Dwight Evans

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. EVANS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Madam Speaker, the new House Democratic majority has passed several important bills, including bills to protect Americans' healthcare. One of those important bills coming up is the Equality Act. First as a State legislator and now as a Member of Congress, I have supported the equal rights for LGBTQ people for over 20-plus years. Today, in much of America, LGBTQ people can get married on Sunday and fired on Monday. Our fellow Americans should not have to fear losing a job or an apartment simply because of who they are. I am proud that this House will pass the Equality Act today. I urge the Senate to join us in passing this bill. Let fellow Americans be free to be themselves, free from discrimination; and from sea to shining sea, let freedom ring.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Madam Speaker, it is day 34 of the Trump shutdown. Tomorrow will mark the second missed paycheck for 800,000 Federal workers and for many Federal contractors, as well. I have spent parts of 2 days at the Philadelphia airport meeting with the workers and seeing the needs. These people in the groups are stepping up. Everyone is looking to the Republicans and the President to step up. We must reopen this government. Pay these workers now. Pay these workers now. Pay these workers now. Pay these workers now. Pay these workers now. Pay these workers now.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, the government shutdown is hurting people in Philadelphia right now. I met a HUD employee this week who is tired of being used as a pawn. She said: ``I'm ready to go back to work. I'm ready to serve the people.'' Instead, she has to worry about her mortgage and student loans. She said: ``My American Dream is slipping through my fingers. It's really not fair.'' Mr. Speaker, she teared up. I understand why. For the 800,000 Federal workers and Federal contractors, this is not some reality TV show. This is real life. The workers and citizens served by the government need the President and the Senate to reopen the government first, and then we can have a debate about border security. The Senate should join the Democratic House in passing the spending bills to reopen the government, bills that they have already passed last year. And we all need to keep foremost in our minds that this debate about the wall--we should be talking about the real people and getting to work now, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to an influential and dedicated man from Philadelphia, David Fattah, Sr., a devoted servant of the community and his family. Mr. Fattah passed away on December 5, 2018. I'd like to include in the Record the eulogy delivered by Ralph E. Blanks, Interim Pastor of Vine Memorial Baptist Church in West Philadelphia. ``David Fattah, Senior has written the autobiography of his life. Today, we have read selected excerpts and pages from his life story. What a life extraordinaire as he and his beloved soulmate, Queen Mother Falaka Fattah made a difference in the lives of countless boys and girls thru the House of Umoja. Umoja, a Swahili word that means to strive and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race. The opposite of unity is division and division is one of the weapons the devil has used for ages to divide us mentally, physically, and spiritually. This is why a race divided against itself cannot stand. The more united we are, the stronger we become. The more divided we are, the weaker we become. Today, David Fattah's life reminds us to do all things necessary to unite and stay united. If we don't do it, it won't get done!!! There are some things that only we can do for us, by us, with us and to us!!!! Hear the words of the Lord speaking to us for this time as recorded in the book of the Prophet Isaiah chapter 58 verses 10,11,12: If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations, you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets to dwell in. Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. tells of a time when two street gangs were about to go to war and David drove up in a banged up, beat up police cruiser. Jumped out and stood in the gap between the two gangs and carried out shuttle diplomacy in the ``hood''. A husband, father, grandfather, patriarch, social engineer, community activist and today we add ``restorer'' to describe David. Restore means to bring back into existence; to use or reestablish; to bring back to a state of health, soundness or vigor. The communities and neighborhoods are calling out for someone like David to stand in the gap and restore civility, bring back respect, reestablish order and common sense which ain't very common these days. David was a restorer of life because his life pointed people to the life of Jesus. That's what it means to be a restorer of life. Your life points people to the ultimate restorer of life, Jesus Christ. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the soul of the oppressed, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your night will become like the noonday. Notice the Lord does not say, if you give the hungry some food, but rather He says if you give yourself!!! It's easy to give folk some food, but to give up your house, your comforts, your privacy, your money, your clothes, your space.........., your living room/dining room becomes the meeting room, the gathering room, the prayer room filled with desks, chairs, computers and other office equipment. Jesus said, if you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. Mark 8:35 Folks are just as hungry today as they were 45 years ago- physically hungry, mentally hungry, spiritually hungry; hungry for love, hungry for acceptance, hungry for family, hungry for a sense of home and belonging. If you are generous, extravagant with the down and out, your lives will began to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in the sunlight. Listen to what the Lord says He will do in your life when you pour