Eddie Johnson

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. There have been two high-profile security incidents at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, facilities in the past year: one on the Gaithersburg campus and the other in Boulder, Colorado. These incidents have raised legitimate oversight questions that the Science, Space, and Technology Committee has pursued through both hearings and a year-long investigation. This bill, I take it, is meant to kick the investigation over to GAO since our own efforts, which were focused more on ``gotcha'' questions than substance, yielded little. Unfortunately, what this bill does not account for is that the security incidents also prompted the Director of NIST to take seriously the need to improve security policies, procedures, and management of the two NIST campuses. Last December, the Director, Dr. Willie May, convened an ad hoc panel of security experts to make recommendations accordingly. The experts made a number of significant recommendations on all aspects of NIST security. By mid April, the NIST Director had developed an action plan to immediately implement many of those recommendations while initiating more in-depth studies of other recommendations. These are very positive steps on the part of the agency and should not be overlooked or, worse, undermined. Science Committee minority staff have received copies of both the recommendations and the action plan because they asked for it. I wonder if the majority also thought to ask for these documents before drafting this bill without any expert input. We certainly agree with the majority that the GAO may have an important role in the process of strengthening security at NIST. However, any such GAO review should take into account ongoing reform at NIST as well as the expert opinion of GAO itself. Majority and minority staff alike received an e-mail from GAO experts the night before the committee markup expressing concern about the nature of some of the questions being asked of them in this legislation. Neither their feedback nor NIST's own feedback was incorporated during the committee markup. The bill was rushed through the committee and now is being rushed to the floor. I am also quite puzzled as to the need for this bill since the chairman already sent a joint request to GAO, along with the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, for a similarly scoped review of NIST security. GAO confirmed that review is already in their work queue. At best, this is an exercise in duplication, and we always talk about saving money. At worst, it is the wasting of valuable expertise of the GAO on an ill-conceived and ill-timed report. This bill may lead to an inefficient use of taxpayers dollars, but, at the end of the day, it will not do any other harm. I have faith in the GAO to make lemonade out of lemons. For that reason, I am not opposing moving forward today. However, I do call on my colleagues on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee to take more seriously our oversight responsibility and our responsibility to the taxpayer by taking into consideration expert input and relevant activities at the agency in question before rushing a sloppy bill to the floor just for a press release. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I support doing all we can to advance research in solar fuels. These technologies aim to produce fuels like hydrogen and hydrocarbons from a combination of sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, and do this far more efficiently than nature's photosynthetic process. If we can figure out a way to make these technologies cost competitive, solar fuels have the potential to make a major contribution to reducing our dependence on oil and other traditional fossil fuels. But as with the Electricity Storage Innovation Act, I believe we could have taken a little more time to do this in the right way. Last week, the Department of Energy raised many of the same concerns with this bill that it had with the last one, including its attempt to arbitrarily legislate a bright line between ``basic'' and ``applied'' research when this is neither realistic nor helpful. Further, I would note that there is absolutely nothing wrong with Federal support for so-called applied research. Indeed, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have had no issue with supporting what would typically be called applied research and development when it dealt with nuclear technologies, oil and gas drilling technologies, or other fossil fuel technologies. Clean power technologies should be treated no differently. That said, I do not oppose the passage of this bill today in the hope that we can turn it into something we can all support in partnership with our friends in the Senate. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, let me thank my colleagues from Texas for joining me. The calculated ambush and murders of the Dallas law enforcement officers during a peaceful protest in downtown Dallas last night was a disgraceful act of violence. It happened in my district. I live less than five blocks away. My prayers and sympathy go out to the families of the officers slain and the victims of the shooting. Our response going forward--not just in Dallas, but across our Nation--will be more important now than ever before. My thoughts and prayers are also with the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, who violently lost their lives this week as well. We must de-escalate violence. This recent violence serves as a stark reminder that relations between law enforcement and the communities they serve remains extremely tense, and we must do everything we can not to inflame this tension even further. We need to recognize the root cause of this tension and work to end the divisiveness between law enforcement and citizens. I do also want to commend the Dallas Police Department, Dallas Police Chief David Brown--a constituent and someone I work with very closely-- and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit for their brave and swift response to the shooting. These officers are among some of the most capable and professional law enforcement officers in the country, and I commend them for their bravery during this incident. Mr. Speaker, I ask not just for a moment of silence but also for firm action. We need to bring meaningful legislation to the floor that will help bridge the divide between law enforcement and our communities.