Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE of California

Ms. LEE of California. As founder of the congressional Out of Poverty Caucus, I rise today to continue sounding the alarm about the tide of poverty sweeping across this country. Last week, the United States Census Bureau released its annual report, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010. It revealed a disturbing but unsurprising spike in the poverty rate--from 14.3 percent in 2009 to a staggering 15.1 percent in 2010. In 2010, 46 million people lived in poverty in America. That is essentially the populations of California and Michigan combined who are living in poverty in America. It's really a moral outrage that in the richest country in the world so many Americans are facing or are living in poverty, lacking economic opportunity and economic security. Shamefully, our children bear the greatest burden. In 2010, 22 percent, or one in five children, lived in poverty. That's in America. Poverty continues to hit communities of color much harder, as the facts show. In 2010, the poverty rate for whites rose to 9.9 percent. The poverty rate for African Americans rose to 27.4 percent. The poverty rate for Latinos rose to 26.6 percent. For Asian Pacific Americans, the 2010 poverty rate of 12.1 percent remained the same. This massive poverty crisis we are facing didn't happen overnight. Poverty rates began to rise during the Bush administration as 8 years of failed economic policy wiped out all of the gains made during the Clinton years. The cochairs of the Out of Poverty Caucus saw this day coming, and while little attention has been placed on the poor, we are determined to prick the conscience of this Congress and to act to stem the tide of poverty across America. The members of the congressional Out of Poverty Caucus sent a letter asking the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, more commonly known as the supercommittee, to stay in line with prior deficit reduction agreements of the past by not cutting programs that provide basic human services--the safety net. Of course, now more and more Americans need this safety net. We must not balance the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable. Unfortunately, now middle-income people are falling into the ranks of the poor. As many of us know, millions of people are just one paycheck away from poverty. We really can turn the tide on poverty. The solution to boosting this stagnating economy, reducing our long-term deficits, and lifting Americans out of the crisis of poverty is really the same. We must invest in creating more stable, living wage jobs. In fact, the most effective anti-poverty program is an effective jobs program. That is why Congress must immediately pass the President's American Jobs Act to begin the work of creating jobs, reducing poverty, and jump-starting our economy. Poverty rates have increased in rural and urban communities throughout the country. The American Dream has turned into a nightmare for millions. This is a crisis, but we must turn the tide, and we must start today. So I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to stop playing politics and to act on jobs now. We can and we must act urgently to turn the tide of poverty sweeping across the Nation--a tide, really, that knows no party affiliation.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to thank my colleagues in the LGBT Equality Caucus, Leader Pelosi, Congresswoman Baldwin, Congressman Frank, everyone today as we celebrate the end of a discriminatory era against gay and lesbian servicemembers in America with the official repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. For too long, this failed policy unfairly denied fundamental human rights to highly qualified individuals who wish to serve our country. As a vice-chair of the congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, I am pleased that the tireless work of our congressional colleagues, the administration, and the LGBT community resulted in the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Although this is a remarkable step forward, we still have a long way to go to attain full equality. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people continue to be targets of discrimination in our policies, our laws, and our society. I have always said that discrimination is un-American, and we as a Nation must continue to fight for policies that bring us closer to fulfilling the principles we espouse. I encourage all of us to stay committed to ensuring that sexual orientation and gender identity are no longer a cause for inequality.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 50th Anniversary of Christian Church Homes of Northern California (CCH). Since its debut in 1961, CCH has provided quality, affordable housing in creating caring communities for low-income seniors, as well as assisting its residents with accessing critical services to maintain their well-being. It was the vision of church members in 1959 that led to the start of a committee that explored innovative ways to take action to the issue of fewer housing choices for seniors in northern California. In 1961, the committee moved forward to incorporate, and three years later, they received their first U.S. Department of Housing and Development (HUD) loan and began construction on Garfield Park Village in Santa Cruz, CA. Today, CCH serves more than 6,000 residents in over 60 properties in six States--California, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Oregon, and Texas. CCH employs around 450 experienced people and works with 350 dedicated volunteers to keep and maintain a high quality of life for its residents through community events, activities, and services such as fresh produce markets, ``feel good bingo,'' computer labs, wellness clinics, exercise rooms, and education workshops. CCH takes pride in its Service Coordination Program that provides resident assessments and referrals to services that match the needs of the residents. Through the guidance of service coordinators, residents can access the resources available in the greater community, which ultimately can allow for extended ability to remain in their CCH community. Moreover, CCH has been leading the ``Aging in Place'' movement that blends health and human service provisions into affordable senior housing. These features allow for our senior citizens to live comfortably and become better acquainted with their community, while maintaining dignity and independence. As a private non-profit corporation, CCH has benefitted from leveraging public and private resources for affordable housing development. By accessing all available funding on the Federal, State, local, and private levels, it allows CCH to provide additional services and benefits to its residents. In addition, a majority of its communities are funded through HUD, and many communities offer Project- based Section 8 or other subsidy programs which allow residents to pay 30 percent of their income in rent. On behalf of California's 9th Congressional District, I want to extend my congratulations on this important milestone. I want to thank all of the many people who have contributed to the continued success of Christian Church Homes of Northern California. I wish you the very best.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the founding member and a cochair of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus. The 42 members of the caucus work every day to ensure that we meet our economic and, yes, our moral obligation to the most vulnerable across this Nation--those people facing or living in poverty. Yesterday, the United States Census Bureau released data showing that 2.6 million more Americans fell into poverty, making it 46.2 million people living in poverty in America. This is the highest number since the Census Bureau started keeping these records in 1959. Fifteen percent of Americans lived in poverty last year. The poverty rate among African Americans in 2010 was 27.4 percent; for nonwhite Hispanics it was 26.6 percent; for Asian Pacific Islanders it was 12.1 percent; and for non-Hispanic whites it was 9.9 percent. Digging deeper into the disparities, the data reveals that the real median income declined for white and black households between 2009 and 2010. Real median income for each race and Hispanic-origin groups have not recovered to the pre-2001 recession all-time highs. