Eddie Johnson

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we recognize this week as National Nurses Week, and celebrate the life-saving work that nurses do every single day of the year. As the first registered nurse in Congress, I know from experience that nurses play a critical role in patient care, health promotion, and disease prevention. Nurses are the most trusted professionals in the country, and it is no wonder why. Nurses have the privilege and responsibility of caring for people at their most vulnerable, and they do it with grace and commitment. Just as nurses care for us when we are sick, we must ensure that our health system supports nurses by enabling them to do their jobs safely and effectively. Research has shown us that when nurse staffing levels increase, patient risk of complications and hospital lengths of stay decrease. This, in turn, leads to cost savings. As our health system changes to meet our future needs, nurses are leading the way. The Affordable Care Act and the Institute of Medicine's Future of Nursing report both call for nurses to optimize their contribution to patient care. Increased federal and state engagement is needed to ensure that America's nursing workforce remains strong in years to come. I believe we must expand nurse training programs and increase the number of nursing faculty available to teach the next generation. Only then will we begin to be able to address the national nursing shortage that could potentially jeopardize future patient access to care. Mr. Speaker, National Nurses Week has been celebrated annually since 1991, beginning on May 6th, which is National Recognition Day for nurses, and ending on May 12th, the birthday of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale. I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize all the dedicated nurses who came before me, and all those who have come after. Supporting the nurses who care for us is simply the right thing to do, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to do just that.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert my statement in the Record opposing the GOP's unscrupulous Mother's Day gift--more work and less pay for working mothers. Happy Mother's Day to all mothers.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, it has been more than 20 weeks since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook school; yet Congress has still been unable to pass a comprehensive legislative piece to curb gun violence in this country. While an overwhelming majority of Americans support expanding background checks, Senate Republicans last month blocked an important measure that would have expanded background checks to many types of private firearm sales. I came here from the mental health field. Every day that the Republicans in Congress choose to block critical measures to reduce gun violence, we will prevent having a safe community, because with the background check, many innocent sick people will be stopped. We cannot afford to continue to lose lives and have families severely impacted by senseless violence at the hands of criminals with deadly firearms. Madam Speaker, we owe it to the American people to respond immediately to this violence.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of the Affordable Care Act to eliminating health disparities. Health disparities refer to the unequal health outcomes, ability to access health care, and rates of disease that impact certain Americans based on their income, race, ethnicity, or other identities. These disparities not only have devastating impacts on communities of color in my district, but they undermine health in historically marginalized communities across the Nation. The disparities are staggering. For instance, in 2006, the infants of African American women had death rates over twice as high as infants of white American women. In 2009, the average American could expect to live 78.5 years, but the average African American could only expect to live to 74.5 years. African Americans also have significantly higher rates of hypertension and HIV than white Americans. The impacts are financial as well as human. Eliminating health disparities would prevent approximately one million hospital stays per year, saving $6.7 billion in health care costs alone. Even more stunning, from 2003 to 2006, the direct and indirect costs of racial and ethnic health disparities totaled $1.24 trillion in the United States. Insurance coverage is strongly related to better health outcomes, and African Americans have substantially higher uninsured rates than white Americans. Beginning in 2014, the Affordable Care Act will expand health insurance coverage to millions of Americans who are currently uninsured, and will provide subsidies to make coverage affordable for low-income Americans. The Affordable Care Act will mandate that Medicare and some private insurance plans cover essential preventive services at no additional cost, so that more people will be able to prevent illness and stay healthy. The Affordable Care Act invests in community health centers, which offer primary health care to patients regardless of income, and in coordinated care measures, such as providing care teams to help patients manage chronic diseases and funding home visits for pregnant mothers and infants. Patients may be more likely to visit the doctor and receive quality care if physicians are able to understand their cultural background, so the Affordable Care Act also devotes resources to increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of health care providers and improving cultural competency training for all providers. These are just some of the important ways in which the Affordable Care Act is working to eliminate health disparities. I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues to support the successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act and eliminate health disparities for future generations.