Chaka Fattah

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, this is obviously an important signal from the majority to Americans of color, whether they be Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, or Native Americans, that the one thing that they don't want is to enforce the fair housing laws and that they don't want to have a circumstance in which, even though the impact of a set of policies means that you are excluded, that somehow there should not be any redress for that. We went through this debate last year. I am going to ask for a recorded vote on this as I think it is an important indication of the nature of inclusiveness that is being offered to America by the House majority. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FATTAH. I yield to the gentleman from Georgia because I need to ask a question about this. You say that the commercial catch limits for fishing days are 360 days a year? And I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chair, the gentleman said for practical and other philosophical reasons. I guess, if you looked at Major League Baseball and if you didn't see anybody of color, you could assume that there was a disparate impact until Jackie Robinson showed up, but American baseball is a lot better, and I think that our country is a lot stronger because of the diversity that exists. I think the fair housing laws have played an important role in at least the idea that we think that you shouldn't have a circumstance in which, no matter what the set of policies, if you are a different color or ethnic background, you shouldn't apply. I think it is something that we have rejected as a nation. I hope we reject this amendment, and I will seek a recorded vote on it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. FATTAH. I seek time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. FATTAH. The executive branch, the President of the United States, has the responsibility to review applications for pardons and clemency, and this would interfere with the executive branch's responsibility in that regard. I think that it would also hamper our ability to move this bill to a position of final passage and signature by the President. I am opposed to it. I am glad the gentleman from Pennsylvania was able to have an opportunity to offer it and air his point of view, but I think when we have a President perhaps of a different party, there will be less enthusiasm for trying to unnecessarily interfere in the proper role of the executive, which clemencies and pardons are in the purview of the President; and detailing employees of the executive branch, for the Republican Party that is for normally streamlining and making nimble and allowing managers to set priorities and to move personnel around, to suggest that they somehow now are against this, I assume there is some particular reason, and it couldn't be anything other than on the merits I am certain. I thank the gentleman, and I would stand in opposition to the amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Culberson), the chairman, if he needs the time.

Mr. FATTAH. Reclaiming my time, we have, and it must be just inherent for politicians, selective amnesia. We kind of remember what we want to remember, and we forget what we want to forget. Now, it has been uttered on the floor of the House that no President has done some broad swath of clemencies or pardons. Well, it was President Ford who offered and President Carter who implemented a clemency or amnesty for hundreds of thousands of people who had evaded the draft during the Vietnam war. This has nothing to do with the implementation of the laws set by our Congress. This right to the Presidency of pardons and clemency is given in the Constitution. The point here is that it is just another effort, this consistent drumbeat about our President. This will not be the law at the end of the day when this bill is passed. I oppose it, and there is no President that is going to sign away their executive authority. It would diminish the power of the Presidency. And perhaps for the majority if they were to gain this Presidency again--and I am sure they will on some election--they wouldn't want to diminish the power of the Presidency. I think it is just ill-fated and it is focused at a particular effort at this moment, but it does not represent a historical fact that a President has not provided broad exemption or clemency or pardons in our past. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of our nation's gifted veterans, Commander Paul S. Anderson, Chaplain in the United States Navy. Commander Anderson has enjoyed a long and illustrious career as a Chaplain in the United States Navy. For twenty- five years he served as pastor, counselor and mentor to the thousands men and women of the Navy and the Marine Corps providing them with moral and spiritual support. Commander Anderson personifies honor, courage and commitment. He truly is a talented and gifted chaplain who has enjoyed amazing reach and impact to all who have benefitted from his ministry. On May 1, 2015 the Navy says farewell to one of its best and most dedicated chaplains as Commander Anderson will retire from active duty service. He leaves his watch with the confident assurance that serving in one of the most distinctive ministries in the world was God's specific calling on his life. He has served his country with honor and distinction and today we honor him for his commitment and service. Chaplain Anderson concludes his Navy career path as the Deputy Chaplain for Joint Forces Headquarters-National Capitol Region at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. His portfolio included Joint Plans and Operations for Religious Support for ceremonies and circumstances that might overwhelm the capacity of civil authorities. Prior to that assignment, he was the Chief of the Department of Pastoral Care and Clinical Ethicist at the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Commander Anderson has served nobly at duty stations across the nation and around the world. They include: Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133, Gulfport, MS ; USS MIDWAY (CV-41), Yokosuka, Japan; Chief of Naval Personnel Command, Washington, D.C.; Marine Corps Base, Okinawa, Japan; Naval District Washington, D.C.; USS MONTEREY (CG-61), Norfolk, VA; Boston University, Boston, MA; Southwest Asia Region, Manama, Bahrain; Maritime Helicopter Strike Wing, Mayport, FL; National Naval Military Medical Center; Bethesda, MD; Walter Reed Army Medical Center; Washington, D.C.; Fort Belvoir Community Hospital; Fort Belvoir, VA; Joint Forces Headquarters-National Capital Region and Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C. His decorations include Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3); Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal; Meritorious Unit Commendation Award; Good Conduct Award; Humanitarian Service Medal (2); National Defense Service Medal (2); Global War on Terrorism Medal (Expeditionary); Global War on Terrorism Medal; Sea Service Ribbon and Overseas Service Ribbon. Chaplain Anderson has earned four graduate degrees; a Master of Divinity from Andrews University, a Master of Education in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland and a Masters of Sacred Theology in Religion and Culture from Boston University. His Doctor of Ministry degree was conferred by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. He also holds certifications in Suicide Awareness and Prevention, Civil Mediation, Alternate Workplace Dispute Resolution, Temperament Analysis, Marriage Enrichment, Workforce Diversity and is a certified Life Coach. Commander Anderson anchors his life with the following text: Psalms 37:4-5; Proverbs 3:5-6; John 14:1-3; Romans 8:28; Galatians 6:9; and 1 John 1:9. On behalf of a grateful nation we salute you Chaplain Anderson, and wish you fair winds and following seas as you enter retirement and embrace a new chapter in your life.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentlewoman from Alabama and those others who have cosponsored this, including Congresswoman Roby from Alabama. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is so vitally important. I take it as one of my life's greatest honors to have served for the last 20 years in the Congress with John Lewis. He literally changed our Nation through his bravery. On a day like today, this is the date that 25 years ago, Nelson Mandela walked out of prison and into the Presidency in South Africa, and as those foot soldiers walked across this bridge on Bloody Sunday, they helped create a circumstance in which we would have, as a President of the United States, Barack Obama. We cannot separate these issues. They are inextricably intertwined. Mr. Speaker, I want to say to my colleague from Selma who represents so ably the new South that our Nation is so much better for the struggle in Selma, for the sacrifice, and not just in those who are famous like Dr. King or John Lewis, but I met at her side Ms. Boynton, a 105-year-old woman who walked across that bridge that day, just in this Capitol less than 20 days ago. I want to thank her for her leadership on this issue and thank her as we celebrate and commemorate these 50 years and as we dedicate ourselves to fight for the right to vote for every single American without equivocation or compromise.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the National Federation of the Blind. For 75 years NFB has served as the voice of the blind in Washington and through their affiliate organizations in every state across the country. I congratulate them on this milestone of service, their advocacy efforts on behalf of blind Americans, and their continued work to make our communities more just, equal, and safe for blind individuals. As the largest organization of blind and low-vision people in the country, NFB works day in and day out to change what it means to be blind and to help realize the complete integration of blind individuals into society. On this 75th anniversary, I join in celebrating the National Federation of the Blind's long-list of achievements and look forward to their continued success representing the million-plus blind individuals in the United States.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. ``But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.''

