Sheila Jackson Lee

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, June 10, I missed Roll Call Votes 289 through 296 due to the necessity of my attending to representational duties on behalf of my congressional district. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On Roll Call 289 I would have voted Yes. (H.R. 5325--Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017--Ellison of Minnesota Amendment No. 2) On Roll Call 290 I would have voted No. (H.R. 5325--Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017--Blackburn of Tennessee Amendment No. 6) On Roll Call 291 I would have voted Yes. (H.R. 5325--Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017--Takano of California Amendment No. 11) On Roll Call 292 I would have voted No. (H.R. 5325--Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017--Pearce of New Mexico Amendment No. 13) On Roll Call 293 I would have voted Yes. (H.R. 5325--Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017--On Motion to Recommit with Instructions) On Roll Call 294 I would have voted No. (H.R. 5325--Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017--On Passage) On Roll Call 295 I would have voted No. (H. Con. Res. 89--Expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy (Scalise--Ways and Means)

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, it is no exaggeration to say that the past several years have been among the most challenging in our nation's history. The collapse of the housing market, the turmoil on Wall Street and the ensuing financial crisis, the severe economic downturn of 2008 which saw the loss of millions of middle-class jobs, and the ever present threat of terrorist attacks on our homeland are enough to make many question whether the American Dream is still attainable and to conclude that our best days are behind us. I do not share this view. The future of our country is bright and I firmly believe that our best days lay ahead. One of the reasons I am so optimistic that the 21st century will be known as the second ``American Century'' is the extraordinary quality, talent, commitment, and energy of the young people who will in time assume the responsibility of leadership. Mr. Speaker, as Members of Congress we know well, perhaps better than most, how blessed our nation is to have in reserve such exceptional young men and women who will go on to become leaders in their local communities, states, and the nation in the areas of business, education, government, philanthropy, the arts and culture, and the military. We know this because we see them and benefit from their contributions every day. Many of them work for us in our offices as junior staff members, congressional fellows, or interns and they do amazing work for and on behalf of the constituents we are privileged to represent. I rise today to pay tribute and bid fond farewell to Sharef Al Najjar, an exceptional young man who has done incredible work in my office in service to my constituents in the Eighteenth Congressional District of Texas. Sharef's, who joined my team in 2011, will be relocating to Atlanta, Georgia with his fiancee, Gillian Robinson, where they will both pursue graduate studies at Emory University's Goizueta Business School. From the moment he joined my staff, Sharef's talents and aptitude for logistics, information technology, project management, and administration were apparent for all to observe. These gifts, combined with Sharers winning personality and cooperative spirit made him an invaluable teammate, mentor, and valued friend to his colleagues, who all will miss his good cheer and Zen but wish him and Gillian well in their future endeavors, which I am confident will include continued service in furtherance of the public interest. Mr. Speaker, I believe there is no higher calling than the call to serve a cause larger than ourselves. That is why I sought public office. I was inspired to serve by President Kennedy who said, ``Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,'' and by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said: ``Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. . . . You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.'' By this measure, there are many other great young men and women who served as volunteers this year in my offices. They may toil in obscurity but their contributions to the constituents we serve are deeply appreciated. Mr. Speaker, the energy, intelligence, and idealism of young people like Sharef Al Najjar, and those working in the offices of my colleagues, help keep our democracy vibrant. The insights, skills, and knowledge of the governmental process they gain from their experiences will last a lifetime and prove invaluable to them as they go about making their mark in this world. Because of persons like Sharef Al Najjar and Gillian Robinson the future of our country is bright and its best days lie ahead. I wish them well. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that such thoughtful committed young men and women like Sharef Al Najjar and Gillian Robinson can be found working in my office, those of my colleagues, and in every community in America. Their good works will keep America great, good, and forever young.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, today, the President and Vice President of the United States, rightly so, have gone to Orlando, Florida, to be with the Senate delegation and Congresswoman Corrine Brown, our colleague whose district was impacted by this heinous terrorist act. I thank him for that, and I thank him for bringing this country together, recognizing that we are not here to blame Muslims, we are not here to blame people of different faith; we are here to draw together. I want the Muslim community to know that we stand with them in their outrage over this incident and their recognition of the values of their faith. Let me also say that we honor and mourn those from the Latino community who died in this tragic and heinous act, and we want to do something about it. Congresswoman Brown and I have introduced H.R. 5470, which requires that before anyone gets an assault weapon, they must answer questions about evidence and recent contacts by Federal law enforcement authorities that they have been engaged in. It must be verified. Let me finally say, Mr. Speaker, that we want the Nation to be secure, but we also want justice in our criminal justice system. I am looking forward to moving that legislation forward because we must be balanced: security and justice and equality for people in the criminal justice system.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, the overwhelming grief that America now feels warrants this body to continue to offer our sympathies and concern to those families now in the most dire of conditions; that is, those families whose loved ones are no more, who died on what was to be a joyous occasion, socializing, as we do as Americans, and those families who are hovering over sickbeds for those who are injured. I rise this morning to again give them my sympathy and my respect. What the American people want to see from this body is action. I rise as well to pay tribute to the LGBTQ community all over the Nation. In my hometown of Houston, Texas, over these last tragic days, we have come together with them and the Muslim community. The Muslim community is making a very strong stand that they stand with those fallen and killed, those who were part of the LGBTQ community. The Muslims were strong. They were Americans. They were prayerful. They were imams, and they were civilians. We prayed. We heard from a Catholic deacon. We heard from a Christian Presbyterian minister in a press conference when we came together on Sunday in the midst of the unbelievable. We came together in Houston and advocated for unity and respect. We quoted scriptures that said to love one another. We joined President Barack Obama in taking the moment not to politicize but to speak that we must come together. Calling names and defining what a radical religion is or not will not answer any question. It may make some feel good, but it will not answer for the basis of the violence of Mr. Mateen. I do believe that the American people are mourning and giving our love and letting them know that they are not alone; they will not walk this place alone. I use that because I listened to that rendition by an Orlando choir as the names and faces of the 49 were shown on television. In the quietness of my office, the emotion was overwhelming. So I think it is immoral. It is clearly a response to the depravity of this Nation if my colleagues cannot come together and do something this week. Ban the assault weapons. Join us in recognizing that this is not a violation of the Second Amendment. Pass the no fly, no buy bill. If you are on the terrorist watch list, why are you getting assault weapons? Then H.R. 5470, introduced by my colleague, Congresswoman Brown, the Representative of Orlando--where the tragedy and terrorist act occurred--and myself, gives added tools to the FBI that says that if you have had any encounter with Federal law enforcement, as you purchase a gun, you must make that known so that it can be a trigger; and if you do not respond, you still must have that reported to the FBI so that a thorough investigation can be had. I don't believe that we can leave this week without answering the concerns of the American people. I make a plea to organizations that we know have consistently stood in blocking the door of sensible, responsible gun safety legislation, to go on their knees and pray for humility and guidance and to be able to seek some other place of responsibility than their own selfish interests. Dead people cannot speak. Their families are overwhelmed with grief. The injured are filled with grief and are trying to recover. This Congress must pass the no fly, no buy bill. It must pass a ban on assault weapons. It must enhance the various tactics that our law enforcement can have to stop a heinous terroristic and horrible killing--a massacre, a slaughter. Mr. Speaker, I say that we will be in the band of the immoral if we do not do something today. To those who mourn in Houston, I wish I could be with you. I thank the mayor and all of those who will come together this evening. My spirit is with you. I love you.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee and the ranking member of the subcommittee for coming forward on what I know is a very hard task. I thank them so very much. I thank the Rules Committee, in this structured rule, for allowing this amendment to come forward, and I would like to share with my colleagues my intense commitment to the language of this amendment and the purpose. Over the last year, I have been working with IFES and NDI, and I have been working with women around the world who have come here to the United States Congress to discuss peace and security. The purpose of this amendment is to encourage the Secretary of Defense to allocate resources needed to provide technical assistance to U.S. military women, to military women in other countries, so military women to military women, in combating violence as a weapon of war, terrorism, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, and their impact on women and girls. I recall the aftermath of the Afghan war, when we went over to Afghanistan, when they were writing the constitution. Members of the United States Congress, women, insisted on women's rights being in that constitution. I, myself, went to Afghanistan and met with women parliamentarians, and we thought that we had secured their place in the infrastructure of that country. But, ultimately, when the Taliban rose up again, girls' schools were burned, and women were not protected. I believe that now that more women are in the military--not only in the United States, but they are in the military around the world--this women-to-women conversation is a very important dialogue to help protect women and girls. Again, it is to give them the technical assistance and to help provide the Department of Defense with the resources needed for that technical assistance. Terrorism, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking has a great impact on women and girls. To find your school burned has an impact. It will help curb terrorism, this communication between women in the military of the United States and around the world, by making available American technical military expertise to militaries in other countries like, for example, Nigeria, which is combating violent jihadists such as Boko Haram. These victims include Christians, Muslims, journalists, healthcare providers, relief workers, school children, and members of the diplomatic corps, and the armed services. Terrorists across the globe have wreaked havoc on our society and cannot be tolerated or ignored, for their actions pose a threat to our national security and the security of the world. I ask for support for the Jackson Lee amendment.