Hank Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the resolve to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 30th anniversary of the Stevie Wonder tribute to Dr. King, ``Happy Birthday''. This resolve was introduced by chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, John Conyers. Like myself, Chairman Conyers is a longtime musician and music aficionado. Dr. King worked his entire life to make the world a better place, and to create equality for those who did not have it. We have come a very long way since he began his work. However, we still have a long way to go before we make his ``dream'' become a reality. It is always important to recognize and remember those who have done great things for our great country, and recognizing Dr. King's accomplishments and dreams during the 30th anniversary of Stevie Wonder's tribute to him would be very fitting. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, and as a musician, I find this resolution to be of special significance, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it. Although Dr. King's life ended in Memphis Tennessee, it began in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929. He spent his life working to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and non-violent protests. On April 28, 1963, he gave one of the most famous civil rights speeches of all time in his ``I Have a Dream'' speech. The speech painted a picture of a future that we are still trying to achieve where people will be ``not judged by the color of their skin, but the content of their character''. Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis Tennessee. Dr. King was one of many significant people from Georgia that are remembered in history. It is important that we take time to remember the contributions he made to our society. His contributions have already brought him many accolades. In 1964, he won the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the youngest person to have been awarded this honor, and in 1965 he was awarded the American Liberties Medallion by the American Jewish Community. In 1963, he was named Time Person of the Year. The list of awards and recognitions he has received is very long and prestigious, and it is only fitting for us to recognize his achievements as well. Stevie Wonder wrote, produced and performed the song ``Happy Birthday'' in 1981. It was performed to let the world know how important it was to him that Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday be celebrated as a national holiday. It is for this reason that the timing of this commemoration of Dr. King is so significant. As a member of the Judiciary and a long time musician, I urge my colleagues to support this resolve.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H. Res. 1002 which honors the life and work of Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and encourages the continued commitment to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday as a national day of service. I would also like to commend Representative Platts, the sponsor of this resolution, for his continued commitment to preserving the accomplishments of Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Madam Speaker, ten years ago, thanks to the hard work of Chairman John Conyers, all fifty states for the first time officially observed the federal holiday in Dr. King's honor. This was certainly a milestone for the United States. Efforts to memorialize Dr. King's life with a holiday have been ongoing since shortly after his assassination on April 4, 1968 and I am proud to say we have come a long way from that time. It is an honor to be a representative from Georgia where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. began his work and, as an African-American I am proud to be a part of Dr. King's legacy. It is through Dr. King's efforts to codify civil rights in both the law and the heart of America that I am able to have the privilege of representing the great state of Georgia in the House of Representatives today. Dr. King's work continues to influence millions of people today. His call for nonviolence and civic engagement has inspired people to positive action to better their station and their communities. As Dr. King once said, ``Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.'' These words embody the spirit we need to remember during the upcoming holiday. Madam Speaker, as the third Monday in January approaches and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's. message of service, unity and equality for all continues to resonate with people around the world, let us not forget what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did for America and the world and let us recognize the importance of this holiday and of service to our community. I strongly support H. Res. 1002.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I would like to submit this proclamation which I issued to Beulah Baptist Church. Whereas, the Beulah Baptist Church has been and continues to he a beacon of light to our county for the past 113 years; and Whereas, Pastor Jerry D. Black and the members of the Beulah Baptist Church family today continues to uplift and inspire those in our county; and Whereas, the Beulah Baptist 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 113 years by preaching the gospel, singing the gospel and living the gospel; and Whereas, Beulah 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 Beulah Baptist Church family for their leadership and service to our District on this the 113th Anniversary of their founding: Now Therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim November 22, 2009 as Beulah Baptist Church Day in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 22nd day of November, 2009.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1110, the Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement, ``PHONE,'' Act of 2009. I strongly support this important piece of legislation that aims to protect Americans from spoofing. Spoofing involves the use of a false caller ID to hide the caller's true identity in order to commit fraud or some other abusive act. The PHONE Act of 2009 targets spoofing by prohibiting the use of caller ID information to hide the caller's true identity in order to wrongfully obtain anything of value or to commit other abusive acts. In recent years, spoofing technology has become readily available through Internet telephone equipment and Web sites specifically set up to spoof. Because call recipients are under the impression that the telephone call is legitimate, they sometimes divulge personal and private information to the spoofer. Identity thieves have used spoofing to mislead call recipients into revealing personal financial information to commit identity theft, fraudulently authorize stolen credit cards, and to arrange for fraudulent money transfers. According to the Federal Trade Commission's 2008 Identity Theft Consumer Complaint Data, Georgia ranked 7, out of the 50 States, for identity theft complaints. Last year, Georgians made 10,748 identity theft complaints. The Federal Trade Commission calculated that 111 complaints were made for every 100,000 Georgia residents. I join the Chairman in urging my colleagues to support this bill. This legislation can protect constituents in my district from identity thieves who use spoofing as their vice.