Brenda Lawrence

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I am standing here today because the clock is ticking. Today is the last legislative day to prevent the shutdown of the Export-Import Bank and avoid disaster for our economy. I have in my hand, sir, a letter regarding dozens of businesses in my district, the 14th District of Michigan, that rely on the Ex-Im Bank. It is clear the dire consequences if Congress does not act. In 7 years, Ex-Im has supported $93 million in exports and nearly 600 jobs just in my district. This year alone, more than half a million dollars has been financed for businesses in the 14th District. All of this was done at no cost to our taxpayers. To reduce the deficit, to create more jobs, to remain globally competitive, we must reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Second Amendment and Americans' rights to reasonable, responsible gun ownership; but it is time for us in America to admit we have a problem. When I see more than two dozen people shot in one weekend in my hometown of Detroit, when I see the face of a deranged and hate-fueled young man--a man who should have never had a gun but was able to destroy the lives of nine amazing people who welcomed him into their church in South Carolina--I know it is time for America to embrace commonsense gun control. In the span of about 24 hours, 27 people were shot and 3 were killed in Detroit, Michigan. It is a city that I represent, along with my esteemed colleague Congressman John Conyers. The FBI and the Detroit Police Department confirm that, in the city of Detroit, overall crime is down; yet gun deaths are on the rise. Ninety percent of Americans who were polled want universal background checks for gun purchases. That is 90 percent. What are we waiting for? There is not a Member of Congress who has not been touched by gun violence. That includes one of our own, a colleague that was highly respected, Gabby Giffords. How many more deaths must families and communities endure? How many more funerals must we attend? How many children must be orphaned? How many parents must suffer the unspeakable heartbreak of losing a child? There is no question that we must act, and we must act now. How many times must we watch on national news what uncontrolled gun violence can do to our country? That action must focus on three principles: establish universal background checks; eliminate the gun show loopholes that allow a person to walk in, pick up a gun, and walk out the door; and enforce our existing gun control laws. We have seen countries all over the globe who are not experiencing the gun violence that we have here in America, and their citizens have the right to own guns. It is time for us to awaken from a sleep of the past and address this issue and address it now.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Madam Speaker, I stand here today to join my colleagues in a bipartisan call for action for better funding and support for Alzheimer's research. The Alzheimer's Association of Greater Michigan, which is headquartered in my district, the 14th Congressional District of Michigan, supports more than 140,000 people and their families. According to the Banner Alzheimer Institute, those numbers are going to increase unless treatments or cures are developed. The institute estimates the number of people 65 and older with Alzheimer's will nearly triple to 13.8 million, and the U.S. healthcare costs for Alzheimer's will skyrocket to $1.1 trillion per year, with more than $700 million coming out of Medicare and Medicaid. It is time to treat Alzheimer's as the healthcare disaster that it has become. It is time to take this epidemic seriously. It is time to guard against the threat it poses to our families, our districts, healthcare system, and our Nation.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today on behalf of the Michigan 14th District, which includes the great city of Detroit, to make clear my strong opposition to TPP and TAA. As a native of Detroit and a longtime public servant, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact of global trade agreements like NAFTA. I will always fight for our businesses and manufacturing so that they can remain competitive globally, but never at the expense of hard- working Americans. The TAA is underfunded by $125 million. The TAA also excluded public sector workers, which is unacceptable. Passage of TPP and TAA will only increase the risk of loss of American jobs. I greatly appreciate the help the TAA provides to workers who have lost their jobs in trade in Michigan and the livelihoods of nearly 500,000. This is why I want to be on the record why my vote was a ``no.'' I will never accept cuts to these training programs. I will never agree to leave any hard-working Americans uncovered.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. I thank the ranking member for yielding. As you know, TRICARE provides coverage to over 9.5 million people worldwide, including Active Duty, activated Guard and Reserve members, retiree survivors, and their families. To ensure coverage, they must choose between independently practicing TRICARE certified medical health counselors and/or supervised mental health counselors. I entered my amendment and withdrew it, but it is important that we get this on the Record. The independent providers must have a master's degree from a mental health counseling program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, which we call CACREP. They must also pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam by January 1, 2017. But this rule unfortunately has unintended consequences that require counselors to complete their education at an institution that only has been accredited by CACREP. This freezes out some of our most respected institutions, including Harvard, Columbia, and, in my home State of Michigan, the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. I am extremely concerned about and would ask for the committee's support in addressing this issue. With more time, we can get this right, ensure our military members have as much access to care as possible.