing is that according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, one of every eight bridges across the Nation is structurally deficient. In my home State of Minnesota, about 10 percent of our 13,000 bridges are rated structurally deficient, so the problem of structurally deficient bridges and deficient bridges is a real issue to me and my constituents. It could and should be yours as well. Investing in our infrastructure and fixing our Nation's bridges demands our attention today so that our communities across the Nation can be spared the trauma that my district and my State had to bear last August. I am proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 3999. This legislation strengthens the inspection requirements and standards on our Nation's bridges. It requires that all Americans involved in bridge inspections receive appropriate training.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the chairlady for this excellent piece of legislation which I urge all of our colleagues to support. Imagine, Mr. Speaker, a young person voting for the first time, freshly 18 years old getting a chance to vote, waiting in line and finding out that there are no more ballots because of one reason or another. Or imagine the person is a senior citizen who has plowed so much into our country, forged a way for us in this society, but yet they stand in line, no backup ballots, they can't vote because the machine broke down. Or what about a veteran, Mr. Speaker, a veteran who has served in Iraq or Afghanistan who stands in line trying to cast a ballot to select a leader of their choice in their community and the machine breaks down, no ballots, and they're not able to cast a vote. This is a very commonsense, reasonable and responsible piece of legislation that goes to the very heart of what we are here to do in this Capitol today as the United States Congress which is to make sure that democracy marches forward. This is prudent. This is wise. This is smart. This is a dollar very, very well spent because it ensures that our country continue to reflect the rich diversity in this body so people can vote and pick their leaders. Mr. Speaker, I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to support this excellent legislation. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, middle-income Americans are paying a high price for the Bush economic policies that have taken us deep into debt and to economic recession. While the prices of groceries, gas, education, and health care have all gone up, the purchasing power of a middle-income salary has actually fallen over the last 7 years. Unfortunately, Republicans and President Bush continue to defend the status quo, refusing to support our efforts to help middle class families feeling the economic squeeze. House Democrats are working on new solutions to deal with this immediate economic crisis, and for long-term economic recovery. We have taken action to extend unemployment benefits, insurance benefits, and also so that workers can continue to receive important financial assistance while they look for jobs in these trying economic times. We have also passed legislation to address the Nation's housing crisis so that millions of Americans will not be forced into foreclosure this coming year. Mr. Speaker, House Democrats also support a second economic recovery plan, and we hope we can gather Republican support for it.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Madam Chairman, on rollcall No. 465, I was stuck in traffic trying to get to the vote and I ran out of time. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, with two former oil executives in the White House, is it any wonder why gas prices are at a record high? President Bush's energy policy, created in secret by Vice President Cheney and by Big Oil, leaves us dangerously dependent on foreign oil, and it hurts our economy and American families. Washington Republicans only offer more drilling, even though 68 million acres of Federal oil reserves are already open and leased for development. New drilling won't lower prices for years to come. In fact, drilling in the pristine Alaskan Wildlife Refuge wouldn't yield oil for 10 years, and in 22 years, it would only save consumers about 2 cents a gallon. Mr. Speaker, if congressional Republicans really are interested in helping consumers at the pump today, they will join us this week in passing legislation that forces Big Oil to either drill where they already have leases or to lose those leases. It's time Big Oil uses it or loses it.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, the Bush economy has lost nearly 325,000 jobs this year alone. With five straight months of job losses and the unemployment rate experiencing its sharpest spike in 22 years, it is clear that the economic downturn is hurting middle class people everywhere. Last week, the Democratic Congress passed legislation to extend unemployment benefits for an additional 13 weeks to provide relief to millions of Americans who are finding it increasingly difficult to find a job. Not only will this extension help 1.6 million Americans who have already exhausted their regular benefits, but it will also stimulate the struggling economy. For every $1 spent on unemployment benefits, it generates $1.64 in our economy. Mr. Speaker, after last week's bipartisan vote, President Bush and the majority of the House Republicans should drop their opposition to this common-sense legislation so we can provide some much-needed assistance to those who are hurting under the Bush economy. Workers who are having trouble finding a job are not to be blamed for this struggling economy.

Mr. ELLISON

Mr. ELLISON. Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. This President, who shakes his finger about supporting the troops, would never, never veto the GI Bill. Certainly you jest.

