Al Green

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor the historic holiday of Cinco de Mayo. On May 5, 1862, Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin defeated French occupying forces in the Battle of Puebla, just 100 miles from Mexico City. General Seguin led his brave troops to a spirited victory in spite of the fact that his forces had neither the manpower nor the equipment of their opponents. The Battle of Puebla was instrumental in preserving the right of the Mexican people to self- determination, as it helped prevent the French military from taking long-term control of sovereign Mexican territory. The heroic actions of General Seguin and his courageous forces not only helped preserve the Mexican government, they also helped preserve the unity of the United States. Had France been able to extend its control over Mexican territory at the Battle of Puebla, France likely would have had sufficient resources and manpower to aid the Confederate States of America in their war against the United States. The tremendous fight put up by the Mexican troops at the Battle of Puebla ensured that such a worrisome scenario did not come to pass and provided President Lincoln with crucial support as the Civil War descended into chaos. There can certainly be no questioning of the bravery, spirit and patriotism of the thousands of Mexican troops who fought and, all too frequently, gave their lives at the Battle of Puebla. I believe that, as we recognize the efforts and sacrifices of those troops, Cinco de Mayo provides us with a perfect opportunity to recognize the sacrifice for sovereignty, the importance of courage and, above all, the universal yearning for freedom. The Mexican forces who won the Battle of Puebla should not and will not ever be forgotten. I commend those forces for their spirit and courage and I wish all those celebrating the holiday across Mexico and the United States a happy Cinco de Mayo.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I'm honored to be here tonight to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. And I want to especially thank Chairman Honda for the outstanding job that he has done, not only with this event, but also what he does year round, year in and year out with our caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. I thank you for what you have done. Mr. Speaker, I represent the Ninth Congressional District in Houston, Texas. The Ninth Congressional District is one of the most diverse districts in the country. It is 36 percent African American, 31 percent Hispanic, 21 percent Anglo and 12 percent Asian. And I am proud to say that this district, the Ninth Congressional District, has the ballot printed in three languages, English, Spanish and Vietnamese, soon to have it in a fourth language, Chinese. I'm also proud to say that we have elected a Vietnamese to the State House in the State of Texas. The honorable Hubert Vo is a State Representative from a district that is within my Ninth Congressional District. I am so honored that we have selected the theme ``Meeting the Challenges for Asian Pacific Americans.'' This is most appropriate. Why? Because in spite of discrimination and degradation, Asian Americans have met the challenges for America. They were there when America needed a national rail connectivity. In spite of discrimination and humiliation, they helped to construct the first transcontinental railroad. When the greatest generation went to war in World War II, they were there, not only for America, but for the entire world. Notwithstanding dehumanization and incarceration, Americans of Japanese ancestry were some of America's most decorated soldiers. They were also there from the Philippines. During World War II, over 200,000 Filipinos fought in defense of the United States of America. More than half died. They answered President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's clarion call for help. They met the challenges of America, and it's time for America to meet the challenges of the Filipino veterans, who were promised, I might add, the same benefits as other veterans and who have not received them to this day. It is time for Congress to pass the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007. It is time to treat all who sacrificed during World War II the same. Asian Americans have been there for us. It is time for us to be there for them.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Dr. King reminded us that on some questions, cowards will ask us, is it safe? What will happen to me if I do this? The answer is, what will happen to them if we don't do it? And on some questions, expediency will ask, is it politic? Will I get reelected? And then vanity asks, is it popular? Today, let's do that which is neither safe nor politic nor popular. Let's do it because it's right.