Robin Kelly

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Thank you, Congressman Payne. Welcome back. And I am glad you are taking care of yourself. Madam Speaker, again, I thank my colleagues for taking the time during National Minority Health Awareness Month to assess the very critical state of black health in America. As stated earlier, the health disparities facing communities of color are too significant to adequately address in just an hour. As a recent CDC Health Disparities Report demonstrated: Blacks diagnosed with HIV are less likely than any other groups to be linked to care, retained in care, receive treatment, and achieve adequate viral suppression; Although black Americans represent only 12 percent of the U.S. population, they accounted for 44 percent of new HIV infections and represented 49 percent of all deaths with HIV in 2010. Furthermore, blacks also accounted for 49 percent of new AIDS diagnoses in 2011; According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2010 Population Estimates, 84 percent of all reported tuberculosis cases occurred in racial and ethnic minorities. African Americans accounted for 40 percent of TB cases amongst U.S.-born persons. These facts account for a few of the health disparities affecting the state of black health. The Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust is committed to strengthening our Nation's public health infrastructure and developing community-oriented, multidisciplinary approaches to public health. We will continue to work vigorously to address health gaps existing in the black community, empower communities, and improve health access in efforts to march toward a healthier future. Black lives matter. The state of black health matters, and we are confident that if we all join together, we can alleviate health disparities facing minority communities across this Nation. I thank my colleagues and my cochair, the Honorable Donald Payne, Jr., for this hour of discussion, this hour of opportunity, and this hour of change. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield to my distinguished colleague from New Jersey, Congressman Donald Payne.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. I thank the distinguished gentleman from the Garden State, my good friend, Donald Payne. I am glad he is back and in better health in order to lead this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour on the state of black health. Mr. Speaker, it has been the refrain of so many people of all races across the country, the refrain of ``black lives matter.'' We have gathered here this evening because black lives do matter. Whether we are talking about issues of justice or of economic opportunity or of the health of our Nation, black lives matter. The topic of tonight's Special Order hour is: The State of Black Health--a CBC Assessment during National Minority Health Month. Each April, we observe National Minority Health Month in order to raise awareness about the gaping health disparities that impact communities of color across the Nation. Many of us have been personally affected by the physical and emotional tolls that conditions like obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, breast and prostate cancer, and HIV/ AIDS have brought on ourselves and our loved ones and neighbors. Last month marked the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches--the generation-defining events that led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Like the right to vote, health care is a fundamental civil right that our leaders, health professionals, and communities must fight to protect. The Affordable Care Act was a critical step in the march toward health equity, but there is still much more to be done. Dr. Martin Luther King expressed this a half century ago when he said: ``Of all of the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.'' I couldn't agree more, and it has been the work of the CBC and of the Congressional Black Health Braintrust, which I chair, to advance the critical phrase of the human rights and civil rights struggle--``health equity.'' This year, the CBC's Health Braintrust will focus on three core principles: strengthening our communities, improving health access, and marching toward a healthier future. The disparities facing minority communities in rural areas across the country are too numerous to name. To that end, the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust will work vigorously to address the gaps that exist when it comes to reducing heart disease, kidney disease, lung ailments, stroke, oral health, lupus, child nutrition, HIV/AIDS, mental health disorders, gun violence as a public health threat, and other chronic and infectious diseases. I am glad that, during tonight's hour, we will be focused on strengthening our public health infrastructure and on developing community-oriented, multidisciplinary approaches to public health, which will close the national health disparity gap. This National Minority Health Month the CBC will work to expand access to health care, early health education, and medical investment so that we can make our communities healthier and reduce the prevalence of diseases that disproportionately cut minority lives short. Again, I thank my coanchor for the next hour.