Hank Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. You're not interested in debate.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, the union of Viola Reed and John Walker has blessed us with descendants that have helped to shape our nation; and Whereas, their union produced many well respected citizens, today we honor all of the matriarchs and patriarchs, who are pillars of strength for the Thomas, Walker and Wilson families; and Whereas, in our beloved Fourth Congressional District of Georgia, we are honored to have many members of the Thomas, Walker and Wilson families, whom are some of our most productive citizens in our District; and Whereas, family is one of the most honored and cherished institutions in the world, we take pride in knowing that families such as the Thomas, Walker and Wilson families have set aside this time to fellowship with each other, honor one another and to pass along history to each other by meeting at this year's family reunion in Atlanta, Georgia; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize the Thomas, Walker and Wilson families; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim, June 29, 2012, as Thomas, Walker and Wilson Family Reunion Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, reaching the age of 80 years is a remarkable milestone; and Whereas, Mrs. Annie Johnson-Sinkfield was born on June 14, 1932 and is celebrating that milestone; and Whereas, Mrs. Sinkfield has been blessed with a long, happy life, devoted to God and credits it all to the Will of God; and Whereas, Mrs. Sinkfield is celebrating her 80th birthday with her family members, church members and friends here in DeKalb County, Georgia, on June 16, 2012, she celebrates a life of blessings; as a wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother; and Whereas, the Lord has been her Shepherd throughout her life and she prays daily and is leading by example a blessed life; an advocate, faithful church member at Poplar Springs Baptist Church in Ellenwood, Georgia, and a community leader; and Whereas, we are honored that she is celebrating the milestone of her 80th birthday in the 4th District of Georgia; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Mrs. Annie Johnson- Sinkfield for an exemplary life which is an inspiration to all, Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim June 14, 2012, as Mrs. Annie Johnson-Sinkfield Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, forty years ago a virtuous woman of God accepted her calling to serve in the clergy upon graduation from Columbia Seminary in May 1972; and Whereas, Pastor Caroline Leach began her work in the ministry after being ordained the 21st woman pastor in the former Southern Presbyterian Church, and today retires as Co-Pastor of Oakhurst Presbyterian Church in Decatur, Georgia; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents, giving the citizens of our District not just a friend who helps those in need, but a fearless leader and a servant to all who ensures that the gospel touches everyone mentally, spiritually and physically; and Whereas, Pastor Caroline Leach is a cornerstone in our community who has enhanced the lives of thousands for the betterment of our District and Nation; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Pastor Caroline Leach upon her retirement and wish her well in her new adventures and endeavors; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim June 23, 2012 as Pastor Caroline Leach Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, Victory for the World Church has been and continues to be a beacon of light to our county for the past twenty-five years; and Whereas, Dr. Kenneth L. Samuel, Pastor and Organizer and the members of the Victory for the World Church family today continues to uplift and inspire those in our community; and Whereas, Victory for the World Church family has been and continues to be a place where citizens are touched spiritually, mentally and physically through outreach ministries and community partnership to aid in building up our District; and Whereas, this remarkable and tenacious Church of God has given hope to the hopeless, fed the needy and empowered our community for the past twenty-five (25) years by preaching the gospel, teaching the gospel and living the gospel; and Whereas, Victory for the World Church has produced many spiritual warriors, people of compassion, people of great courage, fearless leaders and servants to all, but most of all visionaries who have shared not only with their Church, but with DeKalb County and the world their passion to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize the Victory for the World Church family for their leadership and service to our District on this the 25th anniversary of their founding; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim May 23, 2012, as Victory for the World Church Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, Leon and Joyce Henry are celebrating fifty (50) years in marriage today in DeKalb County, Georgia; and Whereas, on June 18, 1962, because of their union then, our community today has been blessed with a family that has enhanced our district, they both are instruments in our community that uplift the spiritual, physical, economic, and mental welfare of our citizens; and Whereas, this remarkable and tenacious man of God and this phenomenal and virtuous Proverbs 31 woman have been blessed with a wonderful family: Leon, Jr., Jasmine, Jaden, Shelia, Jaxson, Cheryl, Anthony, Kingston, Brooklyn, Monique, Ebony, Elijah, Amy, TJ, Dion, Nahtiah, and ``baby Ava''; and Whereas, Leon and Joyce Henry are distinguished citizens of our district, they are spiritual warriors, persons of compassion, fearless leaders and servants to all, but most of all visionaries who have shared not only with their family, but with our District their passion to improve the lives of others; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Leon and Joyce Henry as they celebrate their 50th Anniversary, fifty (50) years in marital