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, again, let me thank the ranking member for his support and assistance, and let me also thank the chairman. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment for the protection and safety and security of women and girls around the world. Peace and security can be emphasized by the Jackson Lee amendment. I want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Visclosky for shepherding this legislation to the floor and for their devotion to the men and women of the Armed Forces who risk their lives to keep our Nation safe and for their work in ensuring that they have resources needed to keep our Armed Forces the greatest fighting force for peace on earth. Mr. Chair, thank you for the opportunity to explain my amendment, which is simple and straightforward and affirms an example of the national goodness that makes America the most exceptional nation on earth. The purpose of the Jackson Lee amendment is to provide the Secretary of Defense flexibility to allocate resources needed to provide technical assistance by U.S. military women to military women in other countries combating violence as a weapon of war, terrorism, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking. Mr. Chair, the United States is committed to combating violent extremism, protecting our borders and the globe from the scourge of terrorism. The United States Armed Forces possess an unparalleled expertise and technological capability that will aid not only in combating and defeating terrorists who hate our country and prey upon innocent persons, especially women, girls, and the elderly. But we must recognize that notwithstanding our extraordinary technical military capabilities, we face adversaries who adapt very quickly because they are not constrained by geographic limitations or norms of morality and decency. Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab, ISIS/ISIL and other militant terrorists, including the Sinai's Ansar Beit al-Maqdis in the Sinai peninsula which poses a threat to Egypt. The Jackson Lee amendment will help provide the Department of Defense with the resources needed to provide technical assistance to countries on innovative strategies to provide defense technologies and resources that promote the security of the American people and allied nation states. Terrorism, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking and their impact on women and girls across the globe has had a great adverse impact on us all. According to a UNICEF report, rape, torture and human trafficking by terrorist and militant groups have been employed as weapons of war, affecting over twenty thousand women and girls. Looking at the history of terrorism highlights the importance of providing technical assistance through our military might, as this enables us to combat terrorism which now can plague us here in the United States. The Jackson Lee amendment will help curb terrorism abroad by making available American technical military expertise to military in other countries, like Nigeria, who are combating violent jihadists in their country and to keep those terrorists out of our country. Time and again American lives have been lost at the hands of terrorists. These victims include Christians, Muslims, journalists, health care providers, relief workers, schoolchildren, and members of the diplomatic corps and the Armed Services. This is why the technical assistance offered by our military personnel is integral to promoting security operation of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft for missions to empower local forces to combat terrorism. Terrorists across the globe have wreaked havoc on our society and cannot not be tolerated or ignored, for their actions pose a threat to our national security and the security of the world. Mr. Chair, from the United States to Africa to Europe to Asia and the Middle East, it is clear that combating terrorism remains one of highest national priorities. Collectively, helping our neighbors and their military build capacity to combat terrorism, eradicate human trafficking, stop narcotics trafficking and negate their impact on women and girls across the globe serves our national interest. I urge my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I thank, again, both gentlemen, the ranking member and the chairman. I have come to the floor to emphasize these two amendments that are very important, I believe, to the work of the Defense Department and the many persons that they serve. I want to speak to the Jackson Lee amendment that addresses the question of post-traumatic stress disorder by emphasizing the numbers of individuals who are now coming back from service that have PTSD. PTSD has been discovered post the time of leaving the battlefield. Post-traumatic stress disorder is where one repeatedly relives the trauma of war in their thoughts--the day in and day out nightmares. Texas, in particular, is a State that has a large number of returning veterans.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. In the name of a young boy who was killed by a former marine who indicated that he had post-traumatic stress disorder, this increase of $1 million is important. Finally, let me say, triple negative breast cancer kills more women. It is important that there be an emphasis of up to $10 million for added research to ensure that this deadly aspect of breast cancer does not continue to kill women not only in the United States military, but elsewhere. As a survivor, let me be very clear that this research has not yet been completed. Lives have not yet been saved. I hope these amendments will be passed because it provides $10 million for triple negative breast cancer and $1 million for post- traumatic stress disorder. I ask support for the Jackson Lee amendments.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, my good friend, Mr. Poe, is a good friend and a great leader on these issues dealing with terrorism, but let me, sadly, join in opposition to this amendment. Over the years, I have worked with a number of persons in the Pakistani Government. But, in particular, I want to emphasize that the Pakistan military, over a period of years, has fought against terrorism and suffered a great treasure in the loss of their soldiers. I believe it is important that we continue to collaborate and, as my two colleagues have said, that we work extensively with oversight. We must be mindful that they do have nuclear capacity. I believe it is important that we are engaging and that we use these resources for them to maintain the security of these resources but, more importantly, to keep a collaboration with, in particular, their military operations which, overall, have been helpful in the war on terror. I oppose that reduction, and I thank the gentleman for offering his amendment. Mr. Chair, I rise to speak in support of En Bloc Amendment No. 1 to H.R. 5293, the Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2017. Mr. Chair, I want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Visclosky for shepherding this legislation to the floor and for their devotion to the men and women of the Armed Forces who risk their lives to keep our nation safe. Mr. Chair, I am pleased that the En Bloc Amendment includes two of my amendments that were made in order under the Rule. The first Jackson Lee Amendment (No. 49) increases funding for the PTSD by $1,000,000. These funds should be used toward outreach activities targeting hard to reach veterans, especially those who are homeless or reside in underserved urban and rural areas, who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Mr. Chair, along with traumatic brain injury, PTSD is the signature wound suffered by the brave men and women fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq, and far off lands to defend the values and freedom we hold dear. For those of us whose daily existence is not lived in harm's way, it is difficult to imagine the horrific images that American servicemen and women deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other theaters of war see on a daily basis. In an instant a suicide bomber, an IED, or an insurgent can obliterate your best friend and right in front of your face. Yet, you are trained and expected to continue on with the mission, and you do, even though you may not even have reached your 20th birthday. But there always comes a reckoning. And it usually comes after the stress and trauma of battle is over and you are alone with your thoughts and memories. And the horror of those desperate and dangerous encounters with the enemy and your own mortality come flooding back. PTSD was first brought to public attention in relation to war veterans, but it can result from a variety of traumatic incidents, such as torture, being kidnapped or held captive, bombings, or natural disasters such as floods or earthquakes. People with PTSD may startle easily, become emotionally numb (especially in relation to people with whom they used to be close), lose interest in things they used to enjoy, have trouble feeling affectionate, be irritable, become more aggressive, or even become violent. They avoid situations that remind them of the original incident, and anniversaries of the incident are often very difficult. Most people with PTSD repeatedly relive the trauma in their thoughts during the day and in nightmares when they sleep. These are called flashbacks. A person having a flashback may lose touch with reality and believe that the traumatic incident is happening all over again. Mr. Chair, the fact of the matter is that most veterans with PTSD also have other psychiatric disorders, which are a consequence of PTSD. These veterans have co-occurring disorders, which include depression, alcohol and/or drug abuse problems, panic, and/or other anxiety disorders. My amendment recognizes that these soldiers are first and foremost, human. They carry their experiences with them. Ask a veteran of Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan about the frequency of nightmares they experience, and one will realize that serving in the Armed Forces leaves a lasting impression, whether good or bad. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 49 will help ensure that ``no soldier is left behind'' by addressing the urgent need for more outreach toward hard to reach veterans suffering from PTSD, especially those who are homeless or reside in underserved urban and rural areas of our country. The second Jackson Lee Amendment No. 67 included in the En Bloc Amendment increases funding for the Defense Health Program's research and development by $10 million. These funds will address the question of breast cancer in the United States military. The American Cancer Society calls several strains of breast cancer as a particularly aggressive subtype associated with lower survival rates; in this instance, it's a triple negative. But I raise an article that says: ``Fighting a Different Battle; Breast Cancer and the Military.'' We all know, by the way, that breast cancer can affect both men and women. The bad news is breast cancer has been just about as brutal on women in the military as combat. Let me say that sentence again. Breast cancer has been just about as brutal on women in the military as combat. More than 800 women have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the Army Times; 874 military women were diagnosed with breast cancer just between 2000 and 2011. And according to that same study, more are suspected. It grows. The good news is that we have been working on it, and I want to add my appreciation to the military. Jackson Lee Amendment No. 67, however, will allow for the additional research. That research is particularly needed since women are joining the Armed Services in increasing numbers and serving longer, ascending to leadership. Within increased age comes increased risk and incidence of breast cancer. Not only is breast cancer striking relatively young military women at an alarming rate, but male service members, veterans and their dependents are at risk as well. With a younger and generally healthier population, those in the military tend to have a lower risk for most cancers than civilians-- including significantly lower colorectal, lung and cervical--but breast cancer is a different story. Military people in general, and in some cases very specifically, are at a significantly greater risk for contracting breast cancer, according to Dr. Richard Clapp, a top cancer expert at Boston University who works at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on military breast cancer issues. Dr. Clapp notes that life in the military can mean exposure to a witch's brew of risk factors directly linked to greater chances of getting breast cancer. We are on the right track, we're on the right road. I thank the Chair and Ranking Member for including the Jackson Lee Amendments Nos. 49 and 67 in the En Bloc Amendment and urge my colleagues to support the En Bloc Amendment.