Chaka Fattah

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Let me thank my colleague for yielding me this time. If we roll the tape back, I can hear, as if it was yesterday, Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Fed, testifying before this Congress--and right after President Bush was sworn into office--about the fact of this $5 trillion surplus and the opportunity to pay off the debt. We were having a discussion about whether it would be good for our economy--this is in the record of this Congress--whether it would be good for our economy to pay off all of our debt or rather we should leave some debt on the books. That is what was projected. It was said at the end of the Bush Presidency, we can be an entirely debt-free country. Well, here we are today in a much different situation. Now, if you want a balanced budget, then you should follow those people who know how to get us there. Democrats led the way under President Clinton, and we had a surplus. We had a balanced budget. We were paying down national debt. And that is where we are returning our country to, which is a responsible fiscal policy. And as we see the economic turnaround, gross domestic product, 6 percent in the negative a year ago. We saw $700,000 lost in January a year ago. What we see now is a 5.7 percent increase in gross domestic product. We see purchasing orders up, manufacturing up, in today's report, by 1 percent, which is the second month in a row. We see home sales up. We see a country on the rebound. And the fact of the matter is that PAYGO, as structured under this rule, not only says that you have to pay as you go, it also directs the Government Accountability Office to look for duplicative programs in the Federal budget that can be cut. Now, I am going to be offering additional legislation next week on dealing with the debt that has been accumulated by the Republican President and the Republican majority over the last 6 years of the Bush administration, and we can do even more.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call to the attention of my colleagues an important and insightful commentary in the Sunday Washington Post--``A Very Productive Congress'' by Norman Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Norman Ornstein is no raving liberal, nor is AEI considered among the ranks of progressive think tanks. Even more to the point, Ornstein is no fan of this august body. As the editor's note describes, he is co- author of ``The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track.'' His study, co-written with Thomas Mann, was published in 2006 when, I might suggest, a great many in the House today would have readily agreed. So it is significant and, frankly, a hopeful sign for progress in our democracy that Ornstein cites the high legislative achievement of the 111th Congress and the dramatic if overlooked success of President Obama since January 2009: ``. . . This Democratic Congress is on a path to become one of the most productive since the Great Society 89th Congress in 1965-66, and Obama already has the most legislative success of any modern president--and that includes Ronald Reagan and Lyndon Johnson,'' Ornstein writes. ``The deep dysfunction of our politics may have produced public disdain, but it has also delivered record accomplishment.'' Ornstein in particular praises the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as a monumental achievement that would draw even greater recognition if it had been passed as a series of separate programs to reshape and fund education reform, health information technology, an energy smart grid, far-reaching job recovery and much more--``Instead, the Congress did it in one bill.'' I am a dedicated viewer of the Sunday talk shows. This past Sunday my channel surfing failed to locate a single commentator, legislator, scholar or talking head referencing the Ornstein essay. So I am sharing Norman Ornstein's article here in hopes that it will stimulate further discussion, appreciation of the Congressional leadership, and proper perspective of our accomplishments at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. [From the Washington Post, Jan. 31, 2010] A Very Productive Congress, Despite What the Approval Ratings Say (By Norman Ornstein) When President Obama urged lawmakers during his State of the Union speech to work with him on ``restoring the public trust,'' he was hardly going out on a limb. The Congress he was addressing is one of the least popular in decades. Barely a quarter of Americans approve of the job it's doing, according to the latest Gallup/USA Today poll, while 58 percent said it was below average or one of the worst ever, according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal survey last month. It's not hard to find reasons why Americans are down on Capitol Hill, and why President Obama's approval rating has dropped below 50 percent in many polls. A year into the 111th Congress, unemployment remains at 10 percent, and many Americans are struggling to get by--even as they've watched Congress bail out banks and coddle the same bankers now salivating over massive new bonuses. At the same time, the public has had a front-row seat to the always messy legislative process on health care and other issues, and this past year that process has been messier, more rancorous and more partisan than at any point in modern memory. There seems to be little to endear citizens to their legislature or to the president trying to influence it. It's too bad, because even with the wrench thrown in by Republican Scott Brown's election in Massachusetts, this Democratic Congress is on a path to become one of the most productive since the Great Society 89th Congress in 1965-66, and Obama already has the most legislative success of any modern president--and that includes Ronald Reagan and Lyndon Johnson. The deep dysfunction of our politics may have produced public disdain, but it has also delivered record accomplishment. The productivity began with the stimulus package, which was far more than an injection of $787 billion in government spending to jump-start the ailing economy. More than one- third of it--$288 billion--came in the form of tax cuts, making it one of the largest tax cuts in history, with sizable credits for energy conservation and renewable-energy production as well as home-buying and college tuition. The stimulus also promised $19 billion for the critical policy arena of health-information technology, and more than $1 billion to advance research on the effectiveness of health- care treatments. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has leveraged some of the stimulus money to encourage wide-ranging reform in school districts across the country. There were also massive investments in green technologies, clean water and a smart grid for electricity, while the $70 billion or more in energy and environmental programs was perhaps the most ambitious advancement in these areas in modern times. As a bonus, more than $7 billion was allotted to expand broadband and wireless Internet access, a step toward the goal of universal access. Any Congress that passed all these items separately would be considered enormously productive. Instead, this Congress did it in one bill. Lawmakers then added to their record by expanding children's health insurance and providing stiff oversight of the TARP funds allocated by the previous Congress. Other accomplishments included a law to allow the FDA to regulate tobacco, the largest land conservation law in nearly two decades, a credit card holders' bill of rights and defense procurement reform. The House, of course, did much more, including approving a historic cap-and-trade bill and sweeping financial regulatory changes. And both chambers passed their versions of a health- care overhaul. Financial regulation is working its way through the Senate, and even in this political environment it is on track for enactment in the first half of this year. It is likely that the package of job-creation programs the president showcased on Wednesday, most of which got through the House last year, will be signed into law early on as well. Most of this has been accomplished without any support from Republicans in either the House or the Senate--an especially striking fact, since many of the initiatives of the New Deal and the Great Society, including Social Security and Medicare, attracted significant backing from the minority Republicans. How did it happen? Democrats, perhaps recalling the disasters of 1994, when they failed to unite behind Bill Clinton's agenda in the face of uniform GOP opposition, came together. Obama's smoother beginning and stronger bonds with congressional leaders also helped. But even with robust majorities, Democratic