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Thank you, Congressman Payne. Something I want to speak about is oral health. As we discuss the state of black America, I want to address a topic that is so often left out of the public health discourse, and that is the issue of oral health in America. Earlier this year, the CBC Health Braintrust recognized National Children's Dental Health Month, and back in February I had the opportunity to go around my district in a mobile dental van to observe local dentists performing free oral health screenings around the community. These types of effort matter, and oral health is a critical piece to overall health wellness. The sad fact is that all across our Nation, many communities are experiencing serious oral health crises. Far too many people in urban, suburban, and rural America are lacking access to dental care, despite the efforts of committed dental professionals and social service organizations. We must recognize that access to dental health care across the country is not equal. Each year, nearly 50 million Americans, including 16 million low-income children in underserved communities, go without the oral health services they need. As we continue the national discussion on improving health care and reducing health disparities in America, it is important that oral health be central to the conversation. When officials discuss health care and wellness, they should remember that the mouth is connected to the rest of the body. This seems to be forgotten in the current dialogue about improving health outcomes for all. This year I introduced H.R. 539, the Action for Dental Health Act, which allows organizations to qualify for Health and Human Service oral health grants to support activities that improve oral health education and dental disease prevention. This includes developing and expanding outreach programs that will facilitate establishing dental homes for children and adults, including the elderly, blind and disabled. This bipartisan legislation will target crucial Federal dollars to State and local dental organizations to provide proven oral health care services in a manner that effectively addresses the barriers to dental care many Americans face. It will have a significant impact on many underserved communities. I think the majority of my colleagues know that regular visits to the dentist do more than keep your smile attractive. They can tell a lot about your overall health, including whether or not you may be developing a disease like diabetes or if you are at risk for a stroke. As the CBC takes on the critical task of creating healthier communities by breaking down barriers, oral health is a subject that must be addressed. This will ultimately help reduce unnecessary health- care costs by minimizing and eliminating dental diseases in their early stages. As I mentioned earlier, I recently visited a new mobile dental van operated by a hospital in an underserved community in my district that had a stop at the hospital's Women, Infant, and Children's Center. They had a pediatric dentist on hand to provide babies and toddlers with their first dental exams. I saw firsthand the critical need for dental care, not only for these young children, but for their parents. This highlighted all too well the gaps in dental care that are particularly prevalent in minority communities. Viewing the care and service the these dental professionals displayed to kids, many of whom had never been to a dentist, reminded me of kids like Deamonte Driver. You may recall, he was the 12-year old boy from Maryland who died from an untreated tooth infection that spread lethal bacteria to his brain. An untreated tooth condition that could have been resolved with a routine extraction cost this boy his life. How is that possible in the most innovative, wealthy Nation in the world? I think we should be doing more to support volunteer dental projects in underserved communities and improve oral health education, with a particular focus on early oral health education and care for children. We all know the link between good dental care and overall health has been well established. As we look for ways to raise a healthier generation of children, increasing access and removing barriers to dental care must be at the forefront. Through legislation like H.R. 539, the Action for Dental Health Act, I am working to increase access to dental care and build healthier communities. In improving the state of black health and the state of American health, I ask that we lift up the issue of oral health, and ask that my colleagues take the first step by cosponsoring H.R. 539.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, first, I yield to the gentlewoman from Washington, Congresswoman DelBene. Remembering the Highway 530 Mudslide

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Thank you to the great gentlewoman of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, it is during Women's History Month when we recognize the contributions and achievements of women throughout the course of history. Many of these women have had distinguished public service careers, from President Franklin Roosevelt's Secretary of Labor-- Frances Perkins--to the first female Cabinet Secretary, to current Secretaries Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Sally Jewell, and Penny Pritzker, and National Security Adviser Susan Rice. Women like them have a proud and established record of providing wise and honest counsel and of leading our government through important and transformational times. Right now, the Obama administration is awaiting Senate confirmation for a woman who is eminently qualified for the position of U.S. Attorney General, our Nation's chief law enforcement officer. The first woman to hold this position was Janet Reno under President Bill Clinton. Attorney General Reno strongly defended the Constitution, promoted civil liberties, and captured and convicted domestic and foreign criminals. The second woman--but not the last woman--to hold the position of Attorney General, Mr. Speaker, will be Loretta Lynch. Once confirmed by the United States Senate, Ms. Lynch will make history by being the first African American woman to serve as Attorney General. She will join the proud ranks of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Energy Secretary Hazel O'Leary, former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman, and Patricia Roberts, who was the first female African American Cabinet Secretary who served as both Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and as the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. Loretta Lynch, as you have heard over and over and as we know, is eminently qualified to be Attorney General, Mr. Speaker. A graduate of Harvard University and of Harvard Law School, Ms. Lynch has had a distinguished legal career. She is universally recognized for her keen analytical skills and her passion for the law. Ms. Lynch is also uniquely fit to serve the role for our Nation at this critical point in our national discourse. As U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ms. Lynch currently serves as the chief Federal prosecutor for Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Long Island. At this time, I yield to my distinguished colleague from New York, Hakeem Jeffries.