Rubén Hinojosa

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 59, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 615, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Yvonne ``Bonnie'' Gonzalez, an extraordinary public servant who has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of south Texas residents. As CEO of Workforce Solutions, she has played a vitally important role in leading transformational change in the Rio Grande Valley and in the workforce industry. In fact, due to her exemplary leadership, Workforce Solutions has become one of the highest performing workforce boards in Texas. Prior to joining Workforce Solutions as their CEO, Ms. Gonzalez served as founding president and CEO of the RGV Empowerment Zone Corporation. Under her direction, the Empowerment Zone took a $40 million Federal investment and leveraged an additional $416 million in local, State, national, and private sector investment into the Empowerment Zone communities. As a devoted public servant, Ms. Gonzalez has inspired others to strive for excellence and to put the needs of our community first. Today I congratulate Ms. Bonnie Gonzalez on her new venture as president of the Knapp Community Care Foundation and thank her for the many years of public service to south Texas residents.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the House bring up the Senate amendment to H.J. Res. 59, to open the government and go to conference on a budget so that we end this Republican government shutdown.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against the government shutdown and its detrimental impact on Federal programs like Head Start and Impact Aid for school districts. Instead of punishing our youngest learners through this government shutdown, our Nation needs a responsible, forward-looking fiscal policy that repairs the damage done by sequestration and the government shutdown and that allows programs like Head Start to provide the highest quality early learning opportunities to our most vulnerable children. A piecemeal approach to funding Head Start is not a real solution to this government shutdown. This GOP majority has slashed funding for education, including Impact Aid. Impact Aid school districts have been harder hit than any other school districts as they struggle to provide quality education for the children of active military and Native American students. Due to the GOP sequester, many of these school districts have been reduced to 4- day school weeks. This is a reckless and irresponsible way to govern. Our Nation's children and families deserve more, not less.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bipartisan bill, H.R. 3223, the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act. Today is the fifth day of the government shutdown; 87 percent of Americans expressed in a political poll unhappiness with the direction of Washington with this shutdown. Federal employees are dedicated public servants who are just trying to do their jobs, support their families, and contribute to the economy. They did not ask to be furloughed, and they had no time to plan financially for this crisis brought on by the stubbornness of the Republican Party. It seems to me that by supporting this bill, we are not trying to give them a paid vacation. If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would bring a clean CR to the floor, they could all be back to work on Monday. These families are victims of the dysfunction of this Congress.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 512 on H.J. Res. 70--On the Motion to Table the Appeal of the Ruling of the Chair, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 513 on passage of H.J. Res. 70, Making continuing appropriations for National Park Service operations, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum for fiscal year 2014, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 514 on passage of H.J. Res. 73, Making continuing appropriations for the National Institutes of Health for fiscal year 2014, I am not recorded because I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no''.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I am shocked at the blatant disregard for our Nation's poor displayed on this floor today. This bill before us cuts over forty billion from nutrition assistance programs, stripping away desperately needed food assistance benefits from over four million Americans, including up to 170,000 of our veterans. In addition, over two hundred thousand hungry children would be kicked off the school lunch program as a result of this Republican bill. That is an absolute disgrace. Who would agree to send all of those children to school hungry? Who would want to literally take food out of the mouths of our children? As a father I cannot even imagine doing such a thing to one child much less hundreds of thousands. For decades I have been involved in helping create a better environment for our students in schools. How can we expect our Nation to move forward when our students are literally starving while trying to better themselves while learning on empty stomachs? If this bill becomes law it will be devastating. I plead with my Republican colleagues. Do not be so cruel to our most vulnerable citizens, to our children, and to our veterans. Vote down this bill.