leaders deserve great credit for these achievements. Democratic ideologies stretch from the left-wing views of Bernie Sanders in the Senate and Maxine Waters in the House to the conservative approach of Ben Nelson in the Senate and Bobby Bright in the House, with every variation in between. Finding 219 votes for climate-change legislation in the House was nothing short of astonishing; getting all 60 Senate Democrats to support any version of major health-care reform, an equal feat. The White House strategy--applying pressure quietly while letting congressional leaders find ways to build coalitions--was critical. Certainly, the quality of this legislative output is a matter of debate. In fact, some voters, including many independents, are down on Congress precisely because they don't like the accomplishments, which to them smack of too much government intervention and excessive deficits. But I suspect the broader public regards this Congress as committing sins of omission more than commission. Before the State of the Union, the stimulus was never really sold in terms of its substantive measures; it just looked like money thrown at a problem in the usual pork-barrel way. And many Americans, hunkering down in bad times, may not accept the notion of ``countercyclical'' economic policies, in which the government spends more just when citizens are cutting back. Most of the specific new policies--such as energy conservation and protection for public lands--enjoy solid and broad public support. But many voters discount them simply because they were passed or proposed by unpopular lawmakers. In Massachusetts, people who enthusiastically support their state's health-care system were hostile to the very similar plan passed by Congress. Why? Because it was a product of Congress. Well before Sen.-elect Brown's Bay State upset, it was clear that a sterling legislative record in the first half of the 111th Congress did not guarantee continuing action in 2010 or beyond. And now, Democrats' success at keeping 59 senators in line means little if they cannot find someone on the other side willing to become vote No. 60. With Republicans ebullient over the Massachusetts election, the likelihood is that they will feel vindicated in their ``just say no'' strategy, Obama's leadership lectures notwithstanding. If the midterm elections in November turn out to be more like 1994, when Democrats got hammered, than 1982, when Republicans suffered a less costly blow, the GOP will probably be emboldened to double down on its opposition to everything, trying to bring the Obama presidency to its knees on the way to 2012. That would mean real gridlock in the face of a serious crisis. Given the precarious coalitions in our otherwise dysfunctional politics, we could go quickly from one of the most productive Congresses in our lifetimes to the most obstructionist. And voters would probably like that even less.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, Teddy Pendergrass lived many remarkable lives--a life of song, rich and sensuous, a life of determination to overcome a difficult childhood in North Philadelphia, and finally a life of perseverance and triumph against the greatest odds imaginable. When Teddy Pendergrass, at the too-young age of 59, died January 13 in a hospital several miles from where he grew up in North Philadelphia, the tributes flowed from across the nation and the world. But they weren't nostalgic reminisces for a faded star whose career might have been cut short by a paralyzing automobile accident. The praise and admiration were present-tense, for a man who--by guts and willpower-- kept performing, kept filling concert halls, stayed vibrant on the playlists and wherever music is enjoyed. Even more, Teddy Pendergrass was a man of character and example. He grew in stature with the passage of years. He endured the hard solitary work of rehab so that he could return to the limelight--in a wheelchair, but ever-soulful. The tragedy of March 18, 1982 did not render Teddy bitter or consumed with self-pity. He emphatically made it clear that ``there is life after paralysis''. Offstage, Teddy Pendergrass worked to inspire and encourage others. He established the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to raise money for other victims of spinal cord injuries. He partnered with the National Spinal Cord Association. He inspired young artists--and youth people with severed spinal cords. Theodore DeReese Pendergrass, born March 26, 1950, had a strong and special relationship with his mother Ida Burgess Pendergrass--and with the gift of music that she nurtured. Ida would stand young Teddy, at the age of two, on a chair in church and he would sing praises to the Lord. At age ten he was licensed to the Gospel Ministry. Soon he was playing the drums for various local groups including The Cadillacs. It was while drumming for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes that his vocal gift was discovered. In 1972, he signed to Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International Records label. ``Teddy Bear'' was smoldering hot--in his recordings, on stage, everywhere he went. He recorded 10 platinum (million-selling) albums in a row for Gamble and Huff at Philadelphia International Records. No one who heard them will ever forget hits like ``Love TKO'', ``Turn Off the Lights,'' ``Feel The Fire.'' And of course, ``If You Don't Know Me By Now.'' His ``women only'' concerts are legendary. A year after his accident Teddy Pendergrass returned to recording, memorably in a 1984 duet with Whitney Houston, titled ``Hold Me.'' He rolled that wheelchair onstage at JFK Stadium to perform at the unforgettable ``Live Aid'' charity concert. He produced a 1998 autobiography, undertook a 2002-2003 concert tour, and all the while serving as an inspiration to many young artists. The milestone of his life was ``Teddy 25--A Celebration of Life, Hope and Possibilities'' at Philadelphia's Academy of Music. It was a fund raiser for his Alliance, and it marked 25 years since the accident. Then, at last, came retirement. This past year, Teddy Pendergrass faced a battle with colon cancer that his great heart and courage could not overcome. Teddy Pendergrass loved life and would light up any room with his million dollar smile. He loved his family and held them close to his heart. This love was evidenced in the way that he encouraged family and friends to share private moments with him. He and his wife Joan enjoyed spending every possible moment together; laughter was a tremendous part of their life. Their love for each other was ordained by God and they became one in marriage. Teddy returned to the Lord Jesus Christ and together they joined the Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church. Teddy leaves to cherish his memory, his loving wife, Joan Pendergrass, his devoted mother, Ida Pendergrass, his children, Teddy II (daughter-in-law, Felicia), Tishia (son-in-law, Cedric) and LaDonna; stepdaughters Sherilla Lestrade and Jessica Avila; grandchildren, Montaurius Drane, Desaray Drane, Teddy Pendergrass III, Alana Nida Sky Pendergrass, Jasmine Lestrade, Gabriel Gomes and Jeremiah Sanford. In addition to his immediate family, Teddy will be dearly missed by his godchildren, family and friends; especially, his cousins, Jerry and Francina Pendergrass, George Mouzon, Pee Wee Mosley and Neverland Dent; his special family; Joyce Canderlero, Edwin Dereese Canderlero, Antonio Canderlero, Keya Perinchief, Kylid Perinchief, Lori Edmonds, Paya Williams, ``second Mom'' Louise Hollerway, his manager's Danny Markus, Shep Gordon and Allan Strahi and longtime friend, Henry Evans. It is as Enon Tabernacle, one of Philadelphia's great churches, that a Celebration of Life will be conducted on Saturday, January 23, at 10 a.m. Teddy Pendergrass lived a life worthy of celebration at every level. His music lives on. His spirit lives on. His fierce determination and zest for life endures. This is how we know him, by now.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. The Republican minority has been fairly consistent. When we focused on health care, they said, well, 85 percent of the people in the country have health care, so let's not turn things upside down, let's not sacrifice too much to try to deal with the tens of millions who don't have it; 85 percent have it. On the jobs front, 90 percent of the people in the country have jobs. So I can see their lack of empathy for the 10 percent who don't, and they don't see a need for us to act. But as we come to this holiday season, as we look and see many of our citizens who not only have not a job at this moment, mainly because of policies enacted, this unwarranted war in Iraq and fiscal policies that have had us a double- digit national debt in the trillions before Barack Obama was sworn into office, but they don't really see a need for us to do a great deal of effort here to try to put Americans back to work. I want to thank the chairman for authoring this legislation which is bifurcated, both focused on jobs and also in helping people in a difficult moment. That's what I think America ought to be about. I rise in support of this legislation.