Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. I rise again today, as I've been doing every week, to sound the alarm on poverty in America. Twelve Members of Congress are or will be participating in the food stamp challenge, which is a nationwide effort to bring attention to the needs of the 45 million Americans who are receiving food benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps. For 1 week, we lived on the food budget of the average food stamp recipient, or $31.50 a week, $4.50 a day, which means I spent on average $1.50 a meal. This is for 1 week. Let me thank Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Tim Ryan, Joe Courtney, Jan Schakowsky, Donna Christensen, Alcee Hastings, Keith Ellison, Jim Moran, Jackie Speier, Ted Deutch, Marcia Fudge, and Eleanor Holmes Norton for their participation and their commitment to drawing attention to the struggle of millions of hardworking families to put food on the table during very difficult economic times. We faced limited food choices, lacked access to fresh and healthy foods, and were repeatedly exposed to unhealthy and inadequate food choices that promote poor health, obesity, and hypertension. But of course, our week will end. I hope that every Member of Congress will stop for at least a moment and consider the millions of American families who will face these challenges each and every day until they can find a good job with a real living wage. Now, I'm a former food stamp recipient, and let me tell you that I was deeply thankful for my fellow Americans who were there for me and my children during a difficult time in our lives. The benefits that were extended to us were a critical help and provided a vital bridge over troubled waters when we needed them the most. But we didn't want to stay on food stamps forever, and we got off as soon as we could. Let me also say that now is not the time to gut these critical human needs programs. We are facing record poverty levels and unacceptably high unemployment rates, and it is simply unconscionable to attempt to balance the budgets on the backs of the most vulnerable and the neediest Americans. We must create what is being called a circle of protection around these core programs that keep American families from suffering the worst impacts of living in poverty. But we must do more than just minimize the cuts to programs. We must make bold, targeted investments that will lift those families up and off of food stamps. We must improve and extend programs that create jobs and provide ladders of opportunity for all. We must commit ourselves to removing barriers, and they're many, to opportunity like poverty and hunger so that we can reignite the American Dream. Mr. Speaker, on January 22, 2008, the House unanimously passed a resolution that I authored which committed Congress to the goal of cutting poverty in America in half in a decade. Now it's time to put that commitment to the test. An estimated 46 million Americans were living in poverty in 2010; and according to the latest Census figures, the official poverty rate in 2010 is now 15.1 percent. It is simply unconscionable that the richest and most powerful Nation in the world can allow so many of its fellow Americans to fall to the wayside and be left with little hope and few opportunities to reach the American Dream. It's clear that our policies and programs addressing poverty have not kept pace with the growing needs of millions of Americans. It's time we make the commitment to confront poverty head on, create pathways out of poverty, and provide opportunities for all. I've introduced H.R. 3300, the Half in Ten Act of 2011. This bill would establish a Federal interagency working group on reducing poverty. The working group will be tasked with developing and implementing a national plan to reduce poverty in half in 10 years. We really should be talking about eliminating poverty. It would also work to eliminate child poverty, extreme poverty and finally put an end to the historic and ongoing disparity in poverty rates in communities of color. It's simply unacceptable that communities of color continue to face disturbingly high rates of poverty, with 27.4 percent of African Americans and 26.5 percent of Hispanics living in poverty, compared to their white counterparts, who have a poverty rate of just under 10 percent. It's time to work together to dramatically improve access to opportunities for low-income Americans so that they can climb up the economic ladder and reignite the fire of the American Dream. We must put partisanship aside to preserve and extend the vital human needs programs that protect our most vulnerable communities. We cannot and we must not seek to balance the budget on the backs of America's poor, her children and an entire generation of young people, who are really now taking to the streets to protest the fact that they are afraid that theirs will be the first generation in America's history to be less well off than the one before.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleague Congressman Rangel to honor the extraordinary life of Professor Derrick Bell, a bold legal scholar, educator, author, activist, veteran, husband, father, brother, mentor and friend, Prof. Bell was a preeminent intellectual and a fearless harbinger of change. He was a man who inspired many to advocate for civil rights, hiring equity and judicial reform, and his stories of individual protest will be a timeless call to action for all who stand for justice. With his passing on October 5, 2011 we look to Prof. Bell's continued legacy and the outstanding quality of his life's work. Derrick Albert Bell, Jr., was born to Derrick Albert and Ada Elizabeth Childress Bell on November 6, 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Schenley High School and became the first member of his family to attend college, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1952 from Duquesne University. In 1957, after serving as an Air Force officer for two years, Prof. Bell earned his law degree at the University of Pittsburgh Law School, where he was the only African- American student. With the recommendation of U.S. Associate Attorney General William Rogers, Prof. Bell took a position with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where he was the only black staff member. When, in 1959, the Department asked him to relinquish his membership to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Prof. Bell resigned. This would be the first of several high-profile resignations proffered in protest of racial injustice. He soon joined the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, where he oversaw more than 300 school desegregation cases in Mississippi. In the mid-1960s, Prof. Bell served as faculty and executive director of the University of California's Western Center on Law and Poverty. In 1969, partially as a result of black students' protests for a minority faculty member, Prof. Bell was recruited to teach at Harvard University--where he shortly became the ivy league school's first black tenured professor. He established new coursework and law review articles dedicated to civil rights law, became an invaluable mentor to students of color and called on the university to improve its minority hiring record. In 1973, he published, ``Race, Racism and American Law,'' a book that became a staple in law schools and is now in its sixth edition. In 1980 Prof. Bell left Harvard to become one of the first African- American deans of a non-historically black law school at the University of Oregon School of Law. However, he resigned five years later when the school did not offer a position to an Asian American woman. After returning to Harvard in 1986, he led a five-day sit-in inside his office to protest the school's failure to grant tenure to two professors whose work involved critical race theory. Moreover, in 1990 he took an unpaid leave of absence, pledging not to return until Harvard Law School asked a woman of color to join tenured faculty for the first time. (Eight years later, Professor Lani Guinier achieved that milestone.) By the time the school refused to extend his leave, Prof. Bell was already teaching at New York University School of Law, where he continued to be a visiting professor until his passing. Professor Derrick Bell's long legacy as a pioneer of critical race theory and as an unwavering upholder of principles, earned him a comparison by then Harvard law student Barack Obama, as a civil rights hero akin to Rosa Parks. Today, California's 9th Congressional District and New York's 15th Congressional District salute and honor Professor Derrick Albert Bell, Jr. He dedicated his life to challenging academic paradigms and seeking justice for the systemically marginalized. His legacy will serve as a reminder that we must not be afraid to ask critical questions and to defend individual principles on behalf of future generations. We extend our deepest condolences to Professor Bell's family and to his extended group of loved ones. He will be deeply missed.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the millions of Filipino Americans across America and to recognize October as Filipino American History Month. Filipinos first arrived on America's shores in the 16th century and they are now the third largest Asian American community in the United States with nearly 4 million Americans of Filipino descent. Filipino Americans have contributed to the United States in every field of endeavor, like science, medicine, education, business, politics, agriculture, and they have served with distinction in our armed forces. They continue to enrich American life through their contributions to our arts and culture. In my home district, the California 9th, there are over 68,000 Filipino Americans and I know that my district is stronger and more successful because of their presence. I believe that it is important to acknowledge the important role that immigrants play in the fabric of American life and I would encourage the leadership to act quickly on S. Res. 287, to officially designate October 2011 as ``Filipino American Awareness Month.''