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, a bipartisan expanded background checks legislation, in honor of Kendrick Forrest, a victim of gun violence from my district who never received a moment of silence on the House floor.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2646, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act. As the original Democratic cosponsor of this piece of legislation and the one that preceded it, I am proud to see it come to the floor today. H.R. 2646 is a demonstration of more than 3 years of collaboration between not only myself and Congressman Tim Murphy, but the many other Members and organizations that came to the table to offer feedback, suggestions, and, at times, criticism. At no time did Congressman Murphy turn anyone's input down. The end result is a bill that remains focused on enabling the most severely and mentally ill to access the treatment they desperately deserve, while allowing their families and caregivers to help them along the way. This piece of legislation contains several necessary provisions, including the establishment of an Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder, easing our Nation's chronic shortage of psychiatric beds, requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to clarify confusing HIPAA rules surrounding mental health patients, and increasing grant programs with results proven to help individuals with serious mental health illness gain access to treatment like Assisted Outpatient Treatment and Assertive Community Treatment. As two of the few mental health providers serving in Congress-- another over here to my left, Dr. McDermott, a psychiatrist-- Congressman Murphy and I have always been focused on the needs of the severely mentally ill. Many that we read about daily in our many cities across the Nation end up in jail or prison. While the homeless and prison population are particularly vulnerable to mental illness, these are the individuals that get the least amount of attention and access to mental health services. Through our work, we have a deep understanding of patient need, and this need is not being met.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Unfortunately, we have found that many of our fellow Members lack the understanding of patients in crisis, making this process more difficult. I am hopeful, however, that this bill will be a framework to help us move the needle forward on mental health treatment in America. I would like to thank Congressman Murphy for his steadfast commitment to mental health. I would also like to thank the chairman, Fred Upton, and our ranking member, Mr. Pallone, for their hard work on this measure. While we still have a long ways to go, this is certainly a step forward.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in the wake of the endless gun violence happening across the country, the American people are calling desperately on Congress to act. Under pressure from House and Senate Democrats during the historic sit-in, Republican leadership has finally agreed to allow a vote on legislation to prevent gun sales to suspected terrorists placed on the no-fly list. While it is my view that this legislation does not go far enough to prevent violence in our neighborhoods, it serves as an important step in order to continue an open dialogue on this issue. My grandson, who is a responsible district manager in a very large corporation in this Nation, is an NRA member. He hunts and he plays golf. He asked me: ``Granny, why must anybody have an AK-47? Why must these kind of weapons be sold to people? They must have background checks.'' Now, this is a member of the NRA. Mr. Speaker, as Congress works to reduce gun violence and gun-related deaths throughout our country, I encourage my colleagues to immediately bring forward meaningful and comprehensive reforms.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I urge a positive vote on the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 5312, the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Modernization Act of 2016. The bill before us modernizes the original High-Performance Computing Act of 1991. In the 25 years that have passed since that bill established the framework for Federal investment in computing research, networking and information technologies, NIT, has transformed how we communicate with each other, how we get around, how we bank, and how we shop. NIT has helped provide teachers and students in diverse communities across our Nation access to resources and learning opportunities that were previously out of reach. NIT has transformed every industry sector, increasing efficiency and productivity, while creating higher skilled, better paying jobs. NIT made possible the decoding of the human genome and has led to myriad improvements in medical diagnostics and treatments. Over these past 25 years, networking and information technologies have created opportunities across all aspects of our lives that were previously unimaginable. With those opportunities, NIT has also created new challenges for individual and collective safety and security and for our privacy. Our critical infrastructure, our banks, our commercial enterprises, and our own personal wallets and identities are vulnerable to criminals and state actors alike. Our privacy is being compromised daily, whether we are public figures or private citizens. We cannot go back to a world before NIT, nor should we. However, while investing in advancements in NIT and its many applications, we must also invest in protecting our security and privacy. The Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program, or NITRD, which grew out of the original 1991 High-Performance Computing Act, does just that. The interagency NITRD Program