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, as we vote on H. Res. 295, I would like to address the need for body cameras worn by on-duty law enforcement. As a result of the influx of controversial reports citing alleged inappropriate behavior by police officers, body cameras will provide more transparency in what can be otherwise confounding cases. In instances like the Walter Scott shooting, the McKinney incident, and the Trayvon Martin case, video footage from a body-worn camera may have provided critical, tangible evidence regarding the events that transpired. Such technology has the capability to reduce the number of complaints of excessive use of force by officers. It also provides the power to dismiss officers from false, malicious complaints. Additionally, footage from body cameras can be utilized as a teaching tool in which officers review video in an attempt to learn from their mistakes and improve their performance. Both exemplary and inappropriate police behavior can be analyzed in order to build greater trust between law enforcement and the communities they are tasked with serving. Furthermore, there are studies that show improved behavior occurs with both police officers and potential suspects when both parties know they are being recorded. Detroit's significantly higher crime rate when compared with the U.S. average makes this topic of particular concern to me and my District. The violent crime rate in 2012 was nearly six times that of the U.S. average. The implementation of body cameras will help ensure the safety of my constituents by recording interactions between officers and civilians. I urge support for this bill for the protection and interests of all involved. I would like to thank my colleague, Congressman Green for this bipartisan legislation to reform our nation's law enforcement policies and procedures by promoting transparency while protecting citizens and officers.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, as we vote on the bipartisan bill, H.R. 2394, in the House today, I would like to acknowledge the positive impact that our National Forest System has had in my home state of Michigan and throughout our great nation. Comprised of the United States Forest Service and the non-profit National Forest Foundation, our National Forest system encompasses 193 million acres of wilderness. These forests nourish a variety of animal and plant species, provide a wide array of recreational opportunities, and pump $13.5 billion annually into the U.S. economy. I am encouraged to see the bipartisan consensus around preserving our forests. In Michigan, the work done by the National Forest System has helped preserve two different habitats. In the Hiawatha National Forest on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, workers helped plant more than 96,000 White Pine, Northern Red Oak and Hemlock trees to replenish the disappearing forest in 2012. Additionally, the national forest system helped lead a coalition to repair the disappearing habitat of the Kirtland's Warbler. In 2011, Forest workers planted 180,000 Jack Pine seedlings to help re-populate that species of tree, which is required for the Warbler to produce its offspring. Now, thanks to their efforts, the Kirtland's Warbler population is much more robust within the Huron and Manistee National Forests. The important contributions made by the National Forest Foundation must not be overlooked, and I wholeheartedly support the program's reauthorization. Our forests are an incredible economic, environmental, and recreational resource for our country. We must remain steadfast and continue the work of preserving these forests and all of the majestic wonders contained within them for not only those alive today, but for all future generations of Americans.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw myself as a cosponsor of H.R. 1994. While I strongly support our American veterans, I am concerned about permanent changes to hard-won labor agreements.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Madam Speaker, as we vote on H.R. 1493 in the House today, I would like to share with you the series of unfortunate and barbaric events that have plagued The Cultural Museum of Mosul and robbed the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan of their historical lineage. No stranger to war and tribal conflict, the people of Mosul, Iraq have suffered persecution and displacement under the Ottoman Empire, British colonial rule, and various tyrannical regimes. Despite all these hardships, Mosul was once a city of commercial importance to the region. Commerce and trade brought a rich exchange of history and culture to Mosul, which was preserved in the Museum of Mosul. The museum provided a connection to a national identity and pride, which was once flourishing and prosperous. They say it is important to know your past so that you can learn from the mistakes of previous generations and better prepare for the future that is ahead. The people of Mosul were robbed of that opportunity in April of this year by ISIS. Just days before the reopening of the museum, which was looted during the Iraq War in 2003, ISIS released a horrific video showing militants using sledgehammers to demolish stone sculptures and other centuries- old artifacts. The world watched in horror and disbelief as centuries of Assyrian history were obliterated in minutes. As we fight against the injustices perpetrated by ISIS militants around the world we must also fight to preserve the cultural integrity of these historical civilizations. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their dedication in preserving the historical treasures of the people of Mosul. ISIS has robbed these people of their freedoms but we must protect their past so that they may have a better future.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Madam Speaker, as we pass the bipartisan Girls Count Act of 2015, I'd like to emphasize the importance of advancing women's rights around the world. In 2015, it is completely unacceptable that women still do not posses the same rights as men. My grandmother raised her family and put food on the table to ensure that her children and grandchildren received the education and care they deserved. I am incredibly proud of my grandmother and all women like her who are the rocks of their families. I am fighting for women's rights because it is each generation's obligation's to ensure that the next generation is better off than the previous. I fight for my daughter and granddaughter, who I hope will one day live in a world where there is true gender equality. In a time where women should be equal to men, there are unspeakable atrocities being committed all over the world. For example, Boko Haram kidnapped over 300 school girls, drawing the ire of global activists. By passing this legislation, we will become leaders in the worldwide fight against misogyny. This bill requires countries around the world to develop civil registration and statistical programs to better trace women's information. In addition, it prevents governments from discriminating against women, while creating a policy framework to improve access to economic and property ownership. I sincerely hope that governments draft strong legislation that changes the current policy. I am grateful that our chamber has taken this important step to ensure that countries around the world recognize the need to improve women's access to basic rights. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for supporting women's rights.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, both sides of the aisle recognize the importance of our transportation network to remain globally competitive and to keep our roads, railways, and bridges safe. We all know that long-term projects are more cost effective and provide good-paying jobs. In Michigan's 14th District, we know the reality of driving on crumbling bridges and roads. The Federal Highway Administration says nearly 30 percent of our state's bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. What else needs to go wrong before we do what is right? We must have a long-term funding plan in place before this latest 60-day patch job ends. We have passed 32 short-term extensions in the past six years. This lack of long-term planning wastes money and resources. More importantly, it has cost lives. Lives that could have been saved or spared serious injury had we all taken this issue seriously. I do not want to attend one more funeral for the victim of a transportation disaster knowing that Congress failed to act on this problem.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, today I stand here to recognize May as National Foster Care Month. More than 40,000 of our Nation's youth are currently living in the child welfare system. More than 23,000 youth age out of the foster care system when they turn 18, putting them at risk for homelessness, criminal exposure, and mental illness. These statistics paint a grim picture. Today I stand here to recognize a young woman who aged out of the foster care system, Kamille Tynes, a success story. Kamille spent 5 years in the Michigan foster care system. Her experience fostered a tireless advocacy for foster care and resources that our children need. She has been given awards and recognized for her amazing leadership, such as the foster care Outstanding Young Leaders Award. She is now creating her own consulting firm to address those needs. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan. Ladies and gentlemen, I ask my colleagues to please continue to understand the importance of recognizing and funding our foster care program.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 239 on H.R. 1735, I mistakenly recorded my vote as ``no'' when I should have voted ``yes.'' Personal Explanation

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I appear here today filled with a sense of great pride but also deeply troubled. I am proud of the work done by women every day in America, women like my grandmother, who raised family, put food on the table, and ensured that their children received the education and care that they deserved. I am offended that, as I stand here today, more than 50 years after President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, as a country, we are still, as women, seeking pay equality. Women are only earning 78 cents to every dollar earned by a man. For women of color, that gap is even greater. I am deeply troubled by the lack of retirement security for women, American women, and all older Americans. Today, I am alarmed at our failure to provide women who work hard with basic benefits like paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave. I am not intimidated, as a Member of Congress, by these problems. I and my Democratic colleagues are energized and united to correct this page in American history because we know, when women succeed, America succeeds.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, as we vote on H.R. 2146 in the House today, I would like to share with you the dire reality facing our brave first responders who put their lives on the line for the safety of the American people. The health-related risks associated with the work of our first responders, though rarely considered by the average American, are largely due to stress and overexertion. The United States Fire Administration (USFA) tracks the number of first responder fatalities each year and has provided valuable analysis for nearly four decades. The data shows that over the course of the past 10 years, 757 first responders in the United States have suffered from heart-related fatalities; including heart attacks, due to the extremely stressful nature of their work. While firefighting can be an incredibly rewarding profession for a first responder--make no mistake--it is also one of the deadliest. High rates of cancer and heart attacks plague our public safety defenders. Under our current law, first responders can retire at the age of 50, as long as they have completed 20 years of service. Those 20 years are consumed by immediate midnight response calls, the physical toll of carrying heavy equipment, ventilating smoke-filled areas, salvaging building contents, rescuing victims and administering emergency medical care. H.R. 2146 is a bipartisan proposal that would reform federal tax law by allowing firefighters, federal law enforcement officers and air traffic controllers, to access funds from their government plans after age 50 and without facing a 10 percent penalty fee. These first responders have more than earned their ability to access their retirement after over 20 years of strenuous service. We should feel ashamed for penalizing our public safety defenders by levying penalties and fees on those who are entitled and deserve to retire. When our lives are on the line and we call 911, we expect help to come without hesitation and our brave first responders do not fail in their duty. For this reason we must not fail them after a lifetime of service.

