Stephanie Jones

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, tonight I'm joined by members of the Congressional Black Caucus on the first of what will be many CBC message hours. This evening we will be discussing health care disparities, as well as the SCHIP program, which is the State insurance health program. But before I get into it, I need to ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subjects that I just mentioned, that of health care disparity and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. For the past few Congresses, the CBC has made confronting health disparities one of its major initiatives. We have been champions for access to affordable health care, meaningful coverage for prescription medications for every American, and increased representation of African Americans across all health care professions. The health care statistics are staggering in the African American community. While African Americans comprise approximately 12 percent of the U.S. population, in 2000 they represented 19.6 percent of the uninsured. The African American AIDS diagnosis rate was 11 times that of the White diagnosis rate, 23 times more for women and nine times more for men. African Americans are two times more likely to have diabetes than whites, four times more likely to see their diabetes progress to end- stage renal disease, and four times more likely to have a stroke. And African Americans are only 2.9 percent of the doctors, 9.2 percent of the nurses, 1.5 percent of dentists, and 0.4 percent of health care administrators. Yet African Americans comprise 12 percent of our population. These problems are just the tip of the iceberg. Tonight, along with my colleagues, we will outline some of the various health issues that currently impact the African American community. Additionally, many of us have legislation that we are working to have passed to provide necessary care and resources to the African American community. I want to thank the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, and our executive director, Dr. Joe Leonard, for their assistance and work in this effort, and for the record, my communications director Nicole Williams. At this point I'd like to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Bobby Scott.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Scott, thank you very much for your leadership on that issue. Let me speak for a moment about another piece of legislation that I've introduced with regard to health care disparities. About 7 years ago, one of my staffers approached me with an idea for a piece of legislation. He told me a story of one of his female friends who had been suffering from uterine fibroids. Her condition had taken a tremendous toll on both her and her family, mainly because she was unsure of her options. This young lady is not alone. There are many women across this country who are silently dealing with this painful, sometime deadly, disease. Uterine fibroids are noncancerous tumors that form within a woman's uterine lining. It is estimated that three in every four American women have uterine fibroids, with one in four women seeking medical care for the condition. African American women are three to nine times more likely to develop uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids can be hard diseases to combat, given the fact that women are diagnosed with the disease at various stages and physical conditions. While the fibroids may develop slowly in some women, others may develop more aggressively. Right now, hysterectomy is the most common treatment for uterine fibroids, accounting for 200,000, or 30 percent, of all hysterectomies in the United States. It is for this reason that I have reintroduced the Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act to find new and better ways to treat, or even cure, uterine fibroids. The Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act would double Federal funding for uterine fibroid research and fund a public education campaign on the condition. Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland introduced companion legislation in the Senate, and we introduced identical legislation in the 109th Congress, but neither received a floor vote. Even though an estimated three-quarters of all reproductive-age women have uterine fibroids, little is known about them, and there are still few good treatment options available. Women deserve better. I have made it a priority to make sure women are not left out or left behind when it comes to health care. This legislation would authorize $30 million in Federal funding for uterine fibroid research each year for 5 years, doubling the budget from last year's $15 million. Research is needed to find out what causes uterine fibroids, why African American women are disproportionately affected, and what can be done to prevent and treat the condition. It is time that we put the health of the women of America in the forefront of our agenda. Therefore, I'm asking all to be supportive on this crucial issue. Right now I'd like to yield such time as she may consume to Representative Donna Christensen, who is, in fact, a medical doctor; and she chairs the Congressional Black Caucus Health Disparities Health Brain Trust. And this weekend in the Virgin Islands you're hosting a health care health disparities conference, correct?