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4173, the Wall Street and Consumer Protect Act of 2009. The bill proposes to address the financial crisis brought on by the financial industry by crafting a comprehensive set of measures that will modernize America's financial regulations and hold Wall Street accountable. A myriad of issues, from predatory lending to unregulated derivatives, are contained in the bill to prevent conditions that led to last year's financial meltdown. The legislation being considered today outlaws many of the egregious industry practices that marked the subprime lending boom, and it would ensure that mortgage lenders make loans that benefit the consumer. H.R. 4173 establishes a simple standard for all home loans, mandating that institutions must ensure borrowers have the ability to the loans they are sold. In addition, the bill prohibits the financial incentives for subprime loans that encourage lenders to steer borrowers into more costly loans, including the bonuses known as ``yield spread premiums,'' which lenders pay to brokers to inflate the cost of loans. Many homeowners in the current mortgage crisis received were steered into more expensive loans than they qualified for. The bill limits the prepayment penalties charged to borrowers who wish to get out of their loans and refinance on more affordable terms. Implementing laws to correct the failures that led to the economic conditions that created the worse financial crisis since the Great Depression is important in ensuring the ensuing calamity that transpired after the collapse of the financial markets. Nevertheless, the Chairman's inclusion of a mortgage foreclosure assistance provision in the Chairman's Manager's Amendment brings to light one of the least discussed causalities of the financial disaster. Many homeowners now find they are unable to meet their financial obligations due to the severe recession caused by the unbridled greed and recklessness of many financial services institutions. On numerous occasions, President Obama declared the road to recovery must begin with correcting the damaged housing market by providing people the tools necessary to keep their homes and prevent foreclosure. According to a recently released report by RealtyTrac, a realty company that maintains a comprehensive national database of pre-foreclosure and foreclosure properties, nearly 400,000 properties received foreclosure filing in August 2009. Though number of filings decreased less than one percent from the previous month, the overall number of foreclosure filings is nearly 18 percent higher than the previous year. More strikingly, the report also indicates 1 in every 357 properties used for housing are under threat of foreclosure. Although not all homes in the foreclosure process will end in a foreclosure completion, an increase in the number of loans in the foreclosure process is generally accompanied by an increase in the number of homes on which a foreclosure is completed. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, about 1 percent of all home loans were in the foreclosure process in the second quarter of 2006. By the second quarter of 2009, the rate had quadrupled to over 4 percent. Traditionally, housing is considered a relatively safe investment that allows for the possibility for a high rate of return. Rapidly rising home prices reinforced supported this view. During the rapid of expansion of housing in the early part of this decade, many people decided to buy homes or take out second mortgages in order to access their increasing home equity. Furthermore, rising home prices and low interest rates contributed to a sharp increase in people refinancing their mortgages. For example, between 2000 and 2003, the number of refinanced mortgage loans jumped from 2.5 million to over 15 million. In 2006 and 2007, the value of housing dropped precipitously, which triggered an unexpected increase in the number of homeowners that were delinquent on their mortgages payments and facing foreclosure. Mortgage foreclosures are very costly to both the foreclosed homeowner and the mortgage lender. Lenders suffer revenue losses from uncollected interest on delinquent loans, as well as unrecoverable origination costs and fees. Though loans that are insured under the Federal Housing Act mitigates losses to lenders to a certain extent, foreclosures cost the lending industry approximately $32,000 for every home that is in foreclosure proceedings since foreclosed properties are often sold below market value. Losing a home to foreclosure can have a number of negative effects on a household. For many families, losing a home means losing the household's largest store of wealth. Furthermore, foreclosure can negatively impact a borrower's creditworthiness, making it more difficult for him or her to buy a home in the future. Finally, losing a home to foreclosure can also mean that a household loses many of the less tangible benefits of owning a home. Research has shown that these benefits include increased civic engagement that results from having a stake in the community, and better health, school, and behavioral outcomes for children. In addition, many homeowners experience difficulty finding a place to live after losing their home to foreclosure. Many will become renters. Nevertheless, some landlords may be unwilling to rent to families whose credit has been damaged by a foreclosure, limiting the options open to these families. There can also be spillover effects from foreclosure on current renters. Renters living in units facing foreclosure may be required to move, even if they are current on their rent payments. As more homeowners become renters and as more current renters are displaced when their landlords face foreclosure, pressure on local rental markets may increase, and more families may have difficulty finding affordable rental housing. Some observers have also raised the concern that a large increase in foreclosures could increase homelessness, either because families who lost their homes have trouble finding new places to live or because the increased demand for rental housing makes it more difficult for families to find adequate, affordable units. A concentration of foreclosures will negatively impacts communities, not just homeowners facing foreclosure. Many foreclosures in a single neighborhood may depress surrounding home values. If foreclosed homes stand vacant for long periods of time, they can attract crime and blight, especially if they are not well-maintained. Concentrated foreclosures also place pressure on local governments, which can lose property tax revenue and may have to step in to maintain vacant foreclosed properties. Unforeseen events can happen to all people, in all communities. Unexpected medical expenses, sudden unemployment, and divorce are only some of the myriad of unforeseen circumstances that can create financial instability for hardworking homeowners. Such hardships are frequently cited as significant contributing factors that hinder a homeowner's ability to maintain timely mortgage payments, ultimately resulting in dramatically higher rates of mortgage foreclosure. Homeowners in America face the added pressure of simultaneously handling the financial burdens of unforeseen events and their mortgage obligations. Making Home Affordable, the new Obama plan which requires lenders to modify mortgages, is a good idea that is off to a slow start as lenders have yet to gear up for or aggressively seek modifications to those eligible. Foreclosures caused by unemployment are becoming a greater and greater portion of the foreclosure problem. Estimates are that 5.5 million homes will enter foreclosure in 2009 and 2010. In Pennsylvania, a major state initiative to combat family- devastating foreclosures has been operating with success for more than a quarter-century, enacted in the wake of the severe recession of 1983. The Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) has provided loans to over 43,000 homeowners since 1984 at a cost to the Keystone State of $236 million. Assisted homeowners have repaid $246 million to date which works out to a $10 million profit for the state after 25 years of helping families keep their homes. The Pennsylvania model will work nationally, and that is why I introduced H.R. 3142, the Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance (HEMA) Act, which is pending before the House Financial Services Committee. HEMA establishes an emergency mortgage assistance program for qualifying homeowners who are temporarily unable to meet their obligations due to financial hardship beyond their control. Under HEMA, homeowners would have the opportunity to regain financial stability without the immediate pressure of foreclosure. With the support of Chairman Barney Frank of the Committee on Financial Services and Subcommittee Chairwoman Maxine Waters, the HEMA proposal was incorporated into H.R. 3766, the Main Street TARP Act. The Main Street TARP Act proposes to use unspent TARP funds to provide relief for distressed homeowners who are unable to meet their mortgage obligations due to financial hardship, as well as providing assistance to renters seeking affordable housing. A national HEMA program offers a workable complement to President Obama's new Making Home Affordable program. Making Home Affordable has allocated $75 billion in TARP funds to provide financial incentives to encourage participation by mortgage servicers and homeowners. Although the Treasury Department is taking steps to increase the effectiveness of Making Home Affordable by pressing mortgage servicers to put additional resources and staff into providing loan modifications that make mortgages affordable for homeowners, the scale of the problem is huge and the ability and willingness of servicers to do the work necessary is in question. The loss of six million US jobs since the start of the recession complicates the crisis as many jobless won't even have enough income for a loan modification to be effective. A HEMA-style loan program could use TARP funds already allocated for foreclosure prevention to directly cure mortgage defaults for the unemployed. As the economy recovers most jobless workers will get back to work and be able to resume their mortgage payments. Even a portion of the $75 billion set aside for Making Home Affordable could pay a lot of mortgage payments to bring homeowners current and not have them at the mercy of a mortgage servicer who is poorly equipped to offer them help. Such a program could be run much more efficiently than the time consuming loan modification program. A homeowner who indicated that he or she was unemployed would provide verification of unemployment compensation to the servicer and automatically be approved for a loan that would pay any mortgage above 31 percent of their income (the target amount in Making Home Affordable modifications). The Treasury could make payments for the homeowner who is then current on the mortgage. It would cut through the disorder of the loan modification program and slow the numbers of foreclosed properties on the market. The success of HEMAP is evident in the program's results. Since its inception, 42,700 families were saved from foreclosure by providing over $442 million in loans to at-risk homeowners. The average loan to a distressed homeowner is $10,500, which is much less than the $35,000 it costs to complete most foreclosure actions. Additionally, this estimated average foreclosure cost does not consider the impact of foreclosures on families, neighborhoods and communities. We have tried everything else. The Treasury has already allocated far more than $2 billion to prevent foreclosures. It seems likely that many of those dollars will not be spent in a timely manner by mortgage servicers modifying loans. It's time to get people's mortgages paid directly and to slow the pace of home losses that are destroying families and crippling our overall economy. It's time to think outside the box about foreclosures--and way past time to keep Americans inside their homes.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, in my fourteen years representing the people of Philadelphia and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, I have had few opportunities as significant as this one to stand up for my constituents, their families, the future of our city and the destiny of our nation. This healthcare bill is the result of months of legislative negotiation and collaboration and answers the calls made for decades by mothers who could not alleviate the suffering of their children, conscience-minded small business owners who could not provide the healthcare coverage they knew their employees deserved and doctors and nurses who fought creatively to provide treatments they knew their patients needed and could never afford. I am proud that today we will take the most significant step in a century towards joining the rest of the industrialized world in assuring every American has access to the healthcare they need. It is the nature of democracy that this bill contains some provisions which I do not support. I believe women deserve access to the full range of legally assured health services on equal footing with men. I believe it is our responsibility to vigorously address the pernicious health disparities which disadvantage Americans of color and linguistic minorities. I believe overzealous efforts to deny some people healthcare on the basis of their immigration status will inadvertently limit care for native-born and legal residents as well. I believe a stow public option is the only way to ensure competition, choice and affordability in the American private insurance market. At the end of the day, we, as the Representatives of the people are called to speak for them. Rarely do we have the opportunity to so directly improve their standard of living. It is with the people of the Second District in mind, and the generations to come, that I enthusiastically vote yes for the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I thank the chairman for yielding me the time.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Acel Moore, a distinguished Philadelphia journalist and educator, mentor and role model, who is adding another significant honor to his already impressive career. Along the way, Acel Moore has been a pioneer in the promotion and showcasing of minority journalism and a star in the ranks of Philadelphia journalists. Acel Moore has been called ``the conscience of the community,'' a title and responsibility that he continues to earn every day. His latest honor, the 2009 Star Alumnus EDDY from the Philadelphia Education Fund as a Star of Public Education, will be presented November 19, 2009 at the Philadelphia Education Fund awards ceremony on the campus of Drexel University in my district. Acel's journalism career began at the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1962 as a copy book, gained added prominence with the 1977 Pulitzer Prize and continues today as the Inquirer's Associate Editor Emeritus and columnist. Yet alongside his work in the newsroom, Acel has been the creator of programs, motivator and instructor for generations of public school youth in Philadelphia. Most significantly, he has blended these dual passions. Acel Moore has not only opened the door for talented youth of color to launch journalism and communications careers in workplaces desperately in need of diversity. He has, time after time, built the doorway itself. Acel--known throughout Philadelphia and in wider journalism circles simply by his distinctive first name--continues to lecture at several colleges and universities around the country. At the Inquirer, he writes and directs recruitment, training and staff development while still being consulted to help shape and balance the paper's editorial policies. In 1979, he established the Art Peters Fellowship Program, a copy editor internship that has launched the careers of 50 journalists. In 1984, he created the Journalism Career Development Workshop that has trained dozens of Philadelphia high school students. The program is now named in his honor--the Acel Moore Minority Workshop. He also has developed writing and journalism programs for the School District of Philadelphia. In 1970 he won the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Scale of Justice Award for his series on the juvenile court system. Then came the Public Service Award from the Society of Professional Journalism in 1971 and an award from the Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors Association in 1974. That same year Moore joined Reggie Bryant to host an influential television show called Black Perspectives on the News on WHYY public television. In 1975, Acel Moore and 43 other newsmen and women met in Washington to launch the National Association of Black Journalists. NABJ soon spawned a Philadelphia chapter, and many more local chapters. A quarter century later, Acel Moore reflected, ``If I had said in 1975 . . . that I thought NABJ would have the impact and import it has today, I'd