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, nuclear weapons are a plague. If we are to control their spread, international law must mean something. Words must be supported by action. In recent months, the United States and our allies have engaged in vigorous multilateral diplomacy in an attempt to break through an impasse with Iran over its nuclear program. Rather than engaging in good-faith diplomacy, Iran has stalled and played games. So today we must authorize President Obama to impose sanctions on Iran's petroleum sector. Iran's leaders must understand that life will become more difficult every day they defy the lawful will of the international community. I urge the President to use this authority carefully, patiently, and effectively. I commend Chairman Berman for his diligence and determination in bringing this legislation through Committee and to the floor. I am also proud to have a small claim of co-authorship. I contributed language that highlights Iran's construction of a secret uranium enrichment facility at Qom and demands that Iran disclose any additional covert enrichment facilities. Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons will beget similar programs by Iran's neighbors. A nuclearized Middle East is bad for international security, bad for the global economy, bad for the United States and bad for our allies. Nuclear weapons are a plague. Here we must draw a red line and stop their spread.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the actions of the House of Representatives in recognizing the life and work of intellectual, activist and community organizer A. Philip Randolph. As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, I strongly support H. Res. 150, which provides Congress with an opportunity to recognize important issues such as civil rights, labor rights, and the struggle for racial equality, to which A. Philip Randolph devoted his life, and which continue to have relevance today. I encourage my colleagues to support this important resolution. A. Philip Randolph was born on April 15, 1889 in Crescent City, Florida. He was a student of politics and economics at City College during the Harlem Renaissance. In 1917, Randolph co-founded ``The Messenger,'' a widely respected political and literary magazine which campaigned against the horrors of lynching and segregation. Deeply concerned not only with African American rights, but also labor and employment issues, he organized a union of elevator operators in New York in the same year. In 1925 he organized the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, a labor union which advanced African American claims to respect, dignity and a decent livelihood. He used the threat of a march on Washington as part of a successful lobbying effort to abolish racial discrimination in the national defense industry which led President Roosevelt to sign Executive Order 8802, or the Fair Employment Act in 1941--the first Federal Law to prohibit employment discrimination in the United States. In 1947, Randolph led a successful movement to end segregation in the armed forces, which prompted President Truman to issue Executive Order 9981 on July 26, 1948, establishing equality of treatment and opportunity in the Armed Services. In 1963, Randolph initiated and organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom where Martin Luther King, Jr. of my home State of Georgia delivered his ``I Have a Dream'' speech, and which helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Throughout his life, A. Philip Randolph demonstrated the kind of moral courage worthy of our gratitude and support. His activism and his commitment to social justice consisted not in holding society to a moral standard that is external to it, but rather in demanding that society take seriously its own idea of freedom on which it intrinsically depends. Although much progress has been made since Randolph's death in 1979, the gap which he fought to overcome, between what we are and what we can be, between society and its potential, remains today as it did in his lifetime. His leadership in the civil rights movement and his lifelong efforts to secure equal labor opportunities for all Americans make him a positive role model, not only for young people, but for all of the citizens in this great Nation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the actions of the House in recognizing the 50th anniversary of Miles Davis' ground breaking recording, Kind of Blue. I would also like to thank Representative Conyers for his spirited commitment to preserving the American art form known as jazz. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution. Mr. Speaker, 50 years ago, Miles Davis brought together six gifted musicians, Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers, John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, and Jimmy Cobb. These men, who we now revere as jazz legends, under Davis' lead, fashioned the best selling jazz album of all time. It is no wonder that Kind of Blue is ranked as the 12th greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine. Selling more than 4 million copies to date, Kind of Blue changed the shape of jazz through the buzz of Davis' trumpet and his focus on musical modes. The album's influence on popular music throughout the years cannot be overstated. Musicians including Quincy Jones, Duane Allman, Q-tip, and Pink Floyd have cited the jazz standards of Kind of Blue as a musical inspiration, and as a musician, I was also inspired by the stylistic melodies of Kind of Blue. Mr. Speaker, as Kind of Blue continues to introduce listeners around the world to jazz music and the genius of Miles Davis, let us not forget the importance of jazz education and music appreciation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I would like to submit this proclamation which I issued to Ms. Mary Anne Sharp. Whereas, Forty-five years ago a virtuous woman of God accepted her calling to serve as Director of the Decatur Civic Chorus in Decatur, Georgia; and Whereas, Ms. Mary Anne Sharp began her educational career in Decatur, Georgia, attending Decatur public schools, Oglethorpe University and Emory University; and Whereas, this phenomenal woman has shared her time and talents with the citizens of DeKalb County, Georgia and the world through directing and producing concerts that continue to touch the lives of many; and Whereas, Ms. Sharp 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 Anne Sharp on her 45th Anniversary as Director of the Decatur Civic Chorus and to congratulate her on this milestone; Now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim December 13, 2009 as Ms. Mary Anne Sharp Day in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 13th day of December, 2009.