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Thank you, Dr. Christensen, for your leadership not only this year but every year that I have been in Congress on the health disparities issue and health care on behalf of all Americans while particularly focused on African Americans. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure at this time to yield to my colleague and good friend Danny Davis from Illinois.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. I want to say to you, Mr. Davis, also your leadership on the Second Chance Act, you and I have been working on that issue for several years, and, hopefully, it will come to fruition in the next couple, 3 weeks. I look forward to working with you on that and discussing that issue with you.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure at this time to have the opportunity to yield to the awesome Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. She has shown such great leadership not only in this role but as Chair of so many other events that the Congressional Black Caucus has done. I yield to my sister, the Congresswoman from the great State of Michigan, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, there is a statement that says: ``To believe that God will do everything while you do nothing is not faith but superstition.'' We have an opportunity to do something, not to wait for God to do it. But let me start where I was. On May 21, I buried my dad, a veteran of the Korean War. He died at age 87. As I stood before that flag- draped coffin, I thought about all the mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles, children, nieces and nephews who have buried their loved ones as a result of this Iraqi war--3,600. I don't want to go to another funeral, I have been to five. Not another deployment, I have been to three. Not another memorial, I have been to six. I want our soldiers to come home as soon as possible. We have an opportunity to do a deployment that makes sense, that fits within all that we can do as Members of Congress. Members of Congress, step up to the plate. Don't be afraid. Vote in favor of this redeployment.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, today the administration released its ``Assessment Report'' on Iraq. While attempting to tout ``progress,'' it is plain to see that this is more of the same rhetoric that has become so commonplace in this administration. The sad truth is that since President Bush launched this war, more than 3,600 American service men and women have been killed in Iraq, more than 26,000 have been injured, and the American taxpayer has spent nearly half a trillion dollars on this war. The report highlights that the Iraqi government has not met a single one of the 18 security, political, and economic milestones that the Congress laid out as measurements for success. It also substantiates the fact that of the 18 benchmarks Congress laid out, Iraqis are making progress on only eight. The report also shows us that Iraqi security forces are not providing even-handed enforcement of the law and that Militia presence is still a prevalent force within the security services of a number of ministries. It is for this reason that I am in support of the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act. In addition to requiring the redeployment of American forces this legislation requires the development of a comprehensive strategy for U.S. policy in Iraq and limits missions any remaining forces in Iraq may undertake to duties such as counter- terrorism, and protecting American personnel at the embassy in Iraq. It has been said that faith without action is merely superstition. We now have the opportunity to change course in this war. My father was a World War II veteran. He died a few months ago at the age of 87. As I looked at the flag draped across his coffin, I thought about the many mothers, fathers and families that had to bury their loved ones, many of them barely adults, and see that flag draped across their caskets. I, along with the American people, have no more patience with regards to this war in Iraq. I've been to three deployments, five funerals and countless memorial services; I don't want to go to any more. I want to be able to go to one last homecoming celebration when we can bring an end to this war.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman for yielding time. I would like to thank the subcommittee Chair, Maxine Waters, for all her leadership and work on this; the Chair, Mr. Frank; and my old colleague from Ohio, Bob Ney for the work. I rise in support of H.R. 1851. In my district the problems with section 8 housing have bubbled to the surface, particularly in many of the inter-ring suburbs such as Bedford, Bedford Heights, Euclid, Cleveland Heights, and Shaker Heights. They have seen an increase in section 8 housing and are beginning to see a clash in culture between owners and renters, between those who have long time been owners and those who are new at renting property. It is very important that when we start to look at some of the urban centers, some of the older housing, we start looking at the inter-ring suburbs with older housing, and even the newer suburban municipalities, that we have an opportunity to reform how we have section 8 housing and how it is used. The reform provisions in this bill will not only open access to low-income Americans to rent and even buy, it will provide incentives so that the program can truly serve its purpose of empowering people to become self-sufficient. Certainly, as we have gone through this whole year or past 2 or 3 years where we have had predatory lenders preying upon our communities, we want to be able to give those new homeowners an opportunity to understand what homeownership means, to understand what kind of situation they could put themselves in without the necessary education. But as important to owning a home is the ability to have a decent job, to be well trained, to take care of your family, et cetera. And through the proposals that are set forth in this program, I believe we will have an opportunity to see that come to fruition. This bill also includes a number of provisions designed to create other incentives. I am so proud to have an opportunity to stand on the floor of the House saying that section 8 is going to be more than it has been in the past, that it will reach its true fruition.