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I am proud to be a cosponsor of H. Res. 272, a resolution commemorating the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. The transatlantic slave trade was a crime against the humanity of Africans, mostly from Western, Central, and Eastern Africa, who were kidnapped and sent to the United States and the colonies that became the United States which occurred between the 15th and late 19th centuries. Millions of Africans were literally kidnapped and shipped like chattels to the Americas. In the process many were physically abused and raped. Many perished as a result of torture, malnutrition, disease and resistance in transit. Those who survived were forced into slavery. Slavery in the United States during and after British colonial rule included the sale and acquisition of Africans as chattel property in interstate and intrastate commerce. Humans of African origin here in the United States were robbed of their homes, family, language, culture, religion, and above all their freedom. The transatlantic slave trade is characterized as the largest forced migration in world history. What made the institution of slavery in the United States unique was that this particular form of slavery was in fact race based with `black' or `Negro' becoming synonymous with the word `slave'. Slaves were prevented by law from learning to read and marriage between two slaves was not recognized by the state. It is argued that the effects of slavery have affected African-Americans and American society to this very day. In 1807, Britain became the first European nation to ban the slave trade. France, Holland, and the United States soon thereafter passed legislation banning the trade. However, since Spain and Portugal did not follow this example, African slaves continued to be sent to countries in South America until near the end of the 19th century. Even with the end of the slave trade slavery would still be legal across a large part of the United States until the end of the Civil War. I am compelled to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade because we as a country cannot ever forget this legalized horror and crime against humanity that was allowed to exist in our Nation. A horror that made our American union a less perfect one than it was initially set out to be. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support and commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I recognize the tragic deaths of the 32 victims in the shootings at Virginia Tech this past Monday. These 32 individuals did nothing to deserve this awful fate and should never have had their lives prematurely ended by the horrific actions of one disturbed individual. One of the shooting's victims, Ryan Clark, served as a volunteer counselor at a camp for mentally impaired children. Ryan was described by the camp's administrator as ``one of the kindest, most compassionate people'' whom she had ever met. Another victim, Henry Lee, graduated second in his high school class, despite having immigrated from China and having had to learn English as his second language. And Liviu Librescu, a Holocaust survivor, displayed heroism all the way to the end by sacrificing his own life by barricading the door to his classroom to give many of his students enough time to escape through the classroom window. In the lives of these 32 innocent individuals we find countless examples such as these, of kindness, compassion and determination. I would like to extend my warmest sympathies to the families and friends of these individuals, as well as to the entire Virginia Tech community. Unfortunately, we have seen tragedies like this one numerous times in our Nation's history. In my own home state of Texas, we lost 15 of our citizens in a similar rampage four decades ago at the University of Texas at Austin. I believe that, in this time of tragedy, we must honor the shooting's victims, offer the people of Blacksburg our utmost condolences and support, and, most of all, renew our commitment as a country to doing everything in our power to helping communities prevent similar tragedies from taking place in the future. I commend my colleague, the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Boucher for introducing this resolution.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I would like to express my opinion concerning the offensive remarks of radio personality Don Imus. His insensitive comments, directed at the Rutgers University women's basketball team after the team's loss to Tennessee in the NCAA tournament, exceeded the boundaries of humor, even by Mr. Imus's standards. While I recognize Mr. Imus's right to free speech under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, I vehemently condemn his remarks and support his dismissal from MSNBC and CBS broadcasting companies. Imus's deplorable comments have overshadowed the Rutgers Scarlet Knights' record of success. Starting the season with 2 wins and 4 losses, the Scarlet Knights overcame great odds through their hard work, determination, and dedication. In the face of adversity, the team made a triumphant comeback by becoming the Eastern Division champions, which later set the stage for their first-ever appearance in a national championship competition. So what should have been the team's finest hour became its worse hour caused by the regrettable actions of Mr. Imus. Yet amidst the Imus controversy, this remarkable group of student- athletes has responded to the situation with dignity and grace, which is emblematic of the caliber of these women. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights is comprised of five freshmen and five upperclassmen. Of the freshman class, each student has a combined grade point average of 3.0. These accomplished women are valedictorians of their class, future doctors, musical prodigies, and Girl Scouts. These women exemplify beauty, strength, and integrity--the very opposite of Imus's characterization of them. The dismissal of Don Imus sends a powerful message to not only these young women but to the rest of Nation. The message: Enough is enough. Racism and sexism in any of its ugly forms will no longer be tolerated, not even for the sake of a good laugh or good ratings.