Alcee Hastings

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I'm privileged to yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Polis), my colleague on the Rules Committee.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased at this time to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff), my friend and a distinguished member of the Intelligence Committee.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire about how much time remains on both sides?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. With that, Mr. Speaker, in an effort to respond to my colleague and friend from Georgia, I yield 1 additional minute at this time to the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, again, for purposes of clarity, I yield 1 additional minute to my colleague from Colorado (Mr. Polis).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would advise my friend from Georgia that I'm the last speaker. If he is prepared to close, I am prepared to close.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the distinguished chairman of the Rules Committee, my good friend, Mr. Sessions, for his explanation of the measure going forward. I certainly do not anticipate that my side will oppose the measure as offered. In addition thereto, I would highlight what he did eloquently point out, and that is the bipartisan effort that has been put into this, including all of the negotiations leading up to now what will be the McCaul amendment offered by Mr. Woodall. CISPA, Mr. Speaker, provides the government and private sector with the tools they need to secure our networks and prevent future cyber attacks, while respecting the privacy of individuals. In bringing private companies and trade groups to the table, as well as taking into consideration the concerns expressed by civil liberties organizations, CISPA has been improved to better address the growing cybersecurity risks faced by the Federal Government and private sector, provide greater oversight, and protect Americans' privacy. We can take significant steps to reduce our vulnerability to cyber threats today. I have had the honor and privilege of meeting many of our intelligence professionals when I served as a member of the Intelligence Committee; and since that time, I cannot overstate how much I appreciate, and am humbled by, their service. Furthermore, I want to take this moment of personal privilege to thank my good friends, Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Ruppersberger, and to underscore one of the unnoticed and hardworking staffs' efforts, and that would be the House Intelligence Committee staff, for their hard work and dedication in helping to see this and other measures having to do with the intelligence of this committee to the House floor, as well as in cooperation with their colleagues and ours at the United States Senate. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the rule and ``yes'' on the underlying bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my sincerest congratulations and Happy Birthday wishes to Mrs. Jeanette Gobin, who will be celebrating her 100th birthday on Tuesday, April 30, 2013. On this day, she will be honored with a birthday celebration at Savannah Court in West Palm Beach, Florida. Born in Ontario, Canada on April 30, 1913 to Arthur and Clara DesRoches, Ms. Gobin is the eldest of two children. After completing her education, Ms. Gobin got married and relocated to Detroit, Michigan with her husband. Ms. Gobin developed a love for traveling. She went out on the road with her husband who was a sales representative for a major tool and die company. After Ms. Gobin and her husband retired, they relocated to Rivera Beach, Florida in the late 1970's. When not traveling, Ms. Gobin volunteered her time at local hospitals helping others. She is a devoted catholic and said: ``My life is an open book. I have lived for 100 years, and have seen almost everything.'' When asked for her secret to living a long life, she said that it is to live life to the fullest, enjoying each day, learn how to laugh and most importantly help others. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to an outstanding citizen and woman of faith, Ms. Jeanette Gobin, as she and her loved ones celebrate her 100th birthday.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce the Veterans Pensions Protection Act of 2013, which will help protect our nation's veterans from unfairly losing their pensions benefits because they received payments to cover expenses incurred after an accident, theft, loss or casualty loss. When assessing a veteran's eligibility for a pension, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) considers a variety of sources of revenue to determine a veteran's annual income. If such income exceeds the income limit set by the VA, the veteran does not qualify for a pension or loses their benefits. Currently, the VA considers any reimbursement that compensates a veteran for his/or her expenses due to accidents, theft or loss as income. Only reimbursements of expenses related to casualty loss are currently exempted from determination of income. Under current law, if a veteran is seriously injured in an accident or the victim of a theft and receives insurance compensation to cover his/or her medical expenses, or the cost for pain and suffering, he or she will likely lose their pension. This means that the law effectively punishes veterans when they are involved in an accident or theft. Such a tragedy happened to one of my constituents, a Navy veteran with muscular dystrophy who was hit by a truck when crossing the street in his wheelchair. His pension was abruptly cut-off after he received an insurance settlement payment to cover medical expenses for himself and his service dog, as well as material expenses to replace his wheelchair. As a result, he could not cover his daily expenses and mortgage payments and almost lost his home. There is clearly something wrong with a law that cancels veterans' pensions following the award of an insurance payment, which was only intended to cover exceptional medical expenses. I am distraught that the VA can cancel the pensions of unemployed and disabled veterans without further notice. The VA has a moral responsibility to care for our veterans