Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Let me first thank you, Representative Horsford and Congressman Jeffries, for organizing the Congressional Black Caucus' Special Order. You have really shown tremendous leadership and consistency and have been working so hard on behalf, not only of your constituents, but for the entire country and especially for the CBC. Let me just thank, while she is here, our phenomenal chair, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, for her leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus. As we celebrate women's history and trailblazing women, we celebrate them for their courage, character, and commitment. That is our 2014 Women's History Month theme. So I am so proud that we have a chairwoman who exhibits all three of these characteristics. Thank you for standing strong and for leading the Congressional Black Caucus on so, so many fronts. Thank you and congratulations. Let me just say that I agree with Congressman Horsford when you say, each month--each day, really--we should always celebrate women's history; though in March, we, again, take a moment to recognize really the triumphs of women throughout the course of history and to mark how far we have come, but also to recognize that there is much work to be done. Now, let me just start by mentioning the phenomenal and beautiful 89- year-old woman, Mildred Massey, who of course is my role model. She raised three girls in segregated El Paso, Texas, until desegregation and, at one point, worked three jobs to help take care of her family. We lived in a multigenerational household and, until his death, was her father's--W.C. Parrish, my grandfather--primary caregiver while working and taking care of her girls. She taught me at an early age that girls and women are born equal to boys and men and to never forget that and to always fight for equality and justice. That was a given in our household. I would not be where I am had it not been for my mother and also for many incredible fighters like my mother who came before me in the public arena. I would like to take a moment to honor three women in particular, in addition to my mother, whose shoulders we stand on: Bessie Coleman, Dr. Dorothy Height, and, of course, Shirley Chisholm. Bessie Coleman, as she was quoted, refused to take ``no'' for an answer. Although she dreamed of becoming a pilot, no flight school in the United States would accept her simply because she was a woman and because she was Black, but she refused to take ``no'' for an answer. She enrolled in flight school in France and became the only woman and the only person of color in her class in Paris. She soon became the first African American woman pilot and the first American of any race to hold an international pilot's license. Several weeks ago, a portion of Airport Drive at the Oakland International Airport, in my district, was renamed ``Bessie Coleman Drive.'' It was such an inspiration to be part of this dedication ceremony because she, of course, was from or worked in Oakland, and really went to many of her classes and learned a lot about piloting in Oakland, California. Another great woman who refused to take ``no'' for an answer was our beloved and great doctor, Dorothy Height. Let me just say how fortuitous it is that today is Dr. Height's birthday. She was a bold and brilliant African American woman who blazed many trails and opened many doors to the American Dream for women and people of color. From her stewardship as the national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority--of whom I know our chair, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty are proud members--to her leading the National Council of Negro Women for 41 years and to her more than 60 years at the YWCA, which she was responsible for desegregating, Dorothy Height dedicated her life to achieving racial equality and securing women's rights. Dr. Height was especially committed to empowering women and girls, and worked to ensure that Black women's issues were equally addressed. She was also dedicated to helping women work towards full employment, pay, and education. I remember when Dr. Height turned, I believe it was, 90 years old. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus honored her at a luncheon here on Capitol Hill. She really gave us more background and knowledge and information during that luncheon as to how those following behind her needed to really focus on the fact that, yes, when women succeed, America succeeds. Dorothy Height was a true leader for all women not only in our own country but throughout the world. In the seventies, Women's History Month was little more than an idea. As this idea was taking formation, Shirley Chisholm, a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, had only recently made history by becoming the first African American woman elected to Congress. I was a student at Mills College in the early seventies when Mrs. Chisholm again made history by becoming the first African American woman and the first African American to run for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Although she did not win the nomination, her campaign inspired thousands, myself included, to use their voices and to speak up through the ballot box. She blazed the trail for, of course, our Nation's first great President, President Barack Obama. Throughout her congressional career, the unbought and unbossed Mrs. Chisholm continued her fight against discrimination in all forms and championed issues for women and their families. She was a strong voice for domestic workers and led the fight to give them the right to a minimum wage. This was way back in the day, but we are still struggling and fighting for many of those issues. Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm was instrumental, along with the first Asian Pacific American, our beloved Congresswoman Patsy Mink, in passing title IX, which prohibits discrimination in the funding of education programs. She was also a fierce advocate for the Affordable Child Care Act. There is no doubt that the 16 African American women in Congress today are truly standing on the strong, strong shoulders of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. After years of trying, I am pleased that we were finally able to secure a postage stamp in her honor. Just last month, I was joined by Leader Pelosi in my district for the west coast unveiling of the United States Postal Service's Black Heritage stamp as a small token of our thanks while Congressmen Jeffries and Rangel and Congresswoman Clarke had the privilege to unveil the beautiful stamp in Shirley Chisholm's former district in Brooklyn, New York. So 101 years after women marched in Washington, D.C., for the right to vote, women are still fighting to break down barriers. It is really a disgrace that in 2014, despite making up 50 percent of our workforce, women still make, on average, 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. Even worse, African American women are making only 64 cents and Latinas only 55 cents for every dollar a White man makes. The point is that working women are paid less for the same work as men. This is wrong and it is discriminatory. What is more, child care remains unaffordable; quality, affordable education remains out of the reach of far too many women; and pregnancy discrimination continues. Again, this is simply unacceptable. That is why the Democratic women of the House, including the women of the CBC, under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi and Donna Edwards and Doris Matsui and Rosa DeLauro, have launched When Women Succeed, America Succeeds, and are championing an economic agenda for women and families, one which our President supports. Finally, let me just quote from my dear friend, our beloved Shirley Chisholm. She once said: I want to be remembered as a woman who dared to be a catalyst for change. There is no doubt that she was. As we honor heroines like my mother, Shirley Chisholm, Dorothy Height, Bessie Coleman, and so many others in our districts who fight each and every day with little resources to make our communities better, let us remember that, yes, when women succeed, America succeeds. Also, as I said at the United Nations very recently at the Commission on the Status of Women, when women succeed, the world becomes a more just and a more equitable place. Thank you for your leadership.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Congressional Women's Working Group on Immigration Reform I rise to support the women in my district and around the country who are fasting for a vote on reform legislation. Mr. Speaker, our system has been broken for far too long and now is the time to fix it. Every day hardworking women all over America are living in fear that they will be separated from their family. They have been systematically left out of the programs that their tax dollars help support. That is why I am proud to have joined Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham to introduce the HEAL Act that would guarantee access to safety net programs like Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. Mr. Speaker, instead of bringing up bills to create jobs and grow the economy, Republicans continue to play political games--bringing up GOP message bills to nowhere. It is time to pass comprehensive immigration reform. It is time to pass an extension of Unemployment Insurance. We have the votes. Let's do it now.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the exceptional life of Ms. Elaine Pomeroy McKellar, devoted wife, mother, sister, friend and colleague. With her passing on January 8, 2014, we look to the outstanding quality of her life's work to improve the social welfare of individuals and families as well as the countless lives she touched over the course of her career in social work and advocacy. Born on August 3, 1944 in Thomasville, Georgia, she and her family moved to Valley City, North Dakota following World War II, where she grew up with her three younger siblings Linda, Earl, and Glenn. Mrs. McKellar received her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the University of North Dakota, and obtained her Masters in Social Work (MSW) at the Washington University in St. Louis. After completing her studies, Mrs. McKellar headed to the San Francisco Bay Area determined to work in the progressive political climate and change-oriented environment. While she walked on the front lines advocating for fair wages and walking a picket line for the United Farm Workers, she met her husband Larry McKellar. They had one son, Dominic McKellar. She started her career off in the 1970s at Catholic Social Services in San Francisco. She primarily worked on foster care services and with youth transitioning out of the foster care system. She later went to the Children's Home Society as the Coordinator of Emergency Foster Care Family and recruitment, a non-profit agency serving children and families through critical child welfare services. In the late 1980s, Mrs. McKellar's career took her to Bay View Hunters Point Foundation, where she helped to implement elementary school mental health programs with her experience and expertise in social welfare. Following her experience at the Bay View Hunters Point Foundation, Mrs. McKellar worked at the UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion through a Robert Wood Johnson grant and provided critical mental health services to children victimized by domestic violence. In April 2005, Mrs. McKellar came to work in my Oakland District Office. While initially starting as a part-time caseworker, she quickly rose to become the Senior Caseworker managing the casework services. She had spent the past 8 years providing outstanding constituent services to the residents of the 13th Congressional District. Mrs. McKellar's experience as a social worker was an asset to my office, as her institutional knowledge and expertise in social welfare easily allowed her to work closely with federal agencies and handle sensitive situations with the upmost professionalism and ease. She was committed to ensuring that my constituents received timely responses from agencies, often going above and beyond what was required. Mrs. McKellar worked closely with veterans and constituents with issues relating to Social Security and Medicare. Her many contributions to the office have not gone unnoticed. For 5 years, she was responsible for organizing An Artistic Discovery, an annual Congressional high school art competition aimed at encouraging students to express themselves through the arts. Mrs. McKellar worked tirelessly to build relationships with high school art teachers and community stakeholders, which helped to successfully grow the event. In 2012 and 2013, Mrs. McKellar worked closely with staff from Congresswoman Jackie Speier's office to host the Veterans' Fix-It Event, an event to address the backlog in veterans' claims and cases with the Oakland VA Regional Office. On a personal note, Elaine was an exemplary example of a public servant. She demonstrated the highest ethical standards and truly embodied the social work code of ethics in all aspects of her life. She will be deeply missed. Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes and honors an outstanding individual and dedicated public servant, Mrs. Elaine Pomeroy McKellar. Her invaluable service to improving the lives of the underrepresented and underserved will live on in the endless legacy of her life's work. I offer my sincerest condolences to her many loved ones, friends and colleagues she touched over the course of her incredible life. May her soul rest in peace.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I was not present for rollcall votes 55-56. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall votes 55 and 56.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Morris ``Morrie'' Turner, former cartoonist for the Oakland Tribune. Known throughout the Bay Area and the Nation by his cartoon strip ``Wee Pals,'' Mr. Turner has left an indelible mark on our national discourse. With his passing on January 25, 2014, we look to the outstanding quality of his life's work and the inspiring role he played in breaking racial barriers as the first nationally syndicated African American cartoonist.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Minister Rhonda White-Warner, a former minister and a social activist. Known throughout the Bay Area as a scholar, teacher, activist, preacher, and as a dedicated mother and grandmother, Minister White-Warner has left an indelible mark on our community. With her passing on January 15, 2014, we look to the outstanding quality of her life's work and the inspiring role she played in many lives through her community activism and as a spiritual leader. Born and raised in Oakland, Minister Rhonda White-Warner's passion for helping people began at a young age. After graduating from Oakland Technical High School in 1969, she received her Masters of Divinity from the American Baptist Seminary of the West, graduating with the highest GPA in her class and advancing to candidacy for a Doctor of Ministry degree at the San Francisco Theological Seminary. Minister White-Warner graduated with honors and received the Jessie Drexler Award for outstanding competency in Biblical Studies. Minister Rhonda White-Warner had a profound sense of dedication to helping the people in her community. As HIV/AIDS began to take its toll on the community, she knew it was important for faith based groups to step up and take action. She helped to establish the East Bay HIV Faith Collaborative. This collaborative is comprised of a group of HIV/AIDS advocates who educate and provide tools to African American Faith leaders. Aside from managing programs for HIV/AIDS, Minister White- Warner also worked to address domestic violence and mental health services. Minister White-Warner also appreciated and promoted the arts. During the 1990s, she published a monthly magazine called Tibbets. This publication served to promote African American arts. Later, she became a founding member of the Oakland Ensemble Theatre in 1993, which established itself as the sole professional theater company in Oakland. Minister Rhonda White-Warner has left a lasting imprint on our society and communities of faith. She was a charter member of the Womanist Symposium Project at the Graduate Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. This project engages womanist theology within the context of Black women in the local church setting. Their mission is to energize African American women to live positively and productively, as well as to empower and liberate African American women in the context of biblical scripture. Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes and honors an outstanding individual and social activist, Minister Rhonda White- Warner. As an Oakland-native, Minister White-Warner's efforts have truly paved the way for minorities and impacted so many lives throughout the nation. I join all of Rhonda's loved ones in celebrating her incredible life. She will be deeply missed.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Rosy Chu for her extraordinary career in television and community affairs on the occasion of her retirement. Ms. Chu is retiring after more than forty-two years of dedicated service with KTVU FOX 2 and KICU TV36, where she has served as Director of Community Affairs and Public Service since 1989. A proud San Francisco native, Ms. Chu graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Communication Arts. She was one of the first women of Asian descent to work in the television industry, and was the first Asian American woman to host and produce a regularly scheduled talk show in the San Francisco Bay Area. She began her career with KTVU FOX 2 in 1971 as a secretary in the art department before moving on to a number of producer roles. From 1985 to 1988, Ms. Chu was the Producer of ``2 at Noon,'' which was the first newscast outside The Ten O'Clock News on KTVU FOX 2. She became the Director of Community Affairs and Public Service in 1989. During her tenure at KTVU FOX 2, Ms. Chu has served as an ambassador for the station and has been a tremendous asset to the community. She has assisted non-profit agencies, service organizations and community interest groups in obtaining access to media to roll out key messages on social needs and issues. Ms. Chu reached a broad constituency through hosting and producing ``Bay Area People,'' a long-running and award winning public affairs program featuring educational and community issues. Ms. Chu has also traveled throughout California, China and Australia, allowing her to meet with diverse members of communities to host and produce a number of documentaries. Ms. Chu is keenly committed to community leadership. She joined Asians in Mass Media and the National Asian American Telecommunications early in the start of her career. Ms. Chu served on the founding Board of Directors for the San Francisco Chapter of the Asian American Journalist Association, in addition to being the first Asian American on the Board of Governor's for the San Francisco Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In 2005, Ms. Chu was inducted into the exclusive Silver Circle Club of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, Northern California Chapter. She has also earned myriad accolades, including eight nominations and one award from the Northern California Emmy Awards. She has been recognized by numerous community groups and national organizations including: the Take a Bigger Role Life Savers Video Excellence Award; the National Association of Broadcaster's Children's Television Award; the New York Film and Video Festival Awards; California School Boards Foundation Documentary Media Award; the California Teachers' Association Media Excellence Awards and American Women in Radio and Television. In 2010, Ms. Chu was recognized by the Asian American Journalist Association's Honor Roll of Asian American Pioneers in Journalism as one of the first Asian American public affairs producer-hosts and managers in United States television. She was awarded the ``2012 Powerful Women of the Bay'' by the Black Women Organized for Political Action. Throughout her prolific career, Ms. Chu has been praised for her commitment and contributions to the community and to KTVU FOX 2 and KICU TV36. She has worked tirelessly in building community outreach and enhancing the lives of the community she serves through advocacy and raising awareness on critical social issues. On behalf of the residents of California's 13th Congressional District, Ms. Rosy Chu, I salute you. I thank you for a lifetime of service and congratulate you on your many achievements. I wish you and your loved ones all the very best as you transition to this exciting new chapter of life.