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 526, supporting home ownership and responsible lending. A recent study released by the Center of Responsible Lending reveals 2.2 million subprime home loans made in recent years have already failed or will end in foreclosure this year at a cost of 164 billion to consumers. Despite low interest rates and a favorable economic environment during the past several years, the subprime market has experienced record high foreclosure rates. In 2006 alone there were more than 1.2 million foreclosures, a 42 percent increase from 2005. I am sad to report that my home state of Ohio has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation. As you may know a number of factors drive sub prime foreclosures, including adjustable rate mortgages with steep built-in rate and payment increases, prepayment penalties, limited income documentation, and no escrow for taxes and insurance. Often individuals who are eligible for prime rates are steered into accepting high-cost subprime mortgage rates without fully understanding the risks of the mortgage products they choose. People are being manipulated by aggressive mortgage brokers and lending firms into taking subprime rates. It is our responsibility to keep them from being exploited. Unfortunately many of these individuals are African Americans in urban areas, targeted by lending firms with these high-cost loans. In the last several years, poor neighborhoods with large minority populations like Cleveland, Chicago, Philadelphia and Atlanta have experienced a sharp rise in foreclosures, in some cases more than doubling over the past decade. In Cuyahoga County alone, where Cleveland is located, the foreclosure rate is 17 percent, 12 percent higher than the national average. Madam Speaker, we must put an end to these practices that are hurting consumers and prohibiting them from achieving the American dream of home ownership. I urge my colleagues to support my Predatory Mortgage Lending Practices Reduction Act, H.R. 2061 and H. Res. 546 so we may prevent predatory lending and ensure the fiscal security of the American people.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Ms. Rebecca Lanier. Ms. Lanier was born on March 24, 1892, in Mississippi and just celebrated her 115th birthday. Ms. Lanier lived in Eutaw, AL, where her family sharecropped for most of her life. She moved to Birmingham in 1994, where she resided until 2004 when she unfortunately lost both of her daughters within three weeks of each other. Although Ms. Lanier outlived her daughters, she still enjoys her 7 grandchildren and ``about'' 30 great-grandchildren. Ms. Lanier now lives with her grandson and his wife in Warrensville Heights, OH, a municipality in my congressional district. She has led a very healthy life and had actually never been a patient in a hospital until she suffered a fall 4 years ago. Ms. Lanier is very active. She walks with a walker and participates in Tai Chi for Health Class at the local Warrensville Heights Civic and Senior Center. Although one of the oldest people in the world, Ms. Lanier does not have a birth certificate. Her grandson attested that when she was born, the State did not issue them. Rather, the record of her birth is written in an old family Bible. Ms. Lanier's zest for life is an inspiration to us all. Therefore, it is thus my pleasure, on behalf of the people of the 11th Congressional District of Ohio to recognize Rebecca Lanier as she celebrates 115 years of a truly blessed life.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I submit for publication the attached copy of the Rules of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct for the U.S. House of Representatives for the 11Oth Congress. The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct adopted these rules pursuant to House Rule XI, clause 2(a)(1) on February 16, 2007. I am submitting these rules for publication in compliance with House Rule XI, clause 2(a)(2). Rules--Committee on Standards of Official Conduct Adopted February 16, 2007

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to join my colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus this evening in a special order around education. Today, we celebrate Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. This holiday, celebrated in 14 states, commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas. This day was a great milestone in American history. Since that time, African-Americans have made great strides in this country. However, even with those great accomplishments, we still find ourselves dealing with glaring disparities in our educational system in this country. It is time that we stop ignoring this issue and bring it to the forefront of our policy discussions. As our world becomes increasingly interdependent, we as a Federal Government have a responsibility to provide all of our citizens with an education that will allow them to compete and excel in the global market. Sadly, this is not the case. Too many of our minority and economically disadvantaged students are not equipped with the kind of education that will allow them to earn a decent living in order to enjoy American prosperity. In a free society like ours, we justify the unequal distribution of wealth by equal opportunity. However, any reasonable person will tell you that opportunities are certainly not equal. Therefore, I hold a strong belief that it is the responsibility of Congress to make policy that provides the most underprivileged along us with an opportunity to succeed. We can do this by promoting policies that ensure a strong public education system does not leave any child behind. We