be lying. There was a feeling among some people that signing their name on the list [to form NABJ] was a risk, that there would be a retaliation for doing that.'' NABJ soon spawned a Philadelphia chapter, and many more local chapters. It was an advocacy group, an employment agency, a civil rights crusader. Now NABJ has 3,300 members. It has provided the example for minority journalism organizations of Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans, lesbians and gays, significantly increasing the diversity of our newsrooms, networks and the communications executive ranks. This is no small feat, and it is a tremendous service to the profession that Acel Moore loves: A newsroom or newscast must reflect the audience and the community it serves or its credibility suffers. Acel Moore had already achieved prominence and impact by the time he and Inquirer colleague Wendell Rawls began their investigation of abuse of inmates at Farview State Hospital. Their series led to awarding of the 1977 Pulitzer Prize, journalism's most important award, for local investigative reporting--and to significant changes at the hospital itself. Typically, Acel Moore was digging hard, uncovering the truth and providing a voice for the voiceless. I was honored to attend Acel Moore's ``retirement'' party in December 2005 with 250 colleagues, admirers, movers and shakers at the Moore College of Art. I put retirement in quotes because Acel wasn't truly retiring then, or in full retirement even today. He has taken up the hobby of painting. But he has never really stepped away from his day job--serving the Philadelphia community, its underprivileged and voiceless, coaxing and grooming the next generation of communicators to continue his life's work. On the eve of this next great and greatly deserved honor, I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating and thanking a great Philadelphian, Acel Moore.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. I knew Jack Kemp and worked with him when he was Secretary of HUD on an initiative in Philadelphia to take a major step in reforming public housing, move away from high-rise public housing for families with children and create real neighborhoods. It was Secretary Kemp, former Congressman Kemp, who really supported this effort and today, with a whole new skyline, a city of neighborhoods, increased our property values in all of the communities where we took down the high-rises and created real homes and neighborhoods for families. So I want to just rise--even though I know he is from New York and the Yankees won--as a Philadelphian to thank Jack Kemp for his service and to support this legislation today. He truly made a difference, not just as a Member of Congress but in his life after his work in the Congress as part of the President's Cabinet and as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, had I been present for the vote to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3949 as amended I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, had I been present for the vote on S. Con. Res. 45 I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a hometown hero and constituent of mine--the distinguished and very funny Philadelphian, William Henry Cosby, Jr. Bill Cosby has been tickling the nation's funny-bone and prodding its conscience throughout his adult life. He has won a trophy room of honors, but none like this one. Bill Cosby's talents and his insight have earned him the 12th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, awarded by the Kennedy Center on October 26, 2009. The star-studded and laugh-filled presentation will be shown on PBS nationally on Wednesday, November 4, always one of PBS's most popular and acclaimed programs. Bill Cosby--aka Heathcliff Huxtable, friend of Fat Albert, ``America's Dad''--is no stranger to the nation's viewers and comedy fans. Less well known, but looming large in terms of character and values, is the Bill Cosby who has served as role model, activist, educator, author, anti-violence crusader, fundraiser and valued citizen of his native Philadelphia. Bill Cosby was born in the Germantown section of Philadelphia into a modest family that valued hard work--the son of a maid and a Navy cook. He was raised in the Richard Allen Projects, attending Channing Wister Elementary, Fitzsimons Junior High, Central and Germantown High Schools, playing various roles as class clown, class president, star athlete, shoe repair apprentice, produce seller, and ultimately Navy hospital corpsman. As a young adult he began a lifetime relationship with Philadelphia's premier public institution of higher learning, Temple University. Building on his high school equivalency diploma, earned through correspondence courses, he enrolled in Temple in 1961 on a track and field scholarship, also playing fullback. Cosby, telling jokes as he earned a living, interrupted his studies to pursue show business, returned to academia and ultimately received a bachelor's degree from Temple. Eventually Bill Cosby would become Doctor Cosby. He earned a masters and a doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, a springboard to his later involvement in advocating for educational opportunity. But Bill Cosby, proud alum, has never left the Temple family, happily donning the cherry and white for football and basketball games, cheering on the Owls during and after the tenure of his close friend, Coach John Chaney. Cheerleading isn't all Bill Cosby has done for Temple. He has endowed scholarships (including one for graduates of Philadelphia schools he attended), established a lecture series, generated the University's Cosby Scholarship Committee of the Provost's office, appeared at numerous fundraisers and alumni functions, and served as the public face for Temple on countless occasions. Another side of the Bill Cosby Philadelphia Story is his anti- violence work. I have marched with Bill Cosby and my friend Bilal Qayyum through the streets of our city beneath the banner of Men United for a Better Philadelphia to denounce the scourge of violence, murder and gang activity. He has been outspoken--and raised considerable controversy--in denouncing the gang-minded culture and the negative, hateful cultural influences that fan street violence among our youth. He aimed his toughest words at parents, calling on them to step up and take responsibility for their children's education, safety and values. Education has been another Cosby cause. He and I share the passion for leveling the playing field, providing every child the resources, the quality teachers and the full opportunity to achieve his or her dreams. Earlier this year he donned a T-shirt from Central High School to stand with Governor Ed Rendell and advocate for fairer school funding. In his famous 2004 ``Pound Cake Speech'' Bill Cosby raised some hackles by telling African American parents they need to do a better job teaching their children morals at home. He chided those who ``had forgotten the sacrifices of those in the civil rights movement'' and declared that many young African Americans put too much emphasis on sports, fashion, and acting tough in the streets. The controversies raised by Bill Cosby still ripple through communities of color, but the points he raises are valid. And of course he has never lost his sense of humor. In all these ways, Bill Cosby is a worthy recipient of the Mark Twain Prize and the legacy of Mark Twain himself. I urge my colleagues in the House to join me in congratulating and thanking Bill Cosby, Philadelphian and American, upon this great occasion.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Let me thank the gentlewoman, and let me thank the sponsor of this bill, the gentlewoman from New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in one of my proudest moments in the House to support this legislation. As the father of three daughters, I am looking forward to the day I can bring them to the museum here in Washington to learn about the great achievements that continue until this day of women throughout the United States of America in all fields and endeavors. So I congratulate the sponsor, and I hope for its favorable consideration.