Al Green

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Thank you. I ask that you yield to me.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I would like to commemorate Cinco de Mayo, or the Fifth of May, in honor of the historic day that Mexico defeated France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday that symbolizes courage, honor, liberty, unity and the struggle for freedom for millions of Mexicans and Mexican- Americans. Cinco de Mayo has a deep history that all Americans should recognize and remember. Shortly after Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1810, internal political takeovers and wars destroyed the Mexican economy causing Mexico to borrow money from France and other creditors. Mexico was unable to pay back the debt they owned to France; thus, the French invaded Mexico in an attempt to force repayment. The Mexican troops were outnumbered by the French--the French army had 6,500 soldiers while the Mexican army only had 4,500 soldiers. The odds were stacked against the Mexican soldiers: they were outnumbered, untrained and ill-equipped, fighting against an army deemed as one of the best trained and equipped in the world. The French soldiers were confident that their attacks against Mexico would leave the struggling nation on its knees, bowing to a European crown once again. Much to their dismay, at the Battle of Puebla, the Mexican soldiers fought bravely and died with dignity for their countrymen's freedom. Each Mexican soldier fought valiantly with one common goal. In the end, it was the French army that surrendered on Mexican soil. In addition to its historical significance in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is significant to all Americans because it marks the last time that any foreign power threatened to conquer North American soil. Cinco de Mayo is also a celebration of the rich cultural heritage people of Spanish and Latin American descent have shared with the United States. They have shared their music, art, language and traditions and these elements are sewn into the colorful fabric of ``American'' culture. I ask my colleagues and all Americans to join me in commemorating Cinco de Mayo--a day that reflects the core principles that America was founded upon.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. I thank the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Frank. I thank Mr. Gutierrez, our chairperson of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee. I would like to thank the ranking member, whom I have a great relationship with and I look forward to working with. And I would like to move quickly now to why I am supporting this legislation. Mr. Chairman, the right time to do right is right now. We do not want to allow ourselves to become victims of something known as the paralysis of analysis. We have analyzed this bill for years. It is now time for us to act. It is right for us to do something about retroactive rate increases. This bill does something about it. If you have a balance and the rate goes up, should the interest rate increase apply to your previous balance or should it apply to balances going forward? That's what this bill does. It does not allow it to apply to charges that you've already made. Should a person who is not emancipated, who is younger than 18 years of age receive a credit card? I don't think so. This bill prohibits this. Should persons have adequate notice to deal with rate increases? Forty-five days is really not unreasonable if you get a rate increase on your credit card. This bill accords 45 days' notice of rate increases. Should a person have the right to have the payment go to the lowest interest rate so as to pay off that rate first as opposed to the highest interest rate? Well, I think that we ought to let people pay off the highest interest rate so that they can make sure that they are not going to have higher bills in the future. The right time to do right is right now. Let's not become a victim of what's known as the paralysis of analysis. Let's move forward. Let's pass this legislation.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Declaration of Independence. All persons are created equal, endowed by their Creator, with certain inalienable rights, among them life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Not some people, not people of a particular race, not people who just happen to be heterosexual; all persons are created equal. And for the record, I support the rights of gay people. Gay people have the same rights as any other Americans, and they have the right to pursue happiness. I support this--the Declaration of Independence speaks of it--and but for the grace of God, we all ought to realize, There go I. Any one of us could become the victim of a hate crime regardless of your race, your creed, or your color. We should support people and the rights of people. For those who say that we are creating a separate class of people, we already have a class that we've distinguished in the State of Texas for peace officers. If you assault a police officer, your punishment is going to be enhanced. That is what this is all about: enhancement of punishment.