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of Philadelphia's greatest luminaries, Ms. Dorothy Johnson-Speight, Founder and Executive Director of Mothers In Charge, Inc. She is a respected leader, solid advocate and inspirational speaker against the war to end senseless acts of violent crime. Her work, though rooted in Philadelphia, has led to national appearances and presentations across the United States and abroad. A licensed family therapist, Dorothy actively engages in championing the rights of children and families. She has a distinguished career in victim advocacy. In 2001, her life was forever changed following the tragic murder of her son Khaaliq Jabbar Johnson over a parking space dispute. That tragic incident left Mrs. Johnson-Speight needing the support of others. She reached out to other grieving mothers and together they founded the non-profit organization Mothers In Charge, Inc., a grassroots organization whose mission is violence prevention through education. Mothers In Charge engages in proactive intervention with children, young adults, families and community organizations. The work of Mothers In Charge under the direction of Mrs. Johnson- Speight has motivated mothers from around the country who have suffered the indescribable loss of a child. Chapters of this extraordinary organization have been founded in Wilmington, DE, San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Kansas City, MO, Atlantic City, NJ, Brooklyn, NY and Harrisburg, PA. The extraordinary work of Dorothy Johnson-Speight and Mothers In Charge has been appreciated and acknowledged by some of the nation's most influential publications and organizations. Dorothy has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Best Philadelphia Award from the Philadelphia Magazine; the Philadelphia Eagles identified her as one of the 75 Greatest Living Philadelphians; in 2012, the Philadelphia Tribune chose her as one of Philadelphia's Most Influential African American Leaders, and the Philadelphia Inquirer named her Citizen of the Year in 2013. The recognition doesn't stop there as Mothers In Charge has also received numerous organizational awards and recognitions. The organization was the focus of a special feature on the OWN Network's ``Our America'' with Lisa Ling. Villanova University produced a documentary, No Greater Pain which journal's Dorothy's unspeakable loss and her arduous and unexpected journey to victim advocacy. Organizational awards include the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Director of Community Service Award, the Wells/Fargo/Wachovia Community Service Award, and the School District of Philadelphia Humanitarian Award. I am pleased to lead the Congress in honoring Dorothy Johnson- Speight--founder of Mothers In Charge--for her unceasing efforts and outstanding progress in victim advocacy. Her legacy in Philadelphia and her mark on the national stage for victim advocacy will leave a legacy on generations to come.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, in each and every one of our districts throughout the country, in every one of the families situated, there is a concern around neurological-based diseases and disorders--from Alzheimer's to autism, schizophrenia. We could go through the list of 600. But the point is that this work in our committee, on a completely bipartisan basis, we are moving aggressively on neuroscience initiatives. I thank Chairman Rogers for his support, and the ranking member from New York, and I want to thank my partner, Chairman Frank Wolf, for his support on this effort. We launched an initiative to map the brain and do so much more. I want to just talk about what is in this bill today. We have the framework for a global fund on Alzheimer's. We have the effort now to bring, for the first time, the national labs into an effort to build a national brain observatory, which is going to bring the scientific arsenal of our country to bear on this war on disease and a better understanding of the human brain. We have, in this bill, language that would have the United States create an international conference to bring together the global initiatives in the European Union and Israel and China and other countries, to come together and work on these issues. And we have a new initiative on imaging. So I want to just say that there is a lot I could talk about in the CJS portion of the bill, but I want to just say that this effort on the human brain, with some 50 million Americans suffering from brain- related diseases and illnesses, a billion people worldwide, this is something that this Congress can feel is a major achievement, for us to move in a direction and deal with these issues, from addiction to Alzheimer's and everything in between.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. FATTAH. I missed the opportunity, and I should acknowledge the strong contribution of Congressman Bob Brady in this effort, along with yourself and Congressman Fitzpatrick. I neglected in my early remarks to do so, so if I could lay that on the Record. This would not have happened without Congressman Brady's support.