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of legislation we will consider today that will provide the Secretary of Transportation with the flexibility to transfer funds to prevent reduced operations and staffing of the Federal Aviation Administration. It has now been almost two months since the sequestration cuts were enacted, and we are in new and unprecedented territory. This week alone, approximately 2,800 flights were delayed daily because of the Republican majority's refusal to address the effects of the sequester sensibly. This bill would allow the Department of Transportation to shift $253 million in funds to the FAA's operations account to prevent the worst of these drastic cuts. This is simply a safety issue for the millions of passengers who travel our skies. Over the past five days, we have seen our national airspace system seriously compromised by the furloughs of air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals. In addition to the very serious safety concerns, the inconvenience of passengers, and the loss of wages to these federal workers, these delays have slowed commerce at a time when we should be doing everything we can to nurture our domestic economy. Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that now that the actual effects of sequestration are painfully clear, Republican Members of Congress will come back to the table, and we can work on a bipartisan, common sense approach to ending sequestration.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it has now been more than 7 weeks since the sequestration cuts were enacted, and we are in new and unprecedented territory. Furlough notices have already been sent to thousands of Federal employees and contractors, and many services are beginning to slow. While many of the worst consequences of the sequester have not yet been realized, the truth is that the wheels have been set in motion, and we are on a course that will have real impacts for millions of Americans. As a result of employee furloughs, more than 1,200 flights were delayed yesterday because 1,500 air traffic controllers were laid off the job. Because of the Republican majority's refusal to address the effects of sequester sensibly, the FAA estimates that a third of the passengers will face delays during the furloughs, with up to 6,700 flights arriving late at more than a dozen major airports each day. Beyond crippling our government's ability to provide critical services, the Republican sequestration plan is slowing the economic growth that our country so desperately needs. In short, Republicans are putting the ability of our government to fully perform basic government functions that we need to keep us safe at risk. We need to work on an approach that will fix sequestration while reducing our deficit sensibly. We need to come to a compromise that will prevent these indiscriminate cuts, and keep our economy on track and growing.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I think many times people wonder why so often we go back and give homage to our past. It's because we still suffer the damages of the past. And we don't forget the families that have given up so much just for us to be able to vote. And we still struggle for that vote. We still struggle for the right to vote, but we must continue. And I want to say to these families, and I know some of them personally, how much we appreciate the fact that they have been loyal to the cause, loyal to this country, loyal to our military, and stand strong today. And so I want to thank you very much for giving honor. I thank my colleague.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it has been over 60 years since the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education desegregated our schools. Yet an achievement and opportunity gap remains among our minority and low-income students. As Members of Congress who represent communities of color, the purpose of today's special order is to highlight an economic and social crisis America faces if this problem is not confronted and significant measures are not taken. Particularly, we must focus our efforts on closing the gap in the STEM disciplines. As the First Female and First African American Ranking Member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, this is an issue that is very serious to me and has been one of the pillars of my legislative agenda in the United States Congress for over 20 years. Ensuring minorities are proficient in STEM is more than just a question of equity. We have a vast, untapped pool of talent in America, and this pool is continuing to grow. It is estimated that, by 2050, 52 percent of the U.S. population will be from underrepresented minority groups. Our ``Nation's Report Card,'' by the National Assessments of Educational Progress, shows that students from underrepresented minorities are falling behind in math and science as early as 4th grade. At the Post Secondary level, even though students from underrepresented minorities made up about 33 percent of the college age population in 2009, they only made up: 19 percent of students who received an undergraduate STEM degrees Less than 9 percent of students enrolled in science and engineering graduate programs, and; Barely 8 percent of students who received PhDs in STEM fields. Frankly, all of these numbers are much too low. I also must underscore the important role that community colleges play in providing to STEM degrees for minority students. 