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Representative Jeffries, thank you for continuing to lift the nomination of Loretta Lynch, and also thank you for highlighting Harriet Tubman, a fine example of someone who helped improve the quality of life for her fellow brothers and sisters. ``I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.'' Many women can say that in regard to the pay gap, unemployment, and still trying to break the glass ceiling. In the past year, we have seen the greatest economic growth in decades. More and more women have been able to reenter the workforce, reducing the unemployment rate among women to a 6-year low. Unfortunately, black women have yet to reap the benefits of the economic rebound. In fact, while the overall unemployment rate for women declined, the black female unemployment rate has increased over the past 2 months. According to a recent analysis by the National Women's Law Center, the black women's unemployment rate is more than twice the unemployment rate of white women. In February, the black women's unemployment rate was 8.9 percent, up from 8.7 percent in January and 8.2 percent in December. By comparison, the unemployment rate for adult white women was 4.2 percent in February, down from 4.4 percent in January. Despite having comparable levels of education, black women have the highest unemployment rate of any other group. A possible factor in the stubborn unemployment rate for black women is that we are disproportionately employed in the public sector, which is experiencing a much slower recovery than the private sector. The National Women's Law Center said the stagnant job situation for black women is a red flag in the employment landscape and urged lawmakers to act to promote a stronger, more widely shared recovery. I couldn't agree more. We need to invest more in job training and retraining programs that help black women adapt to the changing workforce and prepare for the careers of tomorrow. We must work to promote diversity in hiring and encourage employees to model their work forces on the communities in which they operate. As we look for ways to help women succeed, we must be mindful of the unique challenges black women face and develop targeted policies that help level the playing field for all women. In closing, we have heard from many of my colleagues gathered here tonight, and they have mentioned, as we recognize Women's History Month, we are reminded that we are constantly in the midst of new history being made. Tonight I had the privilege of being joined by my CBC colleagues. One, a member of the freshman class and another person who wasn't here tonight, she is the 100th woman ever elected to Congress, Congresswoman Alma Adams of North Carolina. Jeannette Rankin of Montana was the first woman to serve in this esteemed body, and many more will join the ranks of women in Congress, women like the Honorable Barbara Jordan, Shirley Chisholm, the Honorable Marcia L. Fudge, our last Congressional Black Caucus chair and the future of the CBC; women like Joyce Beatty, Representative Brenda Lawrence from Michigan, Alma Adams from North Carolina, Stacey Plaskett of the Virgin Islands, and Bonnie Watson Coleman from New Jersey. Despite our gains, though, there are only two black women who serve in statewide offices across the United States: Kamala Harris and Denise Nappier. There are veterans who have come to serve this Congress, like my good friends Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and Tammy Duckworth from my home State of Illinois. Many diverse districts across this country are well served by the women they elect to Congress. When women succeed, America truly does succeed. This is why we must continue to fight for equal pay for equal work. This week, paycheck fairness legislation will be introduced. I urge folks across the country to call their Representative to cosponsor this important legislation. We must also fight for affordable child care and other economic policies that support working women, allowing us to continue shattering the glass ceiling and reach the greatest heights of all sectors of society. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for this wonderful hour of debate. I thank all of my colleagues for caring enough to get involved and participate. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is now my great privilege to yield to my friend from the great State of New Jersey, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Thank you, my friend from the great State of Ohio, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. Your points about Loretta Lynch are so pertinent. Despite the gains we have made, we still have a long way to go. General Leave