out, give extravagantly to the last, the least, the lost, the struggling....... ......I will always show you where to go, I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places, firm muscles, strong bones. You'll be a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry. You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past, you'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again. Who will stand in the gap? Who will be known as the restorers of the streets, of the community? Will you make a commitment today? Then sign off on the Imani Pledge that Queen Mother and David developed: Whereas over 44 years ago in 1974, the youth in the City of Philadelphia took the bold step forward to ensure that following generations would not have to experience the self- destruction and agony of gang warfare. We honor them for this and for keeping their word. Whereas in as much as our ancestors, parents, teachers, caregivers, elder community members and others that have shed blood that we might acquire an education. We give our word to refrain from fighting during school, after school and inside school, and we encourage those that we know to do the same. Whereas we too are a generation that is proud and want to succeed. On this day, I sign this document to let it be known wherever it needs to be known that I care deeply about our community and will do all in my power to return us to our traditional greatness. Let my word be my bond. In honor of David Fattah, Sr., I pledge to stand in the gap as a restorer of the streets and communities. Some of you are asking right now: pastor, are you asking me to sign up for another social justice movement. In Jesus' church, there can be no separation between the cross and social justice. There is no separation in Scripture between the two--no pain no gain, no cross no crown!!!! Jesus said in Matthew 25: Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked, and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. There is no separation between the cross and social justice. If we go into the neighborhood and live out the gospel--two things will happen. People and places will change. We are called to be restorers of life and of the streets. David Fattah, husband, father, community activist, restorer of the streets was called from earthly labors to heavenly reward the other day. The heart that gave so much to so many just stopped!!! But the Creator said I've got a new heart for you over in Gloryland!!!! David is done with the troubles of this world, he has gone home to be with His God!!! No more crying, weeping and wailing, no more sickness, heartache or break. He's done with the troubles of the world. Listen as David speaks parting words: Do not stand at my grave and weep for me, I am not there. I do not sleep!!! I am every boy and girl fighting for life. I am every parent struggling with rebellious kids! I am every teacher demanding your best. I am standing in the gap connecting warring factions. Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die. If I can do my duty as a good man ought If I can bring back beauty to a world up wrought If I can spread love's message as the Master taught Then my living shall not be in vain David Fattah, Sr., husband, father, grandfather, patriarch, social engineer, restorer of the streets and community has done his work, has sung his song, now he has gone home where he belongs!!!! To God be The Glory!!!!!!! The 2nd Congressional District of Pennsylvania extends gratitude to David Fattah, Sr. for his dedicated support and service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank both chairmen for their leadership in this opportunity of bringing us all together. I chose to be a member of the Agriculture Committee because this committee has jurisdiction over some of the most critical issues facing our community, that is food and nutrition. Even back in Pennsylvania, one issue that has been central to my work is ensuring that people in every neighborhood in Philadelphia, between west Philadelphia and north Philadelphia, south Philadelphia, had access to safe, healthy, and reasonably priced food. In Philadelphia, 20 percent of our population is food insecure, meaning one in five Philadelphians don't know where their next meal will come from. I am pleased to see that this bill maintains SNAP and does not weigh down poor and hungry Pennsylvanians with onerous work rules. But let's be clear: this is just a beginning. No child should go to bed hungry. No parent should have to make the choice between putting food on the table or keeping the lights on. In times of peace and in times of war, our soldiers must always have a food source in order to provide the necessary safety and security our democracies depend on for survival. As a member of the Agriculture Committee, I had the opportunity to meet with members of the ag community at all levels, from farmers to consumers. I have come to better understand the needs of Pennsylvania's hardworking farmers and others in the broad agriculture community through events such as the Pennsylvania Farm Show and the Ag Progress Days. And over time, through meetings with advocates, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, The Food Trust, the National Young Farmers Coalition, Philabundance, Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, and National Farmers Union, I am happy to say that this bill does a lot of work for them. In addition to SNAP, this bill addresses hunger by increasing funding for everyone. This bill also provides greater flexibility in coverage and tools for Pennsylvania dairy farmers, investing in rural infrastructure, supports research of 1890 land-grant universities, and maintains fundamental conservation programs. Food unites us. Food is medicine. Food is foreign policy. And I say this: this bill is a starting point. We have to work together, and I look forward to working on this bill to make it stronger. Mr. Speaker, I thank both chairmen and I thank the staff for all their collective work together. Yes, we should vote a resounding ``yes.''