50 percent of African Americans, 55 percent of Hispanics, and 64 percent of Native Americans who hold bachelor's or master's degrees in science or engineering attended a community college at some point. We cannot afford to ignore the role of community colleges. We have to drastically increase the number of African American students from these groups receiving degrees in STEM disciplines, or we will undoubtedly relinquish our global leadership in innovation and job creation. We know school administrators, teachers, community leaders, public-private partnerships and parents all play a critical role in addressing this issue. No one person or organization can do it alone. We must all work together to leverage our respective strengths and resources to tackle this challenge. For example, the corporate community was highly involved supporting a bill I co-authored, the America COMPETES Act. As many of you are aware, I recently introduced the STEM Opportunities Act of 2013 this March. The STEM Opportunities Act of 2013 will help address many of the challenges faced by women and underrepresented minorities pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research careers by: Requiring the National Science Foundation (NSF) to collect more comprehensive demographic data on the recipients of federal research awards and on STEM faculty at U.S. universities (while protecting individuals' privacy); ,Promoting data-driven research on the participation and trajectories of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM so that policy makers can design more effective policies and practices to reduce barriers; And developing, through the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), consistent federal policies, such as no-cost extensions and flexibility in timing for the initiation of the award, for recipients of federal research awards who have caregiving responsibilities, including care for a newborn or newly adopted child and care for an immediate family member who is sick. We're all in this together, and working together I know we can achieve great success.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a leader in my community and esteemed civil rights lawyer, Adelfa Callejo. On Friday, April 12, Adelfa Callejo was given a most deserving honor when the Dallas Independent School District, DISD, dedicated an elementary school bearing her name. At the dedication, Adelfa Callejo, now 89 years old, stood up from her wheelchair and proclaimed, ``Only through education will we make the world a better place than when we found it.'' Throughout her life, Adelfa Callejo has improved the lives of countless individuals in my community through her life of good deeds and public service. Adelfa Callejo was the first Hispanic woman to graduate from Southern Methodist University, SMU, Dedman School of Law. She has been in private practice in Dallas for more than 45 years. Working full-time during the day, Adelfa Callejo attended night school and graduated in 1961. Adelfa Callejo, an advocate for civil rights, has pursued community causes throughout her life and has won many awards for her years of service in the community and legal profession. Mr. Speaker, Adelfa Callejo is an exceptional community leader and deserving of recognition for her contributions to society. Our country is a better one because of Adelfa Callejo.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the National Coalition for the Homeless as they celebrate their 30th Anniversary this month. The National Coalition is a network of homeless individuals, advocates, and service providers who are dedicated to meeting the needs of our most vulnerable segments of the population: homeless individuals and families. The National Coalition was originally formed in 1982, in conjunction with various local and statewide homeless coalitions. Since the beginning, the National Coalition has worked tirelessly to increase access to safe, affordable, and adequate housing for any individual who so desires. While combating homelessness is a constant struggle, the National Coalition has fought diligently to facilitate a fundamental shift in our approach to addressing homelessness. Under the leadership of Mr. Neil Donovan, Executive Director, the National Coalition has grown to become a leading organization in the fight to end homelessness. Mr. Donovan has used his knowledge and expertise in serving homelessness individuals to expand the reach of the organization, in order to meet the growing needs of those experiencing homelessness. The National Coalition has also been a strong advocate for the Congressional Homelessness Caucus by supporting its work in Congress to educate and mobilize Members of Congress and their staff. Mr. Speaker, as co-chair and co-founder of the Congressional Homelessness Caucus, I am proud to honor the National Coalition for the Homeless for its worthy efforts to defend homeless individuals across the country. The National Coalition has made tremendous gains since its inception, and I truly believe in the goals that the National Coalition is trying to accomplish. I would like to congratulate the organization once again for achieving this historic milestone, and I look forward to maintaining our invaluable partnership.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Giley Nixon Griffin, a distinguished leader in my community and good friend. Dr. Griffin is a pillar of the Dallas community and has devoted her life and work to educating and mentoring others. Dr. Griffin and I worked together with Jack and Jill of America, a nationwide organization with over 220 chapters in 35 states and the District of Columbia that works to provide social, cultural, and educational opportunities for young people. Dr. Griffin's greatest joy comes from helping others and her service to God. Currently, Dr. Griffin serves as Elder, Vice Chairman of the Board and Vice President of Women's Ministries at Romine Avenue Christian Church in Dallas, Texas. She was acknowledged recently by the Dallas Post Tribune as their ``Leader of the Week,'' a testament to her devotion and service to others. Dr. Griffin worked for years as a librarian and Director of Library Services at Jarvis Christian College. Dr. Griffin received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Jarvis Christian College, a Master of Science Degree in Library Science from Atlanta University, and an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Jarvis Christian College. In addition, Dr. Griffin has authored two books, Faith Keepers: African American Women Leaders in Texas 1846-2000 and Texas Christian Missionary Fellowship of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Southwest Region-A Historical Prospectus--1914-2000. Dr. Griffin is also a Charter member of the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa Sorority, Incorporated, Delta Epsilon Chapter. She served as First Lady at Corinth Christian Church in Kilgore, Texas for 17 years where her husband, the late Dr. James O. Griffin, served as Senior Pastor. Mr. Speaker, the Dallas community is indebted to Dr. Griffin for her years of public service. Through her efforts, countless lives have been touched and young minds have been empowered. A community can only be a strong as its leaders, and we have a stalwart supporter in Dr. Griffin.