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, if I could every minute of the day offer to those in Orlando who had to experience the most horrific terroristic mass shooting in the United States, I would do so every minute of the day. I would also do so, however, for others who have suffered at the hands of those who have used guns violently and used guns illegally, for I am not ashamed to be someone who understands the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, and all amendments, to stand and say that it is immoral that this Congress does not act to move forward on securing the American people. It is important to know that assault weapons, guns have been used in mass shootings: San Bernardino; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Charleston, South Carolina; Garland, Texas; Oak Creek, Wisconsin; and Fort Hood, Texas. Mother Emanuel, of course, is Charleston, and then, of course, Newtown, where babies were murdered and slaughtered. This was a hateful crime, and more than one in three hate crimes end in violence. It was Hispanics. It was the LGBTQ community. Tell it what it is: hatefulness, terrorism. Pass the assault weapons ban now. No fly, no buy now. Time to act. It is immoral for us not to act.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 3636, the ``Oversee Visa Integrity with Stakeholder Advisories Act'', also known as the O-VISA Act. H.R. 3636 is an important bill that supports the need and aim for comprehensive immigration reform and strengthens the role of the labor unions in the O-lB consultation process. H.R. 3636 would strengthen the role of the labor unions in the O-1B consultation process by amending the ``Immigration and Nationality Act'' to require U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to provide a copy of the O-1B petition decision to the labor union that was consulted as part of the petition process for a foreign artists and performers seeking to work in the United States. This bill would also require an annual report to Congress from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enumerating the adjudicative outcomes of O-1B petitions with a focus on the relationship between the USCIS decision and the recommendation provided in the labor union consultation. Although H.R. 3636 deals specifically with the O-1B visa, the O nonimmigrant classification is commonly sub-classified in the following categories: O-1A: individuals with an extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or athletics not including the arts, motion pictures or television industry); O-1B: individuals with an extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in motion picture or television industry; and O-2: individuals who will accompany an O-1, artist or athlete, to asset in a specific event or performance. For an O-1A, the O-2's assistance must be an ``integral part'' of the O-1A's activity. For an O-1B, the O-2's assistance must be ``essential'' to the completion of the O-1B's production. The O-2 worker has critical skills and experience with the O-1 that cannot be readily performed by a U.S. worker and which are essential to the successful performance of the O-1. In creating the O-1B visa category, Congress sought a balance between the need for global interchange of creative professionals, and the need to prevent entertainment producers from abusing the immigration laws and the ability of individuals to obtain a visa for extraordinary ability. In doing so, Congress created the O nonimmigrant visa, pursuant to an amendment to the Immigration Act of 1990 (IMMACT), for individuals who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who have a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and have been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements. The changes under IMMACT led to unintended conflicts between labor and management in the industry. Labor and management reached a settlement, reflected in current law and regulations that give weight, but not control, to labor union advisory opinions of the abilities and professional prestige of foreign artists and performers sought by industry management. By requiring that USCIS provide a copy of the 0-1B petition decision to the labor union that was consulted, H.R. 3636 will provide labor unions with important data allowing them to see how their consultations are used by the adjudication agency. H.R. 3636 will reinforce the labor union's position in the adjudication process and lay the groundwork for further legislative action if the newly provided information suggests that more reform is warranted.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise first of all to acknowledge my colleague, Congresswoman Corrine Brown, in whose district this heinous, terroristic, hateful act occurred. I acknowledge my hometown of Houston, where, as I stand here today, they are mourning with memorials that will be held today, Tuesday, and Wednesday in solidarity with the people of Orlando, Florida. I also rise with great pain in joining my colleague, Congresswoman Brown, to introduce legislation to push and to remind individuals about the violence that is taking place through the weapons of war that we are allowing to be sold on the streets of America. It is high time for this body to stop standing in memoriam and for a 1-minute speech and to pass the ban on assault weapons and high-caliber bullets that are destroying and killing and destroying and killing. It has been told that there were bodies whose legs were taken off by the bullets. I ask this body to recognize that we can no longer talk, talk, talk. We must do, do, do. We will fight till our last breath to demand that the Constitution be respected, Mr. Speaker--as I end--the First Amendment, the right to free speech, and, yes, the Second Amendment, with the restrictions and the recognition that AR-15s are killing Americans. We must stop it now.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, there is no doubt how much I appreciate the Congressional Black Caucus and Congresswoman Beatty and Congressman Jeffries for always being timely in allowing us to give a message to our colleagues. We hope maybe the American people will hear us, but we accept that this body is the body to which and to whom we speak. So I am thankful for that. I want to pay tribute, overall, to the Congressional Black Caucus because we are actually here speaking of health disparities, because it was the caucus that triggered this debate through the years that we have been trying to get universal access to health care and was the moving force in the 2009, 2008, and 2010 passage, ultimately, of the Affordable Care Act, where the work that we did, joining Congresswoman Donna Christian-Christiansen, at that time, and Frank Pallone on the Congressional Health Caucus, but on the CBC we had the health disparities task to ensure that the language in the Affordable Care Act addressed the issue of health disparities. There was a large section on that that built on some of the work that some of us had already done creating the Office of Minority Health that I had worked on in years past. So it was the lightning bolt of the caucus, and then working with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and then the Congressional Hispanic Caucus that we raised the issue that no one was talking about. I remember debating on the floor of the House on the issues of dealing with senior citizen African American men and how they access health care, how do women access health care, and how do women impacted by diabetes access health care. These are some of the diseases that have a proclivity to the African American population. We were finding out that we even had an issue where medical professionals didn't know how to ask the questions. How do you address someone who needs to be diagnosed for prostate cancer or may be diagnosed for prostate cancer and is an African American male, a senior citizen? My father ultimately died from cancer that metastasized from the prostate to the lungs and the brain, so we knew we had a serious issue. So today, I want to mention four points, but I am going to focus on the last one, obesity--a question of access to health care and physical fitness. Many times we live in areas where there is no access to a pool or a tennis court. Mental health--if you lived your life in a segregated America, if you were called ``Boy'' and ``Girl,'' it is a different mental health situation than maybe others may have faced. If you live in a situation of poverty, of a single household, maybe--this is not across the board--these issues will be impacted. If you lived around gun violence, if you saw your 15-year-old friend being shot dead in the street, there is a question of mental health that we need access to that care for us to be able to reach out or maybe counselors to be able to provide for children. HIV/AIDS is something that we have lived through. I remember going to funerals of friends in the 1980s and into the 1990s, particularly with HIV/AIDS. So we have worked in the Congressional Black Caucus to massively talk about testing. Let me get to this point that I want to dwell just for a moment on, and that is gun violence. I was here on the floor earlier with my head held down and my heart heavy as my district, today, had a memorial. They had one yesterday. We will have one tomorrow and have one on Wednesday. I mourn with Congresswoman Corinne Brown of Florida. We are offering legislation dealing with the assault weapons and to complement legislation already passed or already in place. But it is important to note that this is a health issue, because the Centers for Disease Control can assess and study every health issue that faces America today, but they are legislatively, by law, prohibited by my friends on other side of the aisle, by Republicans, disallowed every year to give them permission to study gun violence. Gun violence is killing our children and killing our families. In Orlando, it killed Latinos who happened to be the attendees at the Pulse Club. The LGBTQ community was the dominant community, and a hateful terroristic act using AR-15s and Glock guns killed them. The incident was the deadliest mass shooting. The next deadliest incidents in recent history were April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech, 32 killed, 17 injured; December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook, 26 killed, 1 injured; October 16, 1991, Killeen, Texas, 23 killed, 27 injured. According to Everytown index of mass shootings where four or more people are shot and killed, the incident was the ninth mass shooting in the United States in 2016, and the 150th mass shooting in United States since January 1, 2009. The mass shooting with guns impacts both the mental health, the sanctity, and the minority community. It is shameful that we are not allowed to engage in the kind of research that a Harvard professor talked about, and that is the assessing of violence and the assessing of violence with guns. The materials I have before me make it very clear that most of these violent acts are done with guns--done with guns. San Bernardino, Chattanooga, Charleston, Garland, Oak Creek, and Fort Hood were all done with guns. So I stand