need to make a strong commitment to our educational system. Our posterity is depending on it. My home is Cleveland, Ohio, and unfortunately it has been rated as one of the poorest cities, where almost half of the children live below the poverty line. It has been proven again and again that there is a direct correlation between economic prosperity and education. It has also proven that good teachers make good schools. But it's so difficult to attract qualified teachers to impoverished areas. No Child Left Behind requires that every State and school district ensure that low-income students have their fair share of qualified and experienced teachers. In high poverty districts in Ohio, 42 percent of the teachers teach classes outside of their expertise. This is problematic, because studies have shown that multiple bad experiences with teachers can negatively impact their students' education. We need to work hard to get quality teachers to high-risk schools so we do not let many teachers slip through the cracks. Another disturbing fact is that only 51 percent of African-American students graduate from high school on time in Ohio. This last year, Cleveland municipal schools only graduated 40 percent of their senior class. This is a blatant failure of our education policy. This problem has no simple solution. We are talking about inner-city schools with a lack of resources and crumbling infrastructure. We are talking about environments where juvenile delinquency is the norm and some students fear attending class, where budgets are stretched so thin and there is no money available for arts and education and extracurricular activities. These are schools where classes are overcrowded and the teachers are overwhelmed and forced to teach from outdated text books, and the list goes on. This is not what we intended for our students. We have an obligation to correct this wrong. We need to do more to assist these schools in securing resources that will allow them to lift these students up and provide them with an education that will allow them to continue on to college and to a good-paying job. It is so easy for Members of Congress to demagog ``No Child Left Behind.'' But many of us have supported the policy, and its intention is benevolent. We as a country need to strive for academic excellence and opportunity in our country. It has been a tremendously difficult policy to implement and administer, but we cannot give up on it. We have a complicated primary and secondary education system with responsibility spread through all levels of government. To reach a high level of educational opportunity nationally is a paramount task, but we must persevere. The system already works for haves, and we have an obligation to see it work for the have-nots.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, to all my colleagues, I want you to join me in saying congratulations, Cleveland Cavaliers, Eastern Conference champions. Come on now. It is such a wonderful experience for the great City of Cleveland to have an opportunity to have a team like the Cleveland Cavaliers, to be led by ``King'' Lebron James. We are so excited, because, Cleveland, we needed a boost, and we got a boost in our basketball team, and we ask you to turn us on, because we will turn you up. Cleveland Cavaliers, Eastern Conference champions.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Marshal Peter J. Elliott on being named ``Top Cop'' of the nation by the National Association of Police Organizations. The ``Top Cop'' award pays tribute to the men and women in law enforcement for their amazing services to America's communities. Marshal Elliott was chosen from hundreds of nominations from across the nation, and he was the only person selected from the state of Ohio. Marshal Elliott grew up in Lakewood, Ohio, and graduated from St. Edward High School. He is a third generation law enforcement officer from the Northern District of Ohio. Four years ago, he was appointed by the President of the United States as the U.S. Marshal to manage the forty counties of the Northern District of Ohio. He is the youngest U.S. Marshal appointed in the history of the district. Marshal Elliott created The Fugitive Safe Surrender (FSS) program after Cleveland Patrolman Leon Wayne was shot and killed by an individual wanted on a warrant. Under this program, U.S. Marshals Service works with local faith and community-based organizations to provide wanted fugitives a chance to surrender to authorities in a safe environment. FSS not only reduces the risk to law enforcement officers but also reduces injuries and deaths in the communities where fugitives live. I have had the pleasure of working with Marshal Elliott in creating legislation for this program. Last year this legislation was passed and signed into law by President George W. Bush. As a result, Marshal Elliott's idea has been adopted as a national program by the United States Marshals Service. Along with FSS, in 2003, Marshal Elliott created the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force that has worked to greatly reduce crime in the Cleveland, Ohio area. Also, in 2003, Marshal Elliott helped bring the Gang Resistance Education and Training program to the district to help prevent youth crime and gangs. This program has teamed up with professional sports teams, non-profit organizations, universities and others to help youths in northern Ohio. It is because of his commitment and remarkable innovation in law enforcement that I wish to acknowledge ``Top Cop'' Marshal Peter J. Elliott. Marshal Elliott is an outstanding man who has greatly contributed to the safety of his district and the country.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 33 African American women, including myself, who were initiated into the Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., on April 3, 1982. This month, we celebrate 25 years of sisterhood, scholarship, and service to our beloved sorority. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is a public service, non-profit organization founded at Howard University in 1913 by 22 brave and ambitious African American women. The major programs of the sorority are the organization's Five Point Thrust of: economic development, educational development, international awareness and involvement, physical and mental health, and political awareness and involvement. The Sorors of ``The Mighty 33'' have professional and academic accomplishments in the areas of politics, education, law, medicine, finance, business, and government service. The Sorors include: Wanda Rembert Arnold, Esq., Saundra Austin, Saundra Berry, Vera Brooks, Phoebe Carter, Lynn Davis, Ruth Fomby, Dr. Delores Groves, Frances Hunter, Marsha Johnson, Esq., Margaret Killough, Gloria Pace King, Josie Lindsay, Glenda Lottier, Louis Lynch, Ruby McCullough (deceased), Shirley McKinney, Dr. Shirley McNair Robinson, Lucile Minor, Beverley Grace Odeleye, Jewell Painter, Renee Paige, Bernice Phillips Prewitt, Lois Bradford Roberts, Carla Shannon, Barbara Stonebarclay, Renee Pye Street, Mary Taylor, Antoinette Venable, Deborah Allen Ward, Beverly Warfield, Marva Williams, Linda Winston and myself, Stephanie Tubbs Jones. We continue to carry high the Torch of Wisdom and Pledge to uphold the noble ideals of our sorority. On behalf of the Congress of the United States and the people of the 11th Congressional District of Ohio, I join with my Sorors and line sisters of ``The Mighty 33'' in celebrating our 25th anniversary in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. I am honored to be counted among such an accomplished and talented group of women. These Sorors will always be honored for their lifetime commitment to Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1592, The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. In 2003 the FBI announced that there were more than 9,000 reported hate crime victims in these United States. This means that on average 25 people per day were victims of violence fueled by the toxic fumes of hate. If you are not outraged by this figure then you haven't been paying attention. As a former prosecutor in Cuyohoga County, OH, I know that these numbers are shocking for a number of reasons. In a country as blessed as we are, and with the resources that we have, we still have an absurdly high crime rate. Violence is taken to be the norm. Local news in most big cities begins with a report on who was shot. Then, we have a country which regularly puts out a report on the human rights records of other countries around the world. Is a hate crime not a human rights issue? It has been long established constitutional doctrine that individuals should not be treated differently based on their race, color, creed, nationality, gender or sexual orientation. This Act allows the Justice Department to grant local jurisdictions up to $100,000 to help prosecute hate crimes. It also provides moneys for preventative programs to stem the growing tide of hate crimes committed by minors. In the Bible, verse 5:43 in the Gospel of Matthew, it says ``Love thy neighbor.'' That is what this bill is about. The time is now to pass this legislation. We honor our founders, ancestors, and the people who built this great Nation by ensuring that going forward, Americans from every walk of life can walk down our streets in peace.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Eddie Bernice Johnson Amendment to H.R. 1429, the Improving Head Start Act of 2007. This amendment will encourage partnerships between Head Start and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Johnson Amendment will encourage African American students to focus on early childhood education and participate in Head Start. My home is Cleveland, Ohio, and it is one of the poorest cities in the nation, with half of the children living below the poverty line. Head Start provides a vital service to my community, it allows the youngest and most helpless children to have a chance at the developing basic skills so they are not behind when they start attending school. I am so pleased that my colleague from Texas, Eddie Bernice Johnson has offered this amendment. It will encourage more African American teachers to return to some of the most impoverished communities across this country. They will not only serve as teachers but also as role models land mentors to inspire young children to succeed as they have. I would like to once again Congresswoman Johnson for offering this amendment and encourage all of my colleagues to support it.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct be discharged from further consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 363) amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to clarify certain matters relating to official conduct, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise in proud recognition of the 45th Anniversary of Senator John Glenn's mission piloting the first manned orbital mission of the United States. This event spawned decades of manned space missions for the United States and eventually a manned mission to the moon with the Apollo 11 mission in July of 1969. Senator Glenn has served this Nation proud as a Marine Corps Pilot, a U.S. Senator, and an Astronaut. He was the third American in Space and the first American to orbit the Earth aboard Friendship 7. He also holds the honor of being the oldest person ever to go into space in 1998 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-95 at age 77. John Glenn was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1974, and served the State of Ohio proudly until 1999, and was a recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. The NASA Glenn research center, which is located at Lewis Field in Cleveland, OH, adopted Senator Glenn's name in 1999. I am proud to say that this institution has produced decades of aeronautics research and has become of vital part of our community. It is in no small part to Senator Glenn that this institution will remain a major research center for NASA. I am especially proud to be able to say that Senator John Glenn comes from my home State of Ohio, he is an icon and a role model for millions of youths in our State. His accomplishments provide inspiration for every young person from our Great State of Ohio.