supports a full range of research and development that provides the foundation of scientific understanding and accelerates the development of advanced information technologies, while strengthening cybersecurity and privacy. The program also advances NIT to accelerate discovery in many other areas of science and engineering, from astronomy to biomedical research. The legislation we are considering today, the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Modernization Act, continues to strengthen the management, coordination, and oversight of the NITRD Program. It helps ensure that Federal investments in NIT R&D remain at the cutting edge and continuously evolve to include important emerging areas of NIT. In addition, it encourages large-scale interdisciplinary and cross-agency collaborations in ``grand challenge'' areas of R&D. Finally, the bill encourages strong collaboration and coordination with industry and other stakeholders. Over time, there have been some amendments to the 1991 Act. H.R. 5312, represents the committee's fourth attempt in as many Congresses to enact a comprehensive modernization of the 25-year-old law. For the first time since our first effort in 2009, the Senate has proposed draft language of its own. I am hopeful that we can get a NITRD modernization bill to the President's desk before year's end. Given the profound implications for our economic and national security, NIT is not an area of science and technology for which the U.S. can afford to cede leadership. I want to thank Representative LaHood, Chairman Smith, and committee staff for an open, collaborative, and good process which has led to a very good bill. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of the bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 5049, the NSF Major Research Facility Reform Act of 2016. While I support the passage of this bill in the House today, I do so with some reservations, which I will discuss later in my remarks. Major research facilities play a central role in helping the NSF meet its mission to promote the progress of science and cultivate the next generation of scientists and innovators. These facilities include telescopes, research ships, engineering test beds, and other cutting- edge research platforms. We recently held a hearing to congratulate the scientists who are working on one such endeavor, the LIGO project, which detected gravity waves. As the LIGO project demonstrated, these efforts involving major facilities have the potential to generate profound breakthroughs in science and to inspire a whole new generation of our best and brightest to pursue careers in STEM. However, these major facilities also cost a lot of money. Properly managing those large expenses is critical to ensuring the success of the major facilities projects and is, ultimately, critical to the advancement of science. The intent of this bill is a good one. It is to ensure the proper oversight and accountability for the National Science Foundation's investments in major research facilities. The National Science Foundation manages about 15 research facilities across its diverse science and engineering portfolio. In any given year, three or four new major facilities are under construction. H.R. 5049 largely addresses the design and construction phase of these facilities, which is the highest-risk phase. Republican and Democratic members and staff of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology worked together over many weeks to develop and move through the committee a bill that addresses the need for strong oversight and accountability while taking into consideration the legitimate concerns of the agency and stakeholder groups about unintended consequences. I appreciate the work of Mr. Loudermilk and Chairman Smith and the Republican and Democratic staffs in this regard. However, the devil is always in the details, and I hope that discussion will continue on some of the details if this legislation continues to move forward. The fact is that every other Federal agency is held to governmentwide standards and policies for contracting. In this bill, we are creating a different set of rules with less flexibility for the National Science Foundation even though the Foundation's record, overall, has been a very good one and even though the Foundation has taken many aggressive steps already to rectify deficiencies where they did exist. As such, I hope that we tread carefully. Given that the impetus for this bill was one project that went awry because of an inexperienced project management team, the last thing we want to do is to enact a law that discourages the most experienced project management professionals from doing business with the NSF, thereby increasing the risk to the taxpayer. In closing, I want to thank Mr. Loudermilk and Chairman Smith for working with us to improve the legislation; and I hope we continue to work with the agency, the National Science Board, and the expert stakeholders to ensure we achieve our shared goals of both safeguarding taxpayers' money and promoting the progress of science I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to know that this is a part of the innovation project. There are a number of good bills in the committee that we could really make a part of that package. I have no further speakers, and I urge support of the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of the special order hour titled ``Bridging the Divide: A Call to Action by the Congressional Black Caucus to Eliminate Racial Health Disparities.'' I would like to thank my colleagues Congressman Hakeem Jeffries and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty for hosting this timely special order. Historically, racial and ethnic minorities are likely to have the highest uninsured rates and are less likely to receive preventive and quality health care. While the Affordable Care Act has helped minorities afford health insurance and access quality care, there is still a need to eliminate existing disparities. For example, the Department of Health and Human Services is currently working to expand access, end