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today along with Representative Robert Brady to honor an influential and dedicated man from Philadelphia, Charles W. Bowser, Esquire, a devoted public official, and former Deputy Mayor of Philadelphia. Mr. Bowser was born on October 9, 1930, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and dedicated his life and career to improving the lives of others through public service. Mr. Bowser graduated from Temple University in 1952 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism. After graduation, Mr. Bowser joined the United States Armed Services and served as an Explosive Disposal Expert in Korea from 1952 to 1954, earning the rank of Sergeant. Upon returning from Korea, Mr. Bowser graduated from Temple University Law School in 1957 with a Juris Doctorate. Mr. Bowser began his lengthy career in public service in the 1960's under the tutelage of former United States Representative, Rev. Dr. William H. Gray, II and Samuel Evans. In 1964, Mr. Bowser served as Executive Director of the Philadelphia Anti-Poverty Action Committee. He was later appointed as the first African-American Deputy Mayor of Philadelphia by Mayor James Tate. In 1968, Mr. Bowser became the first Executive Director of the Philadelphia Urban Coalition, now known as the Urban Affairs Coalition. Under his leadership, the total value of programs at the Urban Affairs Coalition had grown from $3.9 million to $12 million. This growth was a result of Mr. Bowser's innovative means of leadership and vision for the organization. Over the course of his outstanding career and lifetime, Mr. Bowser remained a staunch supporter and advocate of the community. He served on numerous boards and commissions, including but not limited to, the MOVE Commission, 1985 and the Pennsylvania Commission on Judicial Reform, 1987 through 1988 and as Special Counsel to the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, 1998 through 2000. Mr. Bowser received numerous awards over the span of his career. These countless honors serve as a testament to Mr. Bowser's service to the city of Philadelphia. Charles W. Bowser, Esquire passed away on August 9, 2010. He will be remembered as a force in local, state and national politics. He was a treasured son of Philadelphia's African American community. In recognition of his service we support the designation of, October 9, 2018 as ``Charles W. Bowser Day'' in the city of Philadelphia. On behalf of the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts of Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia, we extend gratitude to the late Charles W. Bowser for his dedicated support and service to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their bipartisan leadership. I am pleased to join with my colleague, Congressman John Curtis from Utah, in putting forth this important piece of legislation. I am pleased to join as the cosponsor of Congressman Curtis on H.R. 6348, the Small Business Access to Capital and Efficiency Act, which adjusts the real estate appraisal threshold under the section 504 program to bring them into line with thresholds used by the Federal banking regulator. This bill also passed out of the Small Business Committee in July. The city of Philadelphia has a robust real estate industry which employs appraisers, lenders, construction workers, bankers, and numerous others. The point is the industry is responsible for jobs, jobs, and more jobs. Currently, the Small Business Act mandates this. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this particular bill. This is very important to our country.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their support of this bill. As I mentioned earlier, this bill is important for modernization and moving toward the future. In the city of Philadelphia, we have a lot of opportunities. It is most important that we rise in competitiveness from where we are today. As the ranking member has stated very clearly, this again just makes the opportunities more competitive. I think it is most important in this environment today that we are sensitive to small businesses because they are the backbone of our future. It is important to understand that in a city like Philadelphia, which has 26 percent poverty--one of the largest major cities in this country--we need to add this to the toolbox. The importance of growing businesses, particularly small businesses, is extremely important to us all. So I stand here today and join with my colleagues and ask that we support this legislation that will be very important in the toolbox of small businesses.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove my name as a cosponsor of H.R. 6417.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Madam Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to anchor this CBC Special Order hour. I would like to thank the CBC chair, Chairman Richmond, for his leadership in this effort. For the next 60 minutes, we have an opportunity to speak directly to the American people about issues of great importance to the Congressional Black Caucus and many of the constituents we represent. General Leave