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to talk about the millions of Americans who woke up this morning facing a separate and unequal America, a separate and unequal America marked not by the American Dream and limitless opportunities, but an America of the unemployed and poverty stricken, an America marked by struggle and fear of the future--the struggle just to find a job, the struggle to keep their home, the struggle to put enough food on the table. Americans all across the country are struggling and believe that their government is not looking out for their best interests and instead is working just for rich bankers and massive corporations. People across the Nation are losing faith in our democratic processes and, thank goodness, are taking to the streets to tell their friends, neighbors, and their government that much more must be done for the American people and not just for the super rich. They are saying very loudly that the obstacles to achieving the American Dream must be removed. Too many families across our great Nation are wondering for the first time if our children's generation will be left worse off than the generation before it. I urge the Republican leadership of the House to quickly pass the President's American Jobs Act to restore the American economy and bring some relief to the millions of Americans who are struggling every day just to get by. Mr. Speaker, more than 46 million Americans will apply for food stamps this month. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, previously known to many as food stamps, provides the average person a benefit of about $133 a month--that's $4.50 a day, $1.50 a meal. There is a Member of the Senate, however, who seems to believe that there might be millions of Americans who are getting rich by applying for food stamps. Let me assure the good Senator from Alabama that it is not fraud that is causing the rising demand for nutrition assistance in America, but the years of failed economic policies that have lined the pockets of corporate billionaires and left average Americans behind. A program with one of the lowest fraud rates of any program in our entire government is not out of control. But let me state as clearly as I can, having to apply for food stamps to put enough food on the table to keep your children from going hungry is not like winning the lottery. One in seven Americans do receive food stamps, but millions more are eligible but don't apply. And I'm certain that each and every family would be willing to trade in their book of food stamps for a decent job with livable wages and benefits. Mr. Speaker, I'm taking part in the Fourth Annual Food Stamp Challenge, along with several other Members on this side of the aisle-- Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio, Congressman Joe Courtney of Connecticut, Chairman Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge of Ohio, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, and Congresswoman Gwen Moore of Wisconsin. And I invite every Member of Congress to join us in living for a few days or a week on what a family on food stamps will face every day of the year. I hope that the challenge will open our eyes to the challenges and the struggles of the millions of Americans who face hunger each and every day. Living in poverty and facing food insecurity means missed meals, poor health, and lost productivity. Even if you choose not to join the Food Stamp Challenge, I encourage you all to stop and consider what it means to have $31.50 to spend on food for the entire week. Stop for a moment and consider that there are over 46 million Americans who have to swallow their pride and ask for help just to put food on the table. As a former recipient of food stamps myself as a single young mom, I know how difficult this is. I did it because I had to do it just to get over some very difficult times. Forty-six million Americans who reached out to their fellow Americans during their time of need--and I thank the American people during my time of need--they were glad to be there to lend a helping hand. We cannot make cuts to SNAP or Medicaid or Social Security right when children and senior citizens need them the most. So I hope that my colleagues take up the Food Stamp Challenge. I also encourage each Member to join me and the 43 other Members of the Congressional Out-of-Poverty Caucus in ending poverty in America to ensure that no family in our country needs to ever face hunger again. The Out-of-Poverty Caucus is working to reignite the American Dream so that every man, woman, and child is provided the opportunities to achieve the American Dream. But right now, these 47 million people living in poverty and on food stamps need us to protect the safety net. And for those individuals and persons of faith, we have to remember that this is a moral issue also. I want to remind you of the Scripture, ``To whom much is given, much is expected.'' It's also an economic issue though; for every $1 spent on food stamps, $1.79 is placed into the economy.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Let me thank Congressman Al Green and Congressman Ted Poe for their leadership in organizing this Special Order on domestic violence. It is critical to speak out against domestic violence and to call attention to Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but it is extremely important to hear from men and to recognize your leadership on this. As someone who understands domestic violence on a deeply personal level, I know how traumatic this experience is and of the strong, consistent support system needed to emerge as a survivor. I also know from personal experience that domestic violence is not only physical; it is emotional. It is brutal, dehumanizing to the batterer and the battered, and without strong and enforceable criminal laws and services, one's life can be shattered and destroyed. As a survivor of domestic violence, once elected to the California legislature, I knew I had to do something. I am so glad to see my colleague, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, who was then in the legislature at that time. We worked so hard on domestic violence issues. I will never forget that I was able to write California's Violence Against Women Act. I wrote many, many domestic violence bills that were signed into law by a Republican Governor. In coming to Congress now, again we've worked together in cosponsoring numerous bills in Congress to support victims of domestic violence and to prevent domestic violence. In my home district of Oakland, we've also worked extensively with A Safe Place, which is a victim-centered agency, because we know that staying in a shelter or working with an advocate significantly reduces the chances that a victim will be abused again and that it will improve the victim's quality of life. A Safe Place in Oakland is Oakland's only comprehensive domestic violence program for battered women and children. They provide both shelter and professional supportive services to victims of domestic violence, and have truly been a vital agency in my district. A Safe Place has served Oakland for 34 years, and earlier this month, held its 10th annual walk against domestic and teen dating violence. This walk continues to call attention to the issues of dating and domestic violence in the City of Oakland, building vital partnerships with law enforcement, the criminal justice system and faith-based organizations to better serve the community and the region. Their programs and services are designated to address the many complicated--and I mean these are complicated issues--which affect victims of domestic violence and are a true blessing to my constituents in my community. It is my hope that we use Domestic Violence Awareness Month to recommit ourselves to fighting the scourge of violence against women and men. We've had some accomplishments over the decades on this issue, but challenges still remain. Around the world, nearly one in three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Here in the United States, as many as one in three American women reports being physically or sexually abused by a husband or a boyfriend at least once in her life. Children who see or experience domestic violence have a much greater chance to become either victims or perpetrators as adults. They're also more likely to attempt suicide, use drugs and alcohol, run away from home, engage in teenage prostitution, and commit other crimes. Beyond the cost to children, domestic violence affects the community with as many as half of the domestic violence victims reporting a loss of a job at least in part due to domestic violence, so cuts to domestic violence programs should not even be on the table. Women make up 70 percent of the deaths--mind you, deaths--caused by intimate partner violence, and services for abused heterosexual men and for those in the LGBT communities are clearly nonexistent. Although this is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we can't just work on this during October. We must remember that, for men, women and children who are experiencing, or who have experienced, domestic violence, every day must be a day of awareness as well as a day free from emotional badgering, physical assaults, harassment, stalking, and every other violent behavior which constitutes domestic violence.