bliss; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim June 18th as Leon and Joyce Henry Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, Crystal Brockington and Johnathan Davis have distinguished themselves as an outstanding research team in the area of Science from Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology; and Whereas, Miss Brockington and Mr. Davis have competed throughout the state of Georgia, the Nation and internationally; and Whereas, their research project the ``Optimization of Solar Cells Using Quantum Dots & Nanofibers'' received the designation and prestigious ranking of #2 worldwide as a Silver medalist this year in Istanbul, Turkey; and Whereas, these students have studied hard, sacrificed much and balanced their lives as teenagers maintaining high grade point averages throughout the school year; and Whereas, they are model student leaders with the heart to serve their community and a drive to one day be the best of the best for their school, their family and their country; and Whereas, their boundless energy and enthusiasm have opened internationally recognized opportunities, helping Fourth District Congressional students understand that their futures are as limitless as the skies; and Whereas, we are grateful for the accomplishments and work of these outstanding students of honor who define the power of education and imagination; and Now Therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim June 12, 2012 as Crystal Brockington and Johnathan Davis Day in Georgia's 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 12th day of June, 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, the lives of many have been touched by the life of one--Mrs. Carolyn B. Parks; and Whereas, Mrs. Carolyn B. Parks is the District I Vice President of the American Business Women's Association (ABWA), she has been and continues to be involved in promoting business and community by informing, educating and giving support to our citizens in our District; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents for the betterment of our community through her tireless works, words of encouragement and empowerment; and Whereas, Mrs. Carolyn B. Parks has given DeKalb County and the Metropolitan Atlanta area, tools that enhance lives, supports our youth, protect our seniors and promotes our community businesses; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Mrs. Carolyn B. Parks for her outstanding leadership and service to our District; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim July 27, 2012 as Carolyn B. Parks Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 27th day of July, 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following proclamation: Whereas, Bishop Dr. Stewart Reese, Jr., is celebrating forty three (43) years in pastoral leadership this year as the founder of Bethesda Cathedral of the Apostolic Faith, Inc., and has provided stellar leadership to his church; and Whereas, Bishop Reese, under the guidance of God has pioneered and sustained Bethesda Cathedral as an instrument in our community that uplifts the spiritual, physical and mental welfare of our citizens; and Whereas, this remarkable and tenacious man of God has given hope to the hopeless and is a beacon of light to those in need; and Whereas, Bishop Reese is a spiritual warrior, a man of compassion, a fearless leader and a servant to all, but most of all a visionary who has shared not only with his Church, but with our District and the nation his passion to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Bishop Reese, as he celebrates forty three years in pastoral leadership on this the Founder's Day of Bethesda Cathedral of the Apostolic Faith; Now Therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim June 3, 2012 as Bishop Dr. Stewart Reese, Jr. Day in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 3rd day of June, 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, Bishop William P. DeVeaux is celebrating eight years (8) in leadership this year as the presiding prelate for all of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) churches in Georgia and Dr. Patricia Ann Morris is celebrating eight years as the Episcopal Supervisor, they have both provided stellar leadership to their church on an international level; and Whereas, Bishop and Dr. DeVeaux, under the guidance of God has pioneered and sustained the African Methodist Episcopal churches in Georgia, as an instrument in our community that uplifts the spiritual, physical and mental welfare of our citizens; and Whereas, this remarkable and tenacious man and virtuous woman of God give hope to the hopeless, feed the hungry and are a beacon of light to those in need; and Whereas, Bishop and Dr. DeVeaux are spiritual warriors, persons of compassion, fearless leaders and servants to all, but most of all visionaries who share not only with their Church, but with our District and the world their passion to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Bishop and Dr. DeVeaux on their excellent leadership in Georgia; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim June 1, 2012 as Bishop William P. DeVeaux and Dr. Patricia Ann Morris DeVeaux Day in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 1st day of June, 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following proclamation: Whereas, Brian A. Mann has distinguished himself as an outstanding researcher in the area of Science from Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology; and Whereas, Mr. Mann has competed throughout the state of Georgia, the Nation and internationally; and Whereas, his research project the ``Piezoelectric Nanogenerators'' received the designation and prestigious ranking of #3 worldwide as a Bronze medalist this year in Istanbul, Turkey; and Whereas, he has studied hard, sacrificed much and balanced his life as a teenager maintaining a high grade point average throughout the school year; and Whereas, he is a model student leader with the heart to serve his community and a drive to one day be the best of the best for his