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, the Census data reveals that both the number and percentages of people living in deep poverty hit record highs, meaning that some 20.5 million Americans had cash incomes below $11,000 for a family of four. In addition, the Census reports that the median household income fell 2.3 percent, or $1,100, in 2010. Those at the bottom of the income scale have lost far more ground than those at the top. Income inequality continues to grow at alarming rates. We know that this crisis is even worse in communities of color. The national average of children living in poverty in America is 20 percent. That's outrageous. For African American children, it's 36 percent; for Latino children, it's 31 percent. That's hard to believe. The median net worth of white families in 2009 was 20 times greater than that of the average black family, and 18 times greater than the average Hispanic family. These are not just statistics. These are real human beings who deserve an opportunity to live the American Dream, which to our dismay, unfortunately, has turned into a nightmare for millions. So the Out of Poverty Caucus cochairs, Congressmen Baca, Butterfield, Conyers, Honda, and myself, sent a letter to the President asking him to address our Nation's job crisis, which is a national emergency, through a bold package of direct investment which is aimed at our Nation's most vulnerable--those facing or living in poverty. We asked that he consider including programs like the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund, which gets money out of the door across the country efficiently and effectively, and it puts people to work. We asked for job training at communities affected by the Great Recession, which of course is the depression for these communities, and we asked for programs that will help train and put our Nation's young people to work. We are pleased and thankful that in the President's jobs bill he did embrace some of our suggestions, including building on programs like the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund and on the job training, youth employment, extension initiatives, and extending unemployment compensation, but we also still believe that unemployment compensation must be extended to those who have exhausted their benefits after 99 weeks until we create these jobs, because there are four individuals looking for one job. After 99 weeks, these individuals are no longer eligible for unemployment compensation. So we're asking that H.R. 589 be considered, which is a bill by Congressman Bobby Scott and myself, to extend this unemployment compensation by 14 weeks. That's the least we can do. Make no mistake about it, people are suffering. Children don't have enough to eat. People want and need jobs, as we saw during the Congressional Black Caucus' very important and successful jobs tour and the Congressional Progressive Caucus' Speak Out for Jobs Now tour. People want our economy to grow, but they know that they need a job to do this. Our country needs full employment for people to turn the economy around. More and more people are falling into poverty than ever before--from all walks of life and educational backgrounds. The Out of Poverty Caucus will continue to sound the alarm about the growing crisis of people living in or facing poverty. I want to remind everyone that many middle-income people are on the verge of falling into poverty. As we say, many are one paycheck away from poverty. It is critical that America returns to the land of opportunity for all.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, today, the Census Bureau came out with new numbers on poverty in America. In 2010, 15.1 percent, which is 46.1 million Americans, lived in poverty. This is up from 14.3 percent, or 43.6 million Americans, in 2009. And 2.6 million more Americans fell into the ranks of the poor. For 2.3 percent of Americans, their incomes fell. This trend really does carry long-term and short-term consequences for our children, our families, and for our national and economic security. These are not people in Democratic districts only. These are individuals who live in Republican districts and Republican Tea Party districts and independent districts. These are people who live all over the country. This summer, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Progressive Caucus went out and we listened to people. We helped find jobs for people. The stories that we heard were quite depressing but also reminded us of the job that we have to do. I want to just tell you one story of children who are now taking care of their parents because their parents lost a job. These children are working at minimum wage jobs, for instance, at McDonald's. This is a moral outrage. We've got to pass the American Jobs Act. Until we create jobs--and there are four individuals for one job--we need to pass H.R. 589, which would extend unemployment benefits for those who have hit the 99 wall. That's the least we can do until we create these jobs.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as one of the founding cochairs of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus to, once again, bring to light an issue that we have swept under the rug for far too long: The fact that millions of children, families and adults are living in poverty in America. Last month, the Annie Casey Foundation released its KIDS COUNT Data Book, which includes state-by-state rankings and data on child well- being in the United States. It's a tragedy, Mr. Speaker, that this report reveals that the child poverty rate increased 18 percent from 2000 to 2009. Eighteen percent. Every gain in the fight against child poverty across America in the 1990s was lost from the year 2000 to 2009. We now have 2.4 million more children across America living below the Federal poverty line. It's a moral outrage that, in this prosperous country, so many of our children are suffering, and we know that the impact is far worse in communities of color. While the national child poverty rate is a staggering 20 percent, when we break it down, we find some tragic and heart-wrenching numbers. The child poverty rate for non-Hispanic White children is 12 percent. For African American children it's 36 percent. For American Indian and Alaska Native children, it's 35 percent. For Hispanic and Latino children, it's 31 percent. And for Asian American and Pacific Islanders, the rate is 13 percent. But among Southeast Asian American children, the poverty rate is 22 percent. These statistics, these children, this childhood poverty rate, this is unacceptable. This data confirms what we've seen in our communities all along--the irresponsible fiscal policies of the prior administration plunged working families, especially those in communities of color, into poverty. This report also reveals the impact of the Great Recession on children and their families. Nearly 8 million children lived with at least one parent who was actively seeking employment but was unemployed in 2010. This is double the number in 2007, just 3 years earlier. That's why I again call upon the Speaker to bring my legislation and Congressman Scott's legislation, H.R. 589, to the floor for an up-or- down vote immediately, to help millions of children with job-seeking parents to get out of poverty. We have 13.9 million people out of work, 6.2 million of whom are long-term unemployed. Worse yet, these numbers do not include those people across this country who have given up on trying to get a job or those who are unemployed. And communities of color continue to carry the burden of higher unemployment rates than the national average of 9.1 percent. African Americans have an unemployment rate of 16.7 percent, and Latinos an unemployment rate of 11.3 percent. So the legislation I referenced increases unemployment compensation by 14 weeks for what we call the 99ers. Our Nation has a job crisis, and this is a national emergency requiring significant investment in the programs and projects that not only better our country but put Americans back to work. That's why the cochairs of the Out of Poverty Caucus, Congressman Joe Baca, Congressman Butterfield, Congressmen Conyers and Mike Honda, we sent a letter to the President asking him to create a big and bold jobs plan that will address the needs of workers and those seeking work across this country. This will result in helping our economy, our communities, and our Nation's children. While we believe that the investment could and should take many forms, we urge President Obama to include key programs and proposals that will support low income people and grow our economy: Restoring TANF; maintaining the emergency extension of unemployment insurance benefits, extend these benefits by 14 weeks; expand targeted Federal on-the-job training programs; expand Federal programs that support, train and focus on youth; initiate a work-sharing program that would subsidize wages at firms that manage to substitute shorter hours for layoffs. We look to President Obama to present a bold package of direct investment which is aimed at our Nation's most vulnerable, those facing or living in poverty. And most importantly, we look to the Republican majority to stop obstructing Democratic efforts to put people back to work. I urge the Republicans to end their ``no jobs'' agenda that makes it easier for corporations to send American jobs overseas, protects tax breaks for Big Oil, and ends Medicare. I hope they know that to make it in America, we must Make It In America.