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. 756, the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2013. This is a good, bipartisan bill, and it is nearly identical to the legislation that passed the House by an overwhelming majority last Congress. I would like to thank my colleagues, Mr. Lipinski and Mr. McCaul, for their leadership and dedication to improving our Nation's cybersecurity. Almost every one of us uses a computer, a cell phone, and the Internet every single day. These technologies have greatly increased our productivity and connectivity, and they have become a key component of our economy. Unfortunately, if you pick up the newspaper, you're likely to see another story about a hacker bringing down a Web site, stealing credit card numbers, or gaining access to a company's intellectual property. We need to do what we can to help ensure that these sorts of cyber intrusions are minimized, and I am pleased that H.R. 756 addresses a number of critical issues: It strengthens public-private partnerships, guarantees a proactive and comprehensive research and development portfolio, ensures the development of robust cybersecurity standards, and trains the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Both of the agencies covered in H.R. 756, the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, play important and unique roles in the Federal Government's effort to secure cyberspace. I strongly believe that these agencies and the activities they support are vital to our Nation's future prosperity. We not only need to protect the security of our current information systems, but we need to build the next generation of systems--systems that are more secure from the first time they're turned on. President Obama previously stated that cyber threats are ``one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a Nation'' and that cutting-edge research and development and a commitment to science and math education are central to securing America's information and communication networks. I couldn't agree more. Cybersecurity is a critical issue, and it becomes more important day by day. Addressing this issue will not be easy, but it is absolutely necessary. H.R. 756 will help build up our cybersecurity capabilities through research and education. This is a good, bipartisan bill that should be included in any comprehensive effort to keep our Nation, our businesses, and our citizens safe from malicious cybersecurity attacks. Before I conclude, I would like to thank my staff and the majority's staff for their hard work on this bill. In particular, I would like to thank Marcy Gallo for her efforts on this bill in this Congress and in past Congresses as well. I look forward to working with my colleagues to make sure this bill makes it to the President's desk. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 756, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin). (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time. I'd like to just urge that we support the bill, and I thank the chairman. 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 rise in support of H.R. 967, the Advancing America's Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act of 2013. H.R. 967 is a good, bipartisan bill which I was pleased to join Mrs. Lummis from Wyoming and Mr. Hall from Texas in introducing. H.R. 967 is largely based on a 2009 House-passed bill that was introduced by then-Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall. But the current bill also includes some updates from the 2009 bill that reflect changes to the network and information technology landscape as well as policy and management recommendations made by an outside panel of experts charged with evaluating the NITRD program. The NITRD program, as it is known, involves a collaboration of 15 Federal research and development agencies, each contributing its own unique expertise and effort to ensure that we make most effective use of our Federal R&D resources and remain a leader in these fields. H.R. 967 requires that all 15 agencies come together to develop and periodically update a strategic plan for Federal investments in NIT R&D. H.R. 967 calls for increased support for large-scale, long-term interdisciplinary research in NIT that will help us tackle national challenges such as improving the effectiveness and efficiency of our health care and energy delivery service systems. The bill also promotes partnerships between the Federal Government, academia, and industry to foster technology transfer. In particular, I'd like to highlight H.R. 967's role in ensuring that the education of the future NIT workforce remains an important component of the NITRD program. I am hearing every day from small and large companies alike that the demand for skilled IT professionals is much higher than the supply. We hear this same message from university faculty, who tell us their computer science graduates are snatched up the moment they graduate, regardless of the health of the overall job market. This gap between supply and demand exists despite the fact that these jobs are among the highest-paying and the most stable jobs in