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, first allow me to please say amen to the words of the Honorable Maxine Waters. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the superlative life of a superb woman, the Honorable Juanita Millender-McDonald. Indeed, she was a devoted wife, a loving mother, a superior scholar, a preeminent educator, and a powerful legislator. Notwithstanding all of this, Mr. Speaker, she had a positive air and a special flair. She was a pillar of probity. Her integrity was beyond reproach. She was a repository of respect. Her mere presence commanded respect. She was the queen of self-esteem. She was comely, courtly and stately with a positive personality. We were truly blessed to have her among us, she will surely be missed by us, and I thank God for her.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank God for Mr. Liviu Librescu. Monday was Holocaust Remembrance Day, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Liviu Librescu was a teacher for 20 years at Virginia Tech. He was a husband and a father, 76 years of age, and a Holocaust survivor. On Monday, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, he blocked the doorway to a classroom to protect the students in that classroom from almost certain death. And in so doing, he sacrificed his life. He survived the Holocaust and made the ultimate sacrifice. He gave his life so that others could live. Thank God for him. May God bless his family and all of those who have suffered at Virginia Tech.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, this Saturday, millions of Americans will honor a great American hero--Cesar Chavez--on what would have been his 80th birthday. Cesar Chavez was a civil rights and human rights leader who learned about the importance of justice early in his life. He would often say: ``The love for justice that is in us is not only the best part of our being but it is also the most true to our nature.'' After graduating from the eighth grade, a young Cesar Chavez went to work in the fields as a migrant farm worker to support his family. In 1962, Chavez and Dolores Huerta founded the National Farm Workers Association, later to become the United Farm Workers. Chavez had the foresight to train his union workers and then to send many of them into the cities where they were to use the boycott and picket as their weapon. Chavez was able to successfully organize farm workers because of his tireless leadership and nonviolent tactics that helped pass laws which would permit farm workers to organize into unions and allow collective bargaining agreements. He also helped make people aware of the struggles of farm workers for fair wages and safer working conditions. His movement was the beginning of La Causa (``The Cause''), a cause that was supported by organized labor, religious groups, minorities, and students. Cesar Chavez, the founder and president of the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO, died peacefully in his sleep on April 23, 1993. On August 8, 1994, Cesar Chavez was posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom, our country's highest civilian honor, by President Clinton. In the words of President Clinton: ``He was for his own people a Moses figure . . . who, with faith and discipline, soft spoken humility and amazing inner strength, led a very courageous life.'' Cesar Chavez left our world better than he found it, and his legacy inspires not just the 43 million Latinos in this country, but every person on this earth who believes in non-violence as a means to achieve social change. He truly was, in the words of Senator Robert Kennedy, ``one of the heroic figures of our time.''

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I wish to honor the Tuskegee Airmen, the group of African-American pilots who flew with distinction during World War II as the 332d Fighter Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps. Additionally, I am compelled to honor an excellent servant to our Nation, Mr. Matthew W. Plummer, an original Tuskegee Airman who served as an instructor for U.S. Army cadets training at Tuskegee. His tireless work, like that of so many other Tuskegee Airmen, helped to make our country a more perfect union. Prior to the Tuskegee Airmen, not a single U.S. military pilot had been African-American. However, due to the work of the African-American civil rights community, the United States Congress in 1941 forced the Army Air Corps to form an all-black combat unit. In June 1941, the Tuskegee program officially began with formation of the 99th Fighter Squadron at the Tuskegee Institute, a highly regarded university founded by Booker T. Washington in Tuskegee, Alabama. The Airmen were placed under the command of Capt. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., one of the few African-American West Point graduates. During World War II the Tuskegee Airmen fought with amazing gallantry and uncompromismg determination. They flew escort for heavy bombers, established an impressive combat record, and often entered combat against greater numbers of superior German aircraft, while emerging victorious. These brave fighters fought for their country at a time when their country would not fight for them. They were forced to suffer from the daily disease of racism even while in uniform. However, the Tuskegee Airmen chose to fight for their country as hard as they fought against racism, and they would eventually prove that they were the greatest of the ``Greatest Generation''. By the end of the war, the Tuskegee Airmen were credited with shooting down 109 Luftwaffe aircraft and destroying numerous fuel dumps, trucks and trains. The squadrons of the 332nd Fighter Group flew more than 15,000 sorties on 1,500 missions. The unit was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission flown on March 24, 1945, escorting B-17s to bomb the Daimler-Benz tank factory at Berlin, Germany, an action in which its pilots destroyed three Me-262 jets in aerial combat. The Tuskegee Airmen were awarded several Silver Stars, 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 14 Bronze Stars, and 744 Air Medals. In all, 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee from 1940 to 1946. Of the airmen 445 deployed overseas and 150 Airmen lost their lives in training or combat. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to honor the Tuskegee Airmen for their service to our country, their work to end segregation in the U.S. military, and their courage which has empowered millions of African- Americans and other minorities across our great country.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, today I would like to honor the 90th birthday of Mildred LaVergne Boutin Prothrow. Fourscore and 10 years ago on April 7, 1917, Mildred LaVergne Boutin was born in Point-a-LaHache, Louisiana. At the age of three, she remembers wearing a navy sailor suit, hand and gloves to the train station as her family prepared her to move to Jackson, Mississippi. A true daughter of the South, Mildred's loving parents, Ruby Anita and Hamilton Henry Boutin, along with her Aunt Nea Learner, instilled all the qualities of a perfect southern lady, refined and generous. Once more, her journey continued with a train ride to Marshall, Texas in the fall of 1937 to attend Wiley College. There she trained for her future profession as a teacher, joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and met her life partner, Percy W. Prothrow, Jr. With marriage came a home in Marshall and the births of her daughters, Lady Percy Prothrow and Deborah Boutin Prothrow-Stith. The family moved to Atlanta as Percy ascended the ranks of Atlanta Life Insurance Company and Mildred became an entrepreneur, opening a very popular childcare center. The family moved to Houston in 1968 where Mildred received a master's degree in elementary education from Texas Southern University and taught in the public schools until retirement in 1983. As a widow, Mildred decided to retire and move to Boston to help her daughter and son-in-law raise their nephews, son and daughter. Known as Memama and Bibi to her grandchildren (Trey, Tony, Percy, and Mary Mildred), Mildred is a wonderful cook, a loving friend and confidant, and a dedicated mother and grandmother.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, below is a narrative for the Record by Mr. Matthew W. Plummer, an original Tuskegee Airman. In September 1937 when I arrived at Tuskegee the Nation was busily engaged in attaining the Nation's goal in building a fleet of 50,000 airplanes to counter the Axis's warlike threats to our European Allies. I was from San Antonio, Texas where there was located several air fields; in fact I was born adjacent to one of them. The earliest I can remember was making my own airplanes imagining flying myself. It was not long after arriving in Tuskegee I met other boys who were similarly interested. We decided on our own to form a flying club where we could get together and talk about flying. The next year we were contacted by the school officials seeking the club's help locating an airfield where two visitors could land. They were C. Alfred Anderson, the pilot, and Dr. Forsyth, who were returning from a visit to the Caribbean islands. I informed them of an airport owned by the Sheltons where they could land. The Sheltons owned an ice house in downtown Tuskegee and were in the process of building an airplane I sometimes visited after school. The information I provided the school officials was helpful and they appointed me as the flying guests' host during their stay in Tuskegee. The height of my enthusiasm was when ``Chief' Anderson took me up for a ride over campus. I will always remember that short flight; it was a WacoUP47 4 place cabin craft. It was not long after the Anderson-Forsyth visit the discontent by a growing voice of citizens demanding inclusion of blacks in programs involving government expenditures was heard by Washington officials. In response to this demand Tuskegee was invited to the hearings along with other black schools offering higher education. It has been reported along with other testimony Tuskegee officials proudly announced there already existed on its campus students anxious to learn aviation citing the existence of an aviation club. It is reasonable to assume that the existence of the flying club constituted one of the factors that inspired the faculty to obtain CPT programs which were the predecessor to the military training facility. I was in the second class of students enrolled in the civilian pilot training program. After completion of that program I was hired as an instructor for U.S. Army cadets training at Tuskegee. I volunteered for the Armed services, but deferred from active duty due to my position as an instructor. One of the rewards of being an instructor was the feeling of modesty upon meeting an old student who expresses his admiration for the initial days of teaching lessons on the skill of flying! Consistently they are gracious in thanking us for the assistance in learning the skill of handling an airplane.