here today to challenge this issue of health disparities to say that the heavy brunt of killings, singular killings, are impacted by poverty, lack of access to health care, the proliferation of guns in our inner city communities, and the failure of the United States Congress to put real gun safety legislation, closing the loophole, the Jim Clyburn rule that says that, if you don't get the review and approval by ATF, you do not get the gun. You have to wait until you get the approval from ATF, which may be trying to determine whether this person with multiple problems, mental health or background issues, doesn't need to get a gun and then ultimately go kill their spouse, their children, their neighbors, their family members or strangers. So it is my belief today that this health disparities debate is crucial, and we should come away from here recognizing that obesity, the issues of mental health and HIV/AIDS can be, with great investment, researched for cures, or cancer that proliferates in our community, triple negative breast cancer, legislation that I have put forward and have gotten passed about that impact. But it is the gun violence that we are doing absolutely nothing about. The disparities and the impact on minority communities is atrocious. I want to close simply by saying the word or the acronym LGBTQ community. I want to say it over and over again, because I think it is shameful that, in our debate, in our recognition of the tragedy of Orlando, that we don't acknowledge the horrific hate crime and the hatefulness against that community. As I stand here, that community is diverse, and there are African Americans who are LGBTQ. So I would ask that, as we move forward this week, we will be reminded of this hatefulness and we will have a cure. We will be reminded of this violence, and we will have a cure. That cure, first of all, will be to restrain the use of assault weapons and these weapons of war-type bullets that men and women in the United States military say have no business on the streets of America. I believe, Congresswoman, that health disparities are an important wall and division to overcome. I thank the gentlewoman for having this Special Order to ensure that we will confront these issues and try to save lives. Racial disparities refer to the variation in rates of disease occurrence and disabilities between socioeconomic and/or geographically defined population groups. I want to focus on four areas of racial disparities in health that impact African Americans that we can do something about: 1. Obesity; 2. Mental Health; 3. HIV/AIDS; and 4. Gun Violence. African Americans, based on 2015 Census data, comprise 13.2 percent of the U.S. population, or about 42 million people. Socioeconomic status, in turn, is linked to mental health: People who are impoverished, homeless, incarcerated or have substance abuse problems are at higher risk for poor mental health. As the founder and chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I am especially concerned about the childhood obesity epidemic among African-American youth. More than 40 percent of African American teenagers are overweight, and nearly 25 percent are obese. The percentage of children aged 6-11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7 percent in 1980 to nearly 18 percent in 2012. African American youth are consuming less nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables and are not getting enough physical exercise. This combination has led to an epidemic of obesity, which directly contributes to numerous deadly or life-threatening diseases or conditions, including the following: Hypertension; Dyslipidemia (High Cholesterol or High Triglyceride Levels); Type 2 Diabetes; Coronary Heart Disease; Stroke; Gallbladder Disease; Osteoarthritis; Asthma, bronchitis, sleep apnea, and other respiratory problems; Cancer (Breast, Colon, and Endometrial). When ethnicity and income are considered, the picture is even more troubling. African American youngsters from low-income families have a higher risk for obesity than those from higher-income families. Efforts such as the Let's Move! Campaign by the First Lady are pivotal to ensuring that communities are able to provide healthy snacks and food and encourage healthier decisions. Since the mid-1970s, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased sharply for both adults and children. Non-Hispanic blacks have the highest age-adjusted rates of obesity at 47.8 percent. According to the CDC, 37.6 percent of men and 56.9 percent of women twenty years and over are obese. Every year, more than 40 million Americans struggle with mental illness. African American men are as likely as anyone else to have mental illness, but they are less likely to get help. Racism continues to have an impact on the mental health of African Americans. Negative stereotypes and attitudes of rejection have decreased, but continue to occur with measurable, adverse consequences. Historical and contemporary instances of negative treatment have led to a mistrust of authorities, many of whom are not seen as having the best interests of African Americans in mind. According to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health: Adult blacks are 20 percent more likely to report serious psychological distress than adult whites. Adult blacks living below poverty are two to three times more likely to report serious psychological distress than those living above poverty. Adult blacks are more likely to have feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness than are adult whites. How African Americans view mental health over generations is a major barrier to accessing mental health services and treatment. In 1996, MHA commissioned a national survey on clinical depression. The survey explored the barriers preventing Americans seeking treatment and gauged overall knowledge of and attitudes toward depression. This survey revealed that: 63 percent of African Americans believe that depression is a personal weakness. This is significantly higher than the overall survey average of 54 percent. Only 31 percent of African Americans believed that depression was a ``health problem.'' African Americans were more likely to believe that depression was ``normal'' than the overall survey average. 56 percent believed that depression was a normal part of aging. 45 percent believed it was normal for a mother to feel depressed for at least two weeks after giving birth. 40 percent believed it was normal for a husband or wife to feel depressed for more than a year after the death of a spouse. Many of these problems persist to this day. As Doctor William Lawson of Howard University (and MHA's District of Columbia affiliate) pointed out in an NPR interview in 2012, ``Many African-Americans have a lot of negative feelings about, or not even aware of mental health services. The ``Mental Health: Culture, Race and Ethnicity Supplement'' to the 1999 U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health, states the following: African-American physicians are five times more likely than white physicians to treat African-American patients. African-American patients who see African-American physicians rate their physicians' styles of interaction as more participatory. African Americans seeking help for a mental health problem would have trouble finding African American mental health professionals: In 1998, only 2 percent of psychiatrists, 2 percent of psychologists and 4 percent of social workers said they were African Americans. The public mental health safety net of hospitals, community health centers, and local health departments are vital to many African Americans, especially to those in high-need populations. African Americans of all ages are underrepresented in outpatient treatment but over-represented in inpatient treatment. Few African-American children receive treatment in privately funded psychiatric hospitals, but many receive treatment in publicly funded residential treatment centers for emotionally disturbed youth. In 2012, there were an estimated 356,268 inmates with severe mental illnesses in U.S. prisons and jails. There were only 35,000 mentally ill individuals in state psychiatric hospitals. The report, ``The Treatment of Persons With Mental Illness in Prisons and Jails,'' jails ``in 44 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, a prison or jail in that state holds more individuals with serious mental illness than the largest remaining state psychiatric hospital.'' the report said. African Americans today are overrepresented in our jails and prisons. People of color account for 60 percent of the prison population. The Stanford Law School Three Strikes Project's report stated that, ``over the past 15 years, the number of mentally ill people in prison in California has almost doubled.'' In California, 45 percent of state prison inmates have been treated for severe mental illness within the past year. African Americans also account for 14 percent of regular drug users, but for 37 percent of drug arrests. Illicit drug use is frequently associated with self-medication among people with mental illnesses. In January 2014, the Texas Observer reported that, of the 9,000 inmates in Harris County Jail more than 25 percent take medication for mental illness, which means that the jail treats more psychiatric patients than all 10 of Texas' state-run public mental hospitals combined. The passage of the Affordable Care Act created access to health care for those who purchase health insurance and for the poor living in states that are participating in the Medicaid component of the ACA. Disparities can occur, if physicians do not refer patients with signs of mental illness for proper treatment or if referred patients do not seek out treatment. Disparities in access to care and treatment for mental illnesses have also persisted over time. As noted by the Office of Minority Health: Only 8.7 percent of adult blacks, versus 16 percent of adult whites, received treatment for mental health concerns in 2007-2008. Only 6.2 percent of adult blacks, versus 13.9 percent of adult whites, received medications for mental health concerns during 2008. While 68.7 percent of adult whites with a major depressive episode in 2009 received treatment, only 53.2 percent of adult blacks did. The Affordable Care Act will have an impact on this gap by 2016. Depression and other mental illness can be deadly if left untreated. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among African Americans 15 to 24 years old. Untreated mental illness can also make African American men more vulnerable to substance abuse, homelessness, incarceration, and homicide. African Americas are the racial/ethnic group most affected by HIV in the United States. According to the CDC, 44 percent (19,540) of estimated new HIV Diagnoses in the United States were among African Americans, who comprise 12 percent of the US population. HIV/AIDs are now the leading cause of death among African Americans ages 25 to 44--ahead of heart disease, accidents, cancer, and homicide. At the end of 2012, an estimated 496,500 African Americans were living with HIV, representing 41 percent of all Americans living with the Virus. Of African Americans living with HIV, around 14 percent do not know they are infected. African Americans accounted for an estimated 44 percent of all new HIV infections among adults and adolescents (aged 13 years or older) in 2010, despite representing only 12 percent of the U.S. population. HIV is a sexually transmitted disease or STD; it is also spread through intravenous drug use. HIV infections spread through sharing of needles has declined with needle programs, while the STD rates of infection among African Americans has increased at rate higher than any other ethnic group. Have their HIV status checked--not once but annually. Know the HIV status of sexual partner. If HIV positive: Know how to get on antiviral medication, 2 small pills taken each day, and stay on them. Where to go for information if you or your partner is HIV positive. In 2010, men accounted for 70 percent (14,700) of the estimated 20,900 new HIV infections among all adult and adolescent African Americans. The estimated rate of new HIV infections for African American men (103.6/100,000 population) was 7 times that of white men, twice that of Latino men, and nearly 3 times that of African American women. In 2010, African American gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men represented an estimated 72 percent (10,600) of new infections among all African American men and 36 percent of an estimated 29,800 new HIV infections among all gay and bisexual men. Of those gay and bisexual men, 39 percent (4,321) were young men aged 13 to 24. According to the CDC, the numbers of new HIV diagnoses among African American women fell 42 percent between 2005 to 2014, but it is still high compared to women of other races/ethnicities. Most new HIV infections among African American women (87 percent; 5,300) are attributed to heterosexual contact. In 2012, there were 72,010 Texans living with HIV/AIDS. Texas has the 10th highest number of HIV diagnoses in 2013 and ranks 18th for deaths from HIV. Currently 14 percent of the people living with HIV are undiagnosed and only 30 percent of the people with HIV are virally suppressed, which means that 70 percent of the people who are ill are not on medication that can help limit their ability to infect others. HIV is an unnecessarily disproportionate burden on the African American and Latino community. There is a wall of misinformation about the illness and an uncomfortable silence regarding the need to speak about the illness not only to the young, but also the older persons. When treatments were first developed in the 1990s they had lots of side effects that made patients very ill. Few talk about the advances in HIV treatment that now involve taking 2 small pills a day with the result leaving patients feeling healthy and able to engage in life's normal activities. The virus count for those who take their medication is so low that it often does not register in tests. This does not mean that people are cured, but it does mean that there is no reason not to get tested so that you know if you are in need of treatment. Anyone can become infected--so it is up to all of us to educate our families, neighbors, co-workers and friends about getting tested. There are some insurance company practices that have a detrimental impact on the ability of people with HIV to enroll in qualified health insurance plans. In states like Texas that are not fully participating in the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion this is especially problematic for HIV patients who are poor. Some states allow insurance carriers to post misleading or intentionally vague formularies on market place websites or excluding essential HIV medications from drug formularies and impressing high cost sharing. Out of pocket medication cost each month should be capped.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished gentleman from Florida for his management of what is a difficult and trying legislative process and my distinguished friend from Georgia, as well, for his service. Both of them are on the Rules Committee. It pains me to come to the floor on an appropriations bill when I know that there is so much opportunity for us to be able to work together. I know my good friend from Georgia will understand the pain of which I speak and will also attest to the fact that, in many instances in the appropriations process, we have an open rule and we allow our Members to express themselves on behalf of the people of their congressional districts but, more importantly, the higher goal, and that is, the people of the United States of America. Let me first express my pain that this bill is the first bill that has come to the floor, when I know that there was vigorous debate and possibilities for the energy and water bill--certainly, in my congressional district, which has seen itself under inches and inches of rain, seeing people die, and losing individuals through these enormous rains and flooding--because we need the kind of infrastructure that comes under energy and water. That bill is not being able to pass. Seeing the funding for access to health care, community centers, community health clinics not yet come to the floor; seeing the funding for infrastructure and transit that is so needed in our urban centers, like Houston, Texas, not coming to the floor. And then, of course, the Department of Justice, which is in the middle of dealing with commutation of sentencings, dealing with youth justice programs, dealing with a number of issues that are paining Americans; and they need our relief. Yet the bill that comes to the floor, I must again painfully say, is an appropriations bill that I will not be able to support. It is a bill that really keeps the wheels going in this place. It is not a more important bill, but it keeps the wheels going so that we can do the people's work. Here is what is happening that I think is a dastardly reflection on what we have come to. Let me be very clear. As a senior member of the Judiciary Committee dealing with the mechanics of lawmaking, dealing with laws that ultimately provide people civil or criminal justice relief or constitutional relief, I want to tell my colleagues who wrote this language that the issue dealing with the Library of Congress is an administrative one. The idea that noncitizens and unauthorized immigration have any impact on creating a comprehensive immigration system, which I have introduced legislation along with my colleagues, joining with them over the years, has no import and impact of law. It is truly an administrative task that the Library of Congress is attempting to comport with national experts of librarians. Everybody loves a librarian. They give our children knowledge. They give our students knowledge. They give all of us knowledge.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. They give us their best expertise. Why we would intrude in an administrative process when it goes into nothing that impacts the scheme of the administrative or the legal structure here in the United States: it is to denigrate; it is to insult. We understand that the word ``illegal'' does connote that you have violated a criminal act in certain instances. And there are those who are undocumented, noncitizens, et cetera, unauthorized, that have not violated any criminal laws. Let me also say to you that defunding of the foolish Planned Parenthood investigation is warranted. Why? In my own home State of Texas, in Houston, the indictment did not go to Planned Parenthood, which was the attempt; but it went to the perpetrators of fraud on Planned Parenthood. There is nothing to investigate. If you want to investigate, then investigate the lack of access of millions of women in the State of Texas who were using those clinics that Planned Parenthood had. So my point is this is a bill we must vote against. Vote against the underlying rule and the bill, because it is nothing but fraud and foolishness, and that is not what we should do in this House.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I am a Member of the United States Congress and a very--I hate to use the term proud, but I am proud to have been a member of the Judiciary Committee for the number of years that I have served in this august place. As I serve, I am well aware of the importance of the Constitution and the very sacred responsibility that we have in protecting it. So I thought that, as a lawyer who has practiced and one who has served as an associate municipal court judge in my hometown of Houston, Texas, it would be important to remind Members of the established three branches of government and the responsibilities that each hold, but focus in particular on the executive--the President of the United States. In Article II, the Constitution, says: ``The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.'' It uses the term that ``he should hold,'' and, in particular, it acknowledges that he or she should take care that the laws be faithfully executed. Article III establishes our judicial power. In particular, with respect to Federal courts: ``all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, under their Authority.'' All of these cases have jurisdiction under our Federal court system. So, the Federal courts and jurists are of keen importance. One would wonder how we establish the need for the rule of law and separation of powers. It came first from 1215, King John's Magna Carta, which indicated that no one should be imprisoned, dispossessed, outlawed, exiled, or in any way destroyed, except by lawful judgment of his peers and the law of the land. I know that when I sat as a member of the bench, I would look at petitioners and I would hope that even though my history was that of a former slave, being an African American--when I say a former slave, descendants of such; the history of African Americans is such--and I would hope that my background would not have countered the fairness that I would have rendered to anyone who came before me. Judicial independence is something that we hold dear. The Founders understood that judges who are able to apply the law freely and fairly are essential to the rule of law. The Constitution guarantees our rights on paper, but this would mean nothing without independent courts to protect them. That means our judges in the Federal system should not be intimidated or influenced or protected from the influence of the other branches, as well as shifting popular opinion. This insulation is referred to as judicial independence. It allows our Federal judges to make decisions based on what is right under the law, without facing politics, such as not getting reelected; or, personal, such as getting fired or having their salary lowered. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I have often joined with the late Henry Hyde, then the chairman, who wanted to raise the salaries of our Federal judges. So I think it is imperative to come before this body, my colleagues, to raise great angst when someone's ethnicity is called out as a reason that they cannot be fair. I am appalled that we have come to this in 2016, where, if I were to symbolically ascend to a Federal bench, or maybe the colleagues who many of us and the Senate have supported and the President has nominated--the diverse bench that represents Asians, Hispanics, African Americans, and women and men, Anglos, Caucasians--anyone would raise a question. I have been before a court and not welcomed the decision. There have been many reasons why I was not pleased with that decision. But I could not raise the question of race. And so I think it is worth condemning that we would have this kind of public discourse where the race of a Federal judge is raised. Remember what I said: judicial independence warrants that we, in fact, cannot intimidate the bench and not, in fact, deny the freedom of the court to decide cases based on facts and the law, not based on public opinion, the views of special interests groups, or even a judge's own personal belief. The right of every citizen to a fair trial is a cornerstone of our democracy. Why should anyone be diminished, and why should the petitioner independently attempt to intimidate based on race? It is appalling. It is absurd. So I ask all of my colleagues, as protectors of the Constitution and people who are here making laws, to independently go out to the highways and byways of life and condemn those words. Need I say who it is? Condemn those words and condemn this kind of discourse. I would offer to say that anyone who has said those words and who pretends to put themselves forward to uphold this Constitution is disqualified and unfit. I would hope that we will have an independent executive under the Constitution, an independent legislative branch, and, of course, an independent judiciary--one of which I respect with the highest of authority. I will close by simply saying I have won cases; I have saved a hospital. I have lost cases. I have been affected by cases in my redistricting and denied the rights of the Voting Rights Act. But I will never undermine and diminish the Constitution for right cases and wrong cases, ever. I ask my colleagues to condemn those actions.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, June 7, I missed Roll Call Votes 269 through 272 due to my necessary attendance in my district attending to representational duties. Had I been present, I would have voted as follows: On Roll Call 269, I would have voted yes. (H. Con. Res. 129-- Expressing support for the goal of ensuring that all Holocaust victims live with dignity, comfort, and security in their remaining years, and urging the Federal Republic of Germany to reaffirm its commitment to through a financial commitment to address the unique health and welfare needs of vulnerable Holocaust victims) On Roll Call 270, I would have voted yes. (H.R. 4906--To amend title 5, United States Code, to clarify the eligibility of employees of a land management agency in a time-limited appointment to compete for a permanent appointment at any Federal agency, and for other purposes (Rep. Connolly--Oversight and Government Reform)) On Roll Call 271, I would have voted yes. (H.R. 4904--Making Electronic Government Accountable By Yielding Tangible Efficiencies Act of 2016 (Rep. Cartwright--Oversight and Government Reform)) On Roll Call 272, I would have voted yes. (H.R. 1815--Eastern Nevada Land Implementation Improvement Act (Rep. Hardy--Natural Resources))