our economy today. It is imperative that we encourage more young Americans to pursue studies in the NIT fields. In particular, because of the stark gender and racial gaps we see in computer science programs, it is imperative that we encourage more young women and students of color to enter these fields. We simply won't be able to remain a global leader in these important fields without more than 50 percent of our Nation's brainpower sitting on the sidelines. H.R. 967 doesn't go quite as far as I'd like it to go in addressing these education challenges, but it still sends an important message about the need to educate more of our students in our NIT fields and provides the necessary authority for the agencies to play an important and appropriate role here. Finally, I would be remiss not to mention that the NITRD program serves as a coordinating and planning umbrella for all unclassified Federal cybersecurity R&D. Our committee addressed specific needs in cybersecurity R&D separately in H.R. 756; but in doing so, we made sure that both the intellectual and financial resources for cybersecurity R&D are appropriately integrated with the rest of the Federal NIT portfolio. Information security R&D should not take place in its own silo. IT bears on all networking and information technologies. In closing, NIT technologies cut across every sector of our economy and our national defense infrastructure. Our relatively modest 20-year investment in the NITRD program has contributed immeasurably to our economic and national security by enabling innovation and job creation in NIT and providing American students with the skills to fill these jobs. Let's reauthorize this program today and ensure that it remains strong. I want to thank my friend Ms. Lummis for reintroducing our bipartisan bill once again in this Congress. I'd also like to thank my staff--and in particular Dahlia Sokolov--for their hard work on this bill. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 967, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am very supportive of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Ms. Mary E. Walton, a World War II veteran and the first African American nurse from Dallas to enlist in the U.S. Army. Ms. Walton lived to be 93, and left behind a legacy working as a nurse for more than 70 years. Ms. Walton had a long and rich history living in Dallas, and remained in Dallas for most of her life. Ms. Walton left Dallas to pursue her degree in nursing at the Brewster Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Florida--one of the few schools available for black nurses at the time--and later enlisted in the Army in 1944. Ms. Walton believed that being a nurse was her purpose in life. She recalled that working to serve others was the driving force behind her dedication as a nurse, and her chief motivation was to pursue a career serving others, even in the face of overwhelming adversity and discrimination. After serving in World War II, Ms. Walton returned to Dallas to become a public health nurse at Parkland Hospital, only the second African American nurse to be hired there. Ms. Walton would later come to work at the Dallas VA Medical Center in the service of other veterans--but not until after first being turned away during the late 1950s, when African Americans were not hired. Mr. Speaker, as the first nurse to be elected to the U.S. Congress, I am honored to recognize such an influential and historic figure from Dallas. Ms. Walton was a selfless caregiver whose faith helped her to overcome the challenges of discrimination. We are grateful for Ms. Walton's service to our country and courage in the face of adversity, and our thoughts are with the friends and family she left behind.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Retirement Planning Week. National Retirement Planning Week is an important effort to get more Americans thinking about their long-term financial goals, and building toward a strong foundation for a financially secure future. The recent economic downturn illustrated how retirement planning for many in America is inadequate. Today, more than 70 million American workers do not have access or do not participate in any employer-based retirement benefits. Approximately 57 percent of American workers have less than $25,000 saved for retirement, a figure that has increased from 49 percent since 2008. As wages fail to keep up with inflation, millions of Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to put away toward their retirement--especially when it impacts their ability to meet the challenges of everyday living expenses. As we celebrate Financial Literacy Month this April, retirement planning and financial literacy have never been more relevant. That is why today I am introducing the National Financial Literacy Act of 2013, a bill that looks to promote increased understanding and awareness of the consequences of financial decisionmaking. Retirement planning is a chief component of our financial decisionmaking, and is critical to sustaining and growing the middle class. Mr. Speaker, as Members of Congress, we must continue to promote policies that will help educate future generations on the importance of retirement planning, while supporting critical federal programs such as Social Security. We must support American workers and educate individuals on the importance of working toward a stable and secure financial future.