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 26, which grants honorary American citizenship to a great hero of the American Revolution whose amazing and admirable story is also, in part, a Philadelphia story. Casimir Pulaski, the son of a Polish count renowned as a military leader in his own right, was forced to flee his native land and traveled to Paris, where in 1776 he met Benjamin Franklin. Franklin gave him a letter of introduction which Pulaski presented to General Washington in Philadelphia in 1777. He showed such bravery and military strategic skill in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown that Washington promoted him to brigadier general and chief of cavalry. Casimir Pulaski fought important battles at Little Egg Harbor, NJ, and along the Delaware River. Later he was sent south to lead troops at Charleston and Savannah, where he was fatally wounded in 1779. To this day, General Pulaski--along with his compatriot Thaddeus Kosciuszko--is revered by Philadelphia's vibrant and sizeable Polish- American community, and throughout our region. A school is named for Casimir Pulaski in Wilmington, Delaware. His life and accomplishments are honored at Philadelphia's Polish American Cultural Center Museum, 308 Walnut Street. A statue of Pulaski stands in the Garden of Heroes on the west side of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. And this past Sunday, October 4, Philadelphia celebrated with the Pulaski Day Parade, an annual Polish-American heritage parade on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The honorary citizenship we are endorsing today in the resolution put forward by Congressman Kucinich and Senator Durbin is long overdue. It is nonetheless welcome and meaningful to Americans of Polish heritage and to all Americans who share Casimir Pulaski's love of liberty and willingness to offer his life for the cause. I urge my colleagues to support H.J. Res. 26.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. First of all, I would like to thank the chairman, the ranking member and the professional staff of the committee. A wonderful job has been done, I think, dealing with and grappling with the whole set of issues. But in this $33.5 billion conference report, there are some very significant investments and priorities, $2.2 billion in energy efficiency and renewable energy, everything from solar to biofuels and hydrogen, weatherization grants. We are very, very pleased that they were able to produce that as part of this conference report. But I also want to say that on the nuclear side, a continuing investment by the committee, some $787 million on a whole range of very important efforts related to nuclear energy so they can be safe and environmentally useful to us to continue to expand, both through the loan guarantee program but also through a number of other investments that are being made in the conference report. And to deal with the President's commitment on nuclear nonproliferation, on the weapons side, a $2.1 billion investment. I think that Congressman Pastor, who has led this effort, and the staff have done a great job. We had a good process in negotiations with the Senate in our conference committee, which wrapped up yesterday. I encourage the House to favorably report this. I thank my good friend from New Jersey, who has served as the ranking Member and who has done an extraordinary job. This has been a bipartisan effort and is a bipartisan work product that I think moves the country's priorities forward in terms of energy and energy efficiency. I recommend it to the House.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the ambitious and important work being performed every day by students, program staff, parents and teachers to ensure that college dreams become reality for students attending high poverty schools. In particular, I would like to join with GEAR UP programs across the country who celebrated GEAR UP Day on September 18, 2009. In order to meet the challenge posed by President Obama that ``by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world,'' we will need to draw students from communities where high school graduation, let alone college attendance, is the exception rather than the rule. This ambitious goal, and the global competitiveness that comes with it, will require a dramatic increase in college attendance for students who are the first in their families to pursue higher education. I want to thank the GEAR UP programs who organized these events and the elected officials who participated: In Fairmont, West Virginia, they hosted a reception to thank the faculty and staff and to highlight the successes of GEAR UP while the Governor declared a West Virginia GEAR UP Day. In Cleveland, the program received a proclamation from the Governor of Ohio. In Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the Governor proclaimed September 18, 2009 as GEAR UP Day and the program celebrated with a community outreach event. In Iowa City, a GEAR UP principal gave remarks and received proclamations from the Governor and Mayor. In Wilburton and McAlester, Oklahoma, they received a proclamation from the Governor. In Pago Pago, American Samoa, the program received a gubernatorial proclamation and Valasi Lam Yuen was recognized as their Teacher of the Year. In Portland, Maine, the GEAR UP site also received a gubernatorial proclamation. In La Grande, Oregon, the mayor officially proclaimed September 18, 2009 GEAR UP Day. In Waco, Texas, parents, students, faculty and staff were on hand to receive a proclamation from the Mayor. In New York City they held a National GEAR UP Day breakfast at the partner middle school for parents, students, teachers, and administrators. The middle school scholars sent an oversized thank you card to the Honorable Senator Charles Schumer. The Mayor of New York City, Michael R. Bloomberg has proclaimed September 18, 2009 as National GEAR UP Day. In Tucson, the Mayor proclaimed GEAR UP Day and students are creating a GEAR UP Wall of Dreams. In San Marcos, California, GEAR UP received a proclamation from the city. In Kalamazoo, Michigan, they had an all-school assembly which included the Superintendent and Michigan State Representative Robert Jones. In Cincinnati, students signed promise cards and invited the Mayor and grant partners to participate. In Baltimore, students, staff and administrators celebrated GEAR UP Day on Friday and will continue their recognition on October 1, 2009. In Bangor, Michigan, they had an all school assembly at Bangor High School which included a speaker on career opportunities after high school. In Boone, North Carolina, GEAR UP leaders visited high schools to talk about GEAR UP and preparing for college. In Brooklyn, students participated in the 9/11 Day of Service. In Columbia, South Carolina, they recognized all the wonderful teachers, staff members, tutors, and volunteers who work with their GEAR UP students with an ``Energy Breakfast'' and by giving out thank you notes with Life Savers candy to let these people know they are GEAR UP's life savers. In Columbus County, North Carolina, students and program staff will be celebrating GEAR UP Day this week and will be creating a GEAR UP Wall of Dreams. In Edinburg, Texas, the GEAR UP site held a press conference to talk about the program, including a video message from Congressman Hinojosa. In El Paso, Texas, over 3200 GEAR UP students visited the UTEP Don Haskins Special Events Center for the GEAR UP Day Motivating Aspiring Scholars. In Harrison County, West Virginia, they had daily announcements about GEAR UP and had every 10th and 11th grade student write their goals for the future on a strip of paper. The strips of paper have been linked together into a chain to display in the commons area. In Jamaica, NY, the grantees hosted a round table discussion and invited Congresswoman Maloney, Mayor Bloomberg and Councilman Peter Vallone. In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, announcements were made every day last week with facts about college. To continue the celebration, I will be visiting this GEAR UP site next week. In Lincoln City, Oregon, students participated in sessions on college preparation, overcoming obstacles to higher education, and college and career planning. In Long Island, students participated in the 9/11 Day of Service. In Lowell, Massachusetts, they received proclamations from Congresswoman Nicola S. Tsongas as well as Mayor Edward C. Caulfield in recognition of the National GEAR UP Day. The proclamations were read to students on Friday in an assembly. In addition, parents of GEAR UP students prepared and served breakfast to teachers and students to commemorate the 10th year anniversary of GEAR UP. In Vista, California, the City issued a proclamation. North Hollywood, CA hosted a bagels and college awareness meeting with teachers, parents and students at GEAR UP schools. In Passaic, New Jersey student graduates presented to the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education. In Philadelphia, they recognized and awarded certificates to the current 8th grade students in cohort schools. GEAR UP students received an award certificate, a GEAR UP Banner to display prominently in their schools, and a check in the amount of $3000 to assist with offsetting costs for student support. In