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Let me first thank you, Congresswoman Beatty, for those very humbling remarks, for your tremendous leadership, and for the work that you do each and every day not only for the people of your district but for the people and the women and the children and families in the entire country. I just have to say that you have certainly hit the ground running here in Washington, D.C. I think you have because of your life's work in Ohio, and what you have done in Ohio as an elected official and how you have just charted the course for so many issues for so many women. Thank you for leading us tonight. Also, Congresswoman Kelly, I want to thank you for organizing this Special Order and also for being such a champion for women and children and your district in Illinois. Again, I have been here now for probably eight terms. You all have just arrived. I just want to thank you. It is really an honor to work with you. Congresswoman Beatty, you earlier mentioned the President's quote. I want to mention once again what he said during the State of the Union because I think it is important to make sure that the country continues to hear that the President understands when women succeed, America succeeds, and he is leading the charge in the White House for that, in terms of his leadership. Today, women make up about half of our workforce, but they still make 77 cents for every dollar a man earns. That is wrong, and in 2014, it is embarrassment. So thank you again, Congresswoman Beatty, for reiterating the President's quote, because we can't forget that he truly is supportive of our overall agenda. It is simply unacceptable that women are still being paid 77 cents for every dollar that a man makes. African American and Latina women are being paid even less, at 64 cents and 50 cents, while doing the same work as men. That is why our Democratic women of the House, under the leadership of Congresswomen Nancy Pelosi, Donna Edwards, and Doris Matsui, along with all of us, have launched the ``When Women Succeed, America Succeeds campaign. In drawing attention to the need for a true economic agenda for women and families in D.C., we all have been hosting a series of events in our districts across the country, and we are hearing the same thing. Congresswomen Kelly and Beatty, myself, Congresswoman Fudge from Ohio, are all hearing the same thing. Saturday, I was really thrilled and honored to have been joined by Leader Pelosi at my event in Oakland. I was also joined by former Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, who so courageously told her story as a former public assistance recipient needing affordable child care and a good-paying job as a bridge over her troubled waters. Also at this event I was joined by two of my constituents, Clarissa and Irma, who shared their struggle of trying to take care of their family. Clarissa told us about her struggle as a single parent. When budget cuts caused her to lose the subsidy that she received to pay for child care, she was forced to pull her son, Xavier, out of preschool and resign from her job to care for him during the day. Xavier started kindergarten unprepared and is now in his second year, catching up with his peers. It is very difficult. Clarissa is an unbelievable mother. So Xavier is going to make it, and he is going to be a true leader because of Clarissa, who is working each and every day to make sure he catches up. This didn't need to happen if she had affordable child care. Also, it reminded me of when I was in college with my two sons. I always say they were the two best educated children under 3 years of age. They were college-educated under 3 years because I had to take them to class with me while a student at Mills College because I could not afford child care. Child care is so critical to the success of women. When women succeed, America succeeds. Let me tell you about Irma. She is a single mother and a restaurant worker, a low-wage worker. She shared her experience with pregnancy discrimination. There was not a dry eye in the room. Irma, like so many women, became pregnant, and her manager reduced her work hours from 40 hours a week to less than 30 hours a week. He assigned her difficult tasks. You know why he did? To try to get her to resign. They had her doing work that she would never be allowed to do if her doctor had known that they were requiring her to do that. After assigning her a particularly difficult task when she was 8 months pregnant, Congresswomen Beatty and Kelly, do you know what her manager told her? He said, Well, if it's so hard, then why go to work? Why go to work? So Irma's story is the story of so many of our constituents. It also reminded me, as my colleagues have mentioned, of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, the first African American women elected to Congress. She was fighting when she was here in Congress for pay equity for domestic women. She was fighting for affordable child care and for education. Congresswoman Chisholm was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. She was someone that many of us looked up to. Her passion for the plight of working poor and women was undeniable. Leader Pelosi and myself unveiled the Shirley Chisholm Black History stamp on Saturday during our panel discussion. It was just an amazing moment because of all the people in that room. There were 500 of my constituents; young people, middle age, old people. My 89-year-old mother and my two sisters were there. People really understood when women succeed, America succeeds, and the fight that Shirley Chisholm mounted for that. In Brooklyn, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke serves in the spirit of Shirley Chisholm. She and Congressmen Jeffries, Rangel, Meeks, and Kelly had the privilege to unveil Shirley Chisholm's stamp in Brooklyn. Once again, the message