Ms. LAWRENCE

Ms. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, as we pass the bipartisan Don't Tax Our Fallen Public Safety Heroes Act, I'd like to share with you a little bit about fallen Michigan State Trooper Paul K. Butterfield II. On September 9th, 2013, Trooper Butterfield was shot on a routine traffic stop. Responding units located Trooper Butterfield on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was then flown to a regional hospital, where he eventually succumbed to his wounds while in surgery. Trooper Butterfield was a dedicated public servant; after serving in the U.S. Army, he joined the Michigan State Police where he served for 14 years until his death in the line of duty. Family and friends remember him for being soft-spoken, kind, and always smiling. This bill honors the legacy of not only Trooper Butterfield, but all first responders who have laid down their lives. Several hundred first responders die every year in the line of duty. These officers, and their families, should know that we support them and what they do. I am proud to cosponsor this bipartisan legislation to ensure that families of public safety officers will receive the full benefits they deserve should their loved ones succumb to the ultimate sacrifice.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Madam Speaker, I address you today in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 43. The resolution undermines the purpose of the D.C. Council antidiscrimination bill. D.C. residents deserve to be protected from discrimination in the workplace. Everyone should have the ability to make a private healthcare decision, including when and how they will start a family, and without the fear of losing their jobs or facing retaliation or retribution from their employer. Unfortunately, women across the country have faced discrimination for personal decisions such as using birth control, becoming pregnant while unmarried, or using in vitro fertilization to become pregnant. Contrary to claims by my Republican colleagues, this bill does not impose any new requirements on employers to cover or to pay for any reproductive health services. Are women's rights not guaranteed by the Constitution just like those of men in this country? This is not about whether you or I have an abortion or whether you or I use IVF. Madam Speaker, this is about a woman's right to choose what is right for them in the privacy of their homes and doctor's office and with their family. This is not about pro- choice or pro-life. This is about religious freedom. This is about government intrusion. This resolution, forced on the people of D.C. by a Member of Congress from Tennessee, flies in the face of the democratic debate and vote already heard by the D.C. Council. This resolution preserves the current exemption in the D.C. human rights laws for religious organizations and does not impose any additional requirements on employers based on their religious belief. I stand here today, Madam Speaker, as a member of the largest number of women in this Congress, and I can tell you, I am offended by this bill. I stand here today in opposition.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert my statement into the Record that the House should focus on real priorities of Americans instead of another attack on women's health care.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge this House to supports the people's budget. The Federal budget is not just a financial document; it is a moral document. The best way to grow our economy is to ensure that Americans have good jobs that pay a livable wage. The numbers that you just heard is a fact. In 40 percent of households with children under 18, mothers are either the only or the primary source of income for the family. Many of these mothers do not have the support of affordable childcare, paid family leave, or paid sick days. Increasing the minimum wage and providing paid medical or sick leave will have a direct positive impact on millions of working mothers. As of last month, 3 States and 17 cities will soon have or now have paid sick leave day laws. This is a good start, but, as Members of Congress, we need to set a national standard, and we need to do it now. Our Nation's failure to establish a basic workplace standard of paid sick days is hurting workers, is hurting families and the public health. Nearly 4 in 10 private sector workers and 80 percent of the low wage workers do not have a single paid sick day. Is that what we want our budget to reflect? The Republicans say they are for families; yet their budget represents more of the same. The budget that the Republicans have introduced doesn't invest in growing our infrastructure. It cuts vital programs like Medicaid and helps keep working families in poverty. This is totally unacceptable. Paid sick days keep families financially secure, workplaces and communities healthy and productive. The Institute for Women's Policy Research calculates that the Federal Government could prevent over 2,600 lost jobs for women. Why? Because 2,600 women left their jobs because they were not offered paid parental leave. The people's budget will create over 8 million good-paying new jobs by 2018. The people's budget also ensures that our tax codes work for everyone by closing tax loopholes and expanding the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit. Mr. Speaker, I support the people's budget because deficit reduction should not be fixed on the backs of hard-working Americans. We must put people first. Do you pay your car note before you buy groceries for your family? No. I agree that we must pay down the deficit; but at what cost? There are many things we must cover in our Federal budget, but, Mr. Speaker, people must be first.