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I wish to acknowledge and honor Equal Pay Day, a national day of recognition instituted by President Clinton in 1998 to raise awareness about the wage disparity and discrimination between men and women. America has made some strides in narrowing this discrepancy in the workplace, but the fight for equal pay for equal work still remains prevalent and pertinent today. Thirty-five years ago, when President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women who worked full-time, year-round made 59 cents on average for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. In 2006, women earned 77 cents for every dollar earned by men; the figures are even more unsettling for women of color. This data demonstrates that the wage gap has narrowed by less than half a cent per year. An 18 cent increase over 35 years indicates a significant wage discrepancy between working men and women that leaves a great deal of work for the employers and decision makers of today. The day on which Equal Pay Day falls represents how far into the year on average a women must work to receive the same amount of pay that a man earned during the previous year. In the state of Texas, between 2004 and 2006, the average annual salary of men with a college degree or more was $63,000, while their female counterparts only received an average annual salary of $45,000 with the same credentials. In comparison, during that same time frame, the national average annual salary for men with a college degree or more was $66,000, while their female counterparts received only $50,000. In fact, the state of Texas is about 5% below the national average in narrowing the wage disparity between men and women. A great woman and former congresswoman from Texas, Barbara Jordan, once said that, ``If the society of today allows wrongs to go unchallenged, the impression is created that those wrongs have the approval of the majority.'' To take the late Ms. Jordan's advice: we who live in today's society must not allow the wrongs created by wage discrimination to continue to undermine the civil liberties of minorities and women. On January 29, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to ensure that victims of pay discrimination can effectively challenge unequal pay, marking a significant step forward in the struggle for equality in pay and fair treatment in the workplace for all Americans. Though great progress is being made, significant challenges remain in the struggle against gender-based pay discrimination. I urge my colleagues and employers nationwide to take up the fight to eliminate the unfair wage discrepancy between men and women as we all honor Equal Pay Day.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in support of H. Res. 320, a resolution recognizing the life and achievements of one of our country's most preeminent historian, scholar and humanitarian: Dr. John Hope Franklin. Dr. John Hope Franklin, the grandson of a slave and the son of one of the first black lawyers in the Oklahoma Indian territory, graduated from Harvard with a Ph.D. in history and later became the Chairman of the Department of History at Brooklyn College making him the first African American to run a department at a predominately white institution. He was also the first African American professor to hold an endowed chair at Duke University, as well as the first African American to serve as President of the American Historical Association. Franklin's many contributions include writing numerous publications; among them is his seminal work, From Slavery to Freedom: A History of Negro Americans, which is considered by many to be an unsurpassed history of the African American experience in the United States. In addition to his writings, Franklin was also a prominent figure in the arena of politics and social activism. He provided important historical research to NAACP Legal Defense Fund lawyer Thurgood Marshall in the historic Brown v. Board of Education case that outlawed school segregation. Over the course of his career, Franklin served on the National Council on the Humanities, and the Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, as well as being the chair of President Clinton's Race Initiative Advisory Board. He has also been the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the inaugural W.E.B. DuBois Award from Fisk University Alumni Association, and the Organization of American Historians' Award for Outstanding Achievement Society. During his life, Franklin saw his challenge as being ``to weave into the fabric of American history enough of the presence of blacks so that the story of the United States could be told adequately and fairly.'' Franklin's life, achievements and contributions has had a profound influence on the field of history, in particular, African American history. With this resolution, Franklin's legacy and spirit will endure for years to come. I commend Representative Melvin Watt for introducing H. Res. 320, a resolution that honors the life and achievements of Dr. John Hope Franklin, and urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, today I am honored to recognize the life and contributions of a distinguished member of my Houston staff, a constituent and more importantly a friend who was honored on Saturday, March 21, 2009 with the naming of the Bessie Swindle Community Center in Houston, Texas. A respected leader and activist, Ms. Swindle has committed her life to serving her community. Over the course of more than thirty years, she has endeavored to serve as the voice for those who have, over the years, found themselves in unfortunate and difficult circumstances. I believe her record of unselfish dedication to her city and community will serve as a bright light for those who dare to follow in her footsteps. Ms. Bessie Swindle was born in Loreauville, Louisiana and transplanted to Houston. Currently, she is the Outreach Coordinator for Congressman Al Green of the 9th Congressional District of Texas. Ms. Swindle was appointed by Mayor Bill White to his Phone Tower Commission and is a former member of the Police Officers Civil Service Commission- City of Houston, which is responsible for reviewing HPD criminal activities. During her distinguished lifetime of service, Ms. Swindle has earned numerous awards and honors. In 2004, she was a recipient of an Honorary Associate in Arts Degree from Houston Community College System. Finally, Madam Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not thank Mayor Bill White, City Controller Annise Parker, and the distinguished members of the Houston City Council, including the Honorable Wanda Adams who sponsored this special tribute, for their foresight in honoring my friend, Ms. Bessie Swindle.