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Saint Vincent's Day Home (SVDH) as it celebrates the amazing milestone of its Centennial. Over the last 100 years, in the same Victorian house in which it was founded, the Sisters of the Holy Family and SVDH's Board of Directors, staff and supporters have provided Oakland's low-income children and their families with countless opportunities to grow and thrive. On this truly momentous occasion, we recognize the steadfast commitment of SVDH to provide a safe, welcoming and hopeful space that nourishes the bodies, hearts and minds of West Oakland's children. In 1911, The Archbishop of San Francisco, Most Reverend Patrick Riordan, asked Sister Joseph and Sister Agnes of the Sisters of the Holy Family to select a site in Oakland for the establishment of a new convent and day home. An 1863, 14-room Queen Anne Victorian house was purchased for a bargain price, and after a dedication ceremony on October 2, 1911 and a grand opening on the 16th, Saint Vincent's Day Home was officially in service. Located on the second floor of the residence, the Day Home was already serving 32 children in its first month. In the 1920s, the Day Home expanded operations as the convent moved to Piedmont and the organization received additional funding through what is now called the United Way. By the following decade, 180 children were enrolled in SVDH and the Day Home was growing to include increased support and programming. Today, SVDH serves over 230 children, ages two through six, and counting. Over the last 40 years, SVDH has struck a vital balance between the introduction of modern revitalization efforts and the maintenance of its core values of service. For these reasons and more, it has become a national model of care for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners and youth. From its first major expansion in 1976, to the launch of its Children's Fund a decade later and its first computer lab in 1991, SVDH has utilized a collaborative leadership process that includes founding parties, parents and lay Board members in its ongoing and successful operation. More than 32,000 children have benefitted from SVDH's culturally competent education and literacy programs, as well as its referrals to comprehensive services that help keep families afloat. It's dedicated community, government and private partners, including United Way of the Bay Area, the California Department of Education, Chevron Corporation, Scott's Seafood Restaurant, S.H. Cowell Foundation and the Sisters of the Holy Family (just to name a few), are helping SVDH to champion family literacy and jump-start child development for decades to come. Therefore, on behalf of the residents of California's 9th Congressional District, I would like to salute Saint Vincent's Day Home, and all of those who have contributed to its century of service. Thank you for your inestimable contributions to our community. Once again, congratulations, and I wish you the very best as you strive for another 100 years of excellence.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, last August we witnessed a flowering of freedom in Eastern Africa. On August 5, 2010, Kenya endorsed a brand new constitution, which guaranteed all Kenyan citizens the rights to security, housing, food, life, freedom from discrimination and the freedom of expression, among others. I rise today to recognize the recent anniversary of this constitution's adoption, and to congratulate the Republic of Kenya on this remarkable step forward. Despite being home to the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize--Wangari Maathi, who sadly passed away last month--Kenya had long treated women as second-class citizens. In the past, female candidates for office have had to carry knives and wear extra garments to fend off the possibility of politically-motivated rape. But the new constitution has dramatically altered the status of women in Kenya. Among the over 40 new reforms is a non-discrimination clause outlawing bias on the basis of sex, pregnancy or marital status. Additionally, women can own and inherit land, and matrimonial property is protected during and after the termination of marriage. Unconstitutional customary laws carried on by tradition are now void. Women's right have been elevated in the new Kenyan Constitution. But as anyone who lives in a democracy knows, constitutional mechanisms must be matched by meaningful enforcement and constant vigilance to actually achieve their goals. Kenya is facing many trials at the moment. The drought in the Horn of Africa is threatening the lives of over 13 million people. Food insecurity is affecting 3.75 million people in Kenya, and 4.3 million men, women, and children are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. These numbers do not include the influx of refugees from Somalia and neighboring lands. At its peak, Kenya and Ethiopia saw nearly 1,000 people a day arrive at refugee camps to escape the famine in Somalia. Sexual violence against women in these already overcrowded refugee camps is on the rise. There are no easy solutions to this crisis, and we in the United States must step up and do our part to help our fellow people in need. Nonetheless, in face of these adversities, it is heartening to see Kenya's men and women move forward together, as equals and as partners. By empowering Kenyan women and rejecting gender-based discrimination, the new Kenyan constitution has paved the way for a brighter future for the Kenyan people.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule and this bill. Instead of focusing on jobs, Republicans are continuing to wage their war on women with this dangerous legislation today. This bill forces comprehensive coverage for women to be dropped from the State exchanges, cutting off millions of women from affordable, comprehensive health care. And you know that Federal funds have not been allowed for abortion since 1976--to my dismay--and nothing has changed. This bill makes it virtually impossible for any health care plan to offer abortion coverage and allows hospitals to refuse--mind you, refuse--to provide lifesaving care to a woman who needs an abortion to protect her own life. This is unprecedented and should be rejected. We cannot and must not allow the Republicans to turn the clock back on women, on choice, and on our access to health care. I remember the days of back alley abortions--women died, women were injured for life. Let's not go back there. I urge my colleagues to reject this unnecessary and harmful legislation. Health care decisions should be made by women and their health care providers, not Republicans and the House of Representatives who want to impose their own ideological agenda on women. We should be creating jobs, not interfering with women's reproductive rights.