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. We have come to this floor on any number of occasions honoring people, but I think this may be the noblest moment that I have risen on the floor, because, in this instance, it is not to name a stamp after Wilt Chamberlain from Philadelphia or the train station after Congressman Gray, but this is to acknowledge a young man who graduated from high school in 1966 and, within a year or so, joined, enlisted, and went off to war on behalf of his country in a faraway place. He finished at Cardinal Dougherty High School. He played varsity baseball there. He played basketball in a summer league at Simons Recreation Center. He grew up in West Oak Lane in my district, on the 7400 block of Thouron Avenue. But the Corporal Crescenz whom we honor today is someone who, even though he was only in country for just a mere few months, when this attack took place, he grabbed a machinegun and he went towards the fire. It has been recounted when President Nixon awarded him the Medal of Honor, he took out one machinegun nest, he took out another, he then took out a third. Then when a camouflaged artillery post opened up, he charged at it, and that is when he took this mortal round. But this is a young man who really, I think, represents everything that is important about American ideals because he lived a life of service on behalf of his country. He took it on himself to face challenge in a faraway place. He honors us even in his death, which was a long, long time ago, by giving us the honor to be able to rise and to acknowledge his courage. Our city lost a lot of people in the Vietnam war. This is the only soldier to earn the Medal of Honor. I want to thank Councilman David Oh, who is a member of the Republican Party on our city council--it is hard to be a Republican and get elected in Philadelphia--but who helped to raise this issue locally. I want to thank all of the Pennsylvania Members. We introduced a bill, H.R. 454. Every single Member of the Pennsylvania delegation supported this. I have visited the Philadelphia VA. I have talked to veterans there who are getting care, all of whom are proud to have served our country. I think that they will be proud that the name of the medical center will be named after this young corporal who didn't make it in the headlines but, today, he is at the very forefront of the work of the United States Congress as we honor his service and we honor his family by this naming bill.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Thank you. I appreciate that. We were together just recently in your district at the Staglin Scientific Symposium, focusing on some of the challenges related to diseases and disorders of the human brain. This issue that you raise on the floor tonight is the most dominant challenge that we face in terms of a degenerative brain disease. It is not by accident that Prime Minister David Cameron, when leading the G7, said that dementia was the world's global challenge. It is not by accident that here in our own country we have created, through the great work of Members like yourselves and others, a major focus now on Alzheimer's as one of the brand-name dementias that has affected millions of Americans and will affect millions going forward. I have led an effort in the appropriations process focusing on the human brain, both mapping the brain and challenging and chasing cures and treatments for diseases. This neuroscience initiative, Fattah Neuroscience Initiative, has been focused on the fact that these 600- plus diseases of the brain affect over 50 million Americans; but there is none more costly than Alzheimer's, none that are affecting more families than Alzheimer's. And it is so important. We just had an incident the other day of a very prominent restaurant owner here in Washington who was said to have gone missing in New York City because she is suffering from this disease. I was happy to be at the launch of the Give To Cure effort, which is an effort to build support so that the ``valley of death,'' as it is called, in terms of major research that needs to go forward to clinical trials, working with my good friend Rafi Gidron from the Israel Brain Technologies and so many others. This morning I met with the new president of Cal Tech and talked about the efforts there at a great university in your State, and they received well over 10 percent of the initial awards in the BRAIN Initiative from NIH because of the leading research. I have been--and some of the people think I may have some designs on retiring to California. I have spent some time there now with Stanley Prusiner, who is a Nobel laureate in neurology. He was the first one working with people like Virginia Lee and John Trojanowski to begin to really understand the early formation of this disease and how it affects people. I want to talk just for a minute about how this affects families--and then I will yield--not about the science of it. There are significant scientific hurdles, with over 100 billion neurons, tens of trillions of connections. We do not now know how the brains of human beings work, but we don't have a good understanding yet of how the brains of much smaller insects or animals actually function. This is a great scientific challenge. I think it is the most important frontier for all of science to focus on, and that is why I am so dedicated to it. When it comes to families--and I heard you speak about your own--this is something that has a tremendous impact. And dementia is something that, as people are healthier, their bodies are healthier, their brains are degenerating. We are going to face more and more of this. We had a former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, talk about, if we could just reverse for a few years the onset of Alzheimer's, it could save our country trillions of dollars. But put the dollars aside. What this is really about is valuing families and understanding that as much as science is something that we all take a great interest in, that what should focus us is to make sure that our scientific endeavors are focused on how to improve the life chances of the people who we represent. So the World Health Organization says there are a billion people worldwide, NIH says 50-plus million Americans suffering from brain illnesses. We know that you have your finger on the pulse, Mr. Speaker, and I thank you for conducting this Special Order. I know that so many members want to participate, I am going to now yield back my time, but you can count on us as we go forward to continue to work with you and to work with the pharmaceutical industry and to work with our academic enterprises, and we are going to have even more success going forward not just in finding treatment but we have to put as our goal finding a cure. So thank you.

Mr. FATTAH. If the gentleman would yield for just a second.