of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm that when women succeed, America succeeds, is so relevant and so current today. So the principles of our women's economic agenda which we are discussing tonight resonates throughout our country, like raising the minimum wage. I just have to reference low-wage workers. The majority are women and women of color. Also, affordable, quality child care and paid family medical leave. Again, I mentioned my mother, a phenomenal woman who raised three young girls. Paid family medical care for not only our children but our elders, our senior citizens. It is so important that people know that they can care for their family members during their golden years, as well as their children. Pay equity and closing the gap in terms of the statistics we cited earlier. All of these efforts that we are mounting here in Congress, hopefully we will have bipartisan support for raising the minimum wage in this overall agenda. All of this means that when women succeed, America succeeds. The success of women is truly central and integral to the success of our country as a great democracy which stands for liberty and justice for all. So thank you again, Congresswomen Beatty and Kelly, for organizing this tonight. I have to close by just saying Congressman Shirley Chisholm was a true Delta woman. She was the epitome of a Delta woman, and so this week, once again, saluting Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm and our overall women's agenda is so timely and so profound. Thank you again for this moment.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I was not present for rollcall Votes 24 and 25. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on both.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. I thank the gentlelady for yielding. Currently, Congress imposes unfair limitations on insurance coverage of abortions through the Hyde amendment for low-income women, which should be, quite frankly, repealed. Today, Republicans are asking us to go even further--to create an unprecedented interference in the lives of women and their families by restricting coverage for women's health in private insurance plans. Instead of working together to extend unemployment benefits for the more than 1.3 million unemployed Americans, here we are debating another dangerous and divisive attempt to strip away the rights of women, instead of creating economic opportunity and jobs. Here you go again, attacking women's health care, not to mention that this bill singles out an attack on low-income women in the District of Columbia by permanently prohibiting the District from spending its own locally raised funds on abortions for low-income women. You would not want us to restrict anything in your districts where privately raised local funds are used. This is just another battle in the war on women. It has got to stop. We must stop these attacks on women's health.

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert my statement into the Record in support of extending unemployment insurance for 1.6 million Americans instead of this radical Republican assault on women's health care rights.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, here we go again. Instead of working with President Obama and Democrats to create jobs, economic opportunities, and fight poverty, extreme Tea Party Republicans are at it again, attacking women's health care and reproductive rights. Yes, it is another battle in the war on women. Instead of working together to extend unemployment benefits, here we are today debating another dangerous and divisive attempt to strip away the rights of women. Madam Speaker, Congress currently imposes unfair limitations on insurance coverage of abortion and, through the Hyde amendment, that is a fact, even though I personally think we should get rid of all these restrictions. Yet this bill, H.R. 7, creates an unprecedented interference in the lives of women and their families by restricting coverage for women's health in private insurance plans. It specifically attacks low-income women in the District of Columbia by permanently, mind you, permanently prohibiting the District from spending its purely local funds on abortions for low-income women. How many of you would want the Federal Government to restrict your funding in your local districts for any health care benefits for women? It codifies the harmful Helms amendment. Enough is enough.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and career of Bay Area community leader and tireless advocate for the expansion of healthcare to the underserved, Dr. Frank Eugene Staggers, Sr. Dr. Staggers was known throughout the Bay Area as someone who believed that the health of the individual is directly tied to the health of the community. With his passing, we look to Dr. Staggers' tremendous legacy and the outstanding quality of his life's work. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Dr. Staggers served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army in Belgium during World War II. After returning home, Dr. Staggers attended Virginia State College in Petersburg, Virginia earning a Bachelor's degree in Zoology. He enrolled in Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee where he earned his degree in Medicine. Upon graduation, Dr. Staggers put his extensive knowledge to use as a medical resident in the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander with a surgical subspecialty in Urology. He eventually retired from the Navy with the rank of Commander in 1963. Dr. Staggers worked tirelessly to ensure equality in healthcare, and the organizations he helped to found continue to carry out his vision, specifically the St. Luke's Society, an organization dedicated to creating an alliance between African American doctors and ministers, and the Alta Bates Summit Ethnic Health Institute, a community service focused on promoting community health awareness, organizational alliances, and health-provider training to underserved and minority populations that experience disparities in healthcare. As an advocate for equality in healthcare, Dr. Staggers actively served in many leadership roles. Notably, he served as Chairman of the American Medical Association's Advisory Committee on Minority Physicians. He was also President, Vice Chair, and Chair of the California Medical Association Foundation, as well as President of the Alameda-Contra Costa County Medical Society. In addition, he was President and a member of the Golden State Medical Association, the National Medical Association, and the Sinkler Miller Medical Association. For his many contributions and dedication to furthering minority access