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I especially want to thank the chairman for his outstanding leadership. It is an honor and really a preeminent privilege to serve with him on this committee. I also thank the ranking member. I would thank also the subcommittee Chair, Sheila Jackson-Lee, from the great State of Texas. She and I have districts that are juxtaposed right next to each other. Mr. Chairman, I am supporting this legislation because it authorizes $140 million to Amtrak to improve tunnels in the Northeast corridor. It requires programs that will cause our transit employees to be trained on how to prevent, prepare for, and respond to terrorist attacks. Our first line of defense will be prepared to defend as a result of this bill. This bill requires that we look forward, and it authorizes $200 million over the next 4 years to find solutions to security threats. This bill protects those who would protect us in that the whistleblowers will be protected. I trust that while it may not be a perfect provision, it is better than what we had, and I assure the public that this is going to help us. This bill will help us to get the additional inspectors that we need. We will move from 100 inspectors to 600 by 2010. This bill helps us to protect America's future, our children, in that it provides for school bus transportation security assessments. This bill provides for enhanced security for shipments of sensitive materials. Finally, of the many things I can say, I want to remind us that this bill provides that violators of the act will be punished. There are both civil and criminal penalties for violators. I think this is a good bill. I am honored to have my name associated with it as an original cosponsor.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today we passed H.R. 1591, the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act of 2007. Mr. Speaker, in so doing, we will do at least three things: We will help our troops and support those troops who are in the field; we will provide assistance and care for our veterans who are at home; and we will also provide some assistance for the friends, the family, and the people who are in this country at the same time we are helping our troops. I do want to remind people that the troops are there risking their lives so we can have a better life here. In so doing we want to make sure that we take care of them, but we should also be mindful that their families and their friends back home have needs as well. This bill addresses troops in the field and family and friends who are left behind. Let us just talk for a moment, if we may, about what happened today. We had a bipartisan bill to pass the House. Democrats and Republicans supported this effort. Members of Congress voted their consciences, and I do not begrudge any Member for any vote that a Member took. I do want to talk for a moment about what this bill will mean to the American people and especially to our soldiers who are in the field. This bill provides $1.2 billion approximately for Afghanistan. It provides $2.8 billion for defense health; for veterans health, $1.7 billion; for readiness, military readiness which is important, we want our men and women, our soldiers, to be prepared, $2.5 billion. But at home, we have some needs as well, and this bill addresses many of our needs at home. Aviation security is important to us, $1.25 billion. Port, transit and border security is important to us, $1.25 billion. Disaster relief is important to people who were left behind, $910 million. There are those who have made comments about agriculture and the assistance that we are providing. Many of those persons who are in the field, who are in harm's way, came from the farm lands of America, and they have relatives who are still in need here. We must support the troops, but we can also do it and support the friends, relatives and family members that they left behind. So, yes, for agriculture disaster we have $140 million. We also have many children in this country who are not getting the proper health care, many children without health care in the richest country in the world. If we truly want to leave no child behind, we have to do more than fund schools. If we want to leave no child behind, we have got to make sure every child that goes to school is healthy, that every child is mentally ready to embrace the learning process. We have $750 million for the CHIP program. This will help children have good health care. There are wildfires in this country. Many family members and friends of our troops may have to suffer from an incident that could be prevented. So we do have wildfire suppression, $500 million. But there are people who may not be related to the troops, who may not be a friend of a member of our armed services in harm's way, and they, too, deserve some assistance, $400 million for the energy assistance program. I will close with this, Mr. Speaker, and I thank you for the time. We must protect and defend our country and we have to protect our military in harm's way and the people who are left behind.