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak out on the issue of predatory lending practices within the subprime lending industry. Madam Speaker, I have heard from countless constituents in my district regarding this issue. As you may know, Ohio has one of the highest rates of foreclosure in the country. Members of my community that I have known for years are being faced with foreclosure after owning a home for over 40 years in some cases. Seniors are being affected at a disproportionate rate. Lenders prey on seniors who have been in their homes all of their lives, and have a substantial amount of equity in their home. They promote these balloon and adjustable rate mortgages that look attractive and are affordable in their initial stages. However, after 2 years or more, these loans readjust to much higher payments with higher interest rates. For instance, one of my constituents is currently in an adjustable rate mortgage, which locked in a payment of $1088 for 2 years. After 2 years, the mortgage payment increased to $1488. Three months later the payment increased to $1715. This payment increase has had a significant impact on this individual's budget and because they are not in a position to refinance, they are currently facing foreclosure. Creating wealth is the most fundamental and important goal of minorities that seek economic equity. One of the first steps toward creating wealth is homeownership. The equity from owning a home is often the only means to secure funding for a new business, college tuition, or retirement. Predatory lending targets low income and minority communities. It compromises the opportunity to own a home and hinders economic stability, creating greater disparities in wealth. 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. These foreclosures will cost homeowners as much as $164 billion, primarily in lost home equity. It is also projected that one out of five (19 percent) subprime mortgages originated during the past two years will end in foreclosure. This rate is nearly double the projected rate of subprime loans made in 2002, and it exceeds the worst foreclosure experience in the modem mortgage market, which occurred during the ``Oil Patch'' disaster of the 1980s. The nonprofit Center for Responsible Lending analyzed 15.1 million subprime loans from 1998 through 2006 and found that only about 1.4 million were for first-time home buyers. Most were for refinancing. To date, more than 500,000 of those subprime borrowers have lost their homes to foreclosures. An additional 1.8 million are likely to follow as the market deteriorates. That's nearly 2.4 million lost homes. In Ohio the foreclosure epidemic went from bad to much worse last year as the number of new cases grew by nearly 24 percent from 2005. Cuyahoga County led the state in new cases with 13,610 new filings last year. This ranking has attracted national attention with Ohio's foreclosure rate currently at 18 percent which is higher than the national average of 17 percent. The problem has gone from bad to worse and from worse to regress in Ohio, with 7,479 filings in February 2007 alone. 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. 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 a 2005 study by the National Consumer Law Center. It is also estimated that Predatory payday lending practices cost American families $4.2 billion annually. In addition, research indicates that minorities pay on average $2,000 more per vehicle purchased than nonminorities. Predatory auto lending is taking an estimated $2 billion dollars a year out of African American communities alone. Madam Speaker, I have been hollering about this issue since I came to Congress in 1999. It is unfortunate that the issue is being given some serious national attention only after posing a threat to corporations and financial and mortgage security industries. Last August, I along with the Financial Services Committee organized a field hearing in my Congressional District to hear from local officials and community representatives that work with this issue on a day-to-day basis. The hearing brought Ohio to the forefront of the foreclosure issue as it held rankings among the highest in the Nation. To continue in the fight, this week, I will be introducing the Predatory Lending Practices Reduction Act. This legislation serves to accomplish three main goals: 1) Establish a federal certification program to require mortgage brokers and other agents involved in subprime loan transactions to become certified and pass a written examination that covers, among other things, Federal law relative to Truth in Lending, Fair Housing, Equal Credit Opportunity Act and other Federal legislation. 2) Sets up minimum standards as they relate to providing information to consumers as well as best practices for dispute/complaint resolution; and 3) Creates civil penalties for violations of federal law pertaining to predatory lending; In addition it addresses appraisal fraud which has become increasingly popular among predatory practices. I commend Chairman Barney Frank of the Financial Services Committee on his commitment to working on this issue. I look forward to working with the Chairman and my colleagues on a solution to an issue that has devastated minority communities for over a decade. Thank you to my colleague Mr. Cummings for organizing this effort.