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, America expects Members of Congress to exemplify what is great about our country. They expect us to represent virtues of tolerance, respect, and intelligence. Generalizations about children, about entire races of people are intolerant, disrespectful, and not very intelligent. Our country expects better from us. Recent comments made by one colleague across the aisle are far below those expectations. Forget for a moment that the DREAM Act is the right thing to do and will help grow our economy. Forget that most DREAMers are the best and the brightest of our country, and that passing the DREAM Act will increase DREAMers' earnings by an aggregate of 19 percent, totaling $148 billion in wages by 2030, triggering more spending on goods and services throughout our economy and generating $181 billion in increased economic growth by 2030, creating millions of jobs for Americans. Forget that providing a strong incentive for DREAMers to further their education will add 223,000 college diplomas to the workforce and open doors to better paying jobs. Forget all that, and remember that these are children and young adults. These are human beings. They deserve better than the derogatory statements of my Republican colleague. The American people deserve better.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 5, a bill which denies America's children access to high-quality education and a chance to lead successful and prosperous lives. Mr. Chairman, I chose not to offer any amendments today because I believe this Republican bill is beyond repair and would exacerbate existing inequities in public education, causing irreparable harm to disadvantaged students. H.R. 5 slashes education by over $1 billion next year by locking in the sequester funding levels at a time when our Nation's schools are becoming increasingly diverse. Now more than ever our Nation's public schools need increased Federal funding to prepare all students for college careers and to equip them with a well-rounded education. To make matters worse, the Republican bill removes the Maintenance of Effort requirement in current law that ensures that States maintain education funding. Simply put, this is no time to gut critical education funding for America's children. This Republican bill abandons the Federal Government's historic commitment to educating disadvantaged populations. H.R. 5 block grants vital programs targeted for English language learners; migrant children; neglected and delinquent youth; and Indian education; and allows States and districts to siphon away these Federal funds and use them for other purposes. This Republican bill has no expectation that all students graduate from high school and are prepared for college and careers. More to the point, H.R. 5 does not require States to set college- and career-ready standards and eliminates performance targets for all students.

Mr. HINOJOSA. I am concerned that this Republican bill walks away from English language learners by removing measurable performance targets for content mastery and second language acquisition. Furthermore, it is failing to require native language assessments for English language learners. In a globally competitive world, all students must be equipped with the skills they need to succeed in school and life. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in opposition to H.R. 5.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 360, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I rise to express my deep concern for former Marine Corporal Armando Torres, who is in this photograph here. He was kidnapped by members of the Mexican cartel during a visit to Tamaulipas, Mexico, while visiting his father and uncle. On May 14, 2013, 2 months ago, Mr. Torres crossed the Rio Grande River into Mexico and was to return the next day. Family members in Mexico report that Mr. Torres, along with his father and uncle, were forcibly taken by members of the Mexican cartel. Corporal Torres is a combat veteran who served his country honorably in Iraq. I have asked the FBI in McAllen, Texas, and the U.S. Consulate General in Matamoros, Mexico, to help bring this marine and his relatives back safely to their loved ones. Each agency has been working on this case every day for the past 2 months. They report the Mexican Government is cooperating with them on their efforts to find the victims of this outrageous crime. I commend the quick action taken by both the FBI and the U.S. State Department, and I urge them to continue to do all they can to find and return our former marine, Armando Torres, back safely to the United States and to bring his relatives back home. The United States does not, and must not, give up and leave one of its own behind.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 346, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, as chair of the CHC, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in very strong opposition to the farm bill rule and the underlying bill because it hurts America's poor children and senior citizens.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, we are here today as a result of a lack of leadership of the Republican majority. Instead of passing a bipartisan farm bill like the Senate has done, House Republicans have tried to ram through a partisan bill that would have attacked our most vulnerable children. I'm talking about poor children, senior citizens, and many who have lost their jobs. When that bill failed, instead of reaching out to Democrats to craft a bipartisan bill that could easily pass, like every farm bill has for the past 40 years, they resorted to this desperate tactic. By removing the reauthorization of the food stamp program from the bill, they are doing what they have wanted to do for years--completely gut the program--leaving millions of hungry children without anywhere to turn. Their heartless action today on the House floor of the Nation's Capitol will increase poverty and hurt the weakest among us. Nearly one in five children suffers from food insecurity. This bill is an embarrassment and should be voted down.