John Lewis

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast roll call votes on September 25th. Had I been present, I would have cast the following votes: On roll call 508, I would have voted Yes. On roll call 509, I would have voted Yes. On roll call 510, I would have voted Yes. On roll call 511, I would have voted Yes. On roll call 512, I would have voted Yes. On roll call 513, I would have voted Yes. On roll call 514, I would have voted No. On roll call 515, I would have voted Yes. On roll call 516, I would have voted Yes. On roll call 517, I would have voted Yes. On roll call 518, I would have voted No.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of Dr. Valerie Camille Jones, Ed.D. an educator at the Ron Clark Academy located in my congressional district. I am proud to share that the President of the United States recently honored Dr. Jones with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), which is our country's highest honor in math and science for teachers. For over 15 years, Dr. Jones has served her country and the people of Metropolitan Atlanta as a teacher. Dr. Jones earned her bachelor's degree in Mathematics at Spelman College and continued her studies by earning master's and doctoral degrees in Education from Georgia State University. As you may know, Mr. Speaker, both of these wonderful institutions are located in Georgia's 5th Congressional District. Dr. Jones is greatly respected for her creative approach in making the most difficult subjects accessible and tangible to her students. Dr. Jones teaches her students how to effectively use mathematical models as communication tools. In the classroom, she develops art and video games simulations to connect students to math and coordinates field trips to provide real-life examples of angles and forces for struggling geometry students. Not only does Dr. Jones' innovative and creative approach help students develop the critical skills they need to compete and thrive in today's world, but she also goes out of her way to share these effective teaching techniques with over 17,000 teachers across the country and around the world. As you can see, Mr. Speaker, Dr. Jones is a wonderful national and international model and practitioner in the field of education. Today, I join the President, the administration, the Ron Clark Academy community, and Metropolitan Atlanta in congratulating Dr. Jones on this prestigious honor, and thanking her for her tireless work and support of the most precious and beloved members of our community--our youth--our future.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. I thank my friend, the ranking member, for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of diplomacy and a pathway to peace. For many months I thought long and hard about this decision. I attended briefings, read the documents, and met with citizens of my district. I even had a long executive session with myself. I reflected on the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when he called upon us to rededicate ourselves to the long and bitter, but beautiful, struggle for a new world. The way of peace is one of those immutable principles. And after much study, thought, and reflection, I believe that it is a good deal. No, it may not be perfect. But do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. I remember standing on this very floor several years ago and speaking against the war in Iraq. I said it then, and I will say it again today: ``War is messy; it is bloody; it destroys the hopes, the aspirations, and the dreams of a people.'' The American people--and people around the world--are sick and tired of war and violence. We do not need more bombs, missiles, and guns. When you turn on the news, when you read the newspaper, you see a mass dislocation. Too many people are suffering, and many are desperate for a chance at peace. I believe in my heart of hearts that this may be the most important vote that we cast during our time in Congress. To put it simply, it is nonviolence or nonexistence. It is my hope that my vote today, along with the votes of others, will be a downpayment for peace towards a world community at peace with itself. Maybe with this deal, we will send the message that we can lay down the burdens and tools of war. Maybe we can come together as a family of human beings. Mr. Speaker, we have a moral obligation, a mission, and a mandate to give peace a chance. Give peace a chance.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my strong concern with yet another stopgap measure. Nearly 60 years ago, a Republican President, Dwight Eisenhower, led the charge to create the Interstate Highway System. He realized that good roads were not just about commerce and economic development, they are a national security priority to keep America safe. I have said it before and I will remind you again: there is no such thing as a Republican road or a Democratic bridge. Today, American roads and bridges, American transit, and American highways are crumbling. This is a national embarrassment. We have already rolled the ball down the road more than 30 times, and here we are doing it again. The time for talk is past. In the words of Dr. King: We have been bogged down in the paralysis of analysis for too long. Delay for another day is not an option. American jobs are on the line. In a few short weeks, transportation projects across our country will grind to a stop. We must act, and we must act now.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. As a Nation and as a people, we can do better. We can lay down this heavy burden. It is too heavy to bear. Hate is too heavy a burden to bear. We need to not continue to plant these seeds in the minds of our people. When I was marching across that bridge in Selma in 1965, I saw some of the law officers and sheriff deputies wearing on their helmet the Confederate flag. I don't want to go back, and as a country, we cannot go back. We must go forward and create a community that recognizes all of us as human beings, as citizens, for we are one people, one Nation; we all live in the same House, the American House.