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much. I want to thank our chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for yielding and for your amazing leadership on so many tough issues that we're dealing with. Tonight we're joining with the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, of which I'm also a member. And so I'm very pleased to be down here with my colleagues to discuss this critical issue, a very sad day, quite frankly, for women in this country, and especially for poor women, for African American women, for women of color. This bill which was passed today is really just the newest attack in what I have been calling from day one the Republican ``war on women.'' Today, instead of focusing on ways to find jobs for Americans, the Republicans are focusing on eliminating family planning programs, undercutting women's right to choose, and returning our country, unfortunately, to the days of back-alley abortions, which I remember very well. H.R. 358, the Protect Life Act--can you believe that, ``Protect Life Act''--forces coverage for women to be dropped from State exchanges, which will cut off millions of women from affordable, comprehensive health care. In fact, this bill makes it virtually impossible for any health care plan to offer abortion coverage and allows hospitals to refuse to provide lifesaving care to a woman who needs an abortion to protect her own life. This is unprecedented, and it should have been rejected on this floor. This legislation really though is part of a coordinated, nationwide war on women. Just last week, the Republican-controlled House Foreign Affairs Committee voted to defund the United Nations Population Fund, an organization that supports lifesaving activities for women and families in post-conflict and disaster situations. And before that, the very same committee voted to reinstate the Global Gag Rule, which prevents health care providers from even discussing or offering comprehensive health services to women and girls. This affects women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa who bear the brunt of the global AIDS pandemic. And of course, as usual, the Republicans have targeted Planned Parenthood, putting increased requirements on how this nonprofit, which provides affordable health care to low-income women, black women, women of color, Latino women, Asian-Pacific American women--if Planned Parenthood wants to receive Federal funding, they have to stop, mind you, providing women reproductive health choices, which really is only a tiny percentage of what Planned Parenthood offers to women. Sadly, it does not end there. It's nothing less than shocking that after holding the fiscal year 2011 budget hostage over their controversial policy proposals, the anti-choice leaders in the House seem eager to pick up some of the very same fights once again this year. The Republican appropriations bill continued this attack on women's reproductive health by eliminating title X, the Nation's family planning program, defunding Planned Parenthood, cutting funding for science-based teenage pregnancy prevention initiatives--prevention, mind you--and redirecting those funds into failed abstinence-only programs. And the list goes on. So let's just return to the battle, though, that took place today. In putting forward this very divisive bill, Republicans made the false claim that the Affordable Care Act needs to be amended to ensure that United States taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortions. The fact of the matter is that it's very disingenuous, and it's just wrong. And it's really amazing that that argument could even be put out there because the fact is the Hyde amendment has been in effect for decades, since 1976, and the Affordable Care Act continues the Hyde amendment policy, despite my personal view that it should be overturned. The Republicans continue to invent new ways to try and erode and deny women their constitutionally guaranteed rights purely on religious beliefs and on ideology. This is a democracy; this is not a theocracy. The religious views of some--and I am a woman of faith, but I have to tell you, the religious views, the personal religious views of some should not dictate public policy for all. I'm also aware of the fact that sometimes we as a Nation really don't give young women and girls the right tools to prevent unintended pregnancies in the first place. But the fact of the matter is this Republican war on women and this bill will put more lives at risk, isolate us from women who have no money, who are poor--especially women of color, who have become really central targets of these efforts. Evidence of this is seen all over the country, and very recently in the form of very offensive billboards that denigrated African American women in my own district in Oakland, California--which we fought against and which were quickly taken down. Now, by using a combination or at least trying to use a combination of law and guilt, these efforts undermine really the basic health care rights of women, African American women, low-income women, women of color. As SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective states, ``Black women make decisions every day about whether to parent or not, not just whether to give birth. Those who think they should dictate our choices won't be there when the child is born to help us fight for better education, increase childcare, keep our kids out of jail, send our children to college, or get affordable health care.'' This war on women must stop. We cannot and we must not allow the Republicans to turn back the clock on women, on choice, and on our access to health care. So I urge my colleagues to fight this war, fight against these unnecessary and these harmful initiatives that keep coming forward that continue to do damage to women and that continue to try to erode our basic health care and basic human rights. We need to create jobs rather than continue to deny health care to women. Thank you, Mr. Ellison, our cochair of the Progressive Caucus, for your leadership. Once again, I want to thank you for your leadership on our jobs initiative, on each and every effort that the Congressional Black Caucus has mounted. And thank you for joining with the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus in our efforts to protect women and protect our basic rights.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise as the founder and the co- chair of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus to continue to sound the alarm every week that there are millions of Americans in need all across America. They need our help and they need our support. Imagine for a moment if the entire population of 24 States in America were living in poverty. How would our Nation respond? We would respond as we do in any emergency, mobilizing to provide these people and families with adequate food, clothing and shelter. We would come together as a Nation and work to solve the crisis of poverty. We know that nearly 47 million people live in poverty in America now, today. That's essentially the entire population of 24 States of this country. The emergency is real, and the crisis is happening each and every day in every city and every town across America. But we are not mobilizing to solve this crisis of poverty. We are not directing Federal, State and local resources to help these men, women and children. Mr. Speaker, we are really failing those living in and facing poverty. If you are facing or living in poverty, something as basic as eating is not a guarantee, and millions go to bed hungry every night. This Sunday, October 16, is recognized as World Food Day. On Sunday, of course, we all should take a moment and be grateful that many are food secure, but we need to think about the nearly 15 percent of households and over 16 million children in America who are food insecure. In fact, beyond Sunday, I hope that every Member of Congress joins me and other members of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus later this month in the 2011 Food Stamp Challenge. Once again, as several of us did a couple of years ago, I challenge my colleagues to live for a week on what a person on food stamps lives on; that is, $4.50 a day, and that's $1.50 a meal. So I hope you join us in that effort, my colleagues. Experience is often the best teacher, and I bet that even a few days on living on what a person on food stamps survives on day in and day out might just bring us together to work to address the crisis of poverty. We know what we need to do, really. The pathway to addressing the crisis of poverty, to boosting our stagnating economy and reducing long-term deficits is the same one: create stable living-wage jobs. The most effective antipoverty program is an effective jobs program. When a family in poverty gains a living-wage job with good benefits, the family stops relying on government services, and that family begins to pay into the tax base instead of drawing from it. When jobs are created, it boosts demand, which helps to create even more jobs, which is what tax cuts for the wealthy, quite frankly, have always failed to accomplish. So we must come together and pass the President's American Jobs Act and support those initiatives that create stable living-wage jobs. But while we work to create new jobs, we cannot forget that there are millions of Americans who are our most vulnerable. There are millions who face hunger, millions who have been looking for a job for more than 99 weeks, and millions of Americans who are losing their homes and struggling to keep their version of the American Dream alive. We must protect the vital safety net programs that support these people in these very hard times from draconian and shortsighted budget cuts by the so-called supercommittee. We cannot balance the budget on the backs of our most vulnerable Poverty is real. It's rural and it's urban. People of all backgrounds, all ethnic backgrounds, are poor in our country. And so I hope we can finally, at least on this issue, end the extreme partisanship and really stand united in a bipartisan way and as a nation to create jobs and to address the crisis of poverty ravaging our Nation.