Stephanie Jones

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1134, a bill which supports the goals and ideals of Mental Health Month. I support this legislation because I believe that Congress should seek to raise awareness about mental health conditions and the importance of mental wellness for all. The plight of families suffering from mental illness is immense and can often be linked to an absence of adequate social services available coupled with the unwarranted stigma surrounding mental health issues. Due to the unwarranted social stigma associated with mental illness and a systemic failure to provide health care coverage, over two-thirds of the people who suffer from mental illness go untreated according to the Department of Health and Human Services. According to the National Institute on Mental Health, 20 percent of our children and 26.2 percent of American adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. As the leading cause of disability in the U.S., many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in two Americans has a diagnosable mental disorder each year. Within minority communities, there is an increased need for mental health services. For example, according to the Centers for Disease Control, African Americans are more likely to experience a mental disorder and less likely to seek treatment than Caucasian Americans. When African Americans do seek treatment, they are more likely to use the emergency room for mental health care, and they are also more likely than whites to receive inpatient care. In 2004, the House Government Reform Committee estimated $100 million of taxpayers' money was spent on detention of youth awaiting community mental health services. I am alarmed by this number and therefore support H. Res. 1134 because it recognizes the dual need for preventative mental and physical healthcare. Last year, I introduced H. Con. Res. 86 to express the sense of Congress that an appropriate month should be recognized as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Bebe Moore Campbell was a premier journalist who, before her untimely death, authored a children's book titled, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, winner of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Outstanding Literature Award. Through this story of how a little girl copes with being reared by her mentally ill mother, Moore Campbell was able to raise public awareness on mental health issues and heighten the consciousness of this topic within minority communities. We must strive to accomplish the goals and ideals associated with Mental Health Month in order to alleviate the obstacles and burdens many people and families who are affected by mental illness face on a daily basis. Again, I would like to affirm my support of H. Res. 1134.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this housing package because it is imperative that Congress take action to assist homeowners struggling today. The epidemic of home losses in this country is severe, with the impact not only causing harm to the families who lose their homes, but also affecting nearby homeowners who suffer drops in their property values and communities who suffer the impact of lower tax revenues. Nationally, the number of seriously delinquent loans and new foreclosures in January and February of this year was over 2.1 million, an increase of 8 percent over the previous quarter and a 55 percent increase from a year earlier. The housing crisis has severely impacted my congressional district, particularly the city of Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland's weak housing market coupled with a housing over-supply has created a large number of foreclosures and abandoned properties. As of December 2007, the number of properties in Cleveland identified as abandoned, nuisance properties was 8,588. According to the Cleveland Department of Community Development, the estimated number of homes entering the tax foreclosure pool in 2008 was 1,000--with 900 homes within this pool requiring public demolition. These abandoned and foreclosed properties exist in every neighborhood in Cleveland, but there are concentrations in communities in my district where the real estate market has completely collapsed. I support this housing package because it will greatly assist my constituents in Cleveland as well as thousands of Americans across the country by helping families stay in their homes while they repay their mortgage debt. This legislation will also help avoid the decreased property values and increased crime rates that often come with concentrations of foreclosed and abandoned properties. I wish to thank Chairman Rangel and Ranking Member McCrery as well as Chairman Frank and Subcommittee Chair Waters for their work on these important pieces of legislation. I am extremely pleased that sections of H.R. 1043, the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act, a piece of legislation I have introduced for the past two Congresses, was incorporated into the housing legislation before us today. This bill simplifies the Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, ``Rehab Credit'' thereby making it easier to utilize the credit for revitalizing our nation's older neighborhoods, harnessing greater housing potential in underutilized historic and older buildings, and focusing more private sector investment in smaller, ``main street'' oriented commercial structures. The language in the bill that explicitly refers to the ``historic nature'' of development projects is important because, for the first time, it directs state housing agencies to create a priority within their qualified allocation plans for historic properties that can be converted to affordable housing through the use of both the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and the Federal historic tax credit. Additionally, the bill simplifies the rules for nonprofit and government agencies who sponsor or rent space in historic tax credit projects and significantly lowers the cost of these transactions. In addition to simplifying the Rehab Tax Credit, the bill would also facilitate coordination of the credit with the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit by exempting both credits from the restrictions of the AMT rules. Since its inception, the rehab credit has been responsible for 133 residential and commercial projects in the city of Cleveland, leveraging about $760 million of private investment. Because of the credit, downtown Cleveland and neighborhoods like the Warehouse District, the Gateway District, and East Fourth Street are being revitalized--pumping more investment into the region and revenue to the city and State. This legislation is crucial to furthering the economic development of Cleveland and the State of Ohio. My hope is that as we move forward we shall have the other important parts of H.R. 1043 enacted, as well as further simplification and clarification of the regulations regarding nonprofit and government use of historic buildings rehabilitated with the help of the Federal historic tax credit. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this housing package.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Chairman Waters, I want to salute you and the work you've done in the housing area in Financial Services. Everybody knows that the Housing Subcommittee under your leadership has focused on issues important to everyday people, and I want to thank you for that leadership. And, Madam Chairman, you know what is the most amazing thing when I sit on the floor of this House? All the superfluous stuff that is discussed when a piece of legislation that's sorely needed by the people of America comes to the floor. Now it was a Republican administration for the past 8 years that has oversight on oil. If they wanted to do something about it, they could have done it by now. Why are they bringing it up on the housing legislation? Let's talk about oversight of all those billions of dollars that got lost in that truck in Iraq. This Republican administration. But before I get lost, let me come to why I'm standing here. I stand here to support the legislation because the city of Cleveland is in desperate straits around this particular problem: Housing and foreclosures. I am so pleased that I have been able to add an amendment that would simplify the Federal historic rehabilitation tax credit in the process of this so that we can use some of this historic housing to be able to make some changes in the lives of the people. It's just an amazing thing. I know the people of America are out there listening, and they're looking at who is it that is stepping up for them when they're in trouble? Who is it that understands that they need to pay their homeowner costs, their costs for their housing? And who is it to say, no, we're going to wait to try to figure out something else, add a new law. Come on now. Vote for this legislation.