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. I want to thank the Chair of this wonderful committee, Nydia Velazquez. I was on this committee when I came to Congress, and she helped me understand what legislative bodies were all about, and I want to thank her for her leadership because many times people want to give small business to the Republican Party, but this Chair has shown that small business is a Democratic as well as a Republican issue. And I thank my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) for the work that he has done. Today, I rise in support of H.R. 1332, the Small Business Lending Improvements Act of 2007. This act is a tremendous effort to adapt the sometimes arcane SBA rules to the American businesswoman. Among the impressive provisions of this act are a requirement to authorize SBA loans for projects that reduce energy consumption by at least 10 percent. In addition, the rural lending outreach program sends a great message to our small businesses in rural areas, who sometimes have to manage isolation and lack of resources because they have no proximity. In addition, by making the Community Express Program permanent, you provide an attractive incentive for the erstwhile disenfranchised entrepreneurs to set up legitimate businesses. These businesses help to keep families together, and eventually contribute to our tax base. I am from Cleveland, Ohio, which at the moment is said to be the poorest city in the Nation. Ninety-five percent of the private sector jobs are provided by small businesses. Therefore, the creation of jobs and growth of our small businesses is vital to our economic recovery. The Small Business Administration's 7(a) lending program is essential for small business owners who cannot access capital through conventional markets. However, the program has been and is currently underfunded, and the burden has been shifting increasingly onto small business owners. Recent changes to the program have increased the fees to access 7(a) programs, which diminishes access of small business owners. I want to thank the chairwoman and the ranking member for their leadership around this issue. I want to thank you for the opportunity to be heard. And small business is not only a Republican issue, it is a Democratic issue. It's an American issue.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to join my colleague, Mr. Cummings, as he organizes this hour around predatory lending. I rise today to speak out against the issue of predatory lending within the subprime lending industry. I came to Congress in 1999, served on the Committee on Financial Services, and started instantly raising the issue of predatory lending practices. One of the things that we have learned is that all subprime lenders are not predatory lenders, but all predatory lenders are subprime lenders. Let me say it again. All subprime lenders are not predatory lenders, but all predatory lenders are subprime lenders. In fact, subprime lending has been a way in which many people who have been locked out of and left out of the credit area, or having an opportunity to have credit, have been able to come in. But what has come in with that practice are these predators who prey on our communities. I have heard from countless constituents in my district regarding this issue. As you know, as the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) said, Ohio has one of the highest rates of foreclosure in the country. Members of my community who have owned homes for years are being forced with foreclosure, after owning a home for more than 40 years in some cases. Seniors are being affected at a disproportionate rate. Lenders prey on seniors who have been in their homes all of their lives and have a substantial amount of equity in their home. They get them on the phone and say: ``Oh, Ms. Jones, do you need a new kitchen? Oh, I can help you get a new kitchen and it won't cost you any money. But, Ms. Jones, you might need a driveway also. Let me help you out.'' And it goes on. So they enter into this agreement. They enter into these balloon and adjustable rate mortgages that look attractive and are affordable in their initial stages. However, after 2 years or more, these loans readjust to much higher payments with higher interest rates. For instance, one of my constituents is currently in an adjustable rate mortgage which locked in a payment of $1,088 for 2 years. After 2 years, the mortgage payment increased to $1,488. And 3 months later, the payment increased to $1,715. This payment increase has had a significant impact on this individual's budget, and because they are not in a position to refinance, they are currently facing foreclosure. And that was one of the deals made in the early predatory lending situations. ``Oh, get it now. The interest rate is going to go down, and you will be able to refinance or purchase your house.'' The thing they don't say is often the appraisal far exceeds the value of the home, and if it exceeds the value of the home, by the time they get ready to refinance, they owe more on the home than the home is worth. Creating wealth is the most fundamental goal of minorities that seek economic equity. One of the first steps towards creating wealth is home ownership. The equity from owning a home is often the only means to secure funding for a new business, college tuition or retirement. I know my girlfriend, Barbara Lee, talked about her home was the way in which she started her first business. Predatory lending targets low-income and minority communities. It compromises the opportunity to own a home, and hinders economic stability, creating greater disparities in wealth. Mr. Kucinich went through a lot of the statistics with regard to predatory lending and issues that came through the Nonprofit Center for Responsible Lending, so I won't try and go after that again. But what I will say, 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. That is where you go into the place and they say, ``Oh, you are going to file your taxes. Let me give you a loan on your taxes and you can get your money right now,'' and the interest rate is outrageous. Tax preparers and lenders strip about $1.57 billion in fees each year from the earned income tax credit paid to working families, according to a 2005 study. It is also estimated that predatory payday lending practices cost American families $4.2 billion annually. Understand that the reason that the payday loan people have been able to come into our community is because often some of the traditional lending institutions have left the community and people have nowhere to operate. There are people who never get a checking or credit account. They pay their bills in cash. How can that be in the United States of America, but it is true. They walk up and want to pay the phone bill and the light bill and gas bill. Anyway, I have been hollering, screaming, dancing about this issue since 1999. It is unfortunate that the only way we come to pay attention to this issue is when it begins to have an impact or threat to corporations and financial mortgage security industries in our country. 