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary and historic event taking place in California's Ninth Congressional District, the official unveiling of master artist Mario Chiodo's world- class bronze monument Remember Them: Champions for Humanity in Oakland's new Henry J. Kaiser Sculpture Park. Originating as a heartfelt response to the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Mr. Chiodo's masterpiece honors 25 world-renowned humanitarians who boldly championed human rights despite hardship, barriers and personal risk. In the last decade, many in our community have helped to bring Remember Them to fruition. With the collaborative effort of private and corporate donors under the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Mr. Chiodo's vision has grown to include additional tributes to 14 local Bay Area activists. Remember Them is a source of Oakland pride and a powerful symbol of human altruism, sacrifice and resilience. As we celebrate the three-section debut of the four-piece, 1,000- square-foot monument, we recognize that this magnificent work of art is not only the largest bronze sculpture in the West. It is a lasting, living legacy that will empower future generations to come. For example, Remember Them is already part of a K-12 education curriculum developed with Stanford University's Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute as part of its Global Liberation Project. Thousands of young people in the Bay Area and throughout the country will have multi-faceted, hands-on access to the United States' first large-scale monument to promote global diversity and celebrate international humanitarians as a group. Another groundbreaking Remember Them feature is its unique access for visually impaired persons, including information in Braille. Moreover, a small-scale casting of the monument will be on permanent display in the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. The 25 global humanitarians who are honored today, and who will continue to inspire the hearts and minds of our young people, are (in alphabetical order) The Rev. Ralph David Abernathy, Maya Angelou, Susan B. Anthony, Ruby Bridges, Cesar Chavez, Chief Joseph, Head of the Nez Perce Nation, Sir Winston Churchill, Frederick Douglass, Shirin Ebadi, Mahatma Gandhi, Helen Keller, Coretta Scott King, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Harvey Milk, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Oskar Schindler, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rigoberta Menchu Turn, The Unknown Rebel of Tiananmen Square, Elie Wiesel, and Malcolm X. The many names and faces of Remember Them represent our vast global community and the beauty of our differences. Yet, more importantly, they remind us of what we share in common: the capacity to demonstrate extraordinary acts of human decency in the face of injustice and iniquity. In fact, this monument is designed on a spiraling axis that emulates the helix of humans' common DNA. Therefore, as we commemorate those who have made larger-than-life contributions to social justice, let us be reminded that we are well-equipped to follow suit. On behalf of the residents of California's Ninth Congressional District, I would like to salute all who have contributed to the success of Mario Chiodo's Remember Them: Champions for Humanity. Thank you for your service to our community, and for ensuring that peace and social justice are a lasting symbol in our daily lives.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary work of Dr. Vincent Harding and the Veterans of Hope Project, VOHP, headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1997 by long-time human- rights activists and educators Dr. Harding and the late Rosemarie Freeney Harding, the Project encourages a healing-centered approach to community building, creativity and education regarding religion, culture, democracy, reconciliation and nonviolence. The couple founded the Project on the Iliff School of Theology campus, where Dr. Harding was a decades-long faculty member. Borrowing from Dr. and Mrs. Harding's deep roots in the Southern Freedom Movement of the 1960s, the Veterans of Hope Project took shape as a spirit- centered social justice and humanitarianism campaign. With the help of their daughter, Rachel, the Hardings honed the Project as an education resource for spiritual, intergenerational community building and compassionate leadership development. One example of their multi-faceted work is a series of professionally filmed interviews with over 70 pioneering activists from around the world, including Grace Lee Boggs, Staughton and Alice Lynd, Charles Long, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Tom Feelings, Katherine Dunham, Imam Warith Deen Muhammad, Dolores Huerta, Vine Deloria, Corky Gonzales, Andrew Young, Dorothy Cotton, Bishop Samuel Ruiz, Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons and others. Currently, the Project is creating a ``Network of Hope'' that engages youth and elders to demonstrate and develop compassionate leadership skills. With the help of Executive Director Gloria Smith, staff, volunteers and Dr. Harding's guiding and inspirational vision, the Veterans of Hope Project is preparing a compassionate leadership force for the 21st century. VOHP's effective programming includes an ``Ambassadors of Hope'' program that utilizes creative mentorship opportunities between elders and youth, workshops and training in compassionate leadership development, and a public symposium series. Moreover, as Dr. Vincent Harding celebrates his 80th birthday, I would like to personally thank him for his continued work to build community bridges across national, racial, ethnic, religious, class and gender lines. His ever-expanding network of friends, colleagues and collaborators, including Education for Liberation, The Black Star Project and the Tewa Women's Project, speak of the breadth of his recent travels and the vast extent of his altruism. Therefore, I salute Dr. Vincent Harding and the Veterans of Hope Project as they continue to tell the stories of faith, peace and justice that communities around the world must recognize, promote and impart. Thank you, once again, for all that you do to educate and encourage a new generation of compassionate leaders. I wish you all the best in the coming years.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the League of Women Voters of Berkeley, 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, what is now the League of Women Voters of Berkeley/ Albany/Emeryville, as well as its sister leagues in Oakland, 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 six 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 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. Likewise, the Oakland chapter has been a major advocate for ranked choice voting, quality education, and accessible housing. 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

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, the House passed unprecedented legislation tonight. We passed a bill that put unprecedented limits on our President to act to protect our nation, to invest in our futures and to safeguard our poor and our vulnerable. I opposed this bill because it fails to take a balanced approach to how we set our nation's priorities. This bill totally fails to address the urgent and most pressing crisis in the country: the lack of jobs and economic growth. At a time when investments are needed to jump start our economy and put people back to work, I believe this deal and its cuts-only approach is the wrong approach. Should we, as Members of Congress, closely guard our nation's tax dollars and work hard to cut waste and to make sure that every program that we fund is necessary and helps the most Americans possible? Of course we should and I believe that we all work hard to do so. But, let me be clear, what we have is a revenue problem. We would not have needed to raise the debt ceiling if Republican's did not ram the Bush tax cuts down the throats of the American People. Let me be very clear. Tax cuts do not pay for themselves and they do not create jobs. The Bush tax cuts created the deficits that my Republican colleagues decry and there were no new private industry jobs created during the entire Bush Administration. Let me be crystal clear. The Democratic Clinton Administration had higher tax rates and created millions more jobs than the Bush Republicans and we had a robust and growing economy. The Democratic Clinton Administration left George Bush a revenue surplus, which he promptly squandered and drove the economy into a ditch, twice. We have a revenue problem. When we do not ask the super rich and the corporations who make billions of dollars in profits off of the engine of the American economy, we will not have the funds to keep that engine running. We must have the revenue to invest in our schools and high tech industries; we must have the funds to rebuild our nation's