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to applaud the actions of the House of Representatives in addressing the need to install weather radios in all manufactured homes manufactured or sold in the United States to ensure the safety of all Americans. This bill, named after a 2-year-old boy whose life was taken away when a tornado struck his community in 2005, will allow residents to receive more timely warnings about imminent severe weather. Accordingly, the bill ensures that each manufactured home delivered for sale in the United States be supplied with a weather radio. Nearly 20,000,000 Americans live in manufactured homes. Because manufactured homes are more affordable than traditional homes, they are a viable housing option for low and moderate-income families. With the state of the economy, manufactured homes have become a more accessible and affordable way for many families to purchase their own homes. Thus, weather radios are essential as they provide immediate broadcast warnings of severe weather, such as floods, tornados, and high winds. In March of 2009 a surprise tornado struck the City of Atlanta and caused millions of dollars worth of damage. Tornadoes can strike in many parts of the country, including places where they are rare, such as Atlanta. This is why the CJ's Home Protection Act of 2009 is an important piece of legislation that will save lives. I support this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3570, the Satellite Home Viewer Update and Reauthorization Act of 2009. I strongly support this important piece of satellite television reauthorization legislation. H.R. 3570 reauthorizes satellite operators' licenses to import distant network affiliate television signals to viewers who cannot receive a viewable signal from their local affiliate. This is important as it allows satellite and cable television providers to carry out-of- market television signals to households that cannot receive stations in their own local markets. This allows state public television networks to reach all their state's residents with important news and public affairs programming. Alongside the chairman, I worked hard to get the phantom signal language included in the bill. I am proud of the final product and believe it is something about which all Americans can be proud. Previously, due to flaws in existing law, broadcasters sometimes paid royalties to content roducers even when programming was not actually delivered to subscribers. Royalties for the transmission of broadcast signals to cable systems were paid as if the entire cable system received the transmission, even if it was only received by some subscribers within the cable system. This has been known as the phantom signal problem. The cost of this flaw was passed down to consumers. With the passage of this reauthorization, including my phantom signal language, the American people will no longer be forced to pay for programming they have not received. I join the chairman in urging my colleagues to support this bill. As a result of this legislation, constituents in my district will not be forced to pay for satellite and cable programming they have not received and, as a result, save money in this economy.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to applaud the actions of the House of Representatives in recognizing the burden which military families bear, and honoring the importance of the sacrifices they make. I strongly support H. Res. 861, designating the month of November, which includes the Veterans Day holiday, as an appropriate time to observe National Military Family Month. As a Member of the House Committee on Armed Services, I find this resolution to be of great significance, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Military families in my home State of Georgia have suffered the loss of 158 soldiers, 6 of whom were constituents in my district, as a result of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nationwide, military families have endured the loss of thousands of soldiers. We owe them our gratitude and recognition for their service. The men and women who serve in the Armed Forces are responsible for carrying out the invaluable task of keeping our country safe, and as they fulfill their duties at home and abroad, they rely, not only on the political support of fellow citizens, but also on the emotional support of their families. As we move forward with important military objectives in Iraq and Afghanistan, we should not forget this unseen, but crucial, support. Indeed, the dedication of military families represents what is finest about our country. And, with increasing military challenges, this resolution, honoring their commitment, will reaffirm the solidarity and unity that provides our country with strength and resolve as we pass through this time of trial. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor one of my constituents, Mary Anne Sharp. She is celebrating her 45th year as director of the Decatur Civic Chorus in Decatur, Georgia. Under Ms. Sharp's leadership, the chorus has grown from a small group to a well-known and widely respected ensemble of 60 voices which has performed at hundreds of civic functions and organizations, including hospitals, nursing, and retirement homes. Under Mary Anne Sharp's direction, the chorus has represented Georgia and the United States on tours and at festivals throughout the world. She is one of the points of light in my district, and I just recognize her from the well of the House for the great job she has done. Culture brings us all together; and I just applaud her efforts in this regard. Mr. Speaker, as we continue to grapple with the great issues of war and peace, health care policy and other matters of state, let us not forget to recognize the heroes in our communities who give their time and spirit to share the arts with their neighbors. Let us thank Mary Anne Sharp for her work, her heart, and her contributions to the community I am privileged to represent.