Mr. ELLISON. Well, you know, Mr. Speaker, these are important facts you bring up. I kind of think of that period after World War II, up until about 1973, as the almost, almost golden age of America. I say ``almost'' because it was marked by Jim Crow and other things like that, very important, serious issues. And we've come a long way. Our country's come a long way. But you cannot ignore the fact that after World War II, you had the GI Bill. You had FHA. We had already established Social Security to make sure that no seniors had to live out their retirement in an undignified way. And we also had tax rates for the very wealthy that were much, much higher than they are now, and we also had a higher rate of unionization. I know some folks don't understand how important that is, but the fact is, in 1957, 33 percent of all workers were in a union. Another 33 percent were paid like they were, and folks were living relatively well. We all look back at those old TV shows and kind of chuckle now at how corny they were, but they actually were doing pretty well economically in the 1950s. And the fact is that some of these kind of policies are things we need today, but we have the advantage today to have greater equality which is so great, you know. It's a great honor of America that we have overcome some of those things of the past, those lack of equality issues. But as we've gotten greater social equality, we've lost in the area of income and economic equality, and we've got to revitalize our economy to make sure that everybody can share in it. And I think that green jobs are the way, but a compassionate response to people who are unemployed now is also part of the picture as well. And you mentioned your dad. My dad was born in 1928, went to World War II, to the Pacific at a very young age, about 17 years old, but he did go. He was a military person and served in the Pacific, was in Hawaii and was a beneficiary of the GI Bill and was able to go to college, Wayne State University in Detroit, on that program. And it made him into a man who could put five boys through college, me and my brothers, and you know, it's an amazing thing. You know, I am proud of my brothers. They're all doing well. They're all doing great. And the fact is, none of us would be doing this well if our dad had not been the beneficiary of an enlightened, compassionate, common-sense program like the GI Bill, and I'm glad that we're able to pass it through this House. And I pray that the President sees the light and passes and signs that bill.

Mr. ELLISON. Well, you know, soldiers are people, too. They want a future. They want an education. They want something to pass onto their children. They want to live a quality lifestyle. They want to own their home.

Mr. ELLISON. There has been actual progress on the ground in Colorado. I'm happy to report that in Minneapolis we have a wonderful VA hospital there, and we've seen things getting better all the time. But I want to let the veterans know that, as we talk tonight about the economy, we've talked about gas prices, we've talked about unemployment insurance, looking out for our veterans, making sure our veterans have economic opportunity, educational opportunity, health care opportunity is part of the whole dialogue. This is a working class prosperity issue, veterans' benefits. GI Bill benefits is a factor when it comes to trying to make sure that the American middle class, American working class has a real chance at doing well in this economy. So I want to thank you for bringing that out. And I just want to say, you know, that it's important to understand veterans as an important component in our economy because when you just separate the soldier from the economy, you forget that the soldier is coming back. And they should have a good way to go when they get back. You know, I also just wanted to mention, as we start walking into our final 15 minutes tonight, that we just had a Memorial Day. And on that day, I am proud to tell you that a number of our veterans are well aware of some of these programs; a number of them are well aware of the work that Congress is trying to do, not always with a cooperative White House, but on some things we have found cooperation, and we're thankful for that. And I just want to mention to you as well that it's really tough on our veterans to have to deal with foreclosure. I've had a few vets in my district, while they were away, they had only their spouse to try to keep up the mortgage, and they've fallen behind. And I bring that up only because I think that it's important, as we talk about this, that we do mention that a part of what this Democratic Congress and the ``difference makers,'' this freshman class, has been a part of is trying to close the gap when it comes to the foreclosure crisis. You know, I don't have to tell you, Mr. Perlmutter, that we're dealing with about 2,800 foreclosures a day. We're dealing with about 20,000 a week. We're dealing with a very serious problem. And I just want to point out that this foreclosure crisis is something that there have been bills introduced that try to forestall foreclosure for a veteran, for a soldier who's overseas, but it's something that really is affecting our entire economy. We've passed bills through the House recently that will allow FHA to be put in a position to buy some of these mortgages and restructure them going forward. I think it's important that we point this out because the Congress has been responsive. You and I are both on the Financial Services Committee, and so we both know that we've been working on this housing issue quite a bit. And also, last December, I believe, we also passed a bill through Congress, an anti-predatory lending bill that I think should pay some good dividends if we could get that enacted into law. But this foreclosure crisis is hitting our veterans and it's hitting all of our people. And maybe you would like to comment on that.