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Colombia free trade agreement. I support trade that is fair: trade that protects labor rights, trade that protects the environment, and trade that creates American jobs. Unfortunately, these trade agreements before us this week fail at all three. Labor leaders continue to be murdered in Colombia simply for standing up for basic rights, and the Colombian Government has failed to act. How in the world can those who support these deals turn a blind eye to the thousands of Colombians killed by right-wing death squads? Are we really rewarding these death squads with this agreement? Also, free trade agreements are supposed to open up foreign markets and create more good-paying American jobs. Instead, these agreements will only increase our trade deficits and cost over 190,000 American jobs. We cannot create American jobs by doing more of the same. We have to put American workers first and stop shipping jobs overseas. In addition to being fair, these trade agreements must be free; and until they are, I cannot support the Colombia free trade agreement.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. I rise in strong support of this amendment. However, the underlying bill actually nullifies the EPA's rules to require cement kilns to reduce their emissions of toxic mercury and other toxic pollutants and forces EPA to go back to square one. In doing so, this bill nullifies the rule's promised reductions in mercury pollution from cement kilns, delays any potential future reductions, and threatens EPA's ability to issue replacement standards that will achieve the same benefit for public health. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin. Babies born to women exposed to mercury during pregnancy can suffer from a range of developmental and neurological abnormalities, including delayed onset of walking, delayed onset of talking, cerebral palsy, and learning disabilities. This is certainly an important issue for Democrats and Republicans to support. In 1990, Congress amended the Clean Air Act on a bipartisan basis to reduce emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from a range of industrial sources, including cement kilns. Cement kilns are one of the largest sources of airborne mercury pollution in the United States. For far too long, they have been allowed to pollute without installing modern technology to reduce their emissions of mercury and other toxic chemicals. The Clean Air Act directed EPA to issue standards to cut emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from cement kilns by 2000. That was a decade ago. EPA didn't finalize these rules until August of last year. EPA estimates that the rules will reduce mercury emissions from cement kilns by 16,400 pounds, or 92 percent, compared with projected levels. Now the Republican leadership wants to nullify these rules to cut mercury pollution and delay these important public health protections. Further delay is unacceptable for the people who have been waiting for these cement kilns to clean up for years. This amendment is straightforward. It states that the bill does not stop EPA from taking action to clean up toxic air pollution from a cement kiln if that kiln is emitting mercury or other toxic pollutants that are damaging babies' developing brains. The Republicans deny that this bill is an attack on the Clean Air Act or public health. They argue that this bill won't prevent EPA from reducing toxic mercury pollution from cement kilns. I strongly disagree. And these statements stand in stark contrast to the body of science linking mercury exposure to neurological problems. And I have to say, instead of working to create jobs, Republicans are bringing up another assault on our public health and the Clean Air Act. We should be passing the President's American Jobs Act and other pieces of emergency jobs legislation that create jobs as soon as possible. But instead of focusing on jobs, the GOP wants to eliminate and delay Clean Air Act regulations. This will jeopardize our public health and the clean air that we breathe. This clean air regulation will reduce toxic pollutants produced by cement plants and will prevent 2,500 premature deaths every year. This regulation also will provide up to $19 million in public health benefits for every dollar spent on reducing harmful air pollution. So we have to support the amendments that are going to protect the public health of our people. I urge support of the Waxman amendment, and all of the amendments that are coming today, for the sake of the public health of Americans. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, as one of the founding members of the congressional Out of Poverty Caucus, I rise today in my ongoing effort to sound the alarm on poverty. As you may know, the census released data showing that 46.2 million Americans lived in poverty in 2010. The data also revealed that the poverty rate for whites was 9.9 percent in 2010. Worse, the poverty rate for African Americans was 27.4 percent. For Latinos, the poverty rate was 26.6 percent. For Asian Pacific Americans, the poverty rate was 12.1 percent. These statistics come on the somber anniversary of the 10 years of the war in Afghanistan, which was a blank check that should not have been written and that, of course, I could not support. In many ways, this war has significantly contributed to these staggering statistics, which we know are not just numbers but are human lives. We must create jobs. We have to create a way to maintain our social safety net. So today I am here to ask my colleagues to join 47 Members of Congress and me in a letter to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, asking them to protect vital programs that comprise our social safety net, including but not limited to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security, as well as the programs that provide the economic security and opportunity to millions of Americans. None of us envy the work of those members on this Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, as they will have to make tough choices that affect the lives of millions of Americans. However, we should all recognize that for the last 25 years, when we have come to deficit reduction agreements, these agreements have, for the most part, protected low-income programs. We absolutely cannot balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable, those people facing or living in poverty. This is really a moral obligation that we cannot ignore. These programs assist the over-46 million Americans living in poverty in 2010--men, women, children, young and old alike from all backgrounds--in obtaining or maintaining their access to basic, mind you, and I am just talking about basic human needs, including food, shelter and health care. These vital safety net programs both support and create consumers, which results in increased demand and job creation. This, of course, reduces our deficit by enabling people to participate in this economy. And not only that, many of these programs do provide pathways out of poverty and opportunities for all. More and more Americans are struggling to find work and struggling to make ends meet. And until we create jobs, and we have a way, a pathway where people clearly can be provided these opportunities, we have a real moral obligation to protect these programs. Anything short of this is really un-American. In times like these, it's unconscionable to consider cutting programs that help those most in need like our Nation's seniors and our Nation's children. Asking the Joint Select Committee for Deficit Reduction to protect these vital human programs is, though, not enough. We have to do more. The most effective anti-poverty program is an effective jobs program. So while I ask my colleagues to join me on the letter to the Joint Select Committee, I am also here to ask Speaker Boehner to move the American Jobs Act as soon as possible to begin to create jobs and put Americans to work. Americans want to work and they need to work; and yet the House leadership is really focused, as an example, on the dismantling of environmental regulations. This is not a jobs program that puts Americans to work. It's a cynical, opportunistic move in order to attack the environment. So we have to have as our priority efforts to