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as we enter the final week of Women's History Month, the Congressional Black Caucus would like to use tonight's Special Order hour to examine the unique challenges that women face in America today. Many of these experiences are shared across the socioeconomic spectrum, and some are more specific to African American women. The late poet and author Maya Angelou once said: Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women. There is much truth to these words, and our Nation has been strengthened by women who have taken stands for their rights. But tonight, the Congressional Black Caucus also stands up for millions of women across America. Tonight, we will examine gender pay gaps, workforce treatment, family issues, health disparities, and a host of other concerns women face in America. Each Women's History Month we recognize those pioneers who broke glass ceilings and paved the way for women's rights and equality: Abigail Adams; Phillis Wheatley; Lucretia Mott; Sojourner Truth; Harriet Tubman; Ella Baker; Rosa Parks; the Honorable Shirley Chisolm; Coretta Scott King; Ruth Bader Ginsberg; and the Honorable Loretta Lynch. Still, we can't lose sight of the challenges that remain for women. We must all continue the work needed to eliminate gender inequalities once and for all. Fifty years after President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, women continue to earn less than men. Women make only 78 cents for every dollar earned by men, amounting to a yearly gap of $11,000 between full-time men and women. That $11,000 lost could purchase 89 more weeks of food, or more than 3,000 additional gallons of gas, or more than 1 year of rent for a woman's family. For African American women and Latinas, the pay gap is even larger. African American women on average earn only 64 cents and Latinas on average earn only 55 cents for every dollar earned by white, non- Hispanic men. Nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers are women. Yet, the minimum wage has not kept up with inflation over the last 45 years. With the minimum wage now, using inflation-adjusted terms, minimum wage women are earning more than 30 percent lower than they were in 1968. These economic disparities are just a few of the issues facing women that we will address tonight. I want to thank the chairman of the CBC, the Honorable G.K. Butterfield, for allowing us to address this important topic tonight. I now yield to the gentlewoman from the great State of Ohio, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for their bipartisan leadership in helping bring the attention of Congress to the vile acts of the terror group Boko Haram. This weekend, the international community received the sickening news that a mass grave with beheaded remains was uncovered in formerly Boko Haram-held territory in northern Nigeria. It still stands that America will never tolerate terrorism, and this Congress will never abide terrorists. Despite their beliefs, a few things about Boko Haram are quite clear to the world. Abubakar Shekau's acts are cowardly. He remains a man who fears the power of the people of Nigeria, a man afraid of the promise and potential of girls who are educated and whose minds will change the world. History will not celebrate Boko Haram because they are on the wrong side of it. They have mistaken cowardice for courage, and their crimes against innocent men, women, and children cannot be forgiven. It has been 10 months since the world demanded that Boko Haram bring back the 200 school girls they kidnapped because they wanted to be educated. They defied these calls. Boko Haram has murdered scores of innocent Nigerians--an estimated 17,000 since 2011. And this month, we received the news that they have sworn allegiance to ISIS. I, like so many across the world, was outraged at the brutality and senselessness of Boko Haram's crimes. Victimizing innocent men, women, and children for perverse ideological gain will never be tolerated or treated as just by the international community. With our vote today, this committee and this Congress can affirm that we stand for the human rights, dignity, and security of the Nigerian people; that we will not tolerate a world in which Boko Haram, or any terrorist organization, can slaughter innocent civilians; that we respect the right of women to be educated without the threat of violence; and that we support free and fair elections free of suppression and intimidation. We say this positively on this House floor, and we stand today with the force and confidence that is much stronger than groups of the likes of Boko Haram. I thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson for her constant leadership on this issue, Congressman Will Hurd of Texas for being the first to come across the aisle and lend his name to this resolution, and I thank all of the other Members who stood up and spoke out against the cowardly acts of Boko Haram and ISIS. I urge my colleagues to pass this important resolution.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Thank you to the gentlewoman from Florida. Thank you for sharing your success stories. Hopefully, those can be duplicated. At this time, I yield to the gentlewoman from North Carolina, Congresswoman Alma Adams.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina, again, for her insight and comments. Here we are, 50 years removed from Selma, 50 years after Americans-- young and old, Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, Jewish-- made a decision to stand up for what they knew was right. They stood up for democracy and demanded fair and unobstructed access to the ballot. As you have heard this hour, the evolution to the America we are today has been a long and challenging journey. The Voting Rights Act has done much to make our Union more perfect, but the strength of the Voting Rights Act has been diminished. With new, discriminatory laws on the books, this Congress must act. This Congress can pass a bipartisan bill that extends section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. As was the case in Selma, the law is not equal for all. We must unite, as we did then. I urge my colleagues to take up this important issue and strengthen the Voting Rights Act. I would like to take this time to thank the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield) and all my colleagues who took the time to speak to us this evening. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Thank you to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn) for your important insight and your important comments. Now it is my honor to introduce the gentlelady from Texas, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Thank you so much to the gentlewoman from Washington, D.C. At this time, I would like to introduce the gentleman from South Carolina, our leader, James Clyburn. (Mr. CLYBURN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Thank you to the gentlewoman from Alabama. Thank you for sharing the challenges citizens like your dad can have in complying with the new Voting Rights Act law. Thank you for standing up. At this time, I would like to introduce the fierce and gentle woman from the District of Columbia, Eleanor Holmes Norton.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Thank you, Congressman Butterfield. It is now my honor to introduce the gentlewoman from Alabama, one that was our gracious host last weekend, and we appreciate everything she did, Terri Sewell.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor and a privilege to be before you this evening on the heels of our Nation's recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Selma marchers which tore down many obstructive barriers to voting for African Americans and which led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. We have grown as a nation since the night Jimmie Lee Jackson was murdered peacefully marching for voting rights in Alabama, and we are not the America we were when Mamie Till made the world see what had been done to her baby. But we are still living in dynamic times for our democracy. Selma has changed, but the issues of Ferguson, Missouri, remain. Nearly 60 years after Emmett Till was buried, Black mothers still worry about the value of their son's lives when they leave home. We are reminded of this every time we look into the eyes of Trayvon Martin's mother. We are better today than we were then, and the changes we made to our laws paved our path to prosperity. The President spoke of this in Selma, and Republicans and Democrats alike were united in our feeling that we must uphold the promise of the Nation we inherited because of Selma. The U.S. Senate should vote to confirm very qualified and exceptional U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch as the next Attorney General. The CBC devoted an hour of floor testimony last month in defense of her confirmation, but in her role as Attorney General, Loretta Lynch will be tasked with defending the Federal laws that protect the right to vote, and that brings us to our topic this evening. Tonight's Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour is entitled: ``The Battle Wages On: Securing Equal Voting Rights in the United States.'' This topic is truly timely. This conversation needs to take place now. Work remains to secure equal voting rights in the United States. Actions like the Supreme Court's decision to gut the Voting Rights Act remind us that the equality that should exist at the ballot is still lacking and why I dream of a day when the Voting Rights Act is no longer necessary. The truth is that voter discrimination and suppression remain as tragic legacies of our past. In the past few years, many States have introduced restrictive legislation that diminishes an individual's access to the voting booth. The Justice Department may have the tools to fix this problem and go after places that are discriminating against certain voters. In some places, getting a voter ID that you can use to vote can cost up to $150, and that can be a burden for someone who is on a fixed income and not driving anymore and doesn't have a license. Discriminatory laws and policies that hamper access to the ballot box are reasons that the protections and the Voting Rights Act are necessary. The VRA must remain intact as its principles are powerful democratic agents that make our Union more perfect. With that, I would like to kick off this Special Order hour by yielding to my colleague and anchor, a man who has dedicated his life to the issues of justice in America--a lawyer, judge, and statesman who has defended voting rights--the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Honorable G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 days to revise and extend their remarks.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. I thank the gentlelady from Texas for her remarks. Now it is my honor to yield to the gentlelady from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Congresswoman Gwen Moore.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. I thank the gentlewoman from Wisconsin. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Now, it is my honor to yield to the gentlewoman from Florida, Frederica Wilson.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Ms. KELLY of Illinois

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, American families expect us to work hard to keep them safe. It is our job to work together in addressing their national security concerns, not to diminish our government's standing for political sport. In 2 short months, this Congress has allowed party extremists to push us to the brink of having no Homeland Security funding, and now we must deal with the dynamic created by misguided Senators whose attempts to undermine the President on Iran have set a dangerous precedent that compromises the authority of future Presidents to negotiate on matters of foreign and national security policy. I ask my colleagues: What are we doing? We can't cater to political extremes here at home and protect American families from real extremist threats abroad. Let's move beyond the politics that divide us and commit to working with the President to ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. The Illinois families I represent deserve it, and the American people demand it.