manufacturing base that Republicans shipped overseas, we must have the revenues to take care of our seniors and provide world class healthcare for every American, we must have the critical revenue to keep the United States the strongest, smartest and most democratic nation on earth. We have a money problem, but it is not about how this body budgets for our nation. The money problem is the one that plagues our politics. There is too much influence of the rich on our politics. Despite the catastrophic failures of Republican financial policies, we are still the strongest and wealthiest nation in the world and our Treasury's debt is still the world's safest investment and continues to sell at historically low rates. But this bill that tied our budget to the passing of debt ceiling is a huge step in the wrong direction for our nation. Is it critical for us to prevent an unprecedented default? Of course it is. Is it just as critical to make sure that we can meet our nation's obligations to our seniors, our children and our poor? Of course it is. But this back room deal-making on preventing a national default is not a way forward for our nation. We must not be making critical decisions about who and what we are as a nation while we are held hostage to the debt ceiling and the extortionist threats of the extreme Tea Party wing of the Republican party. This should not be the process by which we decide how we budget and set our nation's priorities into the future. The debt ceiling plan is deeply flawed. The only thing it succeeds in doing is enacting a short-term reprieve from a catastrophic default on our debts. It fails in almost every other way. It fails because it is not a balanced approach that insures that we have the resources necessary to protect our most vulnerable seniors, children, the disabled and the poor. It fails because it opens the door to deep cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. If fails because it does not make sure that we actually reduce the deficit. Making cuts in federal spending during the middle of the worst economic downturn in a generation will only make the economy worse and will reduce future revenue and end up increasing long-term deficits. This is not a sound way to reduce our deficits or our debt. The only way to reduce our deficits long-term is to invest in a strong and growing economy that creates millions of new jobs just like we did during the Clinton Administration. The only sound long-term deficit plan is a strong jobs plan that puts Americans back to work in jobs that pay a livable wages and provide American benefits. Finally, it fails because it undermines that proper functioning of the American democracy and restricts our ability to react to future crises and economic downturns. Tying the hands of future Congresses is not the way to strengthen the United States. This bill will severely limit what we can do as a nation. The Tea Party Republican's vision of America is one with a powerless government that cannot stand up to the big banks, big oil and multinational corporations that want to keep shipping U.S. jobs overseas. The Republican's vision of America is one where you are completely on your own, without access to health care, Social Security, or unemployment protections. The Republican's vision of America is one without any safeguards for clean air, clean water or access to safe and clean food and drugs. I don't believe that this is a vision that the American people believe in. I believe in a strong America with a functioning democracy that is able invest in the future of our nation and create jobs to grow our economy. That is why I join my colleagues here today--because the Congressional Black Caucus is focused on helping the American people get jobs by hitting the streets during August. Across the country, from Cleveland, Miami, Atlanta, Detroit and L.A., the Congressional Black Caucus is doing both town halls and job fairs. The Congressional Black Caucus knows that people need jobs and so the CBC is bringing employers that have jobs together with people that need jobs. Also, the CBC is bringing in experts to run job training sessions including how to write a resume, how to interview, and how to network to improve your chances on getting a job. We will be working hard in Washington to create jobs for the people, but we must do more which is why we have put together these events. The town hall will give Members of the CBC a chance to interact directly with those people struggling to get a job, so that we can bring their words, their frustrations, and their worries to Washington to share with our colleagues and be the voice of our nation's most vulnerable population here in the halls of Congress. Our nation's average unemployment rate is 9.2 percent, but for African Americans it is 16.2 percent and for Latinos it is 11.6 percent. Worse than this drastic gap between the national average and the unemployment rate between people of color, a recent Pew Research Center study shows the drastic impact that the economic downturn has had on minority communities, pushing the wealth gap to record high numbers. Unfortunately, the daunting statistics speak for themselves--the median wealth of white households is 20 times that of Black households and 18 times that of Hispanic households. When I was a Member of the Financial Services Committee, my colleagues and I warned about the dangers that deregulating financial services would pose on minority communities. I am sad to say that our fears were well founded. Unscrupulous banks and completely unregulated mortgage brokers targeted vulnerable minority communities with predatory loans and often engaged in outright fraud. We must commit to strengthening the safeguards in place that protect consumers from unfair and predatory practices that strip our communities of what little wealth they have. It is clear that this `recession' has been nothing short of a depression for communities of color with disproportionate loss of wealth, housing, increased unemployment and poverty rates that are on the rise. It is time we begin to allow our economy to grow and invest in the needs of our nation's most vulnerable communities. We do this by creating jobs for the people. The House Republicans have been in charge for well over 200 days now and have yet to bring a single jobs bill to the Floor for a vote. I have urged Speaker Boehner for months to bring H.R. 589 The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Expansion Act to the Floor for a vote. This bill is important because those people who have been unemployed for over 99 weeks can no longer receive unemployment benefits--how are they surviving? H.R. 589 would give 14 more weeks of benefits to those who have reached the end of their rope and are still struggling to find work. This will stimulate our economy--they will immediately spend this money to buy the necessities of life that you and I take for granted, like food, water, shelter, and maybe some form of medical attention. But these 99ers are not the only people facing hardship across the country. Americans want to work and Americans need to work, and Congress needs to create jobs, and since Congress is moving slow, the Congressional Black Caucus is hitting the streets in cities across the nation, bringing employers that have jobs together with people who need jobs. I am pleased to be a part of the Congressional Black Caucus For the People Jobs Initiative, and I applaud the hard work of the CBC Members and staff, including staff across the country, who are making these events happen.

Ms. LEE. I thank the gentleman from Maryland for yielding and also for his very bold and effective leadership. I rise in strong opposition to this unbalanced debt ceiling bill. This is an unbalanced approach. We all know that. We've heard that. Furthermore, this debt ceiling bill should have never been an option in terms of having to come to this floor to debate this and to do this. Like we have done for Democratic and Republican Presidents in the past, we should have lifted the debt ceiling. Rightfully so, many of us are concerned about these discretionary cuts. What are these cuts going to do as it relates to our senior citizens, low income individuals and the poor? This debt ceiling bill does nothing to address the real crises in our country, the lack of jobs and economic growth. At a time when investments are needed to jump-start our economy and put people back to work, this deal and its cuts-only approach, which it is, it's the wrong approach. It's an outrage that as we stand here today that we could not raise the debt ceiling by voting for that. I intend to vote ``no'' on the bill.