create jobs that give Americans economic security and that grow our economy. Our economy will not recover quickly from this Great Recession and, of course, Great Depression in many communities of color, including the African American community and for those living in poverty, unless we really do provide a pathway out of poverty. We need to target these programs in areas that need it the most. Many of these areas are communities of color, where the poverty rates are three times higher than the poverty rate for whites. The unemployment rates are also higher in communities of color: 16.7 percent of African Americans are unemployed, 11.3 percent of Latinos. And these are just the reported statistics. It's clear that we must address these disparities as we work to create jobs and opportunities for all. So I am asking Members to join us in this deficit reduction letter and urge the Speaker and leadership of this House to move the American Jobs Act as the first step in jump-starting this economy and putting Americans back to work. Hon. Patty Murray, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Max Baucus, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. John Kerry, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. James Clyburn, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Xavier Becerra, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Chris Van Hollen, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Jeb Hensarling, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Dave Camp, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Fred Upton, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Jon Kyl, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Pat Toomey, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Hon. Rob Portman, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction:We are writing to request that you protect vital programs that comprise our social safety net, including but not limited to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security, as well as the programs that provide economic security and opportunity to millions of Americans. Vital safety net services and programs support those people hit the hardest by the Great Recession. These services help people and families maintain housing or find shelter, keep food on the table, assist in access to health care, and support those looking for employment, including the long-term unemployed. Examples of federal programs that provide such services include programs which assist disabled veterans to find an accessible home, ensure seniors receive food to eat, help people access our health care system, connect people seeking jobs with employment, give shelter to homeless families, and ensure that children get meals in school. It is imperative that we protect vital safety net programs and programs that provide economic security and opportunity to millions of Americans, including those facing or living in poverty. The Census Bureau released data on September 13, 2011, revealing that 15 percent of Americans--46.2 million people across this country--lived in poverty in 2010. This is the largest number of Americans living in poverty since the Census started collecting this data 52 years ago. For our nation's children under 18, 22 percent lived in poverty in 2010. That is 16.4 million children who do not know where their next meal is coming from, where they might be sleeping that night, and who are anxious overall about their well being and that of their parents. According to the recent Census data release on poverty, the poverty numbers would have been worse had it not been for key federal programs like unemployment insurance, food stamps. and Medicaid (Census Bureau slide 25 located at http:// www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/pdf/2010_Report.pdf). For the last 25 years when we have come to deficit reduction agreements, these agreements have protected low- income programs. Beyond that, we have a moral and an economic obligation to care for our nation's most vulnerable, those facing or living in poverty. We respectfully implore that as you work through ways that our nation can reduce the deficit that you sustain our nation's safety net programs that assist people in obtaining or maintaining their access to basic human needs including food, shelter, and health care, and that provide ladders to opportunity for struggling families. These programs both support and create consumers, which result in increased demand and job creation. In the end, this reduces our deficit by enabling people to participate in our economy. Again, we respectfully implore that as you work through ways that our nation can reduce the deficit that you sustain the vital human needs programs found across the federal government and accomplish deficit-reduction in a way that does not exacerbate poverty or inequality.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the League of Women Voters of Oakland, who are celebrating 100 years of women voting in California, starting with the historic and narrowly won California state referendum and the first California Civic League, Berkeley Forum led by Miss Blanche Morse in 1911. It is an immense honor to represent Bay Area communities who have truly been at the forefront of a century's worth of major achievements in social justice. Over the years, the League of Women Voters of Oakland, as well as its sister leagues in Berkeley/Albany/Emeryville, Piedmont and the surrounding Bay Area, have worked tirelessly to advocate, educate and champion citizens' informed and active participation in government and civic affairs. An expansive and well-organized network of committed chapters, over 4,000 members in 21 local Leagues comprise the League of Women Voters of the Bay Area (LWVBA), which took shape in 1959. On a national scale, the League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) was founded during the 1920 convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, held just 6 months before the 19th amendment was ratified. Thus, after a 72-year struggle, the U.S. Constitution finally reflected what women in the Bay Area and California had fought to achieve a decade earlier. As members of the League of Women Voters, you are part of a magnificent legacy. Additionally, you have pledged to continue to be the kind of bold pioneers and astute advocates who led us to this point. Therefore, I would like to thank you for your dedicated service in guiding and encouraging our community toward civic engagement. Moreover, the League has flexed its power in shaping public policy through the strength of its grassroots organization and by maintaining its important stance of non-partisanship. For example, the Oakland chapter has been a major advocate for ranked choice voting, quality education and accessible housing. Likewise, the Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville chapter has worked extensively on advocating for fair housing and the promotion of social resources, including mental health, education, juvenile justice and senior services. And, the Piedmont chapter holds positions in the areas of social policy, diversity and natural resources, to name a few. On behalf of the residents of California's 9th Congressional District, I would like to congratulate you on this milestone and thank you for the invaluable service you provide to our community. I wish the League of Women Voters' local, state and national members all the best as you forge ahead toward another 100 years of protecting the rights of voters, promoting sound policy and creating a more just and peaceful world.