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I wish to commemorate the month of March 2009 as Women's History Month in honor of the female trailblazers and unsung heroes in American history. H. Res. 211, Supporting the goals and ideals of National Women's History Month, is intended to increase awareness and knowledge of women's involvement in history, as well as recognize and honor the women and organizations in the United States that have fought for and continue to promote the teaching of women's history. In the United States, Women's History Month has been celebrated during the month of March since 1987. The National Women's History Project petitioned Congress to increase awareness and knowledge of women's contributions to our great society, because women's history was a practically unknown topic in schools and public awareness. Women from all different backgrounds, races, social classes, and ethnicities have contributed significantly to the greatness of our nation, and have transformed and revolutionized politics, law, business, social service, civil rights, education, music, athletics, science and technology, as well as the military. Women have been leaders in numerous movements throughout history, such as the abolitionist movement, the emancipation movement, the industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement, the peace movement, and the women's movement in the struggle to obtain suffrage and equal rights. The contributions of notable women such as Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Harriet Tubman, Dorothy Height, Coretta Scott King, Sally Ride and numerous others have sparked an unstoppable momentum for women's rights and others. Their dedication, perseverance and courage have generated a wave of opportunities for entire generations of women. It is essential that all Americans continue to learn about the many ways women have assisted in the progress of our nation, and acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of women throughout history. Therefore, I urge my colleagues and all Americans to commemorate women for their significant involvement and participation in our nation's history, by recognizing and supporting March as Women's History Month.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, Gandhi reminds us that we should be the change we wish to see. I want to thank the President, President Obama, for sounding the clarion call for volunteerism such that we can see this change that we all desire to have in our country. I would like to thank Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon for answering the clarion call from the President with this bill, H.R. 1388. This is a good piece of legislation. And, if I may be so bold as to say so, we are doing, Mr. Chairman, God's work today. This is what we are called upon to do, to be our brother's keeper, and we can do so by utilizing this army of volunteers to go out and make the change we wish to see in society. Mr. Chairman, I especially thank you for including language in this legislation that will allow volunteers to help in the area of housing. You know and we know that we have an affordable housing crisis. We have lost more than 600,000 units in affordable housing since the mid-1990s that are subsidized. It is time for us to restock our affordable housing. These volunteers will help us to do so. I will close with this. I thank you and all of the Members who have supported this legislation, and I trust that Gandhi would be proud of us today because we are affording people to transform neighborhoods into brotherhoods, and to make sure that we can see the change in our society and bring it about by virtue of our own hands and our creation.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. I thank you again, Mr. Chairman, as well as Chairperson Waters and Chairman Frank.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. I thank the Member from Florida for yielding the time. I am honored to be associated with this piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, the words that come to mind, as we debate this issue, the words that comes to mind are, ``at last.'' At last we are now embracing help for homeowners. We have worked for Wall Street, we have worked to do something for Main Street; it is now time to do something for ``Home Street,'' the street where people live, the street where people have their greatest investment. Let's talk for just a moment about the concerns with reference to allowing bankruptcy to become a part of this process. My dear friends, bankruptcy is already a part of the process. If you own two, three, four or five homes, you may modify those homes in bankruptcy. If you only own one home as your principal home, that home is excluded from bankruptcy. The bankruptcy process ought to embrace people who have not been as fortunate as those who have five homes to the same extent that it embraces people who have but one place to call home. It is time to bring some equity into the process. This equity is not prospective, it is retrospective. It only applies to homes that were closed on prior to the bill being enacted. It does not go forward. So this argument that it embraces interest rates into the future is not a correct argument. It only embraces the past, not the future. And finally, I would say to you, as this is done, the homeowner has to attempt a workout before there can be judicial modification. The safeguards are there. The opportunity is before us. The question is, do we want to protect Home Street to the same extent that we want to protect Main Street and Wall Street? There are people who are suffering, this is the opportunity to help them.