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Thank you very much for yielding. I rise in opposition to this rule and in opposition to the bill that we will vote on later today. And, yes, the Bush economic policies have really now come home to haunt us. It's shameful that the Republican Party continues their drive to plunge our Nation into default and our economy over the brink. And the bill that Speaker Boehner has unveiled today does exactly that. His plan fails to end the threat of default. And his plan targets, mind you, targets the programs aimed at America's most vulnerable, our seniors, our children, and our low- income families for more draconian cuts. And this plan would sign these cuts into the Constitution; it would sign these cuts into stone into the Constitution. Trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor is morally wrong and it's economically bankrupt. This rule and this bill begin to erode and dismantle Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security; and it creates more unemployment. There will be more job loss as a result of this rule and bill. Instead of creating jobs, the Republicans are holding our economy hostage once again and threatening to plunge our economy back into recession. Instead of quickly passing a debt ceiling vote and bill, the Republicans are marching lockstep towards default. Instead of supporting the safety net that will protect our most vulnerable, the Republicans are trying to balance our budget on the backs of the poor while maintaining tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires and Big Oil. It's totally irresponsible to put forth a bill that would put the economy on the brink of disaster once again in 6 months. Madam Speaker, there is no time for these Republican Tea Party games. This rule and this bill turn the American Dream into a nightmare for millions. Seniors need to know that they will receive their Social Security checks. Veterans need to know that they can go to the doctor. Small businesses need to know that they have some financial security and stability to create jobs. Defeat this Boehner rule and bill. It's really a default Boehner rule and bill.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 70th Anniversary of the Dorsey family's service to the greater Bay Area, and their historic soul food restaurant Dorsey's Locker, which has become an important cultural institution within the African-American community in Oakland, California. During a week-long community celebration of the restaurant's 70 years in business, we reflect upon the unique role that Dorsey's Locker and the Dorsey family have played in preserving a venue for authentic foods, spoken word artists, burgeoning comedians and diverse music. In 1941, Mr. and Mrs. Henry and Wilma Dorsey opened the family restaurant in West Oakland. The business relocated in 1956 to Bosn's Locker on nearby Shattuck Avenue, where Clarence Dorsey, with the assistance of brothers Tom, Armstead and Jack, supervised the addition of a cocktail lounge. The restaurant received another personalized addition 3 years later, when Martin Luther Dorsey arrived in Oakland from Texas to build the Locker's existing bar by hand. Mr. and Mrs. Dorsey continued to provide ``Texas-Style'' soul food until Henry's death. Dorsey's Bosn Locker was sold in 1986, only to be re-opened in 1996 by the next generation of the Dorsey family, under Dorsey & Associates, Inc. Currently, Dorsey's Locker is owned by Donald Dorsey and features daily signature soul food specials and a wide variety of featured entertainment at no extra cost. Whether enjoying live poetry, comedy, karaoke, reggae, or R&B performances during the Locker's nightly supper club, patrons have a familiar space to dine, unwind and enjoy a tried and true Oakland experience. On behalf of California's 9th Congressional District, I want to extend my congratulations on this important milestone. Thank you, Dorsey family and the Dorsey's Locker community, for all that you do. Through your hard work, generosity and perseverance, so many have built memories, made history, and added to the rich cultural heritage that we share. I wish you enduring success and prosperity as you continue to nourish the bodies, hearts and minds of our community.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. I rise today as a founding cochair of the 39-Member Out of Poverty Caucus to talk about the millions of people living in poverty in America. Nearly 45 million Americans live in poverty, and one in five children are growing up in poverty. The recession may be over for big corporations and the superrich, but for far too many Americans the recession is actually a depression. Yesterday, the Out of Poverty Caucus held a press conference with organizations working on the front lines with low-income and poor people. We heard stories of more homelessness, long lines at food pantries, and the desperation felt by so many. Our Nation's unemployment rate remains at an unacceptably high 9.2 percent. Millions of Americans who have lost their jobs are finding it harder and harder to find a new one. These new ranks of the long-term unemployed and their families are facing the stark reality of life in poverty for the first time. The ongoing impact of the recession on struggling families and those facing or living in poverty simply must not be ignored. But instead of working to improve the lives of millions of Americans in poverty, the Republican Party continues their drive to plunge our Nation into default and our economy over the brink. Speaker Boehner has unveiled yet another Republican plan that fails to do what America needs. His plan fails to end the threat of default. His plan targets the programs aimed at America's most vulnerable--our seniors, our children, and our low-income families--for more draconian cuts. Trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor is morally wrong. We need a balanced approach that balances targeted cuts with the revenue that we need. We must make sure that we can pay the benefits that we owe to our seniors, protect Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and safeguard our most vulnerable communities. Mr. Speaker, while the Nation's unemployment level remains unacceptably high, for some minority communities it was double digits even before the recession began. The unemployment rate for African Americans today is recorded at 16.2 percent and Latinos recorded at 11.2 percent. And what many of us have known for a long, long time now, African Americans and Latinos have lost 18 to 20 times their net worth, more so than white Americans due to structural inequalities where race is a factor. These numbers are horrific and speak to the larger crisis facing our Nation, the jobs crisis. Let me share the story of one American who is looking for a job. Reverend David was laid off from his job as the successful director of a faith-based nonprofit that served the disadvantaged and worked to put people on a path to self-sufficiency. Now he is relying on the very safety net programs that he used to connect others to. He diligently job hunts week after week. David and his wife rely on unemployment benefits to make ends meet, and he is worried about what he will do when he reaches the 99-week limit of those benefits. Reverend David is not alone. Forty-five million Americans worry about where they will sleep at night, if their children will eat, what will happen if they need medical attention, and when will they secure a living-wage job. We must work together to help the millions of Americans who are still struggling to recover from the Great Recession. As the first order of business, I call on the Speaker to bring my legislation, H.R. 589, to the floor for an up-or-down vote immediately. It would add 14 weeks of retroactive emergency unemployment benefits to those long-term unemployed known as 99ers who continue to face uncertainty and hardships. Passing this extension will stimulate our economy, not to mention that it is our moral responsibility to help those in need. But people really want to work. Instead of creating jobs, Republicans are holding our economy hostage, putting forth policies that will create more unemployment and more job loss. Instead of quickly passing a clean debt ceiling vote, the Republicans are marching lockstep to create this default. Instead of supporting the vital human needs programs that will protect our most vulnerable, Republicans are trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor while maintaining these tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires and Big Oil. Mr. Speaker, there is no more time for these Republican games. The American people expect us to put partisanship aside to protect our economy and create jobs. The American Dream has been a nightmare for the 45 million living in poverty, and is turning quickly into a nightmare for millions who are falling from middle income into the ranks of the poor. The bill put forth today by Republicans guarantees this tragic outcome.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast my vote on House Resolution 375, the Rule providing for consideration of S. 627. Had I been able to cast my vote I would have voted ``no.''

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. I move to strike the last word.