racial and ethnic discrimination, perform outreach to underserved communities, improve workforce diversity, and expand data collection and reporting. While this is an ambitious plan, it is one that is extremely necessary. Unfortunately, coverage, access, and outreach may not be the only keys to eliminating disparities. Demographic characteristics contribute heavily to racial and ethnic health status. For example, research shows that privately insured African American and Hispanic adults fare worse than privately insured white adults along measures to access and use of care. Unfortunately, African Americans and Hispanics are less likely to have a regular provider than their white counterparts. The same research also showed that privately insured African Americans and Hispanics had less confidence in their ability to pay for medical costs. Since social determinants like economic stability, education, and environment play such a large role in how we each view and access health care, many of the changes necessary to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities require a much larger plan than just a focus on health-related programs. Reducing disparities in health truly entails addressing racial and ethnic social determinants such as availability of safe housing, affordable food, access to education, job opportunities, community-based resources, public safety, public transportation, and more. Our society must make many changes before we can truly eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities because that also means eliminating disparities in many other sectors. I thank Congressman Jeffries and Congresswoman Beatty for hosting this poignant special order.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of the ongoing flooding in my home state of Texas. Texas has experienced numerous incidences of heavy rain and extreme weather events since last summer, which have resulted in extensive flooding, property damage, and tragic loss of life. Flooding and heavy rain has affected much of our vast state this spring. Flood warnings continue throughout Dallas County along the Trinity River this week, while my district has been the focus of flash flooding and severe weather for the better part of this year. Further throughout Texas, rain gauges at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, College Station-Bryan, and San Angelo have recorded the wettest spring seasons on record for these areas. Recent flooding in Texas has so far claimed the lives of 16 individuals and has resulted in significant costs associated with property damage. Even more alarming is the fact that these catastrophic floods seem to be occurring with greater severity and frequency over time. More than ever, we need to recognize the effects of climate change on our normal weather systems. Before we can begin to seriously address these severe acts of nature, we must trace these events back to their root cause. Climate change is undeniably a significant contributing factor of the increase in frequency and severity of these storms. The State of Texas has fostered a strong relationship with our federal partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security, to deliver critical funding and emergency response for rescue and clean-up efforts. As long as these floods continue, we need to continue to build on our cooperation and work over the past year by not only improving our response to current events, but also by taking deliberate steps to mitigate future risks. Mr. Speaker, the extreme weather events that we are experiencing in Texas are emblematic of the potentially devastating consequences of climate change--and this is only the beginning. As we continue our efforts to assist the people of Texas, I urge for more federal assistance in our fight to address the recent rain and flooding while also mitigating future flooding concerns throughout the state.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the newly elected president of Taiwan, Dr. Tsai Ing-wen, who will be inaugurated on May 20, 2016. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. Tsai and in applauding Taiwan for completing another presidential election. Dr. Tsai Ing-wen, the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), will be Taiwan's first female president, leading the country to a new chapter of transformation. Taiwan provides an example to be followed in gender equality and women in leadership at its highest level of government. Taiwan has made more progress with gender equality issues than many of its Pacific neighbors, having adopted a law to implement the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 2011. Taiwan is also an important partner to the United States, serving as a democratic beacon of freedom in the Pacific. Democracy is strong and vibrant in Taiwan and we must continue to support these ideals that are so similar to our own. We must remain steadfast in our support of Taiwan even though its future may hold challenges dealing with their neighbors. Our shared goal is to provide the basis for long-term peace and prosperity for both of our nations and worldwide. Taiwan, like the U.S., is also a responsible member of the international community and constantly works for the peaceful resolution of disputes. Taiwan has achieved a remarkable reduction of cross-strait tensions, and effectively works for peace, harmony, and civilized conduct by all nations throughout the world. It is my privilege to travel to Taiwan for Dr. Tsai Ing-wen's Inauguration in May, 2016. I look forward to supporting our friends there and personally congratulating Dr. Tsai.