Ms. JONES of Ohio

Ms. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, on Monday, May 5, 2008, I missed recorded votes. Had I been present I would have voted as follows: No. 247, Ryan Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 2419, ``nay.'' No. 249, H.R. 3658, To amend the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to permit rest and recuperation travel to United States territories for members of the Foreign Service, ``yea.'' No. 251, H. Con. Res. 317, Condemning the Burmese regime's undemocratic constitution and scheduled referendum, ``aye.'' No. 253, H. Res. 1109, Honoring the memory of Dith Pran by remembering his life's work and continuing to acknowledge and remember the victims of genocides that have taken place around the globe, ``aye.'' No. 256, S. 2929, A bill to temporarily extend the programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965, ``aye.'' No. 258, Kind Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 2419, ``nay.''

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, May 5, 2008, I missed recorded votes. Had I been present, the record would reflect the following votes: H. Res. 952 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Teacher Day. ``Aye.'' H. Res. 1011 Calling on the United States Government and the international community to promptly develop, fund, and implement a comprehensive regional strategy to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian operations, contain and reduce violence, and contribute to conditions for sustainable peace and good governance in Chad, as well as the wider region that includes the northern region of the Central African Republic and the Darfur region of Sudan. ``Aye.'' H. Res. 1109 Honoring the memory of Dith Pran by remembering his life's work and continuing to acknowledge and remember the victims of genocides that have taken place around the globe. ``Aye.''

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. I would like to thank the Chair of this wonderful committee for yielding time to me today. Madam Chairman, I used to serve on the Small Business Committee and am pleased every chance I have to take the opportunity to come back and salute all the members of the committee, my colleague from Ohio as well, for the work that they do. I come to the floor today in support of H.R. 5819 to amend the Small Business Innovation Research program and the Small Business Technology Transfer program because this will bring an opportunity for small businesses in my congressional district to have an opportunity to work on some of the innovative technology that they have been planning over the years. Within my congressional district, I have more than five medical institutions, and the work that these medical institutions have been able to do with small businesses that have been spawned from much of the research is very, very exciting. And we think that the area of Cleveland and northeast Ohio will be a place where we will have an opportunity to put to work some of the opportunities that are presented in this particular legislation. I'm particularly pleased that the legislation includes an annual $10 million competitive grant program that will support and assist women-, veteran-, and minority-owned businesses. In today's fast-paced economy, minority businesses are steadily expanding their presence and are increasingly a driving force in the economy. But, more importantly, we all know the importance of small business. Unlike my father and my mother and many of our fathers and mothers who worked for companies for 40 years, it does not happen anymore that you're working for that same company. And we need opportunity to expand business so that young people coming out of high school and college have a place to work. I'm so pleased to join my colleagues in supporting the expansion of these programs. I rise today in support of H.R. 5819, a bill that will reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs through 2010. I support these programs because they provide a much needed boost in business innovation and job creation throughout the country. These programs address the needs of our current struggling economy by providing funds to small businesses that work with universities or perform cutting-edge research related to the missions of our different federal agencies. According to the House Science and Technology Committee, these two programs provide the most federal support--about $2.3 billion annually--for private-sector technology innovation by small businesses. In these tough economic times, small business innovation becomes an increasingly vital asset to our economy. In my home state of Ohio, the SBIR program has made a significant contribution to the economy by providing $83 million in awards to small businesses in 2005 and 2006. As a representative of a congressional district that is home to more than five major medical institutions, I am keenly aware of the role the SBIR program has played in fostering medical breakthroughs. I am very interested in promoting the ability of our researchers to explore and pursue cutting-edge medical advancements and believe that the SBIR program is critical to ensuring that promising medical innovations can move forward. I am particularly pleased that this legislation includes an annual $10 million competitive grant program that will provide support and assistance for women, veterans, and minority-owned businesses. In today's fast paced economy, minority businesses are steadily expanding their presence and are increasingly a driving force in the economy. Today, minorities own over four million firms, generating nearly $700 billion in yearly revenue and employing over 7 million workers. People of color across the country have embraced business ownership and this legislation will allow more of these firms to participate in Federal research and development activities. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 5819.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 5819, a bill that will reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research--SBIR, and Small Business Technology Transfer, STTR, programs through 2010. I support these programs because they provide a much needed boost in business innovation and job creation throughout the country. These programs address the needs of our current struggling economy by providing funds to small businesses that work with universities or perform cutting-edge research related to the missions of our different federal agencies. According to the House Science and Technology Committee, these two programs provide the most federal support--about $2.3 billion annually--for private-sector technology innovation by small businesses. In these tough economic times, small business innovation becomes an increasingly vital asset to our economy. In my home State of Ohio, the SBIR program has made a significant contribution to the economy by providing $83 million in awards to small businesses in 2005 and 2006. As a representative of a congressional district that is home to more than five major medical institutions, I am keenly aware of the role the SBIR program has played in fostering medical breakthroughs. I am very interested in promoting the ability of our researchers to explore and pursue cutting-edge medical advancements and believe that the SBIR program is critical to ensuring that promising medical innovations can move forward. I am particularly pleased that this legislation includes an annual $10 million competitive grant program that will provide support and assistance for women, veterans, and minority-owned businesses. In today's fast paced economy, minority businesses are steadily expanding their presence and are increasingly a driving force in the economy. Today, minorities own over four million firms, generating nearly $700 billion in yearly revenue and employing over 7 million workers. People of color across the country have embraced business ownership and this legislation will allow more of these firms to participate in Federal research and development activities. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 5819. Mrs. TAUSCHER, Madam Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 5819, the Small Business Innovation Research, SBIR, and Small Business Technology Transfer, SBTT, Reauthorization Act. I thank my colleague from New York, Ms. Velazquez, for bringing this bill to the floor today. This legislation would ensure that innovative small businesses in my district and across the country have access to the Federal support they need to conduct research and development and to transform their work into commercially viable products. Helping small businesses stimulates our economy. Small businesses account for 99 percent of all employers in the United States and are responsible for generating more than half of all new jobs. In particular, the East Bay area of California has hosted countless small business success stories. Throughout my time in Congress, I have been committed to helping these entrepreneurs thrive. This is why I formed a Small Business Advisory Group, which keeps me personally connected with issues affecting small businesses in my district. Frequently, small business owners need assistance obtaining Federal contracts and grants. To this end, I regularly host seminars to teach small business owners how to apply for grants and contracts, and I work with the Small Business Administration to ensure that underrepresented entrepreneurs like women and minorities are helped to be competitive. Likewise, I am proud to support this bill, which would encourage greater participation in STTR and SBIR--programs that help small business innovators connect with research institutions and explore their own technological potential, contribute to the marketplace, and profit from commercialization. This bill would also expand SBIR eligibility to include venture- backed businesses like biomedical firms, whose advances have been critical to the ongoing competitiveness of America's economy. Finally, the bill proposes a $10,000,000 Federal grants program to reach out to small firms owned and controlled by women and minorities and small businesses located in areas that are underrepresented in the SBIR program. Madam Chairman, this bill would give small businesses access to resources that will facilitate discoveries, create jobs, and energize our economy. I commend Ms. Velazquez for her leadership on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, Members of Congress, good news. Last Wednesday, after 10 or 12 years of having the opportunity to play the Georgetown law faculty to raise money for the homeless, the congressional basketball team helped Georgetown raise $334,000 for the homeless. We are very pleased about that. But more importantly, after two overtimes and sudden death, the House of Representatives won the game. We are very pleased that we have such star players. With just 2.8 seconds left in regular time, our Member, Tim Ryan, got fouled on a three-pointer. The game was 39-36, he made all three shots, and we went into overtime. We went into another overtime; and finally the referee said, you are now going into sudden death. I am pleased to report that my son, Mervyn Jones, made the last shot in sudden death. Once again, the Hill's Angels beat the Georgetown Hoyas. And 40 members of the page crew came along to cheer for us.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary of Statehood. On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion announced to the world that the State of Israel had been created. This declaration was made in accordance with the United Nations Resolution 181 which was passed in November 1947. The creation of two states was proposed, one Jewish and one Palestinian. The new State of Israel established an opportunity for Ben-Gurion and other Zionists to realize a return to the ``promised land.'' Although the new state would be tested immediately following its creation, its citizens, supporters and ideals would hold. Even at the conclusion of the first Arab-Israeli War, a constant barrage of state and non-state actors would seek to destroy this government. Sixty years later this battle continues, as the entire world copes with the challenging yet necessary task of respecting the beliefs of others and protecting the natural rights of all mankind. The ``land of milk and honey'' is significant not only for its ability to offer refuge to a people who have been persecuted for the past two millennia, but to also demonstrate the global communities' determination to right wrongs and to help their fellow man. Today there are close to 7 million individuals who inhabit Israel. Although the vast majority of those persons happen to be Jewish, there are also people who follow the Christian and Arab faiths. While there happens to be conflict currently between the Jewish and Muslim populations, the possibility of Israelis and Palestinians coexisting in peace is still feasible. As a Member of Congress, I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit Israel, to talk with those that live there and to see the success that it has become, There exists within the Eleventh Congressional District of Ohio and across the United States, a strong community of individuals who are committed to supporting our close ally. I am proud to consider myself a fellow advocate and look forward to supporting the State of Israel in the future. May the people and the government of Israel continue to enjoy their statehood and be blessed with peace.