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend Mr. McGovern for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I must tell you, my heart is heavy. I am saddened by what has happened here in America. I thought that we have come much farther--much farther--along. Growing up in rural Alabama, attending school in Nashville, Tennessee, now living in Georgia, I have seen the signs that said White and Colored--White men, Colored men, White women, Colored women, White waiting, Colored waiting. During the sixties, during the height of the civil rights movement, we broke those signs down. They are gone. The only place that we will see those signs today will be in a book, in a museum, or on a video. If a descendant of Jefferson Davis could admit the Confederate battle flag is a symbol of hate and division, why can't we do it here? Why can't we move to the 21st century? Racism is a disease. We must free ourselves of the way of hate, the way of violence, the way of division. We are not there yet. We have not yet created a beloved community where we respect the dignity and the worth of every human being. We need to bring down the flag. The scars and stains of racism are still deeply and very embedded in every corner of American society. I don't want to see our little children--whether they are Black, White, Latino, Asian American, or Native American--growing up and seeing these signs of division, these signs of hate.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, 50 years ago, when we were beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge and attempted to march from Selma to Montgomery, there were officers of the law wearing the Confederate battle flag on their helmet. When the Klan marched through our neighborhoods in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, countless homes in Birmingham were bombed and burned. When they set fire to Black churches throughout the South, the Confederate battle flag was the symbol of their cruelty and injustice. There is no way, but no way that the Federal Government should ever display this flag on any Federal site or sell it on Federal property. It is a symbol of division and a symbol of separation. It is a symbol of hate. It is a relic of our dark past. We must defeat every attempt to return this flag to Federal properties.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. First let me thank the gentleman from Massachusetts, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) for their tireless leadership on this issue. Thank you, Mr. McGovern. For 14 long years, our Nation has been at war. Our people are sick and tired of war. This resolution simply opens the door to bring American soldiers home. Let me be clear. We must maintain a strong national defense. We have a responsibility to protect our borders, our diplomats, and Americans at home and abroad. But the end to terrorism is not found through the barrel of a gun or more boots on the ground. More weapons cannot stomp out the root causes of terrorism, and more bombs cannot eradicate the seeds of hate. Over and over again, I have stood on this very floor and reminded my colleagues that the use of force cannot--must not--be taken lightly, especially when the needs at home are so great and the sea of terrorism is so vast. President John F. Kennedy once said, ``Those who make a peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.'' Many years ago, I shared my concerns with you that young people in the Middle East would never forget the violence that they have experienced in their youth. I feared then--and I say it again--that they would grow up hating our children, our grandchildren, and generations yet unborn. I feared those young people would have very little faith in the idea of democracy, in the values of inclusion, or the hope for lasting peace. ``Hate begets hate,'' as Martin Luther King, Jr., would say, ``violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love.'' These young people must be our focus. We must lift them up and listen to regional voices for peace. We must counter the consequences of violence by demonstrating that diplomacy and the spread of true democracy are the most effective weapons against terrorism. Yes, I will say it again. Our people are sick and tired of war. I hope that all of my colleagues will support this resolution and vote ``yes'' for a method to build a peace for long a time and for years and generations to come.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend and my ranking member for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the fast track amendment. Over 20 years ago, I stood on this very House floor in opposition to NAFTA. I felt strongly then, as I do now, that these agreements are about more than trade. They are reflections of our values. Let me be clear, I am for trade. Since NAFTA, I have opposed some agreements and supported others, but I am not for trade at any price or at any cost. Those of us on the Ways and Means Committee tried time and time again to make this legislation better, but mine and every single other Democratic amendment was rejected. Mr. Speaker, I visited Vietnam, and I know that there is much work to be done. There is no freedom to organize, and freedom of speech is limited. The people of Georgia are calling and writing my office in waves. For over 20 years, they have felt the hardship of unfair trade. Textile and automobile factories disappeared from metro Atlanta. Good jobs were shipped to Bangladesh, to China, to Mexico. Americans should not have to compete with starvation wages and environmental destruction. Mr. Speaker, I do not know about you, but as Joshua of old said, as for me and my house, I am going to cast my lot with the working people of America. Today, we have an opportunity to do what is right and what is just.