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I speak in support of the rule and the underlying legislation. I want everybody to look into their heart of hearts, their conscience, the loneliness of the recesses of their consciousness, and in that moment you know that all Americans deserve health care, not just the rich and wealthy. What we are doing today is giving that to the average American. I support the rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the rule and the underlying legislation, H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. I would like to thank Chairman Rangel and Chairman Waxman for their leadership and hardwork in bringing this important legislation swiftly to the floor. Your efforts are commendable and will benefit all Americans. Mr. Speaker, today I and many of my colleagues will take a historic vote in favor of extending quality affordable health insurance to millions of Americans. This is a moral question as well as a financial question. When this bill becomes law, 96 percent of Americans will have access to primary care doctors, prescription drugs, and preventive health services. When this bill becomes law 96 percent of Americans will no longer have to worry about choosing between their or their children's health and other essentials like food and shelter. If that were not enough then I remind my colleagues that the Congressional Budget Office says that this bill will reduce the national debt. The status quo is no longer acceptable. I urge my colleagues to stand today on the right side of history as this Congress takes the first step in bringing the security of affordable health insurance to millions of people. Congress and the public have had ample opportunity to review, comment on, and improve upon the health reform legislation that we will vote on today. During the month of August many Members of Congress, including myself, held town hall meetings. During my town hall meetings I heard testimony from constituents across the Fourth District and from across the political spectrum. I considered the views of everyone who wishes to share their opinion and I came to the consideration that the thousands of my constituents--and the millions of Americans--without health insurance could no longer wait. I ran for Congress on a pledge to take care of home and I believe that there is no better way to take care of home than to ensure that all of my constituents and all Americans have access to quality affordable health care. I have advocated--consistently and strongly--for the inclusion of a public option in health reform legislation. While my preference remains the more robust version of the public option, I am proud that H.R. 3962 contains a public option that will create competition in the insurance market to drive down costs for everyone, including the Federal Government. I worked hard to make this the best bill that it could be. In addition to advocating for the public option, I worked to ensure that the recommendations of specialty medical associations, patient advocacy groups, and scientific societies are considered as part of the minimum benefit package by the Task Force for Clinical Preventive Services. Currently, when the task force has insufficient evidence to recommend a service, it provides an ``I'' or insufficient evidence grade. Many valuable preventive interventions do not yet have the evidence base needed to obtain a positive recommendation. Others can never be evaluated using the gold standard of a randomized clinical trial because a trial would be too expensive, recruiting participants is not feasible, or investigator interest or funding is lacking. I am pleased to report that H.R. 3962 contains report language which clarifies that the benefits commission can look beyond Task Force recommendations to other sources of evidence and that the commission can consider the recommendations of specialty medical associations, patient advocacy groups, and scientific societies as part of the minimum benefits package. Additionally, I worked with my colleague, Mr. Green of Texas, on sec. 2587 of the bill which requires a report to Congress on the current state of parasitic diseases that have been overlooked among the poorest Americans. A 2008 study identified high prevalence rates of parasitic infections in the poorest areas of the United States--potentially up to 100 million infections of Acariasis, Chagas Disease, Cysticercosis, Echinococcosis, Toxocariasis, Toxoplasmosis, Trichomoniasis, or Strongyloidiasis. These diseases disproportionately affect minority and impoverished populations, producing effects ranging from asymptomatic infection to asthma-like symptoms, seizures, and death. These diseases receive less financial support than they deserve with a mere $231,730 of research funding allocated by NIH since 1995. This discrepancy in funding is known as the ``10/90 gap''; a mere 10 percent of global health research funding is directed towards diseases affecting 90 percent of the global population. For example, between 1995 and 2009, the National Institutes of Health funded a mere $231,730 of Toxocariasis research. The report required by this section would provide an up-to-date evaluation of the current dearth of knowledge regarding the epidemiology of these diseases and the socioeconomic, health and development impact they have on our society. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will report to Congress on this as well as the appropriate funding required to address neglected diseases of poverty, including neglected parasitic diseases. I look forward to the completion of this report so that Congress can take appropriate action in the future to address these diseases. Finally, the goal of health reform is to expand access to quality affordable health care. The underlying bill makes commendable strides to expand access but I believe that we must go further to ensure that Americans can afford the care they need. Many Americans--our friends and neighbors--suffer from debilitating and chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis or severe arthritis. The medications available to them are so expensive that insurers create so-called ``specialty tiers'' within their formularies for these medications. People living with chronic conditions incur heavy financial burdens for treatment and prescription drugs--and they are at the breaking point. High out of pocket costs limit access to care and ultimately reduce their chances of living healthy lives. In a recent study of medical bankruptcies, out-of-pocket medical costs averaged $17,749 for the privately-insured, and $26,971 for the uninsured. Patients with neurologic disorders such as multiple sclerosis faced the highest costs, at an average of $34,167. I believe it is time to put a limit on these outrageous costs. Last night in the Rules Committee I waited over 4 hours to offer two amendments to do just that. My first amendment would cap out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $200 per monthly prescription and $500 per month, total. This would apply to all insurance plans, including Medicare Part D. My amendment would also amend the current Medicare Part D exemption process so low- income beneficiaries can request an exemption for specialty tier drugs that would lower their costs. The amendment would also request two MedPAC studies of discrimination and cost-sharing. This amendment is supported by the Arthritis Foundation and the Lupus Foundation of America. My second amendment would build on the underlying legislation by reducing the cap on out of pocket medical expenses from $5,000 annually to $1,250 quarterly. People whose care results in high out of pocket costs could easily reach the $5,000 limit in a one or two month span. This is potentially unaffordable for people with chronic disease and dividing the cap quarterly would achieve the same policy outcome while increasing its affordability. This amendment is supported by the Arthritis Foundation and the Lupus Foundation of America. According to a 2008 study by the Commonwealth Fund, more than half of chronically ill patients did not get recommended care, fill prescriptions, or see a doctor when sick because of costs. My amendments would have reduced out of pocket costs for the most expensive prescriptions, making health care affordable for some of our county's neediest citizens. While my language was not ultimately included in this legislation, I support the underlying bill and I would urge my colleagues to do likewise for the benefit of all Americans. Mr. Speaker, in my district, the Fourth Congressional District of Georgia, the Affordable Health Care for America Act will: improve employer-based coverage for 349,000 residents; provide credits to help pay for coverage for up to 166,000 households; improve Medicare for 65,000 beneficiaries, including closing the prescription drug donut hole for 5,400 seniors; allow 15,400 small businesses to obtain affordable health care coverage and provide tax credits to help reduce health insurance costs for up to 14,200 small businesses; provide coverage for 153,000 uninsured residents; protect up to 2,200 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs; and reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and health care providers by $98 million. I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill and I thank you for your consideration.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today I introduced H.R. 3986, the Effective Death Penalty Appeals Act, to protect innocent Americans from execution. Under current law, a death row inmate can be stranded in a procedural no-man's land condemned to die, even if there is compelling new evidence of innocence. Justice Stevens recently wrote that the law as it stands is arguably unconstitutional. It is also wrong. My bill would empower Federal courts to entertain and grant habeas corpus petitions for death row inmates who present new evidence that demonstrates probable innocence. This bill will help us discern the innocent from the guilty when the stakes are highest. I look forward to broad support for this bill. I will also say that health care, this new proposal, H.R. 3986, is fabulous reform to this problem.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the actions of the House of Representatives in addressing the unique needs of our veterans and armed service members. Whether returning home from a tour of duty, or deploying for the first time, it is our responsibility to ensure these men and women are cared for when they return home. Through extensive educational outreach, additional grants, scholarships, and extending protections to today's veterans, we can provide these men and women with the tools they need to foster economic growth. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I strongly support H.R. 3949, which further protects our nation's veterans. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill. Mr. Speaker, our nation's economy was once empowered by our returning war heroes whose successful small businesses fueled the country's eventual rise as an economic superpower. We are now witnessing the emergence of another great generation. It would be careless of us not to grant this generation the same opportunities to succeed. This can only be done through further investment in small business development. This bill would expand contract termination provisions for deployed servicemembers, prevent additional fees for early termination, expand assistance and outreach to states to inform veterans about benefits and programs for which they are eligible. I urge my colleagues to help veterans help themselves.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the men and women of this great Nation are not stupid, even though there have been strident, permanent and significant efforts to mislead them; that reached its heyday in August. But now we're talking about a public option because the people are speaking now. And so I want to salute the American people; you want affordable health care, which means you are sick and tired of the rise in premiums, the cost of premiums and the number of denials that you are getting after dutifully paying those premiums for years and years. So I want to congratulate the American people; you are about to have a victory with respect to health care.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to today to applaud the actions of the House of Representatives in recognizing one of the first African American fraternities. I strongly support H. Res. 659, which recognizes Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and its 98 years of service to local communities, the pursuit of academic scholarship and a commitment to social welfare. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution. Since its humble beginning on the campus of Indiana University Bloomington in 1911, Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity has been characterized by a commitment to empowering African American men through mentorship, financial literacy, and community involvement. It is this commitment to excellence that has established Kappa Alpha Psi as one of the finest fraternal organizations in the country. With over 150,000 members, 700 undergraduate and alumni chapters in every state of the United States, and international chapters in the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, Japan, and Nigeria, Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity has produced notable leaders in the fields of government, athletics, education, and business. Current alumni include director, writer, and producer John Singleton, Civil Rights advocate Donald L. Hollowell, and Robert L. Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television. Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity has far surpassed the vision of its founders to produce upstanding, high quality African American males who possess positive values and the desire to serve their communities.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it's important to note that the hate crimes legislation has passed as a stand-alone bill in the House three times over the last decade, and now it's attached to a Department of Defense authorization bill. And I am happy, Mr. Chairman, to see this bill, which is an important and long overdue step in our continuing efforts to secure for all Americans the full blessings of liberty under our Constitution. On several occasions, as I said, this bill has passed the House and the Senate. This year, with the support of the President, I am hopeful that we will finally see the bill signed and enacted. Mr. Speaker, the incidence of hate crimes is continuing at a high rate. I think we've seen the degeneration of the level of political discourse in this country as it has descended into threats of misconduct and violence. I just want to point out a historical fact here because the incidence of hate crimes certainly is continuing at a high rate. The incidence of brutal violence against individuals based on hateful bias against certain identifiable groups has unfortunately a long and shameful history in this country. For example, nearly 4,000 African Americans were tortured and killed between 1880 and 1930. In our day, since 1991--and I must confess to you, my days go back a little longer than that--but I must tell you that since 1991, there have been more than 118,000 hate crimes documented by the FBI. It has been 7,624 just in 2007. And those are only documented cases. What this bill does, ladies and gentlemen who are viewing and listening to this message, it enables the Justice Department to come to the aid of State and local law enforcement agencies in investigating and prosecuting this bias-based brutality, and it helps to defer their cost when these kinds of crimes overwhelm State and local resources. And when necessary--and if approved by the highest Senate-confirmed department officials--it authorizes the department to step in and prosecute at the Federal level. The bill expands existing Federal hate crimes law beyond the narrow confines of protecting access to a limited set of specified protected activities, and it adds to the current list of group characteristics deservedly recognized for protection--due to their being well-known targets for bias-based violence--four new ones that also clearly belong on the list: sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability. These crimes of violence are directed not just against those who are directly attacked--they are targeting the entire group with the threat of violence. No group should have to live under that kind of threat as they seek to go about their everyday duties and lifestyle here in America. Everyone should be protected. So the groups in the bill differ from one another. They differ from other groups that some have been trying to add on which do not share this same kind of history of being targeted for hate-based violence. Our approach is consistent with the judgment made by the States that have State hate crimes laws. They've made the same judgment as we have made for Federal law that many groups should be protected elsewhere in the law, not in hate crimes law. An argument is often made that since that is a State offense, the Feds should not get involved with it. But I'll tell you, the sale of drugs, State law violation, also a Federal law violation. Our Federal criminal code mirrors sometimes the State laws, and other times State laws mirror Federal law when it comes to certain activities that are against the law. And so this is no different. Our approach is consistent with the judgment made by the States that have hate crimes laws, and this bill is definitely consistent with the Constitution. It applies only to bias-motivated violent crimes. It in no way impinges on constitutionally protected speech, writing or other expression, including expression of religious beliefs, but not limited to that. That would be true in any event. But we state it plainly in the bill. This bill has widespread support, over 120 cosponsors, and more than 300 civil rights, education, religious and civic organizations, including the NAACP, the ACLU and the Leadership Conference of Civil Rights. Virtually every major law enforcement organization in this country has endorsed the bill, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National District Attorneys Association; and most district attorneys that I know of are certainly not flaming liberals. They believe in the rule of law and they believe in adherence to it. When there is a criminal law violation, they will prosecute to the full extent of the law. So that is very important. The National District Attorneys Association, the National Sheriffs Association, the Police Executive Research Forum and 31 State attorneys general endorse the bill. That is very impressive. And it is supported by over 45 leading mainstream religious organizations, who dismiss claims that the bill would somehow interfere with religious speech ``unfounded fears.'' Enacting the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Protection Act is a critical step towards keeping our communities safe from hate-based violence and ensuring that all Americans can enjoy the blessings of liberty without fear. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.Resolution 782. This is a resolution that I have introduced and which demands that Iran fully disclose its nuclear facilities, its nuclear development facilities, and also allow unfettered international inspection of its nuclear program. The elimination of nuclear weapons is an issue that is certainly very close to my heart, and I would like to see that nuclear weapons actually are removed from the face of the planet. So it certainly goes in the wrong direction were we as a Nation to tolerate another nation, especially Iran, acquiring the technology to develop nuclear weapons. What's troubling is last week the whole world learned that Iran has concealed construction of an enrichment facility near the city of Qom. And they did that without knowing that our intelligence community already knew that the facility was over there. It just had not been publicly disclosed, as it was last week. I guess one of the motivations for not disclosing it prior to last week was to just see how deep in the bad faith bucket would Iran pull its water from. They had no intention of revealing it. It was secret. They exercised deception to conceal it. So our country's announcement last week I'm sure was not a happy time for the Iranian leadership. Having set the model for how they will deal with the international community insofar as nuclear enrichment and from that acquiring or building a nuclear weapon, we have to make sure that we reverse that bad faith into good faith if at all possible. One of the ways of doing that is through continued tightening of sanctions and to isolate the country of Iran for continuing to be deceptive about its nuclear intentions and its nuclear program. So while my resolution, H. Res. 782, does not impose sanctions, it just merely puts the House of Representatives on record, as we approach the Geneva talks coming up on Thursday, that we want to have disclosure immediately, immediate international inspections, and immediate access by inspectors to its nuclear facilities. That's what this resolution does. My friend Chairman Howard Berman of the Foreign Affairs Committee has a number of options that he is considering with respect to sanctions. So in no way would I want this bill to interfere with other measures that will be coming forward out of his committee. But this is necessitated by haste because of the approaching deadline for the Geneva talks to begin. We have got wide bipartisan support, and I hope my colleagues will join the 39 Members from both sides of the aisle who have already cosponsored it.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, today I am introducing the Federal Judgeship Act of 2009, which calls for the creation of additional federal judgeships in the courts of appeals and district courts. The United States legal system is the envy of the world. Our legal system has historically provided fair, timely, and expert adjudication of civil disputes and criminal prosecutions for hundreds of years. There are, however, a number of challenges facing our federal legal system that must be addressed if it is to maintain the standard of service our citizens expect and deserve. One of these challenges is an overworked judiciary. Many of our federal courts are in desperate need of new judges. It has been nearly 19 years since Congress has passed a comprehensive judgeship bill. In this time, caseloads for district courts have gone up 31 percent and the caseloads for appeals courts have gone up 38 percent, placing significantly increased demands upon our federal court system. This unfairly burdens our judges and leads to delays in the administration of justice. If we are to avoid realization of the old adage, ``justice delayed is justice denied,'' we must not delay in providing our judiciary with the resources it needs. The Federal Judgeship Act of 2009 calls for 12 additional court of appeals judgeships and 51 additional district court judgeships. The number of judgeships called for in this legislation mirrors those called for by the Judicial Conference of the United States in its 2009 recommendations. The Judicial Conference's recommendations are based on a comprehensive analysis of the workload of federal judges, which took into consideration not only the number, but also the nature and complexity of the cases before the various courts. According to this analysis, the average weighted case filings for the 25 district courts receiving additional judgeships under this bill were 573, while the target number of case filings is only 430. In other words, the workload before these courts is 133 percent of what is considered the normal capacity of these courts. Clearly, this is stretching our judiciary beyond reason. In the interests of timely and effective administration of justice, we must pass comprehensive judgeships this Congress. I thank my colleagues Representatives John Conyers, Silvestre Reyes, Sheila Jackson-lee, and Robert Wexler, who have worked with me on this very important piece of legislation. I also ask the rest of my colleagues in the House of Representatives to support rapid passage of this legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 685, the United States Civil Rights Trail System Act of 2009. This legislation would direct the Archivist of the United States to conduct a study of the feasibility of establishing the United States Civil Rights Trail System. The State of Georgia is home to numerous historic civil rights landmarks including Albany, Georgia, home to the Albany Movement, which was led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Savannah, Georgia, which desegregated public and private facilities eight months ahead of federal civil rights legislation. Savannah was once described as the most desegregated city south of the Mason-Dixon Line. I strongly support H.R. 685 and I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution. H.R. 685 simply seeks to unify our nation's civil rights landmarks through maps and other resources. This will facilitate remembrance of the struggles for civil rights based on racial equality as well as provide information about the ordinary individuals, some of whom gave up their lives, for the right to equal rights. The civil rights landmarks highlighted in this trail signify to a period that many here today are too young to remember, and would be held as a tribute to a historic era. By chronicling such historic civil rights landmarks including the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, the Greensboro sit-in, and the historic marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, we can bring true recognition to the numerous historical sites that led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It is my hope that in the future, we can truly create equality for all. This is an important issue and I applaud the efforts of this Congress to emphasize the importance of civil rights landmarks around the country.