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to support legislation that will bring Washington, D.C. into this century. It is time to give the citizens of Washington, D.C. the right to vote in the United States Congress. They have the right to pay taxes, but they don't have the right to vote in the United States Congress. They have the right to serve in the military, but they don't have the right to vote in the United States Congress. While the Constitution of the United States does not directly address this question, it does speak of government of the people, by the people, for the people. It is time for the people of Washington, D.C. to participate in this form of government. No other democracy in the free world has in its capital people who cannot vote. It is time to give the citizens of Washington, D.C. the right to vote in the United States Congress.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. I want to make it conspicuously clear that I love the Constitution. And I understand that there are constitutional scholars on both sides of this issue. There were constitutional scholars on both sides of Dred Scott. There were constitutional scholars on both sides of Plessy vs. Ferguson. There were constitutional scholars on both sides of Brown vs. The Board of Education. The question is which side are you on? Which side are you on today? I stand with the half million people, more than a half million people, in the District of Columbia who do not have full representation in the United States Congress. Which side are we on today? I stand with ending 206 years of injustice on people who are citizens of the United States who live in the District of Columbia. I stand on the side of ending taxation without representation. I stand with the chairman and I want to especially say that I stand with the majority leader, who stood here and made me proud of him today. Just when I think that the stock of the chairman of this committee and the majority leader can't go any higher, it goes up. I stand for government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, please permit me to take just a moment to thank the chairperson of the Financial Services Committee, Mr. Frank. I am so honored to have the opportunity to serve under his leadership. There are many persons who are great managers. Great managers are concerned about doing things right, but I want you to know that our leader is concerned about doing the right thing, and I am honored that he is the chairperson of our committee. I also want to thank the subcommittee chairperson Chairwoman Waters. She has gone to Louisiana on many occasions, and Mississippi. She has held one hearing there where she was Chair, and she attended another hearing wherein she was a ranking member. And in attending these hearings, she did more than sit in a physical location and listen to people talk. She actually went to the housing complexes. She actually talked to persons who were living in the apartments, the units, and in so doing, she gained a greater understanding of what is actually taking place in the lives of the people who have been displaced. So I thank her for all that she has done. I also thank the Members of the minority who attended. I am greatly appreciative that they were there and showed great interest in what was happening to the people from Louisiana who have moved to other locations as well as those who are trying to move back. And finally I thank the staff. The staff has done an outstanding job in helping us to put this legislation together. They are to be commended. We do a lot of things, but we do most of them because we have good staff, and I thank them. Mr. Chairman, Hurricane Katrina, one of the greatest natural disasters of our time, has caused us to confront one of the greatest domestic issues of our time. And the question that we have to confront is how does the richest country in the world treat the poorest victims of one of the world's greatest disasters? The richest country in the world, the country where 1 out of every 110 persons is a millionaire, how does it treat persons who are among the least, the last, and the lost who have suffered as a result of a natural disaster? With all due respect given to my chairman, I don't want to get into the war, but a country wherein $177 million is being spent not per year, not per month, not per week, but per day on the war, how does this country, the richest in the world, treat the least, the last, and the lost when they have suffered a natural disaster? I am proud to say that our response to Hurricane Katrina has taught me that in times of disaster, Americans of goodwill want to see that no American, to borrow a cliche, is left behind. Communities across the length and breadth of this country opened their arms, their homes, their hearts to the Katrina survivors. From financial services institutions to nonprofits, from apartment owners to homeowners, we answered the clarion call for help, understanding in a sacred sense that but for the grace of God there go I. However, I also understand and I have learned in a secular sense that HUD, not FEMA, is best suited to meet the mid- to long-term needs of disaster victims. In fact, a White House report from February of 2006, styled ``Lessons Learned'' indicates that HUD was mistakenly not engaged in the housing response until late in the effort. It also indicates that HUD has expertise in providing the long-term housing needs that these victims so desperately need. It further indicates and recommends that HUD be designated the lead Federal agency for providing temporary housing. FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, by definition should not, should not manage long-term housing needs. Today, more than 18 months after Katrina, more than 120,000 households are still receiving FEMA assistance. More than 37,000 households are