school, his family and his country; and Whereas, his boundless energy and enthusiasm has opened internationally recognized opportunities, helping Fourth District Congressional students understand that their futures are as limitless as the skies; and Whereas, we are grateful for the accomplishments and work of this outstanding student of honor who define the power of education and imagination; and Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim June 26, 2012 as Brian A. Mann Day in Georgia's 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 26th day of June, 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following proclamation: Whereas, Ninety years ago a virtuous woman of God was born in Henry County, Georgia on July 21, 1922; and Whereas, Mrs. Marie Robinson was born Marie Morris to Mr. Wil and Mrs. Mary Gay Morris, she was educated in the local school system in Georgia, married Mr. Moses E. Robinson and through their union was blessed with nine children, thirty-five grandchildren, sixty-six great- grandchildren and nine great-great grandchildren; and Whereas, this Phenomenal Proverbs 31 woman has shared her time and talents as a Wife, Mother and Motivator, giving the citizens of Georgia a person of great worth, a fearless leader and a servant to all who wants to advance the lives of others; and Whereas, Mrs. Robinson has been blessed with a long, happy life, devoted to God and credits it all to the Will of God; and Whereas, Mrs. Robinson along with her family and friends are celebrating this day a remarkable milestone, her 90th Birthday, we pause to acknowledge a woman who is a cornerstone in our community in DeKalb County, Georgia; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Mrs. Robinson on her birthday and to wish her well and recognize her for an exemplary life which is an inspiration to all; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim July 21st, 2012 as Mrs. Marie Robinson Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 21st day of July, 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following proclamation: Whereas, Forty-two years ago a young woman accepted her calling to serve in the Health Care System as a Nurse; and Whereas, Ms. Mary Theresa Johnson began her nursing career in Wilmington, Delaware and this year she retires from nursing at the Shepherd Spinal Center in Atlanta, Georgia, she has served the Health Care System well and our community has been blessed through her service; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents as a Nurse, Mother and Motivator, giving the citizens of Georgia a person of great worth, a fearless leader, a devoted professional and a servant to all who want to advance the lives of others through medicine; and Whereas, Ms. Johnson is formally retiring from her nursing career today, she will continue to promote healthy living because she is a cornerstone in our community that has enhanced the lives of thousands for the betterment of our District and Nation; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Ms. Mary Theresa Johnson on her retirement and to wish her well in her new endeavors; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim May 26, 2012 as Ms. Mary Theresa Johnson Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 26th day of May, 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following proclamation: Whereas, One hundred five years ago a virtuous woman of God was born in Buena Vista, Alabama on July 1, 1907; and Whereas, Mrs. Julia Ann Snell was born Julia Ann Holt to Mr. Daniel and Mrs. Irean Holt, she was educated in the local school system in Alabama, married Mr. Tim Wilson in Mobile, Alabama and was a homemaker and a store clerk at their grocery store until Mr. Wilson preceded her in death; She later married Mr. Nathaniel Snell and lived in California until Mr. Snell preceded her in death, after Mr. Snell's passing, she moved backed to Mobile, Alabama and eventually to Decatur, Georgia; and Whereas, this Phenomenal Proverbs 31 woman has shared her time and talents as a Wife, Sister, Aunt and Motivator, giving the citizens of Georgia a person of great worth, a fearless leader and a servant to all who wants to advance the lives of others; and Whereas, Mrs. Snell has been blessed with a long, happy life, devoted to God and credits it all to the Will of God; and Whereas, Mrs. Snell along with her family and friends are celebrating this day a remarkable milestone, her 105th Birthday, we pause to acknowledge a woman who is a cornerstone in our community in DeKalb County, Georgia; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Mrs. Snell on her birthday and to wish her well and recognize her for an exemplary life which is an inspiration to all; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby proclaim July 1, 2012 as Mrs. Julia Ann Snell Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 1st day of July, 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, the birth of Ezekiel Dempsey in the state of North Carolina in the 1800's began the Dempsey family lineage which has blessed us with descendants that have helped to shape our nation; and Whereas, the Dempsey Family has produced many well respected citizens and the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Dempsey Family are pillars of strength that have touched many throughout our nation, family members of the past and present such as Rev. Tom Dempsey, Stephen Dempsey, William Dempsey, James Dempsey and Sarah Dempsey; and Whereas, in our beloved Fourth Congressional District of Georgia, we are honored to have members of the Dempsey family for they are some of our most beloved citizens in our District; and Whereas, family is one of the most honored and cherished institutions in the world, we take pride in knowing that families such as the Dempsey family have set aside this time to fellowship with each other, honor one another and to pass along history to each other by meeting at this year's family reunion in DeKalb County, Georgia; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize the Dempsey family; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim June 8, 2012 as Dempsey Family Reunion Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 8th day of June, 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today we need to understand that there are two classes of documents. The ones that relate to pending criminal investigations, those are not discoverable or cannot be distributed outside of the Justice Department under penalty of U.S. law. You can get 5 years for doing that. You can't expect the Attorney General to turn those over. The other class of documents is internal communications. There may be some whiff of discoverable information in those, but they're covered by executive privilege. And you really don't know why the Attorney General has invoked executive privilege on those issues, but we have to trust the fact that there's good reason for that to be the case. Now when you compare what has gone on today and over the last 7 days with what happened the day that President Obama was sworn in, you can understand why they're doing what they're doing today. You see, not very long after President Obama was sworn in, we got word that Mitch McConnell said that his mission was to make President Obama a one-term President. And then we know that later on that afternoon, later that evening, when everyone else was enjoying themselves at the Presidential balls, there was a group of Congresspeople--leadership in the Republican Party--that were scheming on how they were going to disrupt and say ``no'' and obstruct everything that this President put forth. So they have done that. They have done everything they can to make this President look bad. This is a manufactured crisis. It has no legal substance whatsoever. This is just simply a cheap political stunt to bring disfavor upon the President of the United States. And I ask my colleagues to not let us sink to this level. It is the first time in history that any Cabinet member has been found in contempt of Congress. This is truly saddening.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise to give a special tribute to those fathers and their families who have come to America as refugees, escaping the harsh political and economic conditions in their home countries. On June 20, we celebrated World Refugee Day. Like many of our forefathers, refugees came to America hoping for a better life. Refugees receive sanctuary in the United States because they are in harm's way, they cannot return home safely, and they have nowhere else to turn. For generations, we have resettled millions of refugees from all over the world. They have come from many backgrounds and ethnicities. America has offered sanctuary to countless Jews, Eastern Europeans, and many others displaced during World War II. We have welcomed people from Cuba, Vietnam, and other Asian countries who were fleeing repressive regimes. In my home State of Georgia, I have seen how refugees have become an asset, contributing to the local economy and to the local culture. According to data from the Matching Grant Program, on average, 85 percent of refugee families in Georgia are self-sufficient 180 days after arrival. Many Americans know the remarkable story of the Lost Boys of Sudan. Thousands of Sudanese boys were displaced and separated from their families during the second Sudanese civil war between 1983 and 2005. They traveled by foot for weeks and sometimes years to refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya just to survive. Their resilience and hard work should be an example for us all. Defying all odds, these young men pursued their dream of getting an education in America and grew to become productive members of my congressional district in Scottdale and Clarkston, Georgia. Nonprofit organizations such as Refugee Family Services and RRSIA, located in my district, provide refugees with the resources they need to become self- sufficient and adapt to life here in America. Thanks to services provided by these organizations, Ram, a young man who grew up in a Nepali refugee camp, was awarded a prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship, a full 4-year scholarship to any college in the country. Ram chose to remain close to his family in Georgia, and he is attending Georgia Tech and plans to become a doctor. So as we celebrate and recognize World Refugee Day this month, let us take a moment to think of those refugees, and let us recognize those organizations and volunteers working tirelessly every day helping refugees build a better future for generations to come. Let us also be proud as Americans for following our age-old tradition of welcoming those who have lost almost everything, but have found in our great country a promise for a better tomorrow. Moreover, let us celebrate the generosity of the American people who have granted to refugees the best gift of all--freedom and hope. So I ask all of my colleagues not to cut funding for refugees just to score cheap political points. Let us instead embrace refugees. Except for Native Americans, we are all descendants of progenitors who came here under some form of duress. Let us uphold our better nature of compassion and kindness that lies at the heart of who we are as Americans.