and ensure that they live decent lives. This happens, because the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) considers a variety of sources of revenue to determine a veteran's annual income, when assessing a veteran's eligibility for a pension, including medical expenses reimbursements/pain and suffering reimbursements. If a veteran's income exceeds the limit set by the VA, then the veteran does not qualify for a pension or loses his/or her benefits. For this reason, the bill is being reintroduced to include language from the original bill that addresses the issue of medical expense/pain and suffering reimbursements. The majority of the original bill, H.R. 923, was passed into legislation in the form of PL 112-154. However, while the law addresses veterans' eligibility for pensions (and surviving spouse/children) in regard to their reimbursements (for any accident, theft or loss, or casualty loss), it does not specify medical expenses or pain and suffering reimbursements. Mr. Speaker, this legislation will ensure that pensions are issued to veterans who legitimately meet the income criteria and rely on such benefits to survive. We must enact regulations that help veterans live better lives, not hurt them. At a time when our nation's servicemen and women are fighting two wars abroad, we have a duty to our past, present, and future veterans to provide them with the very best services and benefits. We owe our veterans an enormous debt, and cannot thank them enough for their service. On behalf of the unfortunate veterans who have slipped through the cracks due his punitive law, such as my aforementioned constituent, I ask for your support of this important legislation.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, you and I were in Rules last night when I made the statement that I'm going to make here today. When I was a child, I learned that you can be penny-wise and pound foolish. What winds up happening here is for a protracted period of time, we have not been able to retain the kind of staff, the hardworking people that really do the grinding work in committees, as Mr. Hoyer pointed out, and we leave them without the ability to get a raise. And I don't know about you all, but what's going to wind up happening with my staff is some of them are going to get better jobs because they are better served by going into the private sector. If we want to retain good people, we have to pay good people. And at a time when the public is more aware of what we are doing and making more demands, as rightly they should upon us, we decide to put ourselves in a position to not be able to serve the public. In the final analysis, some of what we are doing is trying to save our Republican colleagues. They get two-thirds of whatever it is that we're talking about. But we should not be ashamed of what we do here. We deserve the honesty that we would want the American public to expect of us as we conduct our work.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution honoring Yoani Sanchez, a courageous blogger and activist for freedom in Cuba, for her ongoing efforts to challenge political, economic, and social oppression. She has become a prominent voice through social media for millions of Cubans who reject the oppression of the Castro regime, having said, ``We Cubans don't deserve what we are living through. I think Cubans deserve to be citizens of the 21st century, in all senses, to test the challenges of modernity.'' Yoani Maria Sanchez Cordero was born in Havana, Cuba on September 4, 1975, and went on to major in Spanish Literature at the Pedagogical Institute before completing a degree in Hispanic Philology at the University of Havana in 2000. While working at Editorial Gente Nueva, Sanchez came to the realization that, like many Cubans, the wages she earned legally were not enough to support her family and highly qualified individuals were unable to find sufficient work. Disenchanted and seeking greater economic opportunities, she moved to Switzerland in 2002 but returned to Cuba in the summer of 2004, discovering her passion for computer science. In 2004, Sanchez and a group of like-minded compatriots founded Consenso, a magazine of reflection and debate, and three years later she worked as a web master, columnist, and editor for the website Desde Cuba. In April 2007, Sanchez created the blog known as ``Generation Y,'' which started as an outlet for self-expression but has since found an audience with half a million people around the world. Through her weekly blog posts, tweets, and Facebook updates, made possible thanks to the donations of online supporters and Sanchez's unwavering persistence, she has provided an unfiltered glimpse into the realities of day-to-day life in Cuba. The Castro regime branded Sanchez as a dissident and, since March 2008, blocked access to her blog from within Cuba, where mobile phones, flash drives, and used laptop computers have become lifelines of communication given economic and government barriers to the internet. Sanchez refused to be silenced and continued to write with the help of friends and volunteer collaborators abroad, who post her entries in solidarity and have translated Generation Y into 20 languages. Sanchez attempted to travel outside of Cuba on 20 occasions, but was repeatedly denied the required exit visa. In January 2013, the Cuban government lifted travel restrictions for citizens and issued Sanchez a passport, allowing her to embark on an 80-day international tour, including Brazil, the Czech Republic, Spain, Mexico, and the United States, to share her experiences living under the Castro regime firsthand. On her first U.S. visit, she will meet with Members of Congress in Washington, D.C. Following her tour, Sanchez intends to return to Havana, where she lives with her husband Reinaldo and their 20-year-old son Teo, and dreams of starting an independent news outlet, saying, ``Life has taught me that the wall comes tumbling down only when you push it.'' Sanchez is the recipient of numerous honors and awards for her activism. In 2009, she became the first blogger to ever interview U.S. President Barack Obama, who applauded her efforts to ``empower fellow Cubans to express themselves through the use of technology.'' She has also received the Ortega y Gasset Award for Digital Journalism in 2008, was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World in the ``Heroes and Pioneers'' category for 2008, been awarded the Maria Moore Cabot Prize from Columbia University in 2009 for coverage of Latin America, and received the International Woman of Courage Award from then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2011. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, which honors Yoani Sanchez and commends individuals like her who have dedicated their lives to protecting and strengthening civil rights in the face of adversity. Despite violent attacks and protests from Castro supporters and leftists, she has vowed to never stop writing until the people of Cuba are able to express their views freely. I join Yoani Sanchez and her fellow activists in looking forward to the day when all Cubans can freely express themselves in public without fear of reprisal.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Everglades for the Next Generation Act. Everglades restoration is unfortunately at a standstill. All of the projects that can be started are already underway and nearing completion. It has been six years since the last Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Projects (CERP) were authorized. The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) is supposed to be the vehicle for these authorizations, but clearly is not sufficient. In the 12 years since CERP was signed into law, Congress has passed only one WRDA bill. An awkward state of limbo is not the future Congress had in mind for the Everglades when it passed CERP, and it is not the future that the American people deserve. Congressional inaction has persevered for far too long despite bi-partisan support for restoration. Regardless of the real progress, restoration efforts will not succeed without the next generation of projects, which cannot begin without further Congressional authorizations. That is exactly what this bill does: authorizes the shovel-ready projects which have been awaiting another WRDA. Additionally, this legislation will make it easier for the Army Corps of Engineers to move on many of the remaining projects in order to prevent future Congressional bottlenecking. Restoration is not a theoretical exercise. CERP has demonstrable successes and biennial reports from the National Academy of Sciences. We know that the federal and state governments can successfully work together with private businesses and landowners to reach mutually beneficial agreements that restore the health of this unique, beautiful, wild, and wonderful resource that is absolutely essential for Florida. I urge my colleagues to support critically important legislation.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce the Lena Horne Recognition Act. This bill would award Lena Horne with a Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of her achievements and contributions to American culture and the Civil Rights Movement. A symbol of elegance and grace, Lena Horne created a legacy by not only entertaining Americans for over 60 years, but by breaking many racial barriers as a singer, dancer, and actress. Ms. Horne passed away in New York City on May 9, 2010 at the age of 92. Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was born on June 30, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York. Her path to international stardom began in Harlem's Cotton Club, where she was first hired as a chorus dancer at the age of 16. From there, her career continued in Charlie Barney's jazz band, where she became one of the first African-American women to tour with an all white band, to Hollywood and Broadway. In the 1940s, Ms. Horne was discovered by a Metro Gold Mayer talent scout and moved to Hollywood to be an actress. She was the first black artist to sign a long-term contract with a major studio. Despite her beauty and talent, however, she was limited to minor acting roles because of her race. She was passed over for the role of Julie in the movie Show Boat because the studio did not want the film to star a black actress, and the Motion Picture Code did not allow the depiction of interracial relationships. Nonetheless, she dazzled audiences and critics in a number of films, including Cabin in the Sky and Stormy Weather. The struggle for equal and fair treatment was an inseparable and increasingly political part of Ms. Horne's life. During WWII, she toured extensively with the United Service Organizations on the West Coast and in the South in support of the troops. Ms. Horne was outspoken in her criticism of the way black soldiers were treated. She refused to sing for segregated audiences or to groups where German prisoners of war were seated in front of the African-American servicemen. During the period of McCarthyism in the 1950s, Ms. Horne was blacklisted as a communist for seven years due to her civil rights activism and her friendships with Paul Robeson and W.E.B. DuBois. Despite facing continued discrimination, Ms. Horne's career flourished in television and onstage throughout the country. It was during this time that she also established herself as a major recording artist. In 1957, she recorded Lena Horne at the Waldorf Astoria, which reached the Top 10 and became the best selling album by a female singer in RCA Victor's history. Ms. Horne used her talent and fame to become a powerful voice for civil rights and equality. In 1963, she participated in the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. She also performed at rallies throughout the country for the National Council for Negro Women and worked with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Ms. Horne finally received the break she had been waiting for her in 1981, which was a one woman Broadway show. Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, was the culmination of her triumphs and struggles. The show enjoyed a 14-month run and earned her a Tony Award and two Grammy Awards. Furthermore, she received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her work in both motion pictures and recordings, as well as a footprint on the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. Mr. Speaker, Lena Horne was an extraordinary woman who refused to give up her dreams and used her beauty, talent, and intelligence to fight racial discrimination. I urge my colleagues to support the Lena Horne recognition Act, in order to honor her life and legacy with a Congressional Gold Medal.