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to discuss H. Res. 770, the Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 5278--Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA). Our consideration of PROMESA must be a very thoughtful analysis of an outcome where the people of Puerto Rico will be empowered and be on a path towards progress where working families, their children and pensioners can be on a pathway towards a better future. PROEMSA is a bipartisan measure and effort to assist the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in restructuring $70 billion in currently unpayable debt, an amount that exceeds the size of its entire economy. There are a total of 3.548 million people living on the island of Puerto Rico. Since 2006, Puerto Rico's economy has shrunk by more than 10 percent and shed more than 250,000 jobs. More than 45 percent of the Commonwealth's residents live in poverty--the highest poverty rate of any state or territory. Furthermore, its 11.6 percent unemployment rate is more than twice the national level. The challenges facing the people of Puerto Rico have ignited the largest wave of outmigration since the 1950's, and the pace continues to accelerate. More than 300,000 people have left Puerto Rico in the past decade with a record of 84,000 people leaving in 2014. Puerto Ricans suffer from high rates of forced migration due to the better opportunities offered in the United States compared to in the commonwealth. The gap between emigrants and immigrants has been continuously widening. Indeed, this increase in emigrants caused a population decline, the first in its history, and the stateside Puerto Rican population grew quickly. The median age of male Puerto Ricans is of working age from the ages of 25-49 and similarly for women from the ages of 25-59. Most of the homes are family-led. There are about 1,133,600 people in the civilian labor force but only 43 percent of them are employed. In addition, most of those working work in minimum wage jobs. Over 27 percent of the people in the Commonwealth are on welfare. The median income in Puerto Rico is only half that of the poorest U.S. state, Mississippi, but welfare benefits are about the same in Puerto Rico as in Mississippi. Swift action is needed in order to alleviate the pain and suffering of the people of Puerto Rico. There is no time to waste. H.R. 5278 appears to be an emergency default for Puerto Rico, an American territory where 3.5 million American citizens reside and continue to live in fear for their finances, their families and their future. On July 1, Puerto Rico will face nearly $2 billion worth of bond payments. Already, businesses have closed, public worker benefits are in jeopardy, hospital care is restricted and basic governmental functions are at risk. Should the Puerto Rican government default in early July, it faces certain litigation by its creditors, further erosion of its economy, and an inability to provide basic services to its people. This measure creates a process for the Commonwealth to restructure their bond debts, avoiding a default that could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe and instead allowing Puerto Rico to return to economic growth and fiscal balance. It would allow for the creation of a seven-member Financial Oversight and Management board which will approve annual budgets and fiscal plans. This fiscal plan must be designed in a way that provides adequate funding for pension obligations. Also, I have serious concerns about the minimum wage provision of the measure. Specifically, regarding minimum wage and overtime, H.R. 5278 would extend the application of the existing federal subminimum wage of $4.25 an hour to those under the age of 25 in Puerto Rico for as long as four years, while all other federal jurisdictions pay the subminimum wage to those under the age of 20 for only up to the first ninety days of employment. We need to continue to work on ways to improve this measure to ascertain that American citizens in Puerto Rico are not languishing in poverty. Indeed, the measure contains a provision that provides for a delay on the new Department of Labor overtime pay regulation until a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study is completed and the Department of Labor determines whether the rule could negatively impact the economy of Puerto Rico. Additionally, the measure would create a ``Revitalization Coordinator'' that works closely with the Oversight Board to determine which energy and other infrastructure projects will be able to bypass local environmental, public health, and consumer protection laws. Let me underscore again that I have serious concerns about the provisions in this measure, not the least of which is the expansion of the subminimum wage, the exemption from the new overtime Rule, and the exclusion of protections for pension benefits. I commend my Democratic colleagues in their efforts of protecting the environment and wildlife refuge in the Commonwealth. I look forward to working with my Democratic colleagues and our Republican colleagues across the aisle in continuing to improve the provisions of the measure for the betterment of fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico. Let me conclude by highlighting that H.R. 5278 is not perfect but so long as we continue to work on a bipartisan basis in good faith, we can work towards our efforts of ensuring that Puerto Rico does not become a humanitarian crisis. We must continue to work together to be our brother's and sister's keepers. It is essential that we stand with the people of Puerto Rico and take action. It is essential that we continue to work towards an orderly process that promotes the livelihood of U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico and alleviates the crisis.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 286.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chair, I stand before you today to discuss H.R. 5278--Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA). Our consideration of PROMESA must be a very thoughtful analysis of an outcome where the people of Puerto Rico will be empowered and be on a path towards progress where working families, their children and pensioners can be on a pathway towards a better future. PROEMSA is a bipartisan measure and effort to assist the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in restructuring $70 billion in currently unpayable debt, an amount that exceeds the size of its entire economy. There are a total of 3.548 million people living on the island of Puerto Rico. Since 2006, Puerto Rico's economy has shrunk by more than 10 percent and shed more than 250,000 jobs. More than 45 percent of the Commonwealth's residents live in poverty--the highest poverty rate of any state or territory. Furthermore, its 11.6 percent unemployment rate is more than twice the national level. The challenges facing the people of Puerto Rico have ignited the largest wave of outmigration since the 1950's, and the pace continues to accelerate. More than 300,000 people have left Puerto Rico in the past decade with a record of 84,000 people leaving in 2014. Puerto Ricans suffer from high rates of forced migration due to the better opportunities offered in the United States compared to in the commonwealth. The gap between emigrants and immigrants has been continuously widening. Indeed, this increase in emigrants caused a population decline, the first in its history, and the stateside Puerto Rican population grew quickly. The median age of male Puerto Ricans is of working age from the ages of 25-49 and similarly for women from the ages of 25-59. Most of the homes are family-led. There are about 1,133,600 people in the civilian labor force but only 43 percent of them are employed. In addition, most of those working work in minimum wage jobs. Over 27 percent of the people in the Commonwealth are on welfare. The median income in Puerto Rico is only half that of the poorest U.S. state, Mississippi, but welfare benefits are about the same in Puerto Rico as in Mississippi. Swift action is needed in order to alleviate the pain and suffering of the people of Puerto Rico. There is no time to waste. H.R. 5278 appears to be an emergency default for Puerto Rico, an American territory where 3.5 million American citizens reside and continue to live in fear for their finances, their families and their future. On July 1, Puerto Rico will face nearly $2 billion worth of bond payments. Already, businesses have closed, public worker benefits are in jeopardy, hospital care is restricted and basic governmental functions are at risk. Should the Puerto Rican government default in early July, it faces certain litigation by its creditors, further erosion of its economy, and an inability to provide basic services to its people. This measure creates a process for the Commonwealth to restructure their bond debts, avoiding a default that could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe and instead allowing Puerto Rico to return to economic growth and fiscal balance. It would allow for the creation of a seven-member Financial Oversight and Management board which will approve annual budgets and fiscal plans. This fiscal plan must be designed in a way that provides adequate funding for pension obligations. Also, I have serious concerns about the minimum wage provision of the measure. Specifically, regarding minimum wage and overtime, H.R. 5278 would extend the application of the existing federal subminimum wage of $4.25 an hour to those under the age of 25 in Puerto Rico for as long as four years, while all other federal jurisdictions pay the subminimum wage to those under the age of 20 for only up to the first ninety days of employment. We need to continue to work on ways to improve this measure to ascertain that American citizens in Puerto Rico are not languishing in poverty. Indeed, the measure contains a provision that provides for a delay on the new Department of Labor overtime pay regulation until a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study is completed and the Department of Labor determines whether the rule could negatively impact the economy of Puerto Rico. Additionally, the measure would create a ``Revitalization Coordinator'' that works closely with the Oversight Board to determine which energy and other infrastructure projects will be able to bypass local environmental, public health, and consumer protection laws. Let me underscore again that I have serious concerns about the provisions in this measure, not the least of which is the expansion of the subminimum wage, the exemption from the new overtime Rule, and the exclusion of protections for pension benefits. I commend my Democratic colleagues in their efforts of protecting the environment and wildlife refuge in the Commonwealth. I look forward to working with my Democratic colleagues and our Republican colleagues across the aisle in continuing to improve the provisions of the measure for the betterment of fellow American citizens in Puerto Rico. Let me conclude by highlighting that H.R. 5278 is not perfect but so long as we continue to work on a bipartisan basis in good faith, we can work towards our efforts of ensuring that Puerto Rico does not become a humanitarian crisis. We must continue to work together to be our brother's and sister's keepers. It is essential that we stand with the people of Puerto Rico and take action. It is essential that we continue to work towards an orderly process that promotes the livelihood of U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico and alleviates the crisis.