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, Americans need to know that Tea Party Republican obstructionism has brought us to the brink of yet another manufactured crisis. We have less than 2 days to pass critical highway and student loan bills that will keep Americans on the job and prevent student loan rates from doubling. Yet Tea Party Republicans are wasting time on frivolous amendments and on a purely meritless, political, and partisan vote to hold the Attorney General in contempt. Reports indicate that bipartisan Senate leadership has reached a deal on student loans and the highway bill as well, a deal which is now being blocked in the House by the Tea Party Republicans. This is not governing, ladies and gentlemen; it's Tea Party gridlock. Americans long for a Congress that is capable of honest debate and compromise in solving the important issues of the day. That's what the Founders and the Framers intended of us. It's been over 100 days since the Senate passed a bipartisan highway bill with 74 votes. While the House Tea Party Republicans quibble, they put 1.9 million jobs at risk. Mr. Chairman, if the Tea Party Republicans prevent a deal on student loans, over 7.4 million students will see their interest rates double, costing students $6 billion. They brought us to the brink of a government shut down in February of 2011. Last summer they brought the country to the brink of default and caused the first downgrade in the history of the United States of our credit rating. This year, they opposed the middle class tax cut, and they have successfully ignored and blocked the President's job act. Mr. Chairman, we should listen to the American people, not the big- dollar corporate backers of the Tea Party. I, myself, never knew that any of the real Tea Partyers of 1776 were millionaires or even wealthy. They were people like the working people of today. We call them the middle class. Today, we are debating cut after draconian cut to our Nation's transportation and housing programs, which impact and hurt the middle class. These cuts put good, middle class jobs at risk. They make it harder for small businesses to operate, and they cause harm to low- income Americans who are struggling to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. The Tea Party-millionaire Republicans will spend all week circling the toilet bowl drain and debating these amendments that have no chance of becoming law, when we should be lowering student loan rates and passing a long-term highway bill. Mr. Chairman, this is a great country, but how long can we withstand the best efforts of this millionaire Tea Party Republican Congress to bring America to its knees? I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 4018, the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Improvements Act, appropriately expands the scope of this important program to better assist our public safety officers and their families. The PSOB program has been an important means of supporting our public safety officers since 1976, when the authorizing legislation was enacted. Initially, the program provided death benefits for certain officers, but it has since been expanded to apply to a wide range of those who protect us to now include Federal, State and local police officers, firefighters, public rescue squads, ambulance crews, and chaplains of those agencies. The PSOB program currently provides death benefits in the form of a onetime financial payment to the eligible survivors of public safety officers whose deaths are the direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty. The program also provides financial assistance to help pay higher education costs for the spouses and children of public safety officers for whom PSOB death or disability benefits have been paid. This bill extends the coverage of the program to members of nonprofit rescue squads and ambulance crews who suffer fatal or catastrophic injury as a result of their performances of certain specified public safety activities within their specific lines of duty. The bill also extends the coverage to vascular ruptures in addition to the existing coverage of heart attacks and strokes occurring during non-routine line-of-duty activities. H.R. 4018 also includes a number of other provisions clarifying the inconsistencies that have arisen due to prior amendments to the PSOB Act, and it makes the administration of the program more efficient so that these officers may more quickly obtain the benefits they and their families deserve. Our public safety officers willingly undergo long hours and often dangerous conditions to protect all of us, and we all know that they are not compensated at a level commensurate with the dangers they face and the importance of the services that they provide. When they die or become disabled because they are acting to help us, providing these benefits is the right thing to do. I hope this bill will make this program work even better during those unfortunate instances when it is necessary. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, the four treaties underlying this legislation are the cornerstones of an important effort to update international law for the post-September 11 era. Two of the treaties, the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism and the Convention for the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, require party nations to better protect nuclear materials and to punish acts of nuclear terrorism. The two other treaties, amendments to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation and the protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Fixed Platforms, address the use of ships and fixed platforms in terrorist attacks, as well as the transport of weapons, weapons delivery systems, and terrorist fugitives by sea. The United States signed these treaties in 2005. The Senate passed resolutions of advice and consent on all four in 2008. In an era where we increasingly rely on our allies to combat terrorism, these new treaty obligations are also plain common sense. Members of this committee have been committed to their ratification from the very start. We disagreed with the administration's original legislative proposal only where it asked for far more than was necessary to implement these treaties. Fortunately, after many months of discussion, we have arrived at language that implements these treaties without making unnecessary and needlessly controversial changes to the Federal Criminal Code. H.R. 5889 represents true bipartisan consensus and has the full support of the Obama administration. I look forward to its passage here in the House, to its ultimate passage in the Senate, and to our diplomatic corps filing letters of ratification after all these years. I want to thank Chairman Smith and Chairman Sensenbrenner both for holding a hearing in the Crime Subcommittee on this important legislation in October of last year, and for