to healthcare, Dr. Staggers was recognized numerous times, including by the California State Legislature, the Golden State Medical Association, the National Medical Association, the Meharry Medical College, and the American Medical Association Foundation. Dr. Staggers was a mentor to many, including myself. I benefitted from his wise counsel and input on my health care legislation and agenda while in the California State Legislature and in Congress. He was steady, focused and passionate as he shared his knowledge and clarity regarding what I needed to know and do to address health care disparities in communities of color. For that, I am deeply grateful. As a board certified urologist, Dr. Staggers mentored minority medical students all across the United States, and he supported and was involved with many historic black colleges. This reflects Dr. Staggers belief in, and commitment to nurturing the next generation to continue to build on the progress made by the previous generation. On a personal note, I had the privilege to spend time with Frank and his beloved wife, my friend and colleague while serving in the California State Legislature, the Honorable Teresa Hughes. Frank and ``Terrie'' loved each other deeply. They were able to pull both of their very busy lives together, never neglected each other and gave their friends a glimpse of ``true love'' even in their golden years. The love he exhibited toward Terrie and his family was unconditional and inspiring. Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes and honors a great friend of the Bay Area and a true champion for equality, Dr. Frank Eugene Staggers Sr. His steadfast commitment to ensuring that minorities have access to better healthcare and quality of life will forever live on in the legacy that he leaves behind. I offer my sincerest condolences to his many loved ones and to all of those whose lives he touched over the years. He will be deeply missed.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, as one of two congressional representatives to the United Nations, I rise to recognize and talk about the continued human suffering in Syria. According to the United Nations, there are over 2 million registered refugees from Syria, including 1.4 million children. Last September, the United Nations Security Council urged Syria to take immediate steps to grant aid organizations full access to conduct relief operations. Yet, today, there are reports that the government continues to block aid to victims desperately in need of relief, causing needless hunger and suffering among Syria's civilian populations. These actions are not just an offense against our conscience; they are also offenses against international law and United Nations' obligations. As world leaders gather next week in pursuit of a political solution, we must hold all parties to the Syrian conflict accountable and find a negotiated settlement to ending this crisis once and for all through the hard work of diplomacy. I am proud that the United States is the leading donor of humanitarian aid, and I am pleased that the omnibus bill we passed yesterday included increased funding to support our ongoing humanitarian response.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Susan Rasky, former political reporter for The New York Times and lecturer at the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley. Known throughout the nation as an accomplished reporter, Ms. Rasky has left an indelible mark on the national discourse. With her passing on December 29, 2013, we look to the outstanding quality of her life's work and the inspiring role she played in shaping the nature of political reporting and inspiring future journalists. Born on June 10, 1952, Susan Rasky was raised in the Los Angeles area. Her passion for politics grew out of discussions at family dinners, where it was common place for her to bring up the most salient political issues of the day. Her drive and enthusiasm for political discussion propelled her to study History at UC Berkeley, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1974. Ms. Rasky went on to earn her Master's degree in Economic History from the distinguished London School of Economics. Arriving in Washington, D.C. with an academic background in economics and an interest for journalism, Ms. Rasky began her career as a reporter. She covered issues concerning the economy and economic policy for different news organizations, including the Bureau of National Affairs and Reuters. After just five years, she began reporting for The New York Times as a Congressional correspondent. At The New York Times, she wrote more than 1,700 articles for both New York and Washington, D.C., exploring issues relating to the tax code and the Federal Reserve. Renowned for her insight and powerful voice, Ms. Rasky received the George Polk Award in 1990. Acknowledged for her coverage of the Congressional budget crisis, she and her colleagues shared recognition for this prestigious award for their critical and insightful research and reporting on these complex issues facing the nation. Later, as a UC Berkeley senior lecturer, Ms. Rasky effortlessly moved from the newsroom to the classroom. Ms. Rasky left an imprint on a generation of students, specializing in teaching political and government reporting. Through her mentorship, students were continuously inspired and challenged to ``twist the lens'' and find a more nuanced perspective in journalism. Her teaching was so influential that students began to refer to themselves as ``Rasky-ites'', illustrating their devotion to her and her style of political reporting. In addition to her prolific career, Ms. Rasky established and supervised the J-School's California News Service, offering students the opportunity to cover government and politics for news organizations throughout the country. She enjoyed being able to guide younger generations of journalists on how to cover presidential and other campaigns. Even after her students graduated, she was known to advise them well into their professional careers. She will be remembered as a distinguished reporter, a supportive leader, and a dedicated mentor. Today, California's 13th Congressional District salutes and honors an outstanding individual and stalwart journalist, Susan Rasky. As a constituent and UC Berkeley professor, Ms. Rasky inspired many future journalists and impacted so many lives throughout the nation. I join all of Susan's loved ones in celebrating her incredible life. She will be deeply missed.