Mr. LEWIS. We can develop smart trade policies which reflect our values. Labor, human rights, and trade have always been connected. This is not new. This little planet is not ours to waste, but to use what we need and leave this little planet a little greener and a little more peaceful for generations yet unborn. This Congress must be a headlight and not a taillight, or history will not be kind to us. I urge each and every Member of this Congress to do what is right. Stand up for the working people of our country.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. LEWIS. Madam Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment to H.R. 2577. When I was first elected in 1987, Congress created the first nationwide Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program. Also known as reverse mortgages, these loans differ from traditional mortgages and have very good intentions. They are designed to help seniors stay in their homes by using the values of their properties as a means for living more stable and independent lives. Since the borrowers must be 62 years of age or older, lenders often advise some borrowers to remove younger spouses from the titles. This allows them to be eligible for the program or to qualify for greater loans. Unfortunately, Madam Chair, many seniors are experiencing challenges in the program's actual operation. For example, a citizen in my district, Mrs. Helen Griffin, reached out to my office last year. She and her husband took out a reverse mortgage on their home. In order to qualify, she agreed to be taken off the title. The lender promised that she could be added back on the title at a later date if they refinanced. Unfortunately, she and her husband had no idea how expensive refinancing would be. Like so many others, Mrs. Griffin was now in a dangerous financial situation. Upon the reverse mortgage borrower's death, a surviving spouse is required to pay the full balance due on the loan--or 95 percent of the value of the property--simply to remain in their home. My amendment would protect people like Mrs. Griffin and allow them more time to protect themselves from foreclosure. I think we must do everything in our power to inform and protect unknowing senior couples from the danger of not only losing their loved ones but also their nest eggs. Madam Chair, I want to thank the gentleman from Florida and his staff for working so hard on this legislation and for making a commitment to this issue. I look forward to continuing to work with the gentleman to make sure that we do all that we can to realize the full goal of this important program. Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 261, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1314. Currently, not all 501(c) organizations are able to appeal decisions regarding the application for tax-exempt status; instead, the right to appeal depends on whether the application was processed inside the Internal Revenue Service. This bill would give the right of an administrative appeal to all organizations that apply for tax-exempt status. It is a good, commonsense bill. I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1314, and I thank the chair of our full committee and the sponsor of this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 1058. Today, this day, April 15, is the due date for Americans to file their tax returns. On this day, it is important for the House to consider a taxpayer bill of rights. This legislation would ensure that Internal Revenue Service employees are familiar with the rights guaranteed to taxpayers under the Internal Revenue Code. These include the right to be informed, the right to be heard, the right to privacy, the right to appeal, and the right to a fair and just system. Mr. Speaker, we must do all we can to protect taxpayers' rights. In addition to passing this act, Congress must ensure that the agency has the resources it needs to properly serve American taxpayers. This year, American taxpayers finally felt the shock of the billion-dollar cuts to the agency's budget. Taxpayers seeking assistance waited in lines for hours. Few could reach a live person when they called the help hotlines, and according to press reports--to written reports, television, newspapers, and magazines--in New York, the Internal Revenue Service office even ran out of paper to print extra tax forms after taxpayers waited in long lines for hours. That is not right. That is not fair. That is not just. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act takes an important step in the right direction. It is timely and it is just. I hope that we can come together to make sure that our constituents are receiving the services and the protections they deserve. Again, I thank the gentleman from Illinois and my Republican colleague--the chairman--and others for bringing this bill to the floor today. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I support H.R. 1058, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2015. On this tax day, we must do more for our taxpayers. I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' for H.R. 1058. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1152, the IRS Email Transparency Act. In 2012, the Internal Revenue Service prohibited employees from using personal email accounts for governmental or official purposes. This bill simply makes this commonsense rule a Federal law. H.R. 1152 responds to the investigation into the processing of tax- exempt applications. This investigation started nearly 2 years ago, in May 2013. To date, the agency has spent more than $20 million to produce more than 1.3 million pages of documents, including 78,000 emails from Ms. Lois Lerner. Mr. Speaker, to date, there has not been one shred of evidence produced to support the Republican claim that the processing of applications was politically motivated or intended to target the President's political enemies. The inspector general even stated that no one outside of the agency was involved in setting the standards for processing tax-exempt applications. The delays experienced by groups were the result of incompetence at the agency in the Exempt Organizations Division. I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Marchant) and my Republican colleagues for bringing this bill to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I don't have any other speakers. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1026, the Taxpayer Knowledge of IRS Investigations Act. Earlier this afternoon, the House passed H.R. 1058, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act. Two of the rights included in that bill were the right to confidentiality, the right to be informed. This bill complements that legislation. Generally, tax returns are confidential and may not be disclosed unless authorized by the Internal Revenue Code. Section 6103 of the Code provides certain exceptions. These do not include telling a taxpayer if there has been an unauthorized disclosure of his or her tax return information. Fines, criminal penalties, or both apply to the unauthorized inspection or disclosure of tax return information. H.R. 1026 would allow the Internal Revenue Service to update a taxpayer on the status of investigations of unauthorized disclosure of his or her tax return. They would be allowed to know whether the investigation started, is open, or is closed. This is a simple, commonsense bill. Taxpayers have a right to know if their tax return information has been compromised. I want to thank my friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania, my Republican colleague; the ranking member of the subcommittee; and the chairman for bringing this bill to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I support the piece of legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1295. I support the improvements the bill makes to the taxpayers' exempt process for social welfare organizations. Under current law, social welfare organizations are not required to file for tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service, although many organizations do apply for greater certainty. From 2009 to 2012, the number of social welfare organizations applying for tax-exempt status nearly doubled, from 1,800 to 3,400 requests. But for an organization that simply starts operating as a social welfare organization without applying for tax exemption, the agency does not have any information on the organization until it files its annual information return. This return, known as Form 990, may not be due until more than a year after the organization has already been operating. This bill, which I think is a good bill, is a commonsense bill, requires all social welfare organizations to file a notice of formation with the agency no later than 60 days after the organization is established. The intent is to provide the agency with certain key information. I believe this bill could have done more. Currently, social welfare organizations are permitted to engage in political campaigns. However, an organization's primary work cannot be engaging in political activities. I am concerned that the information required to be provided to the agency under this bill, and in the first annual information return, may not be sufficient. It is important that the agency can clearly identify all cases in which the organizations engage in an inappropriate amount of political activity. To address this concern, the bill should require these organizations to indicate whether they engage or intend to engage in political activity. Although this bill does not go far enough, I support the improvement it makes. I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' for H.R. 1295. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 709. This legislation removes certain protections that are otherwise available to Federal employees if an employee conducts his or her official duties with the intent to extract personal gain or for a political purpose. H.R. 709 responds to the investigation into the processing of tax- exempt applications. This investigation started nearly 2 years ago, in May of 2013. To date, the agency has spent more than $20 million to produce more than 1.3 million pages of documents, including 78,000 emails from Lois Lerner. Mr. Speaker, to date, there has not been one shred of evidence produced to support the Republican claim that the processing of applications was politically motivated or intended to target the President's political enemies. The inspector general even stated that no one outside the agency was involved in setting the criteria for processing tax-exempt applications. The delays experienced by groups were the result of incompetence at the agency in the Exempt Organizations Division. I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' for H.R. 709. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.