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speakear, I rise today to commemorate Equal Pay Day in order to address the need for equal pay for hardworking women across America. According to the United States Census Bureau, women are paid on average about 77 cents for every dollar earned by a man. For women of color, the gap is even wider. It is not acceptable that these wage gaps remain despite the passage of the Equal Pay Act more than 40 years ago in addition to a variety of related legislation prohibiting employment discrimination. Equal Pay Day marks the time of the year in which the average median income paid to American women equals the earnings of males from the previous year. On this day various groups and organizations hold events across the Nation in order to highlight the detrimental effects of continuing inequity that are felt in the form of gender segregation in the work force, the undervaluation of the types of jobs held predominately by women, and gender discrimination built into the pay system. In the State of Ohio, the median annual earnings of men with a college degree or more education is $65,000. In contrast, the median annual earnings of women with a college degree or more is $47,000, nearly $20,000 less per year. This statistic in my home state of Ohio is alarming. It is even more disturbing to know that this is a trend that exists nationwide that is not just affecting women, but also their families and children who rely upon their wages for basic everyday needs such as health care or groceries. I am proud to say that I supported the passage of H.R. 2831, the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and that I am a co-sponsor of H.R. 1338, the Paycheck Fairness Act, two of the key bills in the 110th Congress that will help to close the pay gap between men and women. African-American women have a long history of working out of their homes and have the highest labor force participation rate among all women at 63.4 percent. However, many African-American women are concentrated in low paying service jobs. African-American women comprise 6 percent of the entire country's workforce, but make up 14 percent of workers earning between $15,000 and $30,000 per year and are less than 1 percent of workers earning over $100,000 per year. Not only do African-American women earn less, the growth in their earnings has lagged behind that of white women, 19 percent and 29 percent respectively. At the upper end of the earnings distribution, disparities in the labor market impact approximately 1 percent of African-American women in corporate officer positions whose earnings are on average $229,000 compared to $250,000 for Caucasian women. Over the last 60 years, the labor force participation of women has more than doubled, which means nearly one out every two workers is a woman. Not only are more women working, but more of these working women are mothers as well. In 1963, when President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, full-time working women were paid 59 cents to every dollar received by men. Meanwhile, 45 years later in 2008, women are still only paid 77 cents for every dollar received by men. To state this more clearly, the wage gap has only narrowed by less than half of a penny per year. According to the National Organization for Women, ``If women received the same wages as men who work the same number of hours, have the same education and union status, are the same age, and live in the same region of the country, then these women's annual income would rise by $4,000 and poverty rates would be cut in half. Working families would gain an astounding $200 billion in family income annually.'' I applaud my colleagues for passing H.R. 2831, the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act last year. I now urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1338, the Paycheck Fairness Act, which seeks to eliminate the gender wage gap in our Nation. These two bills are a beginning towards an end to a societal ill that has hurt our country's hardworking families for too long. I look forward to continuing to work with the people of the 11th Congressional district of Ohio and across this country to address this long withstanding inequity in our Country.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, April 22, 2008, I missed recorded votes due to unforeseen circumstances. Had I been present, the record would reflect the following votes: H. Res. 981: Recognizing March 6, 2008, as the first-ever World Glaucoma Day, ``yes''; H.R. 5151: Wild Monongahela Act: A National Legacy for West Virginia's Special Places, ``yes''; and H.R. 831: Coffman Cove Administration Site Conveyance Act, ``yes.''

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, H. Res. 1095. Signed into law in April 1968, the landmark Fair Housing Act includes broad prohibitions on discriminatory activity in the sale and rental of housing. Undoubtedly, this law has created significant change and progress in our Nation. Yet, the law has had a disappointing impact in deterring continued housing discrimination. Racial discrimination in the real estate market, rental market, and in financing continues at high rates. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, every year, more than 1.7 million fair housing violations are committed solely against African-Americans. An annual report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development indicates that of the 10,328 housing-related complaints handled by the agency in 2006, race and disability made up the largest percentiles. In an earlier HUD study, the agency found that among Blacks, Asians, and Pacific Islanders, one in every five customers encountered discrimination by rental agents. The harmful effects of these discriminatory housing practices have led to hyper segregated communities and schools across the country. In my congressional district in Cleveland, Ohio, fair housing organizations such as the Housing Research & Advocacy Center report that the number of housing discrimination complaints have doubled in the last 5 years. Of those reported in my district, 38 percent involved disability, 34 percent alleged race discrimination, and 13 percent were based on familial status. These unlawful practices perpetuate communities where schools go without adequate resources and residents have access to fewer health care facilities and other essential services. Unfortunately, ongoing housing discrimination has created communities across this Nation that do not reflect the neighborhoods envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther King 40 years ago. Housing discrimination has also played an integral role in our Nation's subprime loan and foreclosure crisis. A report by Cleveland's Housing Research & Advocacy Center found that, ``not only do African- Americans and Latinos have a harder time getting approved for a loan, but once they get a loan, they wind up with high-cost sub prime loans more often than whites, even when they have higher incomes.'' U.S. maps that highlight the high number of foreclosed homes in minority communities further demonstrate the critical importance of the protections provided by the Fair Housing Act. Our Nation's dignity and economic security depend on the enforcement of this important law. I appreciate this opportunity to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act. I proudly join my colleagues and housing advocates across the country in advocating for increased efforts to achieve the ``beloved community'' incaptured in Dr. King's dream.