their collaboration with Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Bobby Scott to work out our concerns with the administration. I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 4223 is intended to address the problem of large-scale medical product theft. I think we will all agree that this crime poses substantial risks to the public. For instance, in North Carolina, in 2009, over 120,000 vials of insulin were stolen and subsequently reintroduced back into the supply chain to be used by unsuspecting patients. Patients should be able to rely on their medications to be safe, effective, and unadulterated, and we certainly need to treat it as a significant crime when criminals steal shipments of drugs. Large-scale medical product theft is a serious problem that merits a serious solution. I commend my colleagues on the House Judiciary Committee for making important changes to this bill. The manager's amendment adopted at markup clarified that the mens rea applies only to conduct in which the perpetrator knows that the product involved is a medical product that is stolen, expired, or not yet released to the public. I also believe that the correct reading of this bill, consistent with the general presumption that the mens rea element in a statute applies to all other nonjurisdictional elements, is that a defendant would have to know that the product is a pre-retail medical product in order to be convicted. While I note these important issues, I want to raise a note of concern about the approach of increasing penalties as a way of addressing crime. Stealing cargo from a warehouse is already illegal, of course. The penalty is a fine and up to 10 years in prison. H.R. 4223 creates a new crime for theft of preretail medical products and a new code section, 18 U.S.C. Section 670. Section 670 would increase the penalties to up to 30 years in prison in some cases if the stolen goods are preretail medical products. However, I'm heartened that this bill does not include mandatory minimum sentences, and there will be an intelligent, deliberative process to set sentencing guidelines by the U.S. Sentencing Commission. As the House moves to adopt this bill today, I want to emphasize that it is also important that we do what we know works best to deter crime, and that is to increase the likelihood that perpetrators will be caught and convicted. We heard from a witness at the hearing on this bill that increased investigation and enforcement would have a greater deterrent effect than increased penalties. I agree, and this bill was amended at markup to include a provision directing the Attorney General to give increased priority to efforts to investigate and prosecute preretail medical theft offenses. Finally, we want to encourage the industry to exhaust all reasonable means of preventing these thefts from their properties and other facilities along the transit route. The April 2011 edition of Fortune Magazine included an article entitled, ``Drug Theft Goes Big.'' The article reports that the thieves who committed the largest prescription drug theft in history did so by cutting through the tar roof of Eli Lilly's Connecticut warehouse and sliding down ropes. Security was so lax that the thieves were able to pull their own tractor-trailer up to the loading dock and spend a couple of hours loading the stolen goods. In a similar event several months ago, thieves broke into a GlaxoSmithKline warehouse by coming through the roof. While none of this in any way shields or excuses the perpetrators of these crimes, clearly, these examples point to the need for more security. Government and industry should work together at all points along the factory-to-retail chain to prevent and detect such thefts. I'm aware that industry and government regulatory authorities are working toward these ends, and I would hope that work will continue so that we will have a comprehensive effort to address this type of crime. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, this bill is not about civil rights, but it's simply another attempt to chip away at a woman's right to choose. It's part of the Republican war on women, also known as WOW. I'm like, Wow, why are we continuing to attack women like this? Wow, it's men against women. What's happening is we're in a political year, ladies and gentlemen, and politics has been good to the Republicans as of late. They have pitted people who favor immigration against those who do not support it. They have divided people on affirmative action from African Americans. They have divided people on the issue of gays living in America. These are all diversionary issues. They've been attacking labor and saying that it is because of labor that you don't have what you should have. It's a political season, and so this is what they are doing with this bill. It's pitting the men against the women. This bill seeks to prohibit discrimination against the unborn on the basis of gender, but it's really part of the divide-and-conquer approach that has been hugely successful for these Republicans. It would require doctors to become mind readers, ladies and gentlemen, and require them to determine what the sex of the child is and whether or not that is a factor in a woman's determination to have an abortion. It's ridiculous. It's shameful many of the supporters of this bill are the same ones who voted to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood and the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative. That's funding that would have helped prevent unintended pregnancies. They also voted, ladies and gentlemen, to repeal, and repeatedly they have voted to repeal, the Affordable Care Act, which has improved the health of uninsured women and children. Recently, they supported Rush Limbaugh in his attack on women and access to contraception. You see, this is part of the war on women. Wow. The record is shameful and it's clear. Instead of divisive attacks on a woman's right to choose, we should unite behind policies that prevent unintended pregnancies in the first place. I urge a ``no'' vote.