Ponce, Puerto Rico, GEAR UP program staff displayed street banners on the university campus and at participating schools. They also coordinated a television presentation with students to urge their classmates and students in general to stay in school and plan their postsecondary studies. In Reno, current high school and college students (GEAR UP alumni) are being recognized today at a rally. In Sacramento, they organized a presentation to the Superintendent, student presentations and campus tours. In San Francisco, they celebrated with an address from principals, student workshops and an ice cream social. In Santa Ana, California, GEAR UP conducted outreach and students pledged their commitment to college on cards. In Syracuse, New York, students participated in the 9/11 Day of Service. In Yakima, Washington they held an open house, college fair and reception. In Yonkers, New York, administrators issued a ``call to action'' to the partner schools by requesting teachers and administrators engage students in developing a personal learning plan, help students locate various colleges on a map, teachers and administrators wear their college sweatshirts/t-shirts, talk about college, start a college dream journal with students, take pictures of all activities, and above all make it fun. In Albany they hosted a GEAR UP Awareness Day in which the GEAR UP students shared their experiences with the program during the announcements. Program information and progress will be placed on tents and set on each table in the cafeteria. Stewarts Ice Cream was provided during lunch periods. In Jefferson, New York, students and parents visited college campuses. In Helena, Montana, they celebrated GEAR UP Day during their annual fall conference. I am proud of all that GEAR UP has done, and will continue to do, to improve life for families and build a stronger, more competitive nation. I encourage my colleagues to join me in this celebration.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, there were those who doubted that we would pass children's health care or the budget or the stimulus. Well, I rise today to say that we are going to pass comprehensive health insurance reform because it's so vitally important for our Nation's economy. As we see the stock market rising and as we see home sales regaining, we see the Richmond Fed report of a very positive manufacturing uptick in the economy, we know with certainty that health care is important. Not only do we need to have a robust private-sector health insurance option for the public, but we need to have an option for patients if they're turned away, so we need a public option. The previous majority had 8 years to do something on health care and did nothing. We see a lot of energy today in their speeches, but when they were in charge and when they had the White House, they had no concern for the tens of millions of uninsured Americans and for those kicked off of private health insurance because of preexisting conditions. We're not going to talk about it. We're going to vote about it really soon on this House floor.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. I rise in opposition to this amendment, and to support my colleague who has offered this very worthy project that's needed. The Philadelphia Art Museum is the finest art museum anywhere in the world, as far as I'm concerned, because I'm from the city of Philadelphia. But I think we all know that it's critically important to invest in these needed infrastructure repairs, and I'm very happy that the committee saw fit to include this. I'd hoped that we would at one point think about the real cost to our taxpayers of these amendments that are being offered. I think we probably have spent more than $750,000 on these amendments attacking earmarks, when in fact this is 1 percent of the bill. Even if this amendment passed, this money would not go against the deficit. This money would go to be spent in some other way. So the point here is this is a needed project. I support it. I thank the chairman for including it. I thank my colleague from Philadelphia for his very effective fight to get this included in this transportation bill. I think one thing that this amendment shows is that you're doing your job and working hard. And it benefits, like you said, the entire region. I thank the gentleman for yielding time.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chairman, let me congratulate the chairwoman. I served on this subcommittee for a few years, and this is an extraordinary bill. I think it's the best Foreign Operations bill in more than a couple of decades in this House on a range of issues, but I'm only here to speak about one. I want to thank the chairwoman for her continued support, and notice in the bill and in the accompanying report the effort around safe blood in Africa, in sub-Saharan Africa. When we began talking about this issue a few years ago, there were no safe blood centers and there are now 35. It wouldn't have happened without the chairwoman's support and understanding the correlation and nexus between malaria and blood transfusions and, therefore, increases in AIDS when you have unsafe blood being used in those transfusions. So I want to thank her and congratulate her on a great bill.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise for a unanimous consent in support of this very important bill on behalf of my four children and for millions of young Americans who we hope never to see another die on a foreign battlefield trying to get oil from some other place in the world. We need independence in our energy.

Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, I thank you for allowing me the time to speak on this topic of paramount importance. Climate change and the problem of rising carbon emissions is one of the most important public policy quandaries that the nation currently faces. Congress needs to take the lead in helping to solve this issue. Therefore, I implore my fellow members of Congress to vote yes and help pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act, H.R. 2454. As you well know, H.R. 2454 is a broad-based bill that includes a number of initiatives on clean energy, economic development, and climate change. Taken together, these initiatives will create the national policy framework and all important funding streams that are needed to adequately tackle the threat posed by rising carbon emissions. Moreover, the incentives contained within H.R. 2454 will help strengthen and support those emerging renewable energy industries to help create jobs that will enable millions of Americans to get back to work. I know that these jobs will be created because I have already seen it happening in my home state of Pennsylvania. I have seen the jobs created by the wind and solar manufactures, and I have spoken to the leaders of local Philadelphia business who have told me how important the clean energy industry is to the Philadelphia region. Moreover, I have read the studies that show how many jobs will be created if Congress passes H.R. 2454. For example, in a 2008 report published by the Clean Air Council entitled ``Job Opportunities for the Green Economy,'' it was estimated that over 533,000 jobs in Pennsylvania alone will see growth or wage increases by putting global energy solutions to work. As the world moves into a less carbon intensive future, these new industries will allow the country to thrive as they become the new economic engines that power future growth. I believe that our nation needs a comprehensive energy strategy that makes our nation more energy efficient, decreases our reliance on foreign oil, creates jobs, and helps prevent increases in carbon emissions. I am not alone in my beliefs. People throughout the nation want Congress to get moving on reducing carbon emissions. These Americans understand that climate change is one of the most important issues that face the nation today. They understand that the rapidly changing climate that is due to rising carbon emissions is having a profound impact on the nation's forests, coastal areas, drinking water, and other important ecosystems that human beings rely on. Therefore, I implore my fellow members of Congress to pass the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Help put our nation on track to a cleaner energy future.