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act because I believe it is essential that we ensure every American's basic right to vote and to have that vote counted. Currently, 15 states still use paperless voting machines which have been proven to be unreliable and vulnerable to hacking. In the past two election cycles, voting machines have malfunctioned and votes have been lost forever. Computer scientists across the country have shown how easy it is to hack these voting systems. This bill will address these problems by providing the states with financial backing from the Federal Government in order to convert from electronic voting systems to paper ballot voting systems in time for the November 2008 elections. The bill also provides emergency paper ballots if the jurisdiction uses a direct recording electronic voting system which happens to fail. Today, 9 percent of the U.S. population records their votes electronically. These numbers vary greatly from State to State. Twelve percent of Ohio votes are recorded electronically; 80 percent of Kentucky voters use electronic ballots. Without an adequate confirmation method. mechanical deficiencies could have a drastic impact on close elections. This problem must not go unnoticed, and must be addressed. Considering the tremendous election discrepancies that we have seen take place in this country in 2000 and 2004, we know that we are still dealing with a flawed system. I believe that the passage of this legislation is paramount to ensuring that people throughout this country are not disenfranchised when they attempt to exercise their right to vote. The right to vote is a right every citizen of this country deserves. As Members of Congress, we all have an obligation to make sure all of our constituents' votes are counted through the most fair and accurate means available. The right to vote should not be reserved for just some of our constituents, but for all of our constituents. It is for this reason that I introduced the Count Every Vote Act of 2007 which seeks to provide an all-encompassing solution to a broad range of voting irregularities that occurred during the 2004 presidential election. It is for the same reason that I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 5036, the Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, on Thursday, April 10, 2008, I missed three rollcall recorded votes due to unforeseen circumstances. Had I been present, the Record would reflect the following votes: Rollcall vote No. 178--``yea''; rollcall vote No. 179--Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2537--Beach Protection Act of 2007--``yea''; rollcall vote No. 180--Recognizing the fifth anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security and honoring the Department's employees for their extraordinary efforts and contributions to protect and secure our Nation--``yea''; rollcall vote No. 182--imposes a no earmark limitation on a formula driven EPA grant authority for State beach water quality monitoring and notification programs--``no.''

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the designation of the Julia M. Carson Post Office Building in Indianapolis, IN. Congresswoman Carson was not only a colleague but also a dear friend. It is truly gratifying to me, and surely her family and the constituents of the 7th Congressional District of Indiana, that the House of Representatives would seek to recognize her in this special way. Congresswoman Carson's accomplishments in the House of Representatives are numerous. Most notably, her work to authorize a Congressional Gold Medal for Rosa Parks; sponsorship of an Amtrak reauthorization bill; and passage of language to improve the eligibility requirements for SCHIP, demonstrate her commitment to the needs of underserved people. Her book, My Neighbor as Myself, outlines a vision of how she felt we, as public servants, should serve our community. In this book she discussed the plight of our children and the need for ``powerful parenting'', providing ``responsible relief'' for the poor, job creation, economic empowerment, and community reentry. She was tireless in her efforts to advocate for people who are rarely able to advocate for themselves. Congresswoman Julia Carson will certainly be remembered in the halls of Congress for her character, humor, and unyielding commitment to oppressed and impoverished people. It is my hope that the naming of this post office after such a noble and honorable woman will inspire her story to continue to be told. In years to come, when the children of Indiana ask, ``Who was Julia Carson?'' may they learn the story of a woman who came from the same neighborhood, overcame the same struggles, and pushed for the rights of all in our Nation's capitol. May they learn of a heroine who accomplished great personal success but always remained mindful of who she was here to serve. I pray that the designation of this post office in the name of my dear friend will provide inspiration to those she worked tirelessly for in the House of Representatives.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. I want to associate myself with the comments of my colleague with regard to ending the war in Iraq and the devastation that it has had not only on more than 4,000 families but as well as the economy of America and the infrastructure of America. All you need to do is pick up a paper any day and see that in any city there is a bridge that's fallen down, there's a sewer that's blowing up, there's streets that are in trouble, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. And I want to close on this particular note. It is so important to the improvement of this economy and the status of America that we make sure there are good-paying jobs that come back to America. I keep hearing these discussions about, well, there are jobs, and there are not people in America who want to do these jobs. That is not correct. There are good, hardworking people. The people of America work harder than people in any other country. They have less vacation, less time off, and they work very, very hard. The dilemma that's faced is the offering of jobs that do not pay good salaries; that do not, in fact, provide appropriate benefits. And the people of America are going to want go to work, and the innovation agenda that was passed last fall in this Congress and signed into law by the President speaks to some of those issues. And it is so important that we do things to improve the education of our young people so they are better qualified to work on jobs, and that was done through the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008. It is also important that we encourage young men and women to go into the sciences. The statistics show that, in 2000, only 4 percent of the science and engineering jobs in the United States were held by African Americans. Nearly 40 percent of Americans under the age of 18 are African Americans or other minorities. So we need to do more and more and more to encourage young people to go to college to be able to get the kind of degrees where they can get a great job such as we talked about with the children in Orlando in the Eminence Program. And finally, we need to support and strengthen small businesses. Two- thirds of American jobs are supported, are given by small business, and we need to encourage small business to continue. African Americans own an estimated 1.2 billion small businesses with annual revenues of more than $88 billion. Legislation enacted in 2007 included provisions cutting taxes for small business by $4 billion over the next 10 years. And the economic stimulus package also speaks to those issues as well. I want to close with this. The Congressional Black Caucus is tirelessly working on issues that are important to the African American community but as to the greater community as well, and the economy is the issue that's in the forefront of everybody's mind right now, regardless of their color, regardless of their background. And this evening, it was our job to point out to America, those of you listening here on C-SPAN, to the issues that are facing the African American community and the economy and to help people understand that, if it hits the greater community in one way, it doubly impacts the African American community. And on behalf of my colleagues at the Congressional Black Caucus and our Chairwoman, Carolyn C. Kilpatrick, I'm pleased to close this message hour out and thank the Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, for the opportunity to present.