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for yielding, and I thank all of my friends. We are friends when we come to celebrate someone as potent and powerful and, certainly, symbolic. But we should really recognize that The Greatest, Muhammad Ali, who had many homes--many of us can claim having had the privilege of him walking through many of our streets-- was a husband, father, grandfather, and son to all of his family members that loved him. Today I offer my deepest sympathy to his beautiful wife who worked so hard to create the Muhammad Ali Center, all of his children who gained his magnificent talents in many different forms and capacities, to be able to now not only suffer this loss, but mourn someone who probably in their life created such a space for so many years. I rise today to join in celebrating--for that is what I would like to do--The People's Champion. He was truly the voice of a generation, advocating for the ending of inequality regarding African Americans, but as well, I believe he stood for opposing injustices all around the world. The three-time world heavyweight boxing champion helped define the turbulent times in which he reigned as the most charismatic and controversial sports figure of the 20th century. We all know that he was born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. Over the past 30 years, he had his own boxing battle. I believe that time after time he knocked out Parkinson's disease because he lived with it, he let others know that they could live with it, and he worked every day to support the advocacy groups who were trying to battle Parkinson's. I am reminded of a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome and being crowned the World Heavyweight Champion so many times. As I had watched him over these past years, the admiration and affection and respect grew much more looking at him as the iconic figure, the real spirit of can-do, the best of America, a man whose faith was very special to him, so much so that he was a conscience objective which was not understood. That Selective Service committee was right in Houston, Texas. He walked those streets, his case was tried there, and victory came because he refused to yield on his principles. As one of his noteworthy opponents, Floyd Patterson, told author David Remnick some years ago: ``I came to see that I was a fighter and he was history.'' Ali traded banter with United States presidents and world leaders alike, verbally sparring with musical greats--The Beatles--and shaking hands with Mother Teresa. His greatest triumph lies in his legacy as a champion, leader, social activist, and humanitarian, but also a mentor by distance of so many boys and girls, particularly our young men. In my own hometown, a young boxer by the name of Eric Carr, first met him with one of our great sports figures, Lloyd Wells, down at the Hyatt Regency. He said that when the champ met him, the champ treated him like a longtime friend. He played around with him, maybe boxed with him. I may be adding something to it. But Eric Carr, as the day went on--it was in the boxing beginnings of his life--told him he wanted to be a champ just like him. Eric Carr went on to win boxing championships, but he will always remember how real Muhammad Ali was. Let me say that as he fought for the future, he envisioned that we all would enjoy. I love to hear the bantering because it was wisdom of a philosopher. His greatest triumph, as I indicated, was a humanitarian. At the apex of his career, lauded for his unparalleled physique and mesmerizing moves--I wish I could do a few of those right now--but he is more than a sum total of his athletic gifts. His agile mind, buoyant personality, brash self-confidence, wouldn't you love him? I often remember some of those words that he said: Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. His hands can't hit what his eyes can't see. Now you see, now you don't. George thinks he will, but I know he won't. Don't count the days; make the days count. I'm young; I'm handsome; I'm fast. I can't possibly be beat. But then he said: Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth. And so his inspiration continues. I would often say that as he lived his life, we took joy. As I close, Mr. Speaker, let me offer you these words, and let me thank him for the life that he has lived. Let me borrow from Shakespeare and say of Muhammad Ali: He was a man. Take him for all in all. We shall not look upon his like again. May The Greatest rest in peace. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding to me. I still see that ``float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.'' Muhammad Ali, again, rest in peace. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of boxing legend and social activist Mr. Muhammad Ali, whose words floated like a butterfly and punches stung like a bee, who died Friday at the age of 74. The people's champion, was truly the voice of a generation, advocating for the African Americans battling racial inequality. The three-time world heavyweight boxing champion helped define the turbulent times in which he reigned as the most charismatic and controversial sports figure of the 20th century. The man who would come to be known as the ``Greatest of All Time,'' was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on Jan. 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Despite baffling Parkinson's disease for 30 years Muhammad Ali would live a full and consequential life, winning the Gold Medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome and being crowned the world Heavyweight champion an unsurpassed three times. As one of his noteworthy opponents, Floyd Patterson, told author David Remnick some years ago, ``I came to see that I was a fighter, while he was history.'' Ali traded banter with United States presidents and world leaders alike, verbally sparring with musical greats the Beatles, shaking hands with Mother Teresa. His greatest triumph lies in his legacy as a champion, leader, social activist and humanitarian. At the apex of his career, lauded for his unparalleled physique and mesmerizing moves. He carried into the ring a physically lyrical, unorthodox boxing style fusing speed, agility and power more seamlessly than any boxer before him or since. But, he was more than the sum total of his athletic gifts; he was a man of uncompromising principles. His agile mind, buoyant personality, brash self-confidence and evolving set of personal convictions fostered a magnetism that the ring alone could not contain. A masterful entertainer, Ali captivated audiences as much with his mouth as with his fists, narrating his life with a patter of inventive doggerel. He was targeted by his country when, in 1966, he exercised his First Amendment right voicing political dissension and concern for humanitarian observation. Ali was a purposeful fighter, and even more so, a principled human being, once reminding us all that he would, ``Fight for the prestige, not for [himself], but to uplift [his] little brothers who are sleeping on concrete floors today in America . . . living on welfare, . . . who can't eat, . . . who don't [have] knowledge of themselves, . . . [and cannot see a] future.'' Ali fought for the future he envisioned and that we all enjoy today. As a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War, he refused to be inducted into drafting leading him to be banned from the sport he loved at the height of his career. His inspiring courage and anti-war stance helped spearhead the growing anti-war movement of the 1960s. The press called him the Louisville Lip. He called himself the Greatest. Ali was the most important political-cultural figure to survive the deadly tumult of the 1960s and flourish during the 1970s. Ali reawakened the American consciousness stating, ``Champions are made from something they have deep inside them--a desire, a dream, a vision.'' He eventually retired for good in 1981 and after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1984 as the only fighter to be heavyweight champion three times. In 2005 Muhammad Ali was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush. Ali received the President's Award from the NAACP soon after Obama's inauguration in 2009. In 1996, he was trembling and nearly mute as he lit the Olympic caldron in Atlanta, but his smile induced a thunderous roar in what was one of the most celebrated Olympics moments ever. His post-boxing humanitarian endeavors include putting his name to many initiatives for peace and humanitarian aid as well as anonymous donations of millions of dollars to a variety of individuals and organizations surpassing race and class barriers. Despite battling with Parkinson's disease for three decades, he has inspired millions of people. His work as a humanitarian has been immortalized in the Muhammad Ali Centre. Explaining his resolve later in life, Ali said that, ``All my life, growing up as a little boy, I always said that if I got famous I'd do things for my people that other people wouldn't do.'' ``I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given,'' he said. He was truly a legend--a statesman of the people. Muhammad Ali was a product of America but a citizen of the world, at first hated and misunderstood but eventually beloved for the way he carried himself in dignified decline. He will remain one of the most well-known and respected sports figures of all time--may his legacy be revered. In closing, Mr. Speaker, let me borrow from Shakespeare and say of the Muhammad Ali: ``He was a man. Take him for all in all. We shall not look upon his like again.'' May the ``The Greatest'' rest in peace. The Sayings of Muhammad Ali--The Greatest of All Time Muhammad Ali, considered to be the greatest heavyweight boxer, died June 3, 2016 in a Phoenix-area hospital. He was 74 years old. Here is a list of some of his best quotes (in no particular order): 1. ``Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. His hands can't hit what his eyes can't see. Now you see me, now you don't. George thinks he will, but I know he won't.'' 2. ``Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.'' 3. ``I'm young; I'm handsome; I'm fast. I can't possibly be beat.'' 4. ``Don't count the days; make the days count.'' 5. ``If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it--then I can achieve it.'' Jesse Jackson said this as early as 1983, according to the Associated Press, and Ali used it in his 2004 book. 6. ``It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.'' 7. ``It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe.'' 8. ``If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize.'' 9. ``Braggin' is when a person says something and can't do it. I do what I say.'' 10. ``I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.'' 11. ``Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.'' 12. ``I'm so mean, I make medicine sick.'' 13. ``I should be a postage stamp. That's the only way I'll ever get licked.'' 14.``Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.'' 15. ``He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.'' 16. ``A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.'' 17. ``If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.'' 18. ``I shook up the world. Me! Whee!'' 19. ``I hated every minute of training, but I said, `Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.' '' 20. ``At home I am a nice guy: but I don't want the world to know. Humble people, I've found, don't get very far.'' 21. ``A man who has no imagination has no wings.'' 22. ``He's (Sonny Liston) too ugly to be the world champ. The world champ should be pretty like me!'' 23. ``I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. I'm in a world of my own.'' 24. ``I've wrestled with alligators. I've tussled with a whale. I done handcuffed lightning. And throw thunder in jail.'' 25. ``Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong.'' 26. ``It's not bragging if you can back it up.'' 27. ``I'm the most recognized and loved man that ever lived cuz there weren't no satellites when Jesus and Moses were around, so people far away in the villages didn't know about them.'' 28. ``It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.'' 29. ``I'm not the greatest, I'm the double greatest.'' 30. ``Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right.''