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I want to recognize the significant leadership of a selfless educator and inspirational woman, Carol Ann Mooney. After a storied career in Catholic education in South Bend, Indiana, Mrs. Mooney will be retiring from her position as president of St. Mary's College after holding that title for twelve years. Mrs. Mooney's love for St. Mary's is tried and true, seeing as she is the first lay alumna President of the university. She attended St. Mary's from 1968-1972, then made the short physical but grand intellectual journey to the University of Notre Dame Law School, where she graduated first in her class. After a stint in law firms here in Washington D.C., she returned to South Bend to join the University of Notre Dame Law School's faculty, in her journey holding the titles of assistant dean, associate dean, university vice president, and associate provost. In 2004, she was delighted to return to the alma mater that she and I share to become its first alumna president. Mrs. Mooney's tenure at St. Mary's is defined by her deep love for the school. Under her leadership, the school saw unprecedented growth with a record-breaking fundraising campaign, underwent a lengthy accreditation process with the Higher Learning Commission, rapidly expanded diversity on the campus, and launched three graduate programs. More than anything, Mrs. Mooney will be remembered as a mentor, who was available to talk to students always. The young women of St. Mary's College will certainly miss Mrs. Mooney, but not as much as she will miss seeing them as she has for the better portion of her life. During retirement, Mrs. Mooney and her husband will stay in South Bend, but plan to visit their four children and grandchild as much as possible. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the selfless dedication this woman has given to educating young people and shaping the future generation of leaders and thinkers. For this she deserves our undue respect, admiration, and praise--though her humility will likely not allow her to accept it.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, our children represent the future of our nation. Our future is more promising when our children have a clear path to succeed and have the opportunities to become active members of the community. Over time, a culture of favoring incarceration over education has become more prominent throughout our society--particularly as it relates to minority and low- income populations. Financial shortfalls at all levels of government are also placing downward pressure on states and municipalities to cut back on public services and educational or community-based programs in favor of harsh criminalization or incarceration. The result is the ``school-to-prison pipeline,'' which poses a very real threat to our children and our society. This pipeline refers to harsh policies and practices that cultivate a culture where young individuals are pushed into the juvenile and criminal justice systems through harsh punishments in schools. Inadequate resources in public schools, economic instability, zero-tolerance policies, and harsh punishments for non-violent offenses are all contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline. As a result, the United States suffers from the largest number of prisoners in the world and the economic and social burden of the high costs of incarceration. Zero tolerance policies are dangerous to have in our schools. These policies impose extremely severe punishments on students, regardless of the circumstances, which can result in suspension or even expulsion from school. Children of color and students with special needs have experienced a dramatic increase in these suspensions and expulsions, which greatly increase their probability of entering into the juvenile justice system. Schools are also beginning to display an overreliance on law enforcement to maintain discipline through the use of school resource officers. Mr. Speaker, the school-to-prison pipeline is the result of a dangerous precedent being set in our schools. Zero tolerance policies and the overreliance on law enforcement to keep order in our schools not only detracts from the culture of learning we expect in our schools, but also condemns countless children to a life of suffering for making simple mistakes during their youth. Our society will suffer if we continue on this path of forcing children into the criminal justice system and it is time that we considered serious reforms to keep children in our communities and outside the juvenile justice system.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of the one year anniversary of the Congressional Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caucus, established last April by Reps. Alma Adams (D-NC) and Bradley Byrne (R-AL). For over 170 years, our Historically Black Colleges and Universities have been at the forefront of preparing our nation's youth for a bright path and successful future. HBCUs have profoundly changed the American economic and social climate. They have changed the face of this nation and have opened the door for generations of African-American students. There are over 300,000 diverse students across the United States attending HBCUs today. Those and the millions of HBCU alumni are a testament to the importance of these institutions to America. In 2008, I co-founded and co-chaired the first bipartisan Congressional HBCU Caucus with Reps. James Clyburn (D-SC) and John Duncan (R-TN). Expanding federal opportunities for HBCUs and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), expanding dialogue in Congress, and upholding the traditions of these institutions are shared goals of mine and of the members who currently lead the caucus. I am proud to represent Paul Quinn College, which has provided their students with the tools to be successful leaders for over 130 years. For much of their history, HBCUs opened the door to educational opportunities and career possibilities otherwise inaccessible to African-Americans. Over the past 50 years we have seen a modernization of that mission. Each year thousands of academically disadvantaged students graduate high school behind many of their peers. Many of these college-bound students graduated at the top of their class, yet did not have access to the rigorous coursework that would prepare them for higher education. HBCUs offer the personalized attention and support to foster success in these students. They are paving the way for future scientists, engineers and doctors who may have otherwise been lost in the system. It is this chain of support that makes our nation's HBCUs so invaluable to America and the thousands of students who meet their potential under their guidance. I am pleased that we are able to continue this dialogue in a meaningful way and I urge more members to join the Congressional HBCU Caucus.