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. I'd like to thank my colleague. There are just a few more things that I'd like to point out and point to, and if there is another person coming behind me with some, a special order, I would suggest that we should probably be finished in about 15 minutes. I, first of all, would like to focus in on some of the legislation I've been working on around wealth building, because one of the most difficult things for families in the downturn of an economy is to try and put aside savings. And one of the things that we see happening right now in our country are a number of companies that are closing down, and people are placed in a situation where they are now being required to retire and they're being given lump sum benefits in order to lessen the weight or the impact that the retirement has on them. And as a proponent of wealth building, I've been working on a couple of pieces of legislation in that area. One of them is the Retirement Security for Life Act. Last year I, along with Congressman Philip English, a Republican from Pennsylvania, reintroduced the bipartisan tax legislation that would encourage Americans to select life annuities and ensure requirement security. The Retirement Security for Life Act provides a tax incentive available to all retirees when they elect to receive a guaranteed stream of income for life from their annuity. The bill will exclude Federal taxes on half of the income generated by the annuity, up to a maximum of $20,000 annually. For the typical retiree, it would provide a tax break of up to $5,000. The bill is designed to help Americans who have savings maintain their pre-retirement standard of living. Research indicates that many future retirees, including an estimated 77 million baby boomers, will have difficulty maintaining an adequate standard of living. By providing incentives, the Retirement for Security for Life Act will encourage Americans to invest in their own retirement. The periodic payments from a life annuity would guarantee income throughout retirement as a complement to Social Security and pension benefits. A life annuity provides beneficiaries with guaranteed lifelong monthly payments. After-tax dollars, such as the proceeds from the sale of a house or small business, can be used to purchase the annuity. Income from employers' sponsored plans that already enjoy a tax advantage, such as IRAs and 401(k)s, are not eligible. This bipartisan legislation encourages Americans to select lifetime annuity payments, thereby generating a steady income for life and helping them manage their savings. One of the limits that happens when people receive a lump sum is it seems like a lot of money at the time when you receive it, but it very easily wanes away by the time you lend your cousin $2,000, your son $5,000, your aunt or uncle a couple of dollars, and that $50,000 is gone very quickly. And that is one of the reasons that I'm encouraging our Retirement for Security for Life Act. Another piece of legislation is called Savings for Working Families Act. This legislation was introduced, and it's H.R. 1514. It provides a tax credit to financial institutions that match the savings of low- income families through individual development accounts, or IDAs. The individual savings in an IDA are matched on a one-to-one basis, up to $500 per person per year; although, personal contributions into an IDA are not limited. The match only goes up to $500. It is a unique way and a great way that we could have low-income families begin to understand the importance of saving and receive a match for their dollars. Thousands of working families across the country currently take advantage of IDA matched savings and asset accumulation. They are run by community-based organizations in partnership with a qualified financial institution that holds the deposits. IDA funds can be used for college and post-secondary education, purchasing a home or starting a small business. Those who save in IDAs also receive financial planning education. Nationally, 500,000 Americans are presently enrolled in 500 IDA programs. In the State of Ohio, nearly 5,000 benefit from 15 IDA programs. The goal of the Savings for Working Families Act is to encourage low- income families to save. Cleveland's Save program, which is a program in the City of Cleveland where I live, is a national social marketing campaign that encourages individuals, particularly low and moderate income, to save. It was launched in 2001 in the City of Cleveland. America Saves now has 53 local and State national campaigns which include locations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Diego, California; and New York State. More than 1,000 nonprofit organizations participate. They recently celebrated American Saves Week, which is a new and expanded effort which is aimed at reaching more institutions. Let me now give any further time to my colleague and friend, Congresswoman Barbara Lee.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. I want to thank my colleague, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, for her leadership, and hope that she will decide to hang around a little while with me as we go through a few more issues. If you can't, I absolutely understand. I want to go back to the housing crisis for a moment. The loss of a home is both devastating for the family and the community. For a family, owning a home is often their only piece of the ``American Pie.'' The equity from owning their home is often the only means to secure funding for a new business, college tuition or retirement. For the community, increased foreclosures often turn neighborhoods that once were vibrant into neglected, blighted areas which ultimately raise costs for local governments. In the State of Ohio alone, 90,000 homes are in foreclosure. In fact, one of the things that we often talk about is that working class families usually pass their biggest asset from 1 generation to the next, and that is a house. So not only are we devastating the income and wealth of this generation, we may well be devastating the income and wealth of future generations. Predatory lending is the leading cause of the foreclosures across this country. And I need not go on and on about the issue, but let me just point out a few statistics. The Nonprofit Center for Responsible Lending projects that as this year ends, 2.2 million households in the subprime market will either have lost their homes to foreclosure or hold subprime mortgages that will fail over the next several years. The real dilemma that many of the families face is the amount of mortgage that they own on the home far exceeds the real value of the home. Additionally, only about 1.4 million of 15.1 million loans analyzed from 1998 through 2006 were for first-time home buyers. Most were refinancing. And all of us got those calls from people calling up, Mrs. Jones, you have a