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 186, Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. Mr. Speaker, the State of Georgia has over 7,000 individuals, from diverse backgrounds, many of whom are my constituents living in DeKalb County, living with sickle cell anemia. I have tirelessly advocated on their behalf to support the Georgia Comprehensive sickle cell center, which is located at nearby Grady Hospital. While sickle cell anemia is found in more diagnosed at a higher rate among African Americans and Latinos, it has also found among people of Greek, Turkish, and Saudi Arabian descent. I strongly support H. Con. Res. 186 and I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution. Sickle cell anemia is a major health problem that affects millions of people worldwide. More than 70,000 people in the United States have inherited sickle cell anemia, while more than 2 million carry the sickle cell trait, including 1 in 12 African-Americans. There is a 25 percent chance that parents carrying the Sickle Cell trait will pass the disease onto a child. This chronic disease deserves our attention and I applaud the efforts of this Congress to ensure that mire is done. While there is no widely available cure, the goal of sickle cell disease management is to alleviate the painful symptoms associated with the disease, including gallstones, strokes, tissue, liver, and spleen damage. There has been a glimmer of hope for a small number of those infected; bone marrow transplants have proven to be a successful treatment for the disease. Over the past 30 years, advances in advocacy and awareness, and improvements in medicine have led to increases in early diagnoses, improved disease management, and longer life spans for individuals diagnosed with sickle cell anemia. It is my hope that in the near future, we can develop a cure for this chronic illness, and ensure that people living with Sickle Cell Anemia live full, productive lives.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, my constituents are suffering greatly this week. In just 72 hours, the Atlanta metropolitan area has received 15 to 22 inches of relentless rain, causing widespread flooding, numerous deaths and hundreds of millions of dollars of property damage. I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to express my deepest concern for the victims of this terrible flood, to join Governor Perdue in urging the President to declare an emergency for the State of Georgia, and to urge passage of the resolution before us. Sponsored by my colleague, Congressman John Lewis of Atlanta, this resolution will offer our sympathy to flood victims and our gratitude to those heroes who have worked tirelessly to protect people from the floodwaters. I know that Speaker Pelosi is doing everything that she can to assist the people of Georgia, and for that I thank her. As a matter of fact, as early as yesterday morning she was on the phone with each of us to express her concerns and to also pledge any assistance that she could give. So we appreciate that. Governor Perdue and President Obama have been on the phone coordinating efforts to deal with this national disaster. I applaud the Governor for the State's competent and effective response, and I join him in urging our President to make available Federal funds to supplement Georgia's efforts to mitigate the effects of the flood. Mr. Speaker, my constituents and all the residents of flooded areas in the American South have shown tremendous courage in the face of washed-out roads, destroyed homes and treacherous conditions. Let us pass this resolution as a small token of our empathy and support.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I am pleased today to introduce, together with my colleagues Mr. Conyers, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Coble, the Federal Judiciary Administrative Improvements Act of 2009. This bill comprises a collection of proposals supported by the Judicial Conference of the United States that will improve the efficiency of operations in the Federal Courts. Several of the proposals have been previously passed by the House of Representatives. Collectively, these proposals are non-partisan and noncontroversial. Two provisions make minor but helpful adjustments to Federal Court organization. One makes a technical correction regarding the ability of senior judges to participate in the selection of magistrate judges: the other eliminates the statutory divisions in the District of North Dakota to better serve witnesses and litigants, while retaining the current places of holding court. Other provisions in this legislation create more equity and management flexibility related to Judicial Branch employees. The legislation amends certain retirement provisions for the four district judges in territorial district courts to move them toward parity with other federal judges appointed for specific terms, such as bankruptcy and magistrate judges. The bill will also provide parity for senior officials in the Judicial Branch with other similar government officials regarding the maximum amount of annual leave that they can carry over each year. Also, the salary levels of four senior officials in the Federal Judicial Center are adjusted to again provide more parity with similar officials in the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. A few of the sections of this bill facilitate court operations related to criminal justice. One provision will allow for the separate filing of the ``statement of reasons'' that judges issue upon sentencing, so as to better protect confidential information such as the identity of government informants. Another will ensure that federal pretrial officers will be able to fully supervise and assist juveniles awaiting proceedings in federal court. A third proposal will improve the timely collection and assimilation of wiretap data needed for an annual report to Congress by extending some reporting deadlines. Lastly, an inflationary index would be established for the threshold amount that triggers the need for approval by the chief judge of reimbursements of the costs of expert witnesses and investigators hired in representing indigent defendants. Again, the proposals in this bill address many of the needs identified by the Judicial Conference of the United States to assist the federal courts and their sister agencies. We encourage Members to support this legislation.