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the National Women's Political Caucus of California, NWPC CA, who are celebrating 100 years of women voting in California, starting with the historic and narrowly won California state referendum and the first California Civic League, Berkeley Forum led by Miss Blanche Morse in 1911. It is an immense honor to represent Bay Area communities who have truly been at the forefront of a century's worth of major achievements in social justice. Furthermore, NWPC is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its founding in 1971, when 320 women from 26 states met under the leadership of women's movement stalwarts like my mentor, former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, Bella Abzug, Gloria Steinem, and Betty Friedan. Four decades later, their work to empower women elected leaders and to champion citizens' informed participation in civic affairs has changed America as we know it. Within NWPC's first three years of recruitment and leadership programming, the number of female state officeholders increased by 36 percent. Now, as a multi-partisan organization supporting an unprecedented era of women's leadership, NWPC and its California Chapter are making strides to achieve equality for all women, to ensure their reproductive freedom, and to eradicate all forms of discrimination. As members of the National Women's Political Caucus of California, you are part of a magnificent legacy. By broadening women's participation in the political process and honing feminist women for election and appointment to public office, you are championing the vision, hopes and sacrifices of our forebears. You have pledged to continue to be the kind of bold pioneer and astute advocates who led us to this point. Therefore, I would like to thank you for your dedicated service in guiding and encouraging women toward civic engagement. On behalf of the residents of California's 9th Congressional District, I would like to congratulate you on this milestone and thank you for the invaluable service you provide to our community. I wish the National Women's Political Caucus' local, state and national members all the best as you forge ahead toward another 100 years of bolstering women's leadership, promoting equitable policies and creating a more just and peaceful world.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor LeadingAge as it celebrates 50 years of advancing policies, practices and research that empower people to live fully as they age. Founded in 1961, and formerly known as the American Association of Homes and Services (AAHSA), LeadingAge currently comprises a vast network of 5,600 not- for-profit organizations dedicated to expanding the world of possibilities for aging. LeadingAge members touch the lives of millions of individuals and families each day through a continuum of housing and community based services, including adult day services, home health, hospice, community services, senior housing, assisted living residences, continuing care retirement communities and nursing homes. With five decades of experience, over 40 state partners, as well as businesses, research partners, consumer organizations, foundations and a broad international network of aging service organizations, LeadingAge's mission and core values have taken on a global scope. Furthermore, I would like to recognize the outgoing chair of LeadingAge and an outstanding leader in the field of aging and long- term services, Mr. Winthrop Marshall. Under Mr. Marshall's leadership, LeadingAge completed the transition to its new moniker, and reinvigorated its mission to expand the possibilities for aging. ``LeadingAge'' truly reflects the organization's leadership position in aging and its members' commitment to championing quality and dignity for America's elders. Known for his decades-long advocacy for affordable senior housing, Mr. Marshall is committed to combining housing with supportive services that help seniors remain independent and in their communities. From leading the association's fight to pass the Affordable Care Act and CLASS Act, to the passage of the landmark Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act, Mr. Marshall's tenure as Chair has been marked by strength, solidarity and success. Mr. Marshall has overseen LeadingAge member task forces on workforce, affordable housing, nursing home quality, home- and community-based services, and issues specific to rural members. Additionally, he spent nearly 30 years with an invaluable organization located in my district, Christian Church Homes of Northern California, which also celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Therefore, as we recognize LeadingAge's long legacy and its excellent leadership under Mr. Winthrop Marshall, we look forward to a bright future of affordable long-term services and support for our Nation's older adults. As LeadingAge forges ahead with its five main tenets of aging services: quality, transitions, talent, finance, and technology, I have every confidence that they will fulfill their commitment to ensure that all seniors have a place to call home. On behalf of California's 9th Congressional District, I want to extend my congratulations on this important milestone. Thank you, LeadingAge members, for all that you do. I wish you continued success in providing our older adults with vital services and opportunities as you advance leadership in aging through innovation.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Let me thank my colleague, Congresswoman Christensen, for those kind remarks and also for leading this Special Order, once again, in order to sound the alarm about the jobs crisis in our country. Also, Congresswoman Christensen, I want to thank you for your leadership on so many issues, especially on health care. You remind us of the importance of health care reform, not only because people deserve affordable, accessible health care, but because of the many jobs that will be created in the health care sector as a result of these reforms. So thank you for continuing to remind us of that, because many, many jobs are going to be created as a result of the work that you did. Under the leadership of our very brilliant and bold chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Chairman Emanuel Cleaver, and of our jobs task force chair, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the Congressional Black Caucus has been hitting the street about jobs for some time now. We held five ``for the people'' jobs initiatives around the country--in Cleveland, Miami, Atlanta, Detroit, and Los Angeles--bringing together employers who have jobs with people who need jobs. The response was overwhelming. Thousands of people showed up at each event, all wanting to share their stories, to learn how to interview or network or to just strictly apply for a job. As we know, communities of color are feeling this Great Recession more than others. In fact, for communities of color, especially in the African American community, the Great Recession has been more like the Great Depression. While the national average unemployment rate is 9.1 percent, the unemployment rate for African Americans is 16.7 percent reported. For Latinos, it's 11.3 percent--and that is for those who are reporting they're out there looking for work. If we consider those who have essentially stopped looking or who have given up on getting a job, we can probably double these numbers. It's very, very tragic. For the people's jobs initiative, this initiative highlighted what is taking place throughout the Nation. People are desperately looking for jobs. People want to work. We must pass the American Jobs Act as a first step in addressing the jobs crisis that is sweeping the Nation. Sadly, the jobs crisis moves hand in hand with poverty. The Census released some staggering numbers last month in its report, ``Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010.'' For example, 2.6 million Americans fell into poverty in 2010. That's about 7,118 people a day falling into poverty. Let me put it another way: It's like a small town falling into poverty each and every day. The poverty rates in 2010 that the census revealed are as shocking and as staggering as the unemployment numbers. The poverty rate for whites, non-Hispanics, was 9.9 percent; for African Americans, the poverty rate was 27.4 percent; the poverty rate for Latinos was 26.6 percent; and for Asian-Pacific Islanders, 12.1 percent. In 2010, 15.1 percent of Americans were living in poverty. Now, that's 46.2 million people, in the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, 46 million people living in poverty, and 9.1 percent are unemployed. Creating jobs will improve our Nation's economy and provide people pathways out of poverty. We need to target Federal programs to communities most in need, and we can do this by using particularly the data sets like those from the census to target programs with the highest unemployment rates and the highest poverty rates. We can extend and should extend the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program and the Extended Benefits Unemployment program, both of which expire early in 2012. If we don't, millions of unemployed Americans will no longer have a safety net until jobs are created. Remember, for every four unemployed workers seeking a job, only one job exists. That is a fact. We also need to pass H.R. 589, which I introduced with a fellow CBC member, a good friend, a great leader, Congressman Bobby Scott, which gives an additional 14 weeks of unemployment benefits to those eligible people who have exhausted their benefits and no longer receive this support. We have no idea today how these people are surviving in these devastating times, and we