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Towns, Ranking Member Issa, Subcommittee Chair Lynch, the manager of the resolution on the floor from Ohio, Congressman Jordan, and I also thank the many cosponsors of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, how appropriate it is that this resolution would come to the floor of the House of Representatives on the day that the newly elected President of the United States of America would address a joint session of Congress. How appropriate it is because the newly elected President of the United States of America is a significant manifestation of how important black history is in the United States of America. It is on this day that he will address this joint session of Congress, and he is a person of African ancestry. While it is true that we should remember the horrors of history, it is equally as true that we should celebrate the successes of history. And I believe that this resolution is a means by which we can engage in the celebration of good deeds accomplished and great things done that can engender the inspiration to do that which must be done. So let us today celebrate the fact that African Americans were able to overcome involuntary servitude with the help of Americans of good will of all hues, of all colors. And because they were helped and they were able to overcome involuntary servitude, we should allow this to engender the inspiration necessary to go forward and deal with some of the problems that African Americans are confronting today, the problems of housing that finds African Americans without homes many times and being evicted from homes on too many occasions. Let's celebrate the many successes in the area of education, from Phillis Wheatley, to many other great educators, Dr. Benjamin Mays, for example. And as we celebrate their successes, let this engender within us the inspiration to deal with the dropout rates around this country that can be in excess of 50 percent in some quarters of the African American community. Let's celebrate the successes in the civil rights movement that enabled us to overcome the indignation and humiliation of segregation. But as we celebrate this, let it engender within us the inspiration to help the many who are still suffering around the world, who have not had their human rights and human dignity respected by their governments. Let us celebrate the many political accomplishments that we have right here in the House of Congress. We have Member Charlie Rangel, who happens to chair Ways and Means; Member Bennie Thompson, African American, who happens to chair Homeland Security; Member Maxine Waters, African American, who happens to chair the Housing Subcommittee of Financial Services.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. And as we celebrate the accomplishments of these great and noble Americans here in the House of Representatives, let it provide the inspiration for us to understand that we are here not because of our color, not because we are of African ancestry, we are here because the people of America expect us to do the great work that has to be done. So this is a time for celebration that engenders inspiration, and I am honored to be inspired to move forward and support this resolution. And I beg that all of my colleagues would vote for it.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the legacy of Fidelity Manor Schools in the Galena Park Community in my district, for their invaluable education to African-American students for nearly 50 years. Predating 1955, a building formerly used for white students became an educational institution for African-American students in the Clinton Community, renamed Galena Park in 1936. The building was moved to the Fidelity addition--an area of Clinton named for the Fidelity Shipyard-- and became known as the Fidelity School, housing only eight grades and containing one individual who acted as both teacher and principal. With the growing African-American community Fidelity Manor Schools began to evolve in many ways. Additional classes and teachers were added to meet requirements held by the school district. Fidelity Manor Schools excelled in academics and athletics, winning district and state competitions during its existence. In 1970 due to desegregation, Fidelity Manor Schools were closed and its students were integrated into the Galena Park School System. Although the Fidelity Manor School buildings were razed in 1986, their history lives on. For its invaluable service to the African-American community and to the Galena Park Community, I extend my deepest gratitude, and honor Fidelity Manor Schools.