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I am going to do something highly unusual today, because my colleague who is here from the District of Columbia knows an awful lot about this subject. I have watched her; I have observed her. She has taught a few classes and a few people on this subject matter, and she is an expert. So I think the best way to start off is with a person who was a former law professor who teaches, who really understands what our Supreme Court means as the third element, with the legislative and the chief executive. I have heard her in Congressional Black Caucus meetings. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I would ask my good colleague from the District one or two questions, if I could. I listened very intently. One of my favorite decisions that came down was May 17, 1954, Brown v. Board of Education. Mr. Speaker, the President asked Black Americans, after he came to the city of Philadelphia, he said: What do we have to lose? I think, ``what the hell do we have to lose?'' So I ask the gentlewoman that question in the context of Brown v. Board of Education, and that is over 64 years ago now. And for where we are, I just heard her very succinctly say about his ability to chip away and not, you know, be able to fully overturn. So I would ask her to talk a little bit about how would she see anything relating to Brown v. Board of Education and his ability in any of his writings relating to that particular decision that came down.

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I would ask one other question. The gentlewoman also laid out the percentages of numbers. Does the gentlewoman think there is some sort of philosophical packing taking place here when she describes the 8 percent versus the 2 percent. But just the 8 percent, is there some type of strategy going on here relating to packing the Court, the Highest Court in the land, at least in some way influencing for years, 25, 50 years down the line? Is there something going on here that the public should know and be aware of? The gentlewoman has obviously studied the court system, the judicial system herself over many, many years. Has the gentlewoman ever seen-- and I heard her make the comparison of President Bush, and I understood the comparison she made. It seems like there is something else going on here besides just putting individuals on the Court, but there is something like some type of philosophical strategy going on here. Am I missing some point in what the gentlewoman just laid out to us?

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, the one last question I would ask the gentlewoman: The Congressional Black Caucus gave a document, as a matter of fact, to the President that said we have a lot to lose. In asking that question--and the gentlewoman has again done an excellent job in laying out historical perspective for where we are-- obviously, as African Americans, it seems like, to me, there has to be a huge fear factor because, if the only check and balance, obviously, is the Congressional Black Caucus being the conscience of the Congress, and the United States Senate, you know, is that check and balance, what would you say to African Americans, Latinos, others relating to where we are, because this is a very crucial time. What would the gentlewoman say when he says, ``What the hell do you have to lose?'' and we say, ``We have a lot to lose''? What would you say? What would you say to the people?

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from the great District of Columbia, where we need to make sure that she has a right to vote in this body is also something that needs to take place in terms of the District of Columbia and representation, and I thank her for that knowledge and information that she has provided to us. I have someone else, Mr. Speaker, who I have grown deeply in understanding her thoughts and her comments. I had the chance of visiting the Seventh Congressional District in the great State of Alabama. She is moving and making a lot of things happen there in Alabama. She definitely said: ``I have to speak on this.'' I heard her give some comments before on this, and she has some real thoughts about what is taking place in the courts. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague from the great State of Alabama a question. This President talked about cleaning up the swamp. She may recall he talked about that issue. From listening to her just now, it appears that we know how it was taking place with his Cabinet, but we are talking about something very sacred, and that is the courts. Can she talk a little bit about, does she see cleaning up the swamp taking place here relating to the courts? Because as I listened to her, it sounds like the courts are not being cleaned up.

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague another question, but before I do that, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, in the past, Judge Kavanaugh has emphasized the importance of ``checking political alliances at the door.'' So I ask the gentlewoman that question relating to what she just said because, in addition to the dark future for landmark decisions like Roe v. Wade, voting rights, affirmative action, Brown v. Board of Education, accessibility to affordable healthcare could be greatly diminished, the gentlewoman said that has consequences. And this is his quote. He said ``check political alliances at the door.'' So tell us now, we have got about 4 minutes, tell us, can we believe that he will check the political alliances?

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Alabama, and I really appreciate her comments and help. In closing, Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Black Caucus, with both of my colleagues, all of them today, really have shown how we need to be very conscious of this decision that the Senate is about to make. This is extremely important in talking about the future in America, and we need to understand that we must operate under the Constitution and the rule of law. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I want to lend my voice to this very important essential legislation. Nothing is more important than mentoring, particularly in small businesses. I know in the particular case of the city of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, SCORE is an important asset. I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for her leadership on something that is extremely essential, something that transcends parties. It is about economic growth and economic opportunity, and I thank her for her leadership that she has shown in understanding the importance of mentoring.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2655, the Small Business Innovation Protection Act of 2017. I want to thank my colleague Congressman Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania for working with me to help American small businesses via this critical piece of legislation. H.R. 2655 directs the Small Business Administration and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and the Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to enter into a partnership agreement; one, to develop high quality training for small business concerns related to domestic and international protection of intellectual property and how such protections should be considered in small business concerns' business plans and growth strategies. Number two, to leverage existing training material already developed to educate inventors as well as small business concerns. In addition, section 4 of this bill provides that the agencies must use the training material that they already have at their disposal. I think that Members of the Congress have a special duty to try and ensure that our small businesses have all the tools in the toolbox they need to succeed. We know that small businesses are critical to the economic strength of our country, especially new and growing tech-based economies. That is why we should create programs like this to assist entrepreneurs in starting their own businesses, providing structure, and helping them with their progress. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, where there are already 1 million small businesses, which, according to the Pennsylvania SBDC, employ 2.4 million workers that make up 47 percent of the private sector labor force, it is critical that these businesses be able to protect their intellectual properties so that they will feel free to continue growth and innovation and prosper. This bill is a step in the right direction by expanding intellectual property education and training for small businesses. And frankly, Mr. Speaker, this bill is an example of how we can use the power of government to create narrowly tailored solutions to problems in the current public/private partnerships in Pennsylvania and around the Nation. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the support of my colleagues. In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, there is a letter from the Biotechnology Industry Organization written in support of this particular bill I ask that my colleagues support.

Mr. EVANS

Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.