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call our attention to the 96th anniversary of Turkish National Day on April 23rd, 2016. On this day 96 years ago, the Grand National Assembly was established, which led to the founding of the modern Republic of Turkey and the election of the first President, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. I am pleased to join my colleagues in recognizing the unique contributions to America's culture from those of Turkish and Turkish-American decent. As you may know, the Republic of Turkey has been paramount in its stride towards secular democracy since 1920. Turkey is the first secular democracy with a predominantly Muslim population in the world. As a key ally to U.S. for over 60 years, Turkey is a critical U.S. partner in countering terrorism, security and defense, trade, education, science, and innovation. Turkey has been invaluable in its role of hosting over 1.7 million Syrian refugees during the largest humanitarian crisis since World War II. Turkey also stands as a vital NATO ally in a region with escalated accounts of violence and tension and has been a partner in pushing back ISIL's control of certain territories. Since 1927, Turkey has also designated April 23rd as Children's Day to signify the role of future generations in the modern Turkish statehood. Turkey commits every year by emphasizing the important role the younger generations have in succeeding their predecessors. As I and many of my colleagues acknowledge, children are the future of our nation. On this day, children from all across Turkey come together and take over the Grand National Assembly to voice their concerns. Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that the Congress has set aside this national day of celebration again in 2016. Turkish-Americans have left a unique imprint that has positively contributed to America's diverse cultural spectrum. Each year, it seems, we have a greater appreciation for the remarkable contribution of Turkey to our American values and democracy. We stand in deep appreciation and gratitude with our ally, Turkey on this Turkish National Day.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Wednesday, April 13, 2016, has been designated ``Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy.'' I am pleased to join my colleagues in recognizing the unique contributions to our civilization from those of Greece and of Greek American descent. Democracy was first born in Greece over 2,000 years ago, based on the fundamental principle of consensual government self-determined by free citizens. The ideas forged in ancient Greece by brilliant minds of the day have such clarity and force that 2,000 years later they still hold more power than a host of armed weapons. The priceless ideas of democracy and equality born in ancient Greece have strongly shaped the American national identity, which became a beacon of freedom and dignity to individuals. They continue to give hope and inspiration to the millions around the world who yearn to live in a free society like ours. Greece set the example for us and we, in turn have set the example for countless others. Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that the Congress has set aside this national day of celebration again in 2016. Each year, it seems, we have a greater appreciation for the tremendous contribution of Greece to our American values and our priceless democracy.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the Republican controlled House has once again missed a key deadline when it failed to pass a budget resolution before April 15. Despite promises to the contrary, House Speaker Paul Ryan has been unable to bring a budget resolution to the floor in a timely fashion. This is simply unacceptable. Completing a budget resolution is an important step in the budget process that will lay out Congress' spending priorities and create a unified vision for a more prosperous nation. While Democrats have endeavored to work cooperatively with Republicans to pass a comprehensive budget resolution, Speaker Ryan has insisted on pushing a budget that divides our country while further slashing critical investments aimed at strengthening our economy. The Republican budget reflects the needs of only a select few instead of the views and priorities of every American and places the burden of deficit reduction squarely on the backs of middle and working class Americans. It is clear that our most vulnerable segments of the population--the elderly, minorities, low-income earners, and others--have been most impacted by the Great Recession. Yet this latest Republican budget resolution continues to reflect the failed economic worldview that wealth will trickle down when we give massive tax breaks to the wealthy. Time and time again, history has demonstrated that this is simply untrue. It is unfortunate that the Republican-controlled Congress today is subjecting millions of hard-working families to even greater pressures to work longer hours for less pay, while we continue to prop up the wealthiest earners and biggest corporations with tax breaks and other loopholes. The Republican budget exemplifies these principles and drives the wedge deeper between the wealthy and our most vulnerable. Mr. Speaker, I believe our nation is on a dangerous path under this Republican leadership. Congress should be working to create jobs and increase pay for hard-working American families, not giving additional tax breaks to the wealthy and cutting spending for key social programs The Republicans have long abandoned their commitment to pass a budget resolution that reflects the needs of all Americans. Thus, I am strongly urging my colleagues to support fiscally sound and morally responsible budget alternatives that will create a level playing field and new opportunities for every American.