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in the inner sanctum of my soul, I believe that although the arc of the moral universe is long, as Dr. King put it, it bends toward justice. However, I must confess that in the cognitive confines of my cranium, I know that it does so because of organizations like the NAACP. For 100 years, the NAACP has been there bending the arc of the moral universe toward justice for all. From anti-lynching legislation to Brown v. Board of Education, to the election of the 44th President of this Nation, the NAACP has been there. For 100 years, it's been there because of brave and noble Americans who made great sacrifice that all may have a better life. Brave and noble Americans like NAACPer Rosa Parks, who took a stand by taking a seat and ignited a spark as a result that enhanced the Civil Rights Movement; brave and noble Americans like NAACPer Medgar Evers, who sacrificed his life in an effort to bring justice to all; brave and noble Americans like white NAACPer John Shalady, who was beaten by a mob and eventually died in his effort to secure rights for blacks. For 100 years, it's been there demonstrating at the White House, negotiating and litigating at the courthouse. Hence, it is indeed most appropriate that the Congress of the United States of America honor the NAACP on this, its 100th anniversary. To this end, Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Conyers and Ranking Member Lamar Smith, subcommittee chair Bobby Scott, floor leader Hank Johnson, and also now floor leader Judge Ted Poe. I also thank the 105 U.S. House cosponsors of this legislation. I thank Senator Dodd and his 20 cosponsors of the companion legislation in the U.S. Senate. And, in closing, at the risk of being both redundant and superfluous, I beg, beseech and entreat my colleagues to support this resolution because, in so doing, you are voting for liberty and justice for all, as pronounced in the Pledge of Allegiance. In so doing, you are voting for government of the people by the people for the people, as proclaimed in the Constitution. In so doing, you are voting for the equality of all, as promulgated in the Declaration of Independence. By voting for this resolution, you are continuing to bend the arc of the moral universe toward justice.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Dr. King, whose birthday we are about to celebrate this month, reminds us that the truest measure of the person is not where you stand in times of comfort and convenience, but rather where do you stand in times of challenge and controversy. Not where do you stand when there is no housing crisis and no unemployment problem, but where do you stand when unemployment is 7.2 percent, when you have lost 1 million jobs in the last 2 months, when you have lost 2 million jobs in the last year. Where do you stand in times of challenge and controversy. In this time of challenge and controversy, I stand with the American homeowner, who is in crisis, who needs our help, who but for this piece of legislation will not get our help. I stand with the American homeowner, because this legislation provides $40 billion to $100 billion to help homes that may go into foreclosure. In times of challenge and controversy, I stand with the homeowner. And I also stand for something else. I stand for having the TARP money be made accountable for. This piece of legislation deals with accountability. People want to know how their money has been spent. This legislation helps us to better understand how the TARP money has impacted new lending. The LaTourette amendment that passed this House overwhelmingly in the last session, the last time we met and had this bill before the House, that amendment is something that has been incorporated in this bill. So, Mr. Chairman, I thank you for a stellar job, a job well done, and in times of challenge and controversy, I stand with you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding. And I especially thank the chairman for the outstanding job that he's done on the broader bill. I thank Mr. LaTourette for the service that he has rendered with reference to putting this amendment together. While I take a small amount of assurance in knowing that I may have been there, it was really his stalwart work that made the difference in getting the amendment through. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to say that this amendment is one that should please persons on both sides of the aisle. Today in the Financial Services hearing there was much talk about transparency and talk of how we should be able to acquire the empirical evidence to ascertain whether or not new lending is taking place. This piece of legislation, this amendment, will, in fact, allow us to get some idea as to what's happening with the money as it relates to transparency. So I thank the chairman for allowing this opportunity to speak on the amendment, and I thank Mr. LaTourette for his outstanding work on the amendment.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5244, the Credit Card Holders' Bill of Rights Act. It is all too common for hard-working Americans to be in debt because of credit cards. Many of my constituents struggle from paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet. Because of this they use credit cards as a means of acquiring the necessities of life, such as buying food for their family or paying utility or medical bills. For most Americans, the language credit card companies use is difficult to understand, so most do not know what they are getting themselves into when they sign up to receive a credit card. That is why I am pleased that my colleagues are considering H.R. 5244--the Credit Card Holders' Bill of Rights Act--of which I am a proud cosponsor. This legislation gives rights back to the consumer, such as protecting them from arbitrary interest rate increases, early pre- payment penalties, and excessive fees. This bill will help those Americans by requiring credit card companies to mail bills twenty-five days in advance before the bill is due and to notify the cardholders forty-five days in advance of any interest rate increase. Today is a victory for the consumers as we have finally leveled the playing field between cardholders and the credit card companies.