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank Mr. Yarmuth and say that I couldn't leave the mic without acknowledging that George Foreman is in Houston, and Evander Holyfield, only to say that the people that he fought became his dear friends. I know they would want me to say that. Thank you so very much for allowing us to pay tribute to The Greatest.

Ms. JACKSON LEE

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, on April 17-18, 2016 Houston experienced a historic flood event that claimed the lives of eight people; damaged over 1,150 households; disrupted hundreds of businesses; closed community centers, schools, and places of worship due to flood waters. On Monday, April 25, I led a tour and held a press conference with the Army Corps of Engineers, local and state elected officials to focus on the damaged caused by the flood and to refocus our efforts on reducing the damage and frequency of flooding in the Houston area. On April 25, President Obama granted the request for federal Individual Assistance for Harris County residences and business owners who were affected by severe weather and flooding. I would like to thank all the local, state and federal officials who helped in making this possible. On May 3, 2016, I held a town hall for the residents of Houston, which includes my constituents in the 18th Congressional District so that they could learn from FEMA what resources were available to assist them with recovery. Unfortunately, that was not the end of the story of flooding in Houston for 2016--in early June another record setting rainfall led to catastrophic flooding throughout the Houston area. At the beginning of this month Houston once again was flooded and another Disaster Assistance request was submitted to the White House. I am grateful to the President and the great work of those at the Department of Homeland Security who worked tirelessly to help people after both events. I spoke on the House Floor several times over the last six weeks about the floods and the suffering caused by the waters that came through our communities--damaging homes, our schools, places of business, and our places of worship. I am gratified that the House approved my amendments to The Energy and Water Appropriations Act which will help facilitate the $3 million needed to fund the Army Corps of Engineers' Houston Regional Watershed Assessment flood risk management feasibility study. The Energy and Water Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (H.R. 5055) provides that the Secretary of the Army may initiate up to six new study starts during fiscal year 2017, and that five of those studies are to consist of studies where the majority of the benefits are derived from flood and storm damage reduction or from navigation transportation savings. My discussion on the House floor about Jackson Lee Amendment with Chairman Simpson and Ranking Member Kaptur of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee made a compelling case and legislative record that the Houston Regional Watershed Assessment Flood Risk Management Feasibility study is most deserving to be selected by the Secretary of the Army as one of the new study starts. The Energy and Water Appropriations Act is still under consideration in the House, and I continue to work with my colleagues in moving this important effort forward. The Houston Regional Watershed Assessment study is critically needed given the frequency and severity of historic-level flood events in recent years in and around the Houston metropolitan area. The purpose of the Houston Regional Watershed Assessment is to identify risk reduction measures and optimize performance from a multi- objective systems performance perspective of the regional network of nested and intermingled watersheds, reservoir dams, flood flow conveyance channels, storm water detention basins, and related Flood Risk Management (FRM) infrastructure. Special emphasis of the study, which covers 22 primary watersheds within Harris County's 1,756 square miles, will be placed on extreme flood events that exceed the system capacity resulting in impacts to asset conditions/functions and loss of life. The Federal government should not run every aspect of our lives--but it is an umbrella on a rainy day--it is a shelter in a powerful storm. The Federal government is help when no other source of help can meet the challenges we may be facing is sufficient. It takes all sectors of a community to effectively prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against any disaster. We come together as community--we come together as Houstonians--we come together as Texans and yes--we come together as Americans to provide support, help and assistance to each other during difficult times. This is a difficult time for many in our city of Houston. Some of those who were hit hard by the flood are here tonight, but there are many others who suffered losses who were not able to be here. I ask that you take material with you to share with your neighbors, friends, family, and co-workers who had flood damage or economic impacts due to the flood, but were not able to join us tonight so that they can get the help they may need to recover from the historic flooding. You may qualify for FEMA Individual Assistance grants of up to $33,000 from the federal government, and low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. An estimated 240 billion gallons of water fell in the Houston area over a 12 hour period, which resulted in several areas exceeding the 100 to 500 year flood event record. The records on floods are based upon the time period of rain fall, the location of the rain fall, and the duration of the event over a watershed. The areas that experienced these historic rain falls in April were west of 1-45, north of I-10, and Greens Bayou. An estimated 140 billion gallons of water fell over the Cypress Creek, Spring Creek, and Addicks watershed in just 14 hours. The flooding problems in the Houston area are frequent, widespread, and severe, with projects to reduce flood risks in place that are valued at several billion dollars. Recent historical flooding in the region was documented in 1979, 1980, 1983, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2001 (Tropical Storm Allison), 2006, 2007, and 2008 (Hurricane Ike). In 2015, the Houston and surrounding area experienced widespread historic flooding; and again two weeks ago we saw significant flooding damage and loss of life during the 12 hour flood event from April 17- 18, 2016. On June 6, 2016, I held a tour of the flood damage in Houston, Texas with the President and CEO of The American Red Cross Gail McGovern: Following the flooding in April I worked with FEMA and the city of Houston to provide housing to those left homeless by the flooding in April. Organized a Houston area delegation letter to appropriators to fund a study. Sent letters to appropriators on the impact of flooding on the region and requested that a similar effort to deal with storm surge be undertaken for the upper Texas Gulf Coast. On March 10, 2016, I held what is likely one of the first Congressional events to raise public awareness regarding Zika Virus and to ascertain the needs of local and state agencies who would be responsible for responding to the threat. On June 1, 2016, CDC reports are there are 1,732 confirmed Zika cases in the continental United States and U.S. Territories. Cases of the Zika Virus have been reported in every state in the United States except Alaska; Idaho; North Dakota; South Dakota; and Wisconsin. At that meeting I called for the following directives to happen: 1. Establish a national task force to discuss the Zika virus; The First meeting of the Task Force occurred on Tuesday, June 7, 2016. Other objectives that I outlined included: 2. Creation of public service messages explaining what the word DEET means and why it is important to protect yourself with insect repellant; 3. We must make sure that untreated mosquito bed netting is available to women and girls in high risk areas; 4. Post posters in all public hospitals highlighting the dangers of the Zika virus and how one can protect themselves from the Zika virus; 5. Hold a MAJOR briefing in Houston with officials from the CDC regarding the Zika virus; 6. Conduct a Houston/Harris County Public service campaign to inform the community about traveling to Zika Virus mosquito borne infected regions around the world; and 7. We must secure public and private funds to cleanup illegally dumped tires and other debris where mosquitos may breed near people. We must also rethink how testing is conducted for the Zika Virus. Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean of the School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine recommends that an aggressive testing and disease surveillance approach be adopted for areas of greatest risk along the Gulf Coast like the city of Houston. Sub-tropical climate; Areas of Extreme Poverty; Presence of the most threatening Zika Virus carrying mosquitoes the Aedes Aegypti; Mosquito breeding conditions that are supportive of spread of the disease from travelers who come to the Houston area with the illness. The CDC guidance for persons who seek testing for the disease should allow for greater testing in areas that have these conditions along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida. Mosquito surveillance along the Gulf Coast is not even nor as well- resourced as it once was due to budget cuts and a lack of concern regarding mosquito borne disease, which has greatly reduced capacity and competence in this critical area. The mosquito that carries Zika Virus is known as the greatest killer of people--it is also known as the yellow fever mosquito. This Aedes mosquito is the real threat and it must be battled from the neighborhood level up to the county or parish level. President Obama's request for $1.9 Billion in Zika Virus Emergency Response Funding. The Senate passed a Zika Virus Appropriations of $1.1 billion, but unfortunately the House only provided $622 million. The Senate has called for a conference to reconcile the differences between the two bills. The CDC reported on May 30, 2016, that it has confirmed cases of the Zika Virus include 279 pregnant women in the United States or U.S. Territories. This number is double the number of cases reported the previous week. The CDC is reporting all pregnant women who have ``any laboratory evidence'' of possible infection, no matter what. The CDC made the change after seeing reports of asymptomatic pregnant women--women with no symptoms who delivered children with known Zika Virus birth defects. These are sobering and troubling numbers this early in our mosquito season. These cases of Zika Virus include both travel related and those that were contracted from mosquito bites. The 13 Local Cases of the Zika Virus are all travel related thus far. Seven cases of the Zika Virus recorded by Harris County Public Health Environmental Services. Six reported by the City of Houston Public Health Department Reported cases of the Zika Virus. We know that 4 in 5 people who contract the Zika Virus have no symptoms. This is especially problematic for pregnant women who may become infected with the Zika Virus and have no symptoms. Although the contracting of the disease is most associated with mosquitoes it has been transmitted sexually. This presents other challenges to Zika Virus public education and preparedness.