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 1120, the Preventing Greater Uncertainty in Labor Management Relations Act. The 112th Congress was laden with baseless attacks against labor unions and middle class workers. Sadly, it appears that my Republican colleagues in Congress are working once again to make the 113th Congress just as partisan and divisive as the last. H.R. 1120 is simply another attack on the rights of workers and their ability to form unions and bargain collectively. H.R. 1120 seeks to prevent the NLRB from carrying out its core responsibilities and will undermine the critical ability to protect Americans from abuse and exploitation by employers. If enacted, H.R. 1120 would have devastating consequences for the millions of workers belonging to unions. The NLRB issues legally- binding decisions that protect workers who have been illegally fired, denied the right to collectively bargain with their employer, or have experienced any other violation of their legal rights. With the NLRB effectively disarmed, these workers will have no recourse if any labor law violations are committed against them. Mr. Speaker, Republicans in Congress have repeatedly resorted to deceitful tactics to carry out their agenda. H.R. 1120 is no different, and is just one small part of a larger effort to dismantle the NLRB and weaken protections for workers to the benefit of businesses. I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 1120, and any other partisan pieces of legislation that also seek to undermine the rights of workers all across America.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Equal Pay Day. Equal Pay Day brings awareness to the issue of disparate pay for women and families, and promotes the fair principles of equal pay for equal work. As a Member of Congress, I am proud to say that I am an original cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, an important piece of legislation that hopes to limit sex discrimination in the payment of wages. Nationally, women earn roughly 77 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. This wage gap varies widely throughout various states across the country. For single parents and other heads of households, wage inequality can have lasting ramifications on quality of life and economic prosperity. Earning less money for the same time investment is not only unfair, it undermines a robust labor force and eats away at the foundation of a strong and prosperous economy. It is an issue that afflicts every community across our Nation. In the Dallas Metroplex, women are paid 85 cents for every dollar paid to men, or $7,163 less per year for a typical full-time job. According to the National Partnership for Women and Families, women in the Dallas area lose more than $7 billion each year due to these blatant disparities in pay. Mr. Speaker, we owe it to the American people to ensure that all workers are being paid fair and equitable wages for their labor. The Equal Pay and Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Acts were steps taken in the right direction. Now, we must pass the Paycheck Fairness Act to continue our assault on pay inequality, and ensure that women across the country have access to fair wages.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Duncanville High School Pantherettes varsity basketball team for winning the 2013 5A state championship for the second consecutive year. The Pantherettes beat Cibolo Steele Lady Knights 59-36, ending their season with a record of 42-0, the first 5A school to achieve this record in a single season. I also want to commend the coaching staff for their hard work and dedication to their team. In the past 13 seasons, head coach Cathy Self-Morgan has led the Pantherettes to three state championships with a record of 957 wins. Coach Self-Morgan received a number of prestigious honors this season, including the Dallas Morning News SportsDay's Girls Basketball Coach of the Year. This year, the Pantherettes were ranked the number one high school girls basketball team in the Nation by the USA Today Super 25 Poll and the Max Preps Freeman Poll. The ESPN Power Rankings ranked the Pantherettes second among all U.S. girls teams. The Pantherettes were also crowned 7-5A district champions, 62nd Annual 2012 Sandra Meadows Tournament champions, and the 2012 McDonald's Pasadena Tournament champions. I applaud the team's outstanding efforts and commitment to a flawless return to the state championship. The Pantherettes legacy includes eight state championships, 22 tournament appearances, and 33 regional tournament appearances. Congratulations again, Pantherettes, on a incredible season.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to those who suffered the atrocities of the Bosnian War. In April of 1992, a war of aggression was waged against the newly independent and sovereign Bosnia by Serb forces aiming to destroy its multi-ethnic and multi-religious character. The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), a body of the United Nations, was established to prosecute serious crimes committed during the wars in the former Yugoslavia. Due to the efforts of the ICTY, 161 fugitives have been indicted, including Ratko Mladic, the person responsible for the Srebrenica Genocide. April 16th of this year will mark twenty years since the United Nations declared the Srebrenica enclave a ``safe zone.'' Sadly, the failure of the United Nations to protect this safe zone ultimately led to genocide and the death of more than 8,000 men and boys. I would like to call for the United Nations to properly recognize the Srebrenica Genocide declaring July 11th to be Srebrenica Remembrance Day. In the 109th Congress, I proudly co-sponsored H.R. 199, which affirmed that in Srebrenica, ``the policies of aggression and ethnic cleansing as implemented by Serb forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1995 meet the terms defining the crime of genocide.'' Tomorrow, President Tomislav Nikolic of Serbia will take the floor during a United Nations debate on the ICTY. As we mark another anniversary of the beginning of genocidal violence in Bosnia, let us remember that our work is not yet done. As President Obama has stated, ``The United States rejects efforts to distort the scope of this atrocity, rationalize the motivations behind it, blame the victims, and deny the indisputable fact that it was genocide.'' In solidarity with April Genocide Prevention Month, let us remember the victims and the heroic perseverance of the Bosnian people.