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, the gentleman from Georgia, for yielding the customary 30 minutes to me. I rise obviously in opposition to the rule for consideration of H.R. 273, to eliminate the 2013 statutory pay adjustment for Federal employees. I just heard my colleague from Georgia say that this is a good rule; but I've also heard him say what I agree with very frequently, and that is that this body should proceed toward regular order, allow the committee process to go forward in a meaningful way, to have hearings, and to let the will of the body be worked here in the people's House. I've also heard him talk about closed rules; and it's for that reason that I believe that this process is not a good process because it is a closed rule, and this couldn't, in that sense, be good. There were no hearings. He talks about this one week, one bill. Why this week for Federal employees? Last night, I talked with six members of the American Federation of Government Employees, some of them older, some of them younger, and all of them agonizing, as are Federal employees around the country. Let me get to the point. The Republicans have decided that they want to continue in the same shortsighted and counterproductive campaign against Federal employees that we saw in the last Congress. When they introduced this very same bill in the 112th Congress, it passed the House and then went nowhere and accomplished absolutely nothing. I'm quite certain--and I'll bet--that it will face the same fate this time around. Just last week, the Rules Committee considered H.R. 444, the Require a PLAN Act, which should have been called the ``Republicans Have No Plan Act.'' Instead of offering real solutions to the challenges facing our Nation, my Republican colleagues continue to introduce do-nothing legislation that will do nothing to help the American people. Obviously, all of us know that we face $85 billion in sequestration cuts in a matter of weeks. These cuts were intended to be a fail-safe. They were supposed to be so unpalatable, so horrible for everyone, that Congress would never allow them to go into effect. Yet, instead of making sure that these massive cuts don't threaten the progress that we've made, my friends on the other side would rather play politics at the expense of the middle class and the working poor, underscoring the working poor. As the President put it in his State of the Union address: ``Arbitrary deficit reduction is not an economic plan.'' Deficit reduction is a means to an end, not an end in and of itself. It is just one tool that will help us get our country back on the right track. You can't build a house with just a saw. Deficit reduction needs to be part of a comprehensive economic plan, one that will stimulate growth and create jobs. A serious economic plan is one that does not take potshots at our economy and our Nation's full faith and credit for political purposes. We must, in this people's House, move beyond politics and work to avoid a dangerous backslide in our Nation's economic recovery. For the life of me, I can't even begin to understand why House Republicans continue to pick on Federal employees. It's as if the people that keep the Capitol clean, the police officers that keep us safe, the countless people that work right here on this Capitol complex do not deserve this paltry raise and are to be picked on. My AFGE friends were saying to me last night that Federal employees have already contributed $103 billion towards deficit reduction. Furthermore, Federal employees and retirees have contributed $15 billion in savings over 10 years through an increased pension contribution. A 2-year Federal pay freeze has been in effect since 2011 and will produce an additional $60 billion in savings. The reduction and delay of a 2013 pay increase included in the current continuing resolution will yield $28 billion in savings. At what point does enough, as my friend from Virginia said, become enough? What's more and puzzles me--and I asked the question of the scrivener of this bill last evening--is: Why aren't Federal contractors, who make twice as much as Federal employees, included in this pay freeze? He gave me some political fogging. I don't know what it was and don't care to even bother to try to remember. During the debate over the fiscal cliff, Republicans said that we shouldn't ask corporations and the wealthiest in our society to pay their fair share. The reason that was put--this is a while back during the debate on the fiscal cliff--was that if we tax the wealthy, they won't work as hard if they're taking home less money. What about Federal employees? Why is it that that logic does not apply here? It's incomprehensible that we find ourselves in this position. Mr. Speaker, if the Federal Government is not paying realistic salaries, then we can't expect to be able to provide for people to allow for themselves and their families to have a decent living. Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that the Federal workforce is smaller now than it was in 1988, a historic low compared to the size of the national population. There are fewer Federal workers now than at any time during President Reagan's administration. Something has got to give. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlelady.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would advise the gentleman that I was a businessperson, too, and there is a distinction between private businesses and civil servants of the Federal Government. I'm pleased at this time to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman on the Rules Committee and my good friend from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, before yielding, I would ask my good friend from Georgia a question: If we are leaving here, as I suspect we will tomorrow for a week, why don't we just stay here and get this done rather than go on vacation or waycation or whatever we do?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. He doesn't control the House, Mr. Woodall.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I continue to yield.