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, first let me thank our ranking member, Nita Lowey, for yielding, and also I want to thank her for her tremendous leadership on this committee. And also I want to thank Chairman Rogers. Both of these great individuals really have worked together day and night to bring this bill forward on a bipartisan basis, and I have to salute and thank you both for that because I know it was very, very difficult. But we did it. And also to the staff, I, too, want to salute and thank the staff, including my staff, for their tremendous work in trying to balance all of the priorities so that we can have a bill that all of us can support. While I voted against the budget resolution, I am encouraged that this bill will restore a majority--not all, but a majority--of the harmful sequester and bring some relief to struggling communities and families who are living, quite frankly, on the edge. As a member of the Budget and the Appropriations Committees, I am encouraged that passing this bill will get us out of this cycle of governing by crisis. This bill makes important investments in early childhood education, environmental protection, HIV-AIDS, and law enforcement. It increases our support for the United Nations and humanitarian relief efforts in Syria. And even with these increases, funding for these critical programs, if you ask me, still remains much too low. Yet this bill provides $5 billion more than what the Pentagon asked for, while failing to extend the emergency unemployment insurance for the 1.3 million individuals who lost, on December 28, their unemployment. This is just wrong. Finally, as a member of the Labor-HHS Subcommittee, I really think it is shameful that our subcommittee failed to receive a proportionate increase in our total allocation. Mind you, Labor-HHS is the largest subcommittee after Defense and supports programs that impact nearly every household, every community in every congressional district. But this bill is a step forward in our appropriations process. Hopefully, we can come together and fully repeal the sequester and restore order in our budget and appropriations work in fiscal 2015.

Ms. LEE of California. Let me just close by saying I really hope, though, that we don't settle in accepting this new norm, quite frankly, that this spending bill sets because it is really far too low for too many people to really achieve the American Dream. But I thank you both for coming together and doing the best you can do, given the fiscal circumstances.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I was not present for roll call votes 12 and 13. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on both.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Let me thank the gentleman for yielding and for his kind remarks. Let me thank you for your tremendous leadership on so many issues which address and affect the American people across the board. I also thank you for being here every week during these Special Orders. It is really raising the level of awareness on the critical issues of our day. It takes a lot to do this, but thank you for giving us a voice and an opportunity to be with you. I join you and our colleagues tonight in the Congressional Progressive Caucus, really, in strong opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We are talking about trying to ensure that people do not fall into the ranks of the poor but also that people have pathways out of poverty and into prosperity. Now here we are, looking at another bill, H.R. 3080, which is called the Bipartisan Trade Priorities Act of 2014, which would provide the administration with Fast Track authority for the TPP. Once again, this is not a progressive trade policy. It will not allow for people to be employed and get good-paying jobs but, rather, just the opposite. So, unfortunately, looking at this really worries many of us that we will fall backwards in terms of more people becoming unemployed. Let me just be clear up front, though, in that I do not oppose all trade agreements. I support fair and free trade. However, the notion that Congress should provide a rubber stamp for a complex free trade agreement is simply irresponsible and dangerous to our economy and to our constituents. They elected us to provide a voice in all of these policies, so to shut the Congress out of having that seat at the table, to me, is downright undemocratic. The TPP will have a devastating effect on the working class families and communities of color that I represent and that many of us represent. It would sacrifice the well-being of working Americans for the wealth of multinational corporations, not to mention that, in its current form, the TPP would lock in higher prices for popular drugs, threatening access to life-saving medicines, including HIV/AIDS drugs, for millions of poor and low-income individuals and families around the world. By exporting American jobs to countries where the minimum wage is just 28 cents an hour, CEOs will continue to get richer while working Americans will lose their only sources of income. We have seen this happen before. Past trade agreements have already cost us 3.4 million service sector jobs. Many of those jobs were in California. We simply cannot afford to lose more. NAFTA alone resulted in the net loss of 1 million U.S. jobs. It led to a trade deficit of $181 billion, and it devastated the manufacturing sector. These agreements have allowed corporations to ship good American jobs overseas while wages, benefits and workplace protections and environmental protections are really declining and are denied. Rather than focusing on trade agreements that will hurt the middle class, we really should be focusing on job creation, eradicating poverty, income inequality, and improving economic mobility. In 1980, CEOs were paid an average of 42 times the salary of a blue collar worker. In 2012, that number exploded to 354 times more than the average worker. This is unacceptable. It is really unconscionable that, rather than building pathways to prosperity, we are debating measures to make, yes, the 1 percent richer while holding working families down. So I stand in firm opposition to Fast Track authority and to any final deal that sacrifices American jobs and environmental protections in the name of international corporate profits. This must be defeated. Finally, as many of us are talking about tonight, we have 1.4 million people who did not receive their unemployment compensation checks this week. The Republican Tea Party House has totally abandoned these people who are living on the edge. They want to work, so it is incumbent upon us to do the right thing on behalf of these people and immediately extend unemployment compensation. First of all, it is the correct thing to do. It is the American thing to do. It is the moral thing to do, but it is also economically wise to do this. So we hope, during the district work period next week, that Republicans hear from their constituents because it is not only Democrats who have people who have lost their unemployment compensation but Republican constituents. All Americans who are seeking to work and who want to work and who need that bridge over troubled waters have lost their unemployment checks also. I hope, for those who are people of faith, they really draw from their faith and understand that this is the moment, that now is the time to think about the least of these and to remember that we are our brothers' and that we are our sisters' keepers and that we need to pass unemployment compensation right away and then move forward and increase the minimum wage and, hopefully, one day, increase the minimum wage to really a living wage because that is what the American people deserve. Thank you again for your leadership, and thank you for giving me the chance to be with you tonight.