can and must continue to support them while we work to create jobs. Speaker Boehner still will not move this bill to the floor for a vote and, once again, I am going to encourage the Republican leadership to bring H.R. 589 to the floor. We also must restore the TANF emergency contingency fund and increase the amount of money going to this program, which directly supports needy families with the basics and creates jobs. We also should develop and implement various corps, similar to those implemented through the Work Projects Administration, the Public Land Corps, and the Civilian Conservation Corps aimed at programs and services needed in communities across this country, including health care corps, public safety corps, community corps, and teacher corps. We should expand the Workforce Investment Act aimed at young people, particularly the 25 percent of teenagers and young people who are unemployed today--in the African American community over 40 percent, all losing hope for their futures. We should extend and support the expansion of on-the-job training for unemployed workers, including those who are long-term unemployed and those who have exhausted their unemployment benefits, to help them refresh their job skills and ease their reentry into the workforce. We know that these initiatives will put people back to work, and that is what the Congressional Black Caucus continues to fight for. We have to fight against the Republican opportunistic attacks on the environment and the regulations that protect the environment and public health which, of course, they are claiming as a jobs program. It's no jobs program. In fact, turning back the clock on the Clean Air and Clean Water Act will simply destroy jobs across the country, along with destroying our precious, natural resources, while placing human health in danger. It's completely misguided. It's a terrible move by the Republicans. They are turning a blind eye to the needs of Americans and the needs of our economy. Now, the most effective anti-poverty program is an effective jobs program, and the CBC has been working to create jobs and connect people to jobs. We are not going to back down. And as the CBC has done for 40 years, we are going to continue to fight for jobs, justice, and equality. Our voice as the conscience of the Congress is needed now more than ever. So I want to thank, again, Congresswoman Donna Christensen, Chairman Emanuel Cleaver, Congresswoman Maxine Waters and all of our CBC members for bringing us together to conduct this jobs tour, to speak out tonight, each and every day on this floor, in our communities on the critical issue of jobs, and to remind the Congress that people do want to work and we should hurry up and pass the American Jobs Act as a first start.

Ms. LEE of California. Will the gentlelady yield?

Ms. LEE of California. I am very pleased that you raised this article because the human toll, the physical and mental health impact of these horrific public policies that either have taken place over the last 8 years or that are not taking place that we should enact are really seen each and every day in our communities every day, and people are desperate, they are suffering. And for the life of me I don't understand why especially Tea Party Republicans don't get it, because their people are suffering also.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to welcome Reverend Dr. Charley Hames to the House floor after delivering today's very powerful opening prayer. Dr. Hames is an absolutely brilliant pastor at the historic BeeBee Memorial Cathedral in Oakland, California. Under his leadership, BeeBee Memorial Cathedral has grown from approximately 80 members to over 1,400 members, making it one of the Bay Area's fastest growing churches. His ministries touch the lives of many throughout the community. In addition to his 19 years in the ministry, Dr. Hames served as the chair of the board of the Empowerment Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization that fosters community involvement with local government. Reverend Dr. Hames is the proud recipient of the 2011 CME-Ninth Episcopal District Pastor of the Year, is an active member and chaplain of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc., and a director for the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce Board. He is married to his wife, Felicia S. Brooks-Hames, and is the proud father of three children. I thank Pastor Hames for his wise counsel, for his spiritual leadership and for his commitment to making this a better world for all God's children.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I am proud to serve as a Representative of California's Ninth Congressional District, which has long been at the forefront of the environmental movement, including working on the critical issue of climate change, as well as fighting for renewable energy, green jobs, and environmental justice. That is why I am speaking today against the TRAIN Act--it undermines the Clean Air Act's ability to crack down on air pollution, threatening the quality of life for our children, our families and our communities, including my constituents in the East Bay, many of whom already suffer unjustly from poor air quality. The Clean Air Act is one of the most successful public health programs in American history--with a return of more than $30 in benefits for every dollar invested in pollution reductions over the life of this law. The TRAIN Act is a direct attack on the Clean Air Act and its regulations. This bill blocks EPA's ability to move forward with two long overdue Clean Air Act rules--the Mercury and Air Toxics Standard and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule--which will reduce harmful air pollution that threatens public health, especially the health of the most vulnerable populations, including children and seniors. The Republicans' attack on the Clean Air Act and its work to dismantle the EPA will not only result in job loss but will result in poorer public health across this Nation. Rather than the Republicans taking action to create jobs, this bill cuts funding to create green jobs. We should move President Obama's American Jobs Act now to begin to give Americans what they want: a job. I urge a no vote on this measure and urge the Republicans to stop playing political games and couching deregulation as job creation. Wall Street got deregulated and the result was a financial crisis. The American people do not need an environmental and public health crisis, the American people need jobs.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Chair, I was unable to cast my vote today on the Welch amendment to H.R. 2401, the TRAIN Act. Had I cast my vote I would have voted ``yea.'' Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. McNerney

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. I want to thank Congresswoman Wilson for bringing us together today to honor a truly exceptional public servant and friend, Congresswoman Carrie Meek. Carrie Meek's record of accomplishments is truly too long to list, but her unique commitment to fighting for our most vulnerable communities is unmatched. Of course, there is no bigger supporter and protector of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security than Congresswoman Meek, who was a member of the Appropriations Committee; and she actually counseled me to seek a slot on that committee. So, today, we say thank you for fighting the good fight, and we applaud all of your service and your work, Carrie. Now, in this new chapter of your life, our young people continue to benefit from your wisdom through your foundation, which really deserves all of our support. Carrie was a friend of my mentor's, our beloved Shirley Chisholm. I miss sharing our memories of Shirley Chisholm, and I also remember so much wise counsel that Carrie gave to me. I remember her sound guidance and also her principled stance. Today, I join in celebrating the many ways in which her work and her spirit have contributed to the success and well-being of countless, countless people throughout south Florida, our country, and our world. I miss you, Carrie. I miss you especially during this Congressional Black Caucus ALC weekend. I miss your congressional classrooms. We love you. Thank you so much for your leadership. Believe you me, all of us are better people as a result of your being here for so long and for your continuing to fight the good fight for our seniors and for our children.

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast my vote on the Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Martial Law Authority Rule. Had I cast my vote, I would have voted ``no.''