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2574, entitled Keeping Student Loans Affordable Act of 2013, legislation that would extend and fully pay for an additional year of the 3.4 percent interest rate on subsidized Federal direct Stafford loans. Given that millions of students and families are struggling to afford the skyrocketing cost of a college education, it's shocking to me that this Congress allowed interest rates to double on July 1. I'm afraid that this Republican-majority Congress is making college more expensive for millions of students. With student debt surpassing $3 trillion, another increase of $1,000 of debt would be damaging to millions of student already struggling to afford basic expenses like rent and food. The student loan debt crisis is crushing the dreams and aspirations of students and college graduates. High levels of debt are creating obstacles for young people who hope to start a family, purchase a home, and save for retirement. At this rate, they cannot accomplish those standard goals that every American should be able to achieve. In my view, student loan debt sets our country backward, not forward. Without Congress' swift action, more than 7 million low- and moderate- income students working towards a college degree will have to pay an additional $1,000 for each loan that they borrow. The Keep Student Loans Affordable Act of 2013 will secure low interest rates for an additional year as Congress works on a long-term and sustainable approach for the Federal student loan program that works for both students and taxpayers. Importantly, this bill will help ensure that college remains within reach for students who rely on Federal loans to pay for their education. In stark contrast, the GOP student loan plan is irresponsible and puts students in a yearly-adjustable student loan, which will result in great unpredictability and skyrocketing costs. What's more, the GOP bills add more debt onto students, even more than the doubling of the interest rates. In a globally competitive economy, an education is clearly a necessity. This Congress should be helping students afford a college education, not saddling them with student loan debt. As ranking member of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do what is right and pass H.R. 2574 to reverse the student loan rate increase.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 265, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Amendment No. 26 Offered by Mr. Marino

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my deep concern for former Marine Corporal Armando Torres who was reportedly kidnapped by members of the Mexican Cartel during a visit to Las Barrancas, Tamaulipas, Mexico while visiting his father and uncle. On May 14, 2013, Mr. Torres crossed on an Internat'l bridge into Mexico and had planned to return the next day. Family members in Mexico report that Mr. Torres along with his father and uncle were forcibly taken by members of the Mexican Cartel. Corporal Torres is a combat veteran who served his country honorably in Iraq. I have asked the F.B.I in McAllen, Texas and the U.S. Consulate General in Matamoros, Mexico to help bring this marine and his relatives back safely to their loved ones. Each agency has been working on this case every day. They report the Mexican Government is cooperating with them on their efforts to find the victims of this outrageous crime. I commend the quick action taken by both the F.B.I. and the U.S. State Department. I urge them to continue to do all they can to find and return our former Marine, Armando Torres, back safely to the U.S. and to bring his relatives back home.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 1911, the Republican bill to make college more expensive. In America, we often speak of the importance of expanding educational opportunity and supporting students in achieving the American Dream. Unfortunately, our student loan debt crisis is crushing the dreams and aspirations of students and college graduates. As Congressman Miller said earlier, today student loan debt exceeds $1.1 trillion. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, student loan debt surpassed total outstanding credit card debt for the first time in 2010. These staggering figures are truly unacceptable and must serve as a wake-up call for developing a long-term solution that helps, not harms, current and future borrowers. As a result, it is shocking that the majority party would bring a bait-and-switch scheme to the House floor, a bill that would force students into loans with skyrocketing interest rates. I find it shameful that H.R. 1911 would reduce the Federal deficit on the backs of students and parents by saddling them with almost $4 billion in additional loan interest charges, and leave students worse off than if Congress simply allowed student loan interest rates to double on July 1. High levels of student loan debt can limit where college graduates live and work. It can affect the kinds of careers that students can follow. High levels of debt can create obstacles for young people who hope to start a family, to purchase a home and save for retirement. To be clear, students and families deserve more from the U.S. Congress, not less.