Ms. LEE. I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2584, the Interior appropriations bill. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I want to thank Ranking Member Moran and our full committee ranking member, Congressman Dicks, for leading the fight every step of the way against this Republican assault on the environment. Sadly, Mr. Chair, this bill is nothing more than a vehicle for bigger profits for Big Oil and other special interest polluters. This bill and all it contains destroys critical environmental standards established to protect the public's health. By attaching more than 40 extremely dangerous policy riders, the Republicans take direct aim on the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the environment in which we live. This terrible legislation guts the budgets of key Federal agencies charged with protecting our citizens and our national resources. It terminates air quality standards as well as land and water conservation funding that will impact all communities in our country. But these cuts will hit my home State of California especially hard. Mr. Chair, I'm 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 critical issues of climate change as well as fighting for renewable energy, green jobs, and environmental justice. This bill undermines the Clean Air Act's ability to crack down on air pollution, threatening the quality of life for our children, our families, our communities, including my constituents in the East Bay, many of whom suffer unfairly from poor air quality. Now, let me just tell you this personal story. Many of my childhood friends who grew up with me in my neighborhood, a polluted neighborhood in El Paso, Texas, many of them were dead before they turned 55 years of age, or many of them who are still alive have chronic or debilitating diseases. These tragedies can be directly related to environmental degradation of the neighborhoods in which I lived and grew up in in El Paso, Texas. Also, let me just say, this bill is unjust because it really does refuse to fund EPA at a level where there can be some justice in terms of the overall programs of environmental administration, where it can implement its core mission of protecting human health and the environment. This means that more women and more children and more people facing or living in poverty and more communities of color are bearing the brunt once again of pollution, environmental degradation, and climate change. Sadly, this is in line with the Republican plan to balance the budget on the backs of the poor. Rather than Republicans taking actions to create jobs, this bill guts funding to create jobs--especially green jobs. Rather than the Republicans taking action to protect our Nation's clean water supply and open spaces, this bill takes us back to dirty water and closed parks. Rather than taking action to ensure that people across this country can trust our government--and they want to trust us--to protect the water that they drink and the air that they breathe, this bill rolls back the standards and protections aimed at protecting public health. Mr. Chairman, as a person of faith, I believe that there is a moral and ethical responsibility to protect the natural resources provided by our Creator. This measure before us prohibits us from acting on that very, very serious and important responsibility. How can we here make decisions that knowingly harm people? How can we make decisions that pollute our environment? How can we make these crass decisions, as Members of Congress, that will increase health hazards leading to diseases such as cancer? People elect us because they trust us to make decisions that protect and enhance their quality of life. They want us to preserve our beautiful planet. Future generations are counting on us. This bill really does let them down. We need to defeat this horribly destructive bill and move quickly to matters that the American people expect us to address, like to create jobs, raise our debt ceiling, and to protect the public health. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Let me thank Congresswoman Christensen for leading this Special Order tonight. I also thank you for your leadership on behalf of, really, my constituents and on behalf of the entire country because it is so important that you as first vice chair of the Congressional Black Caucus--and chairman Cleaver, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus--continue to be the conscience of the Congress and to speak out and sound the alarm about the consequences of possible bad political and policy decisions. So thank you very much for what you're doing. It's so important that these issues be swept from under the rug and discussed in an open forum. The debate and the discussion with Congressman Bobby Scott and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee were very important to have because I think that the public, who is listening to this discussion, will understand the history and the background and the technical aspects about this budget and deficit reduction plan that the Speaker is bringing forward, which really do, once again, put the American people as pawns, I think, in a game that they are not responsible for playing. People cannot wait any longer. They are tired of having their futures threatened by Republican politicians who are playing games that put the entire Nation and our economy at risk. As for the Ryan budget and now this debt ceiling plan put forth by the Republicans, I'll tell you that what comes to mind is, when you look at it and when you listen to what's in it, it's a ``you're on your own'' kind of plan. For those who are wealthy and those are beholden to special interests and hedge fund billionaires and millionaires and all of those who have benefitted from the tax cuts, they'll be fine; but for those, as you mentioned earlier, who are poor or who could possibly fall from middle income into the ranks of the poor, this debt ceiling plan put forth by the Republicans is morally wrong and is fiscally unsound. We don't want to see the majority of the American people on their own once again, so I'm glad we're here tonight discussing this. A Republican default on our debt, this would devastate the retirement savings of millions of American seniors--just devastate. We know that Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid--these government safety net programs--have provided for millions of our seniors to live a decent life in their golden years and to not fall into the ranks of poverty. Now all of these programs are on the chopping block. It makes no sense. A Republican default on our debts, it would weaken our entire economy and weaken our national security, and we heard earlier that hundreds of thousands of jobs could be lost, that even more jobs would be lost. We should be about creating jobs, not putting forth measures that would take us further down the road into a recession and, for some, a depression. In fact, it's very simple. America must pay our bills on time, and we must do this in a way that does not devastate the safety net for our senior citizens and our children's future. Either you are on the side of the American people and want to safeguard vital human needs programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, critical food benefits for families and children--or you're on the side of the billionaires and the bankers, financial services industries, subsidies for massive oil company profits. You're on one side or the other in this debate. The Congressional Black Caucus continues to be on the side of our Nation's most vulnerable populations, who, in these very hard economic times, depend on these vital safety net programs for their survival day-in and day-out. Meanwhile, we keep hearing claims from the other side of the aisle that only misdirect attention. America really is not broke. We're the richest and we're the strongest country in the world, and we still have the best ideas, the best workers, the best schools, and the largest economy in the world. But we won't be for long if the Republicans have their way. You know, you often wonder for those who say that default will not wreak havoc on the country. There are some who I think could care less if we went into default because if you listen to what they're saying, it doesn't really bother a lot of Members here. And that, to me, is tragic. Some tell us that the future is bleak and that the government cannot afford to invest in a prosperous and growing America. But the truth is that raising the debt ceiling should be very simple. It should be a simple vote by all of us to allow the United States Treasury to fund all of its programs and obligations and debts of the entire Federal Government that are already in the law. Republicans in the House have already voted to support and pass a $9 trillion increase in the national debt. And now again, instead of working to create jobs and help our Nation rise out of this great recession, and depression for many, the Republicans are really playing a high-stakes game of chicken with the safety net and with the security of every single American so that they can protect the massive--and Congressman Scott and yourself talked about this--$400 billion tax cut that Congressman Scott warned us we would have to pay for some time soon. It came sooner rather than later, Congressman Scott. And we listened to you, and those of us who voted ``no,'' we tried. But here we are with your prediction coming true. Here we're asking once again those who have been hurt, the most vulnerable, to pay once again. And that is just downright wrong. A failure to raise the debt limit would mean an immediate stop to over 40 percent of the entire Federal Government. Our soldiers would not get paid, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid payments would be delayed. And the health and safety of every single American would be threatened, along with the health of our very fragile economy. The incredibly irresponsible position that