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue with our 50 floor speeches marking the 50th anniversary of the war on poverty. Now, yesterday, we were joined by President Lyndon Baines Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson's eldest daughter, Lynda Johnson Robb, to mark the 50th anniversary of her father's State of the Union speech in which he declared an unconditional war on poverty. She reminded us that this was a bipartisan and bicameral effort led by the White House. Now, I have shared my own story, reluctantly, in the past of the time in my life when I depended on our vital social safety net programs during some very difficult times; but my testimony is only one of millions of other Americans. Many of you may be familiar with the Campaign to Cut Poverty in Half in Ten Years, a project of the Center for American Progress, the Coalition on Human Needs, and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Now, they are doing phenomenal work gathering American stories of those who are living in poverty and have been lifted out of poverty, including our own Congressman Pocan's constituent, Amy Treptow's story. Amy is here today, and I look forward to hearing Congressman Pocan read her story later on this House floor. Her story, though, is a true representation of the legacy of the war on poverty and the promise of the American Dream fulfilled. Her story is not unlike one of my constituents in Oakland who visited my office here in D.C. last month. After becoming a single mother, Jennifer was forced to stop attending her college courses and take a job making minimum wage as a caregiver. She relied on CalWIC and food stamps to feed her daughters, and her family and friends supported her with her housing and other basic needs. Today, two of her daughters are graduates of the Head Start program, which prepared them to start elementary school where they are currently doing very well. And Jennifer was able to finish school and is now working to advocate on behalf of other families like hers who had to turn to the American people in her time of need. Also, I am reminded that one of my former district directors was a graduate of the Head Start program. He is doing phenomenal work raising a family and living the American Dream. These are stories of resilience. They are the stories of millions of Americans who are facing homelessness, hunger and unemployment, if it weren't for a safety net. In my home State of California, 6.3 million people--17 percent--lived in poverty in 2012. And in my district in Oakland, California, 18 percent of the residents live below the Federal poverty level, including one in four children. While the richest segments of our population continue to prosper nationally, income inequality traps millions of the working poor in poverty. Many low-wage workers must rely on food stamps and Medicaid just to survive--which our colleague Congressman Al Green just brilliantly laid out--just to survive while CEOs are making megabillions with government subsidies. As a recent study by the National Poverty Center at the University of Michigan showed, in any given month, 1.7 million households live on a cash income of less than $2 per day. Now that is comparable to many living in the developing world. Yes, $2. I said $2 per day. Now, that is here in America, the richest Nation on this Earth. In an economy that, despite recent gains, there are three unemployed for every one job opening, it is really a shame and a disgrace that 1.3 million people lost their lifeline as Republicans continue to refuse to extend emergency unemployment compensation. Now, these individuals' checks should arrive or should have arrived this week. Unfortunately, they did not. What in the world are people going to do now? This is heartless, it is mean-spirited, and, of course, to add insult to injury, many of these people lost about $35 in food stamp benefits last November. Yes, the economy has gotten better for some, but has left millions behind. Fifty years ago, the safety net was put in place just for times such as these. That is why it is so important to share stories like Jennifer's and like Amy's. Vital social safety net programs are still needed. We need to stop this war on the poor. We should have a cease- fire on the war on the poor. We have a moral and we have an economic obligation to make investments in economic opportunity and jobs.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I have Congresswoman Schakowsky and Congressmen Green and Bishop here, who would like to insert their statements into the Record. We had an overwhelming number of Members who attended, and they did not have the opportunity to speak tonight. General Leave

Ms. LEE of California. Let me yield now to the gentlelady from Texas, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you so much for being here with us and for your leadership, Mr. Clyburn. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you for that very powerful statement, Congresswoman Kaptur. I yield now to our assistant leader, my good friend Congressman Clyburn from the great State of South Carolina, who constantly and consistently talks about prioritizing and targeting resources to area needs, to the poor and low-income communities. Thank you for being here.

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you for that very powerful statement and for sharing those stories. All of us have stories very similar, but thank you for your constituents' testimonies. I yield to Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur from Ohio. I am privileged to serve with Congresswoman Kaptur on the Appropriations Committee, who constantly speaks for the voiceless. Thank you for being here.