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Chair, noise is an environmental hazard similar to air, water, and ground pollution. Too much exposure to noise in an environment has a direct impact on the human body. Children, whose bodies and brains are still developing, more so than adults, are adversely affected by noise. A student's ability to hear and understand speech in the classroom is vital for learning. Unfortunately, noisy classrooms reduce the ability to learn. Noisy classrooms occur when the background noise and/or the amount of reverberation in the classroom are so high that they interfere with learning and teaching. We know that when classrooms are noisy it affects speech understanding, reading and spelling ability, behavior in the classroom, attention, concentration, and academic achievement. Learning in an excessively noisy environment is similar to trying to read in poorly lit room or obstructed by steps while in a wheel chair. Therefore, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) recommends an appropriate acoustical environment for all students in educational settings. ASHA endorses ANSI S12.60-2002 Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements, and Guidelines for Schools (ANSI S12.60-2002) as the national standards for classroom acoustics. It is well recognized that the acoustical environment in a classroom or other educational environment is a critical variable in the academic, psychoeducational, and psychosocial development of children with normal hearing as well as children with hearing loss and/or other disabilities (e.g., auditory processing disorders, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders). Inappropriate levels of reverberation and/or noise can deleteriously affect speech perception, reading/spelling ability, classroom behavior, attention, concentration, and educational achievement. In addition to compromising student function, poor classroom acoustics may also negatively affect teacher performance and increase vocal pathologies and absenteeism. Thus, all educational settings have an incentive to develop acoustical conditions that meet national standards. For children with hearing loss and/or other disabilities, the acoustics of the proposed educational setting(s) should be considered and addressed during the determination of a child's educational needs and placement. Acoustical factors in a classroom include: (1) the level of the background (ambient) noise in the room; (2) the relative intensity of the information carrying components of the speech signal to the non- information carrying signal or noise (i.e., signal-to-noise ratio [SNR]); and (3) the reverberant characteristics of the environment. To achieve appropriate acoustical conditions in an educational setting, ASHA recommends the following: (1) Unoccupied classroom noise levels must not exceed 35 dBA. (2) The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) should be at least +15 dB at the child's ears.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Chairman for the time and for his work on this legislation. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R. 1913, is a long overdue effort to address the scourge of bias motivated crimes in communities across the country. This is not simply about criminalizing violent acts, those are already illegal. This is about recognizing that these crimes affect more than just the individual involved, they are meant to instill fear in whole communities. Hate crimes in this country have a terrible history. For decades African Americans, particularly those who spoke out for justice and equality, were brutally lynched in communities across the country while law enforcement officials and upstanding members of the community stood by. Murder was illegal then too, but it took the brave efforts of citizens, including Ida B. Wells, for the problem to be addressed. These murders were meant to send a signal to newly freed men and women and often targeted veterans returning from war. Our Jewish neighbors have been subjected to campaigns of terror with property destruction and symbols of hate sprayed across synagogues and community centers. Irish, Italian, Catholic, Latino, Muslim and Asian Americans have all seen ``disagreements'' and ``displeasure'' expressed with barbaric crimes meant to convey the message that they were unwelcome in this nation of immigrants. Opponents have suggested that this legislation will affect what can and cannot be said in houses of worship. This is false. H.R. 1913 explicitly recognizes the right of individuals to be ignorant, narrow- minded, or malicious whether motivated out of faith, conscience, or generic hatred. This bill will have no effect on any interpretation of the Bible or religious tradition. They say that they worry there will be a ``chilling effect'' on religious speech. This is nonsense. This bill is about criminal acts, those that are already illegal, and enables law enforcement to carry out responsibilities they already have under current law. The man whose name is now associated with this bill, Matthew Shepard, was tortured and killed because he was gay. This crime wasn't about him as an individual, it was about what he represented. Every day there are smaller incidences in neighborhoods around the country. Individuals are targeted coming out of certain bars, wearing certain clothes, or walking with too much flair. This is a systemic problem that requires a systemic approach. This bill will go a long way in allowing local law enforcement to do their job and providing Federal assistance where it belongs. It is about time.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, one of Philadelphia's most distinguished and influential clergymen, Presiding Elder Joseph D. Patterson, Sr. of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, will be honored and feted on May 2, 2009, as he moves from decades of service to his God, his church and the people of Philadelphia into well-deserved retirement. Presiding Elder Patterson has served the A.M.E. in its ``itinerant ministry'' for 45 years, pastoring and overseeing churches in Philadelphia, the western Main Line, southern New Jersey and Atlantic City. Presiding Elder Patterson is perhaps best known for his 22 years as Pastor of Hickman Temple A.M.E. Church, where he directed an era of significant growth at Hickman as both a spiritual home and community resource for Southwest Philadelphia. His impact on the community is still felt to this day. He facilitated the building of the Samuel J. Patterson Mercy Wellness Center at 50th Street and Baltimore Avenue, which bears his father's name. He was founder and president of the Baltimore Avenue Redevelopment Corporation and past chairman of the $41 million West Philadelphia Empowerment Zone. He was a member of the Council of Trustees at Cheyney University, serving the school he had attended as both an undergraduate and graduate student. Presiding Elder Patterson has demonstrated strong leadership both within his own A.M.E. denomination and in the broader community of faith. He served as President of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity from 1995-1997, and in numerous other capacities. He is past president of the A.M.E. Preachers Meeting. Since his appointment as Presiding Elder in 2001, he has served two years as Elder of the Philadelphia District and almost six years as Elder of the West/ Mainline District--the post from which he is retiring. And all along he has been blessed by the love and support of his wife Joyce, mother Ida, and children Joseph D. Jr., Jewell D. and Jocelyn D. Patterson. Presiding Elder Joseph D. Patterson Sr. will be honored with a special Retirement Service, May 2, 2009, at Mount Pisgah A.M.E. Church, 428 N. 41st Street, Philadelphia, with A.M.E. Presiding Bishop Richard F. Norris of the First District as Guest Preacher. I invite my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in saluting the career of this great man of God and preacher of the Gospel, and to wish him Godspeed upon his retirement.

Mr. FATTAH

Mr. FATTAH. To my great friend from Arizona, sometimes if you're turning in front of an 18-wheeler, you should hit the accelerator and get out the way. The important point here is that no matter what the cost of education, ignorance costs our country more. What we have is, some who stand in opposition today, they know the cost of everything, but the value of seemingly nothing. It is critically important. And that is why the conscience of the CBC members dictates that this alternative be brought to the floor, that we point a direction, not just complain and recite the problems, but that we offer up real solutions, and that we are required to, as Members of this body, not just go along to get along. As a major supporter of President Obama's budget and program, I think he is moving our country in the right direction. But it is important for us to show that even more can be done and should be done. And I believe as we go forward, it will be done. We will work together. Republicans have forfeited their right to lead based on the situation they brought this country to. We are prepared to lead. Others need to step aside.