Mr. GREEN of Texas

Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1532, the Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Act of 2008. If you think that TB is a disease that occurs in impoverished nations you are wrong. In 2007, more than 13,000 individuals were diagnosed with TB in the U.S. This year alone my district had several TB outbreaks and in May, 150 people were exposed to TB in an outbreak and 19 individuals were diagnosed with TB. Each year approximately 9 million people develop active TB and 1.7 million die of the disease, making it the second deadliest in the world. Right now one third of the world's population is infected with TB and TB will claim 30 million lives over the next decade. With time, the TB germ has changed. It is now airborne and drug resistant strains have been found in 46 countries, including the U.S. In 2006, 91 cases of multi drug-resistant TB were reported in the United States and MDR-TB has been reported in 49 states. From 1993 to 2007, there were 88 cases of extensively drug resistant TB in the U.S., which is resistant to almost all drugs used to treat TB. Unfortunately, we have allowed the treatment and diagnostic tools to treat TB go without updating for far too long. In fact, the most common test to diagnose TB is more than 100 years old. The drugs commonly used to treat TB are more than 40 years old, the TB vaccine we currently have is more than 85 years old and only provides some protections against severe TB in children, but is unreliable in protecting against the most common form of adult TB. The Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Act addresses the issue of domestic TB by improving and increasing efforts to prevent, detect, and treat individuals in our country with TB. It would authorize grants within the CDC for research, development, and education. These grants include clinical trials to evaluate new drugs, diagnostics and vaccines; studies of at-risk populations; and projects to control TB along the U.S.-Mexico border. H.R. 1532 will reauthorize the Advisory Council on the Elimination of TB so the council may coordinate federal TB control and develop a new national plan to eliminate TB in the U.S. H.R. 1532 also provides for new tools in the fight against domestic TB by providing for CDC research and development for new drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines. The bill also directs the NIH to expand basic and clinical TB research and develop a TB vaccine. The Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Act provides the means necessary to wage war against TB in the U.S. and hopefully in the future the eradication of TB in this country.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall vote 598 on September 16, 2008. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I was unavoidably detained in my district on Monday, September 15, 2008 because of Hurricane Ike. I missed rollcall votes 589 through 591. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall 589, ``aye'' on rollcall 590, and ``aye'' on rollcall 591.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Hurricane Ike came through Texas, landed near Houston. Much of the area in my State, especially in the Houston-Galveston area along the gulf coast, has been decimated. It will take billions of dollars for us to recover. We are asking that this House understands the needs of the people of Texas and the areas that have been devastated. We will have to lend some assistance to the areas that need our help at a most important time. For fear that someone may not understand, we are truly all in this together. Dr. King reminded us that life is an inescapable network of mutuality tied to a single garment of destiny. Whatever impacts one directly, impacts all indirectly. Though you may live in some far corner of the United States of America, there are earthquakes, there are fires, there are storms that will come into your life. We are all going to need some help at some point. So I am begging those of you who can, please understand that we have got to help Texans and Americans through this.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Yes, sir.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. I thank you. I am so honored, sir, that you gave me this opportunity to have a word on this most important piece of legislation. It really is something that we must do for our veterans. I thank you, and may God bless you.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Thank you, Chairman Filner, and thank you, Congressman Moran. I live in Houston, Texas. I live across the street from the DeBakey Medical Center. My district is such that you can traverse it in 1 hour. But this is America that we are talking about, not just the cities, not just the rural areas. All veterans in America ought to have access to a facility, and they ought to have immediate access. It is not enough for me to have the DeBakey Center in my district and have other veterans who have to travel 5 hours to receive medical attention. I am here to ask my colleagues to please, let's support veterans. What we do today will say to them what we think about the work they have done for us. If they can be there for us, willing to sacrifice their lives, we can be there for them to make sure that they have a good quality of life when they return home to the United States of America.