unique opportunity right in your community to refinance your home, and this program is just for your neighborhood. And a lot of people got fooled by those calls. To date, more than 500,000 of those subprime borrowers have lost their homes to foreclosure. An additional 1.8 million are likely to follow as the market deteriorates. That's nearly 2.4 million lost homes. And predatory lending has expanded its reach beyond mortgage lending. Predatory practices are becoming increasingly prevalent in refund anticipation, auto and payday loans. There were over 12 million Refund Anticipation Loan borrowers in 2003. In other words, anticipating what your income tax checks would be, people borrowed on those tax checks. Tax preparers and lenders strip about $1.57 billion in fees each year from the earned income tax credits paid to working parents, according to the 2005 study by the National Consumer Law Center. And imagine what the new programs are going to be as we come up with these rebates that the President has proposed for working families in order for us to shore up Wal-Mart or Target or one of these other stores. In fact, I think it is pretty scary that we are now going to try and shore up the economy by taking the money of people who have worked hard for it. I bet that many people are going to pay attention; they're not going to stick it back in the economy. They, in fact, may in fact put it in a savings account or try to make some money on behalf of their families, or pay off an existing debt. In December, the Congress enacted the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act which, for 3 years, stops the tax on phantom income when a lender forgives some part of the family's mortgage in foreclosure. Under prior law, the debt forgiven following mortgage foreclosure or renegotiation was considered income for tax purposes, resulting in a tax liability for individuals and families meaning, at a time when people were down and out, they were then required to pay tax on something that was forgiven by a lender. It was crazy, and thank God this whole Congress understood the impact, and we passed that legislation. In December, the Congress included $180 million for housing counseling in the Fiscal Year 2008 Omnibus Appropriations Bill to assist many distressed homeowners who are trapped in unaffordable loans in avoiding foreclosure on their homes. The Economic Stimulus Bill, which the President will sign this week, increases the FHA loan limits up to $729,750 to expand affordable mortgage loan opportunities through the FHA for families in danger of losing their homes. This was done because in areas like the area in which Congresswoman Barbara Lee lives in, housing, middle income housing costs as much as $800,000 to $1 million. In Cleveland, an $800,000 home would buy you a lot of house, but not California. Both the House and Senate have passed an FHA reform bill which would enable FHA to serve more subprime borrowers at affordable rates and terms to attract borrowers that have been turned to predatory lenders in recent years. The House has passed a mortgage lending reform bill which cracks down on predatory lending, making sure that consumers get mortgages they can repay, strengthening consumer protections against reckless and abusive lending practices, and giving consumers the ability to seek redress. I have to say that in 2001 I introduced the Predatory Lending Reduction Act, and this act was focused on mortgage brokers. And the reason I focused on mortgage brokers was because mortgage brokers were not licensed, they were not required to be registered. They were not required to give notice to a purchaser or a borrower that they were not representing that borrower; they weren't their agent. They were not required to tell the borrower that they were going to get a percentage or a commission on the loans that they made. So you had a lot of mortgage brokers operating out here without any licensing, without any registration, without being required to give notices to, like banking persons, to borrowers. So it was very important for us, and that was included in the Mortgage Lending Reform Act, number 3915. In October, the House passed the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Bill, 2895, which establishes a trust fund, at no cost to the taxpayer, to build or preserve 1.5 million affordable homes or apartments over the next 10 years. The trust fund is financed by fees paid by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and by increased FHA loans. The fact is that we have needed a national affordable housing trust fund for many, many years and finally, in 2007, 2008, we have one that's available. At this time, if my colleague is interested, I'd like to yield to her for some additional commentary, Congresswoman Barbara Lee.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Let me begin with a quote. ``At the bottom of education, at the bottom of politics, even at the bottom of religion, there must be economic independence.'' Booker T. Washington from 1903. These words, spoken more than a century ago by one of our foremost African American thinkers and educators, perhaps might be more relevant today than they were in 1903. For far too long, the current administration has danced around this issue, hoping that it would go away. But it is time that we state the truth. Our economy is in decline. Today, hardworking African American families are struggling to make ends meet in this slowing economy. Wages are flat, prices are high, and for many, jobs are hard to come by. These problems are even greater in the African American community. Unemployment rates for African Americans are consistently almost double for white Americans. The median family earnings of full-time African American workers is consistently over $130 less than white workers who are similarly educated and situated. The poverty rate for African Americans is almost double the national poverty rate, 24 percent versus 12.5 percent. And more than triple, 33 percent versus 9.8 percent, for children under the age of 18. Home ownership for African Americans is 48 percent compared to 72 percent for white Americans. And African Americans are more than two times more likely to have been denied a mortgage, and more than two times more likely to receive predatory loans. In this most recent research around foreclosures, it has been shown that African Americans who, in fact, qualified for prime mortgages were, in fact, steered to subprime mortgages, predatory loans because the advantage for the lender was greater, they could make more money on the predatory subprime loan than they could on a prime loan. Minority-owned businesses received only 57 cents of each dollar they would be expected to receive based on the percentage of ``ready, willing and able'' businesses that are minority owned. The Congressional Black Caucus remains committed to economic empowerment in the African American community. This includes, but it is not limited to: One, eradicated employment discrimination and ensuring the employment of a diverse workforce by employers in the private sector and in government, including staff of committees and Members of Congress. Two, protecting the rights and working conditions of all employees. Three, providing support to enable people to work, such as child