Mr. FATTAH. I met just a few days ago with Henry Markram with the European Human Brain Project, where the EU has put now a billion-and-a- half euros on the table to help with the mapping of the brain. One of the things that we talked about and what is clear is that we have to bring these global efforts together and connect them. This is not about one researcher somewhere discovering the solution to this. This is going to take a combined effort, and we have to have a certain urgency about it, and we have to demand that it be done now. Thank you.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, we are here because the President of the United States has requested an emergency supplemental appropriations of about $3.7 billion. The Senate has acted in the range of about $2.7 billion. The House now comes in at one-sixth of the request to deal with this crisis. It ignores the wildfires in the West, the challenges that relate to other parts of the bill that were presented by the administration, and it says we are acting responsibly. I rise in opposition to the bill. I understand what the majority is offering, and I think it has been stated pretty clearly. I believe, if we have children who are presented to us without adults--who have been the victims of trafficking, which is what the majority has said, they have been trafficked by cartels and paid criminal enterprises to bring them to our border; the majority says some of them have been sexually abused and mistreated in other ways--I don't believe that our response should be to close the door. So as we think about our responsibilities as the United States of America, a Nation that had 12 million people without documents when the President was sworn into office--50,000 children, just like the 5-year- old girl that my colleague said he met and talked to--the idea that our moral responsibility is to say to her, ``You go back to where you came from,'' I don't believe that that is what we should be doing. So I reject this--not because of the numbers or the other things. I think this is morally deficient, that our great country would say, as we demand other countries around the world take in refugees who are facing dangerous circumstances, that what our answer is, No, not here. Not in our backyard.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Well, I thank the gentlewoman, and I thank the chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. As an appropriator, we were going to proceed in an appropriations bill with this naming, but after consulting with the chairman, he felt that it was important that we proceed under regular order and that this was important enough that we have an actual piece of legislation, and he guided me through this process. I want to thank the chairman for his advice on the matter, and also, we were able to round up every single member of the Federal delegation from our State who were enthusiastic in their support for this, and our cosponsors--and our two United States Senators have introduced a companion bill in the Senate, Senator Toomey, and our senior Senator, Senator Casey. We thank Senators Toomey and Casey for their support. Mr. Speaker, Bill Gray served for 12 years as Budget Committee chair and as majority whip. He was an accomplished lawmaker and leader in a bipartisan way. He helped to lead the budget negotiations with President Reagan's administration, which at first sought to eliminate Amtrak, but in the conclusion, it was Secretary Stockman who said that it was Bill Gray's leadership that allowed for necessary cuts to be made in other areas of the budget, but for Amtrak to continue to receive the necessary support, so that it could be a vital part of our transportation infrastructure. He also, as the chairman has indicated, directly impacted the station in Philadelphia by arranging for some urban development action grants to be the focus of revitalization of the station at 30th Street. Now, I live in a city in which we have the Betsy Ross Bridge, the Walt Whitman Bridge, and the Ben Franklin Parkway, but to add to this now the Bill Gray Station at 30th Street I think appropriately recognizes the historical contribution of a young man who was elected at 38, who served in this Congress, and provided extraordinary service. When he left here, he went on to lead the Nation's most aggressive effort ever in terms of scholarships for students to pursue colleges who were coming from underrepresented categories. He served as a special envoy for President Clinton, in terms of interacting around challenges in Haiti, and on a day where we had the Young African Leaders summit here in Washington, some 500 young leaders, Gray is most remembered in Africa because he championed and passed successfully the divestiture of South Africa, the legislation that would effect the divestiture of stock to end apartheid, and as a freshman, he passed a bill that created the African Development Bank. Freshmen at that point, and even today, find it difficult to pass major legislation in our House. So I think it is great that we have come to this moment, and even though I passed other very important pieces of legislation, I am extraordinarily and personally honored to be able to carry this bill. I thank the gentlewoman from Florida, the ranking member, and the chairman for all of the courtesies that have been extended.

Mr. FATTAH. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. FATTAH. I am aware that he was raised by educators and that his father was the president of a great college in Florida. I think it is appropriate that you would come in from Florida to help us move this bill forward. But Bill Gray loved you, and he loved the State of Florida. He made that his home once he retired from the Congress representing Pennsylvania.

Mr. FATTAH. I am convinced, in terms of someone mounting a pulpit, there are very few people who could claim the mantle that he claimed as pastor of Bright Hope Baptist Church. He was just an extraordinary figure. There are so many stories on a bipartisan basis that could be told. I think it is great that years--decades--after his service and before a year has passed since his passing that the House is taking this step today to honor his service. It honors us that he served here.