Mr. HINOJOSA. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to oppose H.R. 1911. I suggest you do two things: one is work to prevent interest rates from doubling on July 1, and second, work to make college more affordable and accessible through the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the Republic of Azerbaijan in celebration of the 95th anniversary of Republic Day on May 28th. Later this year, Azerbaijan will also celebrate the 22nd anniversary of its freedom from the Soviet Union and the beginning of diplomatic relations with the United States. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, Azerbaijan was established in 1918 becoming the first democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world before being incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920. The country regained its independence in 1991. The U.S. and Azerbaijan have developed a strong relationship through the opening of Caspian energy sources for development by American companies, which has also allowed the country to emerge as an essential player in global energy security. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project has become a vital part of delivering Caspian Sea resources to world markets and serves as a prime example of the development of the South Caucasus region. Azerbaijan has continually assisted the United States on matters of international security, supporting and participating in operations in both Kosovo and Iraq as well as being actively engaged in Afghanistan. Azerbaijan has regularly facilitated landing and refueling operations for U.S. and NATO forces in the region. Furthermore, Azerbaijan offered strong and immediate aid to the United States directly following the devastating events of 9/11. Again, it is my distinct pleasure to honor the Republic of Azerbaijan in celebration of the 95th anniversary of Republic Day, and to recognize the valuable bilateral relationship between the United States and Azerbaijan.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, we have millions of people out of work and a Republican majority that refuses to bring a real jobs bill to the floor. We have record drought across the United States and in my home state of Texas, and a Republican majority that has refused to bring a 5 year farm bill to the floor. In fact the only thing this Republican majority knows how to do is waste the Americans people's time. Ever since Republicans took the majority, they have created the most unproductive congresses in our history. We recently spent two days to vote on a helium bill that could have been voice voted in 5 minutes. We are working in Washington this year for only 126 days. 126 days out of 365. Instead of spending some of those precious work days on bills that can help Americans get back to work, we are here to vote for the 37th time to repeal Obamacare. This vote is a waste of time. This bill will never become law and they know that. They knew it the first 36 times we voted to repeal it, and they know it today, but Republican leadership needs to do it so the freshman tea party members can send out a press release and a fundraising email this weekend saying they voted to repeal it. Meanwhile in my district, farmers are struggling to grow crops, families are struggling to eat, and this Congress refuses to lift a finger to help them. They should be ashamed. Vote no on this bill.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 130, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 172, supporting the goals and ideals of National Financial Literacy Month, 2013. I would like to thank my four co-sponsors of the bill, Mr. Steve Stivers of Ohio, my new co-chair for the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Ms. Terri Sewell, of Alabama, and Mr. Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, personal financial literacy is essential to ensure that individuals are prepared to manage money, credit, and debt, and become responsible workers, heads of households, investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and citizens. Financial literacy has been linked to lower delinquency rates for mortgage borrowers, higher participation and contribution rates in retirement plans, improved spending and saving habits, higher net worth, and positive knowledge, attitude, and behavior changes. Expanding access to the mainstream financial system provides individuals with lower-cost and safer options for managing finances and building wealth and is likely to lead to increased economic activity and growth. According to the newly released study from Girl Scouts of the USA, ``Having It All: Girls and Financial Literacy,'' ninety percent of girls say it is important for them to learn how to manage money. However just twelve percent say they feel confident in making financial decisions. They are also products of how the world has changed, as many distrust large financial institutions and think that debt is a normal part of life. Young people look to their parents for guidance on money issues. Unfortunately, too many parents themselves are choosing to opt out of the financial mainstream, for a number of reasons. According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, at least 28.3 percent of households in the United States are unbanked or underbanked and, subsequently, have missed opportunities for savings, lending, and basic financial services. According to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, 39 percent of adults in the United States report that they have no savings. For families to be able to emerge out of poverty, these statistics must change. Financial literacy is the key to social mobility in America. In February 2005, then-Congresswoman Judy Biggert of Illinois and I co-founded, and currently co-chair, the Financial and Economic Literacy Caucus, FELC, to provide a forum for interested Members of Congress to work in collaboration with the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, highlight public and private sector best practices, and organize and promote financial literacy legislation, seminars, and events, such as Financial Literacy Month and the annual Financial Literacy Day Fair on the Hill that is being held today, April 26, 2013, in the Cannon Caucus Room.