care, transportation, health care, job retraining and a living wage. Four, promoting the advancement of African Americans into management, executive and director positions. Five, providing equal access to capital for individuals and businesses, and the elimination of redlining and predatory lending practices. Six, expanding affordable rental and ownership of housing. Seven, achieving aggressive minority business goals and participation in government and private contracting. So, tonight you will hear from various members of the Congressional Black Caucus as we discuss the many economic problems facing the African American community, as well as our plans to address those issues. If I can go back to my experience in Orlando this weekend. I had an opportunity to participate in this wonderful ceremony involving 10 young African American men and women that were juniors and seniors in high school. And the experiences and backgrounds of these young men and women were just fantastic. And one of the things I reminded them of was, no deposit, no return. I talked to them about, we used the expression, birds of a feather flock together, and that eagles do not fly with sparrows. And I suggested to them that they needed to be eagles so that they could fly far above and do more. But even in the midst of all of flying higher, doing more, in an economy like we are experiencing today it would be difficult for these young men and women to be successful. So, I'm going to take a break for a moment and yield to my colleague and good friend from the great State of California, the honorable gentlewoman from California, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, such time as she may consume.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, let me begin by seeking unanimous consent that my colleagues have 5 days in which to revise and extend their remarks, to allow other Members to have the opportunity to submit their remarks in writing. In fact, I have in my hand a signed statement by my colleague and good friend from the great State of Texas, Eddie Bernice Johnson, which I will choose to submit for the Record.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure this evening to have an opportunity to stand in the well of this wonderful House of Representatives on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus and our Chair, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick. This evening I will be joined by several of my colleagues to talk about the black community, the African American community, and the economy and the impact that this downturn in the economy has had on the African American community. Before I go to that subject matter, I just want to take a moment. One of the things that we have an opportunity, as Members of Congress, to do is to travel all around the United States, meeting people who say, oh, we watch you on television, we've seen you on television. And the fact is this weekend I had the opportunity to be in Orlando, Florida, on behalf of my sorority, Delta Sigma Theta. And I met one of the finest families in Orlando, headed by Janet McDowell-Travis and her husband, Michael Travis, son Jordan, who is 10 years old, who drew me this really, really nice card, Janet's mother, Vergnoustene, my soror as well, and Janet's aunt, Aunt Romelda. So, I just want to take a moment this evening, Mr. Speaker, to have an opportunity to say hello to that McDowell-Travis family and say to them, thank you so much for making my weekend in Orlando so great. And hopefully I'll have another chance to see you in July, when I come back to Florida for our national convention. Hi, everybody. Hope you're doing well. Back to the reason that I'm here on floor to talk about the Congressional Black Caucus message hour, the declining economy and its impact on the African American community. General Leave

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay my respects to an extraordinary person, former Senator Howard Metzenbaum. The Honorable Howard Metzenbaum was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He came from humble beginnings, ``his father scrapped to make a living, buying and selling second hand goods.'' He graduated from Glenville High School in Cleveland and later matriculated to Ohio State University where he earned both his bachelor degree and a Juris Doctor degree in 1939 and 1941 respectively. Metzenbaum served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1943 to 1947. He was subsequently elected to the Ohio Senate from 1947 to 1951. In addition to his dedication to public service, he also was a savvy astute businessman who would later become one of the Senate's wealthiest members. It has been noted that if he had not chosen a life of committed public service he would have easily become one of America's wealthiest businessmen. Metzenbaum said, ``I was born knowing how to make money,'' however he was guided by the saying, ``Is it more important to have $10 million than $9 million?'' In 1974, when Senator William B. Saxbe from Ohio resigned from his seat to accept the nomination as U.S. attorney general, Governor Jack Gilligan appointed Metzenbaum to fill out the remainder of Saxbe's term. It was not until 1994 that Senator Metzenbaum retired after 19 years of service in the United States Senate. While in the United States Senate Howard Metzenbaum was an instrumental member of the Senate Judiciary committee where he was well known as a powerful advocate of antitrust and consumer protection issues, as well as a staunch proponent of pro-choice abortion rights. He was often referenced as ``Senator No,'' because many of his colleagues knew that if he was opposed to a particular measure his opposition created a great hindrance to its chances of passing. In the Senate, Metzenbaum devised a different method of filibustering by introducing multiple amendments to bills in place of terminating a piece of legislation by long periods of debate. Senator Metzenbaum championed several important pieces of legislation, most notably the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, which required warning periods for large factory closures; the Brady Law, which established a waiting period for handgun purchases; and the Howard M. Metzenbaum Multiethnic Placement Act of 1994 (MEPA) (U.S. Public Law 103-82), which prohibits federally subsidized adoption agencies from delaying or denying child placement on grounds of race or ethnicity. Upon his retirement in 1994 the Cleveland Plain Dealer referred to him as, ``The last of the ferocious New Deal liberals.'' After leaving the Senate, the Honorable Howard Metzenbaum served as the Chairman of the Consumer Federation of America. In 2005, The United States Bankruptcy Courthouse was named in his Honor in Cleveland, Ohio. We are all blessed to have known and served our Country with former Senator Howard Metzenbaum. It is with great respect and admiration that I ask this esteemed body to keep his wife, and four daughters: Barbara Sherwood, Susan Hyatt, Shelley Kelman, and Amy Yanowitz in our hearts and prayers. May we all rejoice in having known such a great man and cherish both his memory and his legacy.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Thank you, but I won't.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. At any time during the hour?