the Republicans have taken protecting tax breaks for the super rich, Wall Street corporations, Big Oil, that seems to be more important than preventing the United States government from defaulting on our debts. And let me just remind those who want to cut Medicare and dismantle Medicare. That's basically what they want to do. Medicare recipients did not create the national debt. And that is unconscionable to even talk about balancing the budget or paying down the debt on the backs of our most vulnerable populations, including those who are facing living in poverty. And let me remind our Republican colleagues again that the Congressional Black Caucus, under the leadership of Chairman Cleaver, Congresswoman Christensen, Congressman Bobby Scott, already offered a budget--and he mentioned it earlier--that would have saved $5.7 trillion from the deficit, protected our most vulnerable communities, and would have ensured the stability of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. And our budget was balanced. So the country is not broke. We know how we got here--two wars, these massive tax cuts for the very wealthy, Wall Street going amok. So it's time to be real, and it's time to be truthful. It's time to be honest, and it's time to make sure that the decisions we make here will not dig us deeper into the hole. America really doesn't have any more time for these Republican games. Let me also conclude by talking about those who are unemployed because if we don't do something quickly, the ranks of the unemployed are going to grow even greater. And unemployment compensation is really survival funds, survival compensation, until we figure out how we're going to create jobs. And incidentally, the Republicans haven't put forth any job plan since they've been in power. But these long-term unemployed Americans who have run out of their unemployment compensation, known as the 99ers, they continue to face uncertainty and hardships, and the House must act now to stand with these individuals. H.R. 589, which my colleague, Congressman Scott, and I introduced earlier this year, Congresswoman Christensen and many members of the Congressional Black Caucus are cosponsors. This would add 14 weeks of unemployment emergency compensation. It would make these benefits retroactively available to people who have exhausted all of their benefits and are still unemployed. Extending these benefits for long- term unemployed individuals will stimulate our economy, empower more consumers, and create more jobs. So this extension should be in any deficit reduction plan because we know that not only is it the right thing to do, the morally correct thing to do, this is the economically prudent thing to do in terms of passing an emergency extension. It really should be the first step in taking bold steps to create millions of jobs for Americans. So we should be working to pass a jobs bill that would help people find this pathway out of poverty. We should help keep middle-income individuals from falling into poverty. We should be looking at a budget and a plan that, yes, will help pay down our debt. Yes, it is part of deficit reduction--that incorporates deficit reduction as part of it. But no, that does not cut Medicare, Social Security, or Medicaid. And we should really be trying to figure out a way to create some jobs for people. I mean, that's the bottom line. That's what we need to do. Thank you again, Congresswoman Christensen, for calling this Special Order today. We should make sure that the world knows that the Congressional Black Caucus continues to call attention to the games that Republicans are playing that will threaten our national security interests as well as our economic interests. And the fact that we're here working to try to create some jobs and to help ensure that this debt ceiling is raised, that's the bottom line.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. I rise today as the founding cochair of the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus to join my colleagues to discuss the urgent crisis of poverty and to provide a voice for those people living in poverty and who we feel that could get disproportionately hurt by any negotiations that take place that cut too deeply. I want to thank our leadership, especially our whip, Mr. Hoyer, for his powerful words this morning and for his leadership; Leader Pelosi and our Assistant Leader, Mr. Clyburn, for each and every day standing and working for the least of these. Mr. Speaker, a daunting statistic speaks for itself: One in 5 million children in America are growing up in poverty, and nearly 45 million Americans are living in poverty today. Our national unemployment rate is 9.2 percent, but for African Americans it is 16.2 percent and for Latinos it is 11.6 percent. And we know it's twice these statistics, given the millions of people who have lost hope in looking for jobs. Given these heart-wrenching statistics, the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus, our cochairs--Representatives Baca, Butterfield, Conyers, Honda, and I--sent a letter to the President, the Vice President, and the congressional leadership on both sides of the aisle asking them to protect those programs that support those facing or living in poverty in the debt ceiling negotiations. My colleagues and I are here on the floor today to remind every Member that it was not American families or children or the working poor that forced Congress to run a deficit, and it definitely was not America's seniors on Social Security or Medicare or people on Medicaid that forced Republicans to turn the first budget surplus into decades of record deficits. Two wars, massive tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires, Big Oil, and Wall Street running wild caused these deficits. The American people are willing to work, they want to work and pay their fair share, but they should not be asked to fill a hole that they did not dig. We should quickly pass clean legislation to raise our debt ceiling to end this default crisis so that we can move on doing the critical work of creating jobs and responsibly addressing the national debt. Making heartless cuts on the backs of hungry children and struggling American families will not balance the budget. Every Member of Congress should consider the millions of Americans who are struggling--struggling to find work, struggling to pay for health care if they have health care, struggling to stay in their homes, and struggling to feed their children. Mr. Speaker, more and more Americans are facing poverty every day, and the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus is on the floor once again to be the voice for these Americans struggling day in and day out just to survive, demanding that we protect these vital safety net programs and help support the poor, especially in this Great Recession. We are here today to share some stories from people who have benefited from those programs. I have a story from Veronica, who lives in northern California, who has turned her life around under these vital safety net programs. Her story is one of hardship and survival. It's a story of getting back up when life knocks you down. It's a story of America. She is the American Dream. But she and her spouse were teenage parents. They relied on public assistance to bring up their children. They were able to get good jobs and they got off of Federal assistance. Well, in 1995, the bottom fell out. Their son was diagnosed with diabetes. Her world imploded. She tried to go back to work full time. Her son needed more care at home. She was given child care assistance so she could support her family and her son. She was offered counseling and job training and, in the fall of 2009, the opportunity to work at Second Harvest Food Bank as an administrative assistant through the Federal stimulus program. She said she's still married to her husband. They have three beautiful children. And there's no way she could have kept her family together without the help of such programs such as SNAP food stamps, Medi-Cal, and job training. She said, ``We found unknown strength, faith, and resilience in our downfall. We'll do everything that we can do to stay self-sufficient but cannot say enough about the blessed safety net.'' Mr. Speaker, we understand that even when you work hard and do things right, sometimes everyone needs a helping hand, especially when there are no jobs. I personally needed this helping hand in years past when I was forced during many hardships that I was faced with that I had to rely on for many years public assistance and food stamps and Medi-Cal just to get through school, to take care of my kids, to get a job. And if it weren't for that safety net, I would not be here today. And so let me just ask all of you to remember the poor, remember those struggling to survive, and to support those people who have exhausted their benefits, their unemployment benefits. They hit the wall in 99 weeks. We need to add more weeks of unemployment compensation for individuals who deserve this help. The 99ers need help. We need to do this. We need to do more to create jobs. We need to help people survive until we have the vision and the backbone to do that here. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, July 5, 2011. Hon. Barack Obama, President of the United States, The White House, Washington,