still receiving FEMA rental assistance. It is past time, Mr. Chairman, to get the Federal Emergency Management Agency out of the Katrina long-term housing crisis, and it is time that we put the Housing and Urban Development program in charge. Why is there a long-term Katrina housing crisis? Because the vast majority of all families receiving FEMA rental assistance have extremely low incomes and are disabled and/or elderly. Why is there a long-term Katrina rental housing crisis? Because of the Katrina survivors receiving rental assistance, 7 in 10 households have annual incomes below $15,000 per year, because more than half of the monthly incomes are $750 or less, because more than 44 percent have health care problems that will impact their abilities to work. How has FEMA responded to this housing crisis? By moving real people with real problems from one deadline to another deadline. The section 403 rental program alone speaks volumes. The deadline for section 403 moved from March 1, 2006, to March 30, 2006, to May 31, 2006, to June 30, 2006, to July 31, 2006, to August 30, 2006. It is time to end the deadlines and extend a lifeline to only those who are eligible for HUD assistance. This amendment, I believe my friends on the other side should really love this amendment because it provides assistance to the people that don't have a place to return home to, and I think that is what my friends are indicating we should do. This amendment extends section 408 rental housing assistance until the end of this year. Further, it would help the families who are eligible for section 8 rental vouchers to get section 8 rental vouchers. And as soon as a family becomes ineligible for section 8 rental vouchers, then the family would cease to get the vouchers, and the vouchers would cease to exist. This amendment also allows persons living in FEMA trailers who are eligible to receive section 8 vouchers to receive section 8 rental vouchers. Again, they must be eligible to receive the vouchers to, in fact, acquire the section 8 vouchers. This amendment is supported by over 50 not-for-profits and other agencies. It has a zero direct impact on spending. It has a budget score of zero. And I think it is time for us to end the deadline, extend the timeline, and extend long-term rental assistance only to those persons who are eligible to receive it Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, because I have a modified amendment at the desk, I ask unanimous consent that amendment No. 5 be modified.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. I have limited time. Would you have required work for the families of 9/11?

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Because my time is limited, let me just ask, if you would, what would you have done, is my question.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the Members who have spoken before me, and I am greatly concerned about the amendment. I am concerned because I, too, understand what happened with 9/11. It was one of the great disasters of our time, and yet I know of no amendments comparable to this one. My friend from Texas and I in committee engaged in somewhat of a Q and A, so I believe it appropriate and fair that he and I do a similar thing at this time. So to my friend from Texas I ask, what amendment would you have imposed on the more than $15 billion that the families received after 9/11? Which, by the way, I think was appropriate. I ask my friend to respond, and I yield him such time as he may need within my 2 minutes to do so.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the remainder of the time. Mr. Chairman, many of the persons who will receive these vouchers are persons who will be working full time and living below the poverty line, persons who are what we call extremely low-income persons, making around $12,000 per year. Does someone argue that a person making $12,000 per year should not receive some assistance for housing? That is what we are talking about, persons working below the poverty line full time, family of two. You are making about $13,000 if you are going to reach poverty line, and these vouchers go away. They are not vouchers that are permanent. They are only there to help as needed, and once the need ceases to exist, the vouchers will cease to exist. People are suffering. Moving from one deadline to another deadline causes a lot of stress in the lives of the persons who have these vouchers or who have these temporary living conditions, and their children are suffering. The children are in schools. At some point people want to know that they have stability, that their children can attend the same school all year long, that at Christmastime there is no threat that they will have to move from one place to another. At some point we have to give them the stability that they deserve. Finally, people still cry. They have tears to well in their eyes when they talk about what happened to them. Why would we continue to compound what is already a distressful situation by adding additional stress to their lives by threatening them with eviction? In closing, I mention only that we have the ability to do the right thing, or we can try to do something right. We can try to put a process in place. I say it is time for us to do the right thing, and in the process, I think we will be doing something the right way as well. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. AL GREEN of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison), who is also a part of the committee.