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. These foreclosures will cost homeowners as much as $164 billion, primarily in lost home equity. It is also projected that one out of five (19 percent) subprime mortgages originated during the past two years will end in foreclosure. This rate is nearly double the projected rate of subprime loans made in 2002, and it exceeds the worst foreclosure experience in the modern mortgage market, which occurred during the ``Oil Patch'' disaster of the 1980s. The nonprofit Center for Responsible Lending analyzed 15.1 million subprime loans from 1998 through 2006 and found that only about 1.4 million were for first-time home buyers. Most were for refinancing. To date, more than 500,000 of those subprime borrowers have lost their homes to foreclosures. An additional 1.8 million are likely to follow as the market deteriorates. That's nearly 2.4 million lost homes. In Ohio the foreclosure epidemic went from bad to much worse last year as the number of new cases grew by nearly 24% from 2005. Cuyahoga county led the state in new cases with 13,610 new filings last year. This ranking has attracted national attention with Ohio's foreclosure rate currently at 18% which is higher than the national average of 17%. The problem has gone from bad to worse and from worse to regress in Ohio, with $7,479 filings in February 2007 alone. 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. 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 a 2005 study by the National Consumer Law Center. It is also estimated that Predatory payday lending practices cost American families $4.2 billion annually. In addition, research indicates that minorities pay on average $2,000 more per vehicle purchased than nonminorities. Predatory auto lending is taking an estimated $2 billion dollars a year out of African American communities alone.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, Diane Watson, for organizing this event. You know, when I think of Juanita Millender-McDonald, I think of this piece of poetry called ``A Phenomenal Woman.'' In one of the lines in that piece of poetry, it says, ``Does my sexiness upset you? Do you find it awful hard that I dance like I have oil wells growing in my back yard?'' And Juanita was like that. She danced and she walked and she showed off, and that is what I loved most about her. When I came to Congress, I learned that we had Alabama roots. I learned that she was an AKA and I was a Delta. And on the floor of the House I would wear pink, and she would say, oh, you look good in that pink. And I would say, oh it is only faded red that I have on, because Deltas wore red. We talked about issues affecting women. It was as a result of her work and that of Bob Ney that I had an opportunity to bring the Secretary of State of Ohio before a hearing and get him to answer questions. I thank Juanita for that, to my best. But I think the thing that Juanita and I talked about most, and my words are to you, Keith, that she loved you. We talked about our sons. And African American sons are so important in the lives of mothers. And we used to talk about you. And I used to talk about Mervyn. And she loved her daughters, but we talked about our boys. And I just want to say to the family, Jim and all, that we here in the Congress will miss Juanita Millender-McDonald. But the thing that we will always remember is she was right there on that aisle, right there, just sitting there talking, smiling, walking, being involved. And we thank God for Juanita Millender-McDonald. And, God, you know, AKAs came first, but the Deltas were second. So I will always think of her as my sister. We are from the same root.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, last week I had the pleasure of attending a middle school in my congressional district. The middle school is Woodbury. I have a T-shirt to represent Woodbury Middle School. I thought I could wear it on the floor of the House, but they told me it was inappropriate attire so I had to take it off. But this is a Woodbury T-shirt, and I promised those students at Woodbury Middle School that this week on the floor of the House I would talk about what a great time I had at Woodbury Middle School. The reason I was there, and let me recognize the principal, Barbara Whitaker; the vice principals, WeMet Smith and Eric Grundton; and teacher friends of mine, my neighbor, Barbara Norton; Chante Taylor, who is the wife of one of my district staffers; Aisha Mason, who is the wife of Senator Lance Mason. But what I was there for we have Ohio achievement tests, and we decided on this particular day at this particular school, we are going to celebrate the achievements of the young people of Woodbury Middle School. We had a wonderful time. The band played. They are doing a production of ``Annie,'' and ``Annie'' did a production. We had a dance troupe that I learned how to do a certain dance with these young people. We even had a chance to quote Nas, a famous rapper, who talks about I can be what I want to be. We had a great time. We had a wonderful chance to really celebrate the fact that these young people are going to do a great job on this Ohio achievement test. So Woodbury Middle School, I keep my promise. Hurray for Woodbury Middle School. Pass that test.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

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