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. I want to thank the gentleman for yielding and also for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule and in opposition to the underlying bill. As a member of the Appropriations Committee and former vice chair of the Leg. Branch Subcommittee, I am deeply saddened by Republicans' ongoing efforts to weaken and dismantle our democracy. The Leg. Branch appropriation bill is simply an inadequate and misguided bill. We must not gut one of the coequal branches of government. We should be working to ensure that we are strengthening and preserving the most direct voice the American people have in our government, the legislative branch, especially the House of Representatives, the people's House. Passing this bill will undermine one of the fundamental building blocks of our democracy, and it will weaken our Nation. Failing to provide adequate resources to the leg. branch will mean that all of our congressional offices, both here and in our home districts, will face cuts in staff. The constituent services that we provide would suffer right when our people need them the most. Our constituents rely on our staffs to help us develop sound legislation and to provide constituent case work. Our constituents rely on them to keep them informed about the complex and incredibly diverse issues that fail our Nation each and every day. Now, I worked as a staffer for my mentor and predecessor, Congressman, Mayor, Ron Dellums; so I know very well how hard staffers work to help us represent the American people. These staffers are paid much less. They work more hours than most public employees, not to mention the private sector employees. We need to keep in place the resources necessary to attract the best and the brightest to public service. When you gut this budget, you are creating more unemployed people who will need to go on unemployment compensation. This is an example of the policies that Republicans are putting forward to create more unemployment and a nonresponsive government. It is vital that our district offices and our Washington offices are fully staffed to make sure that our constituents--this is about our constituents--that they will continue to have access to the services so that they don't just get hung out there once again because, in this hard economic time, many, many people are desperate and they need our help. This is just another signpost on the road to ruin during this ``good luck'' Republican Congress. This bill says good luck to finding a job. It says good luck to finding affordable health care. This bill says good luck to keeping your home and your family intact. Good luck to feeding your family and your children. When the public demands, as they should, constituent services and help, this bill says, good luck to our constituents. Representative democracy is really on its way out the door. Case work will be greatly diminished with these unrealistic budget cuts. Bills like this clearly show the Republican agenda for what it is. It's really: Good luck, you are on your own. Let me ask Members to please oppose this bill because this is not good. It's not good for our staffs; it's not good for our constituents; it's not good for the country.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Thank you.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, the right to vote is a fundamental right which is at the heart of this Nation. This right is under attack. I came to this floor, after the stolen Presidential elections in Florida and Ohio, to protest the results of these two elections that were filled with voter suppression. Now, years later, 34 States, once again, in our map of shame, require voters to present IDs to vote in Federal, State, and local elections. And in 15 of those States, voters must present a photo ID. Some States require that the ID be government- issued, mind you, in order to cast a ballot. However, for any number of reasons, 21 million Americans do not have a government-issued ID required by these voter ID laws; and, thus, the fundamental right of American citizens is taken away. Most State legislatures have enacted or have proposed legislation echoing similar detrimental voting changes. Many of these bills have only one true purpose, and that is the disenfranchisement of specific populations of eligible voters. In California, unfortunately, there is a voter ID bill pending to suppress voter participation. It would cost, mind you, $26, $26 just to get the required documents to qualify for a government ID. This certainly looks like a poll tax to me, which all of us from the South know and remember as a way to keep African Americans from voting. These voter ID laws have a partisan agenda seeking to deny specific populations of people the opportunity to not to vote, which is really very shameful before they have an opportunity to elect their representatives in government. And we cannot allow this. So I have to thank Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, the Congressional Black Caucus, and all of our colleagues for their voices to protect the right for all citizens across this Nation. And I urge the Department of Justice to be vigilant and aggressive in protecting the civil rights and voting rights of Americans. We go around the world preaching democracy and the importance of voting; yet we are going in the opposite direction in our own country. Now I would like to yield to the gentleman from Tennessee, Representative Cohen.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. First, let me thank the gentleman for yielding and for his outstanding leadership. I rise in strong opposition to what has been appropriately labeled as the ``duck, dodge, and dismantle'' budget bill. The Republicans duck making the hard choices by requiring us to actually amend our Constitution before we can act to avoid default. The end result: America fails to pay its bills on time. The Republicans dodge facing the real challenge by continuing tax breaks for the super wealthy and Big Oil, funding two wars, and other Republican interests. And the Republicans want to dismantle our Nation's economic security for seniors, the disabled, and the poor by cutting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Making heartless cuts on the backs of the most vulnerable will not balance the budget. And it's morally wrong. Now, with only 14 days left, Republicans are pushing forward legislation that will guarantee a default and will kill hundreds of thousands of jobs. This ``duck, dodge, and dismantle'' bill would end the social safety net, kill jobs, and set our Nation back rather than move it forward. I urge my colleagues to oppose this job-killing bill that would end up being written in stone in our Constitution. It turns the American Dream into a nightmare.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Geronimo ji Jaga Pratt. A powerful human rights activist, a decorated veteran, a loving partner, father, grandfather, brother, mentor and friend, Geronimo was also a survivor and a fearless harbinger of change. He was a man who inspired so many to advocate for social justice, civil rights and judicial reform, and his story of resilience will be a timeless call to action for all who stand for justice. Geronimo was taken from us too soon on June 2, 2011, in his adopted country of Tanzania. Today, let us find comfort in the joy he inspired and the extensive legacy of his life's work. Born Elmer G. Pratt on September 13, 1947, in rural Morgan City, Louisiana, Geronimo was the youngest of seven children born to hard- working parents. After high school, where he was a football quarterback, Geronimo joined the Army, earning two Purple Hearts and emerging a sergeant after two tours in Vietnam. Geronimo moved west, where he attended the University of California, Los Angeles to study political science and play football. In 1969, his political inclinations and commitment to social justice led him to assume a leadership position with the city's Black Panther Party. As the leader of the L.A. Chapter of the Black Panthers, Geronimo became a target of the subversive and immoral FBI COINTELPRO counterintelligence campaign against perceived enemies of the U.S. government. In a tragic series of events, Geronimo was falsely accused, convicted and imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, in fact, he was nearly 400 miles away from the scene of the crime. His subsequent 27- year imprisonment, including eight years in solitary confinement, galvanized Free Geronimo campaigns throughout national and international progressive communities. By the time of his overturned conviction and release in 1997, Geronimo had become the symbol of an era and the unceasing fight for human rights. Rather than dwell on the atrocities that had been committed against him, Geronimo became a positive mentor for young men and women who he believed to be wrongfully convicted of crimes. He later divided his time between Louisiana and Tanzania, where he fostered humanitarian programs for the poor, including projects to provide water and solar power for hundreds of African families. It is with a very heavy heart that I say goodbye to Geronimo today. As a young mother, bagging groceries, working on the survival rallies, selling newspapers, helping to organize the Panther school, and raising money for candidates of the Black Panther Party, my life was touched by Geronimo's leadership and strength. It was through that often tumultuous experience, and the inspiring people I met, that I entered the political arena. During the time of Geronimo's imprisonment, I remember leveraging my position as the chairwoman of the State Legislature's Black Caucus to bring his case to greater prominence. Despite the injustices he endured, Geronimo was an uplifting force and a great inspiration to me and the entire global community. I will miss him dearly. Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes and honors Geronimo ji Jaga Pratt. His life was about seeking justice for those who had no justice. And, his legacy will serve as a reminder that we must always be vigilant of those who aim to suppress freedom, opposition and basic human rights. Geronimo will be remembered for his strong sense of dignity, humility and his generous service to others. He truly epitomized the indomitability of the human spirit. We extend our deepest condolences to Geronimo's family and his extended group of loved ones. He will be deeply missed.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast my votes today. Had I been present to cast my votes, I would have voted ``yes'' on H.R. 33 and ``yes'' on approving the Journal.