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, and to my colleagues, thank you for yielding. I am here today to speak in my support for the Congressional Progressive Caucus alternative budget and their fight for greater access to affordable housing. As you know, I was previously a mayor, and the quality of life in America is determined by our housing options, and the CPC budget acknowledges that. We have an affordable housing crisis. Only one in four families eligible for housing assistance receive it. There is a shortage of low- income apartments and rental homes that are affordable in low-income households. We have seen the results of sequestration taking housing assistance from 70,000 families, and the CPC budget moves us from trying to preserve existing affordable housing to making significant improvements and investments in new production. When you are an elected official or a mayor of a community, you see firsthand the challenges from unemployment, the challenges of jobs that are being reduced, the unemployed, and trying to maintain housing. It is important that we realize that in this budget we call for two new sources for affordable housing, the National Housing Trust Fund and the Capital Magnet Fund, to be fully funded by contributions from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as is already required by law. This budget gives families and communities devastated by foreclosure the resources to renovate and resell homes and maintain overall property values. I come from Michigan, and I represent Detroit. Here I have an article that states: ``Downtown Detroit Tenants Rally to Demand Decent and Affordable Housing.'' This conversation is happening all over the country while we see some communities where families are actually being displaced as a result of the upper class of our communities being able to buy and push prices up while those in the bottom of our economic class are being challenged every day to find the simple thing that we call quality of life in America, and that is housing. In my State of Michigan, we have a campaign to end homelessness, to promote housing, first, through the prevention and rapid rehousing activities. We understand in Michigan that in order to effectively approach homelessness, a community needs a clear, deliberate, and comprehensive strategy. The low incomes of so many families across this country make this increasingly difficult for them to manage the rising cost of housing. This puts them at risk, and some lose their housing and fall into homelessness. We may call this a homelessness crisis, but it is primarily a housing affordability crisis. Permanent housing subsidies like section 8 need to do a better job of addressing the family housing crisis. However, as this body knows, such subsidies are severely underfunded. Nationally, only one-quarter of the need for such subsidies are being met. Before I conclude, I want to be clear that we, as members of the Progressive Caucus, stress strongly that we present a budget that is funded, that will ensure that in America the American Dream and the basic quality of life right to have a home is maintained through our budget.

Mrs. LAWRENCE. It is extremely important. Thank you. It is extremely important, and those of us who understand the cry of the people for housing, and understand the impact of homelessness on Americans today, funding of housing, affordable housing, is critical. I served on the local government board, and one of the things we looked at consistently is: How do we sustain the low-income or sustainable housing for our population? Children repeatedly, every day across this country, awaken, go to school, and then their families, they are living in cars or they are living in shelters, and they have to take on that responsibility, as a child, and adjust to an environment that they can learn. We know that this is a total distraction. Some of them, through this homelessness, the school is the only stable place for them to go to every single day. So now we are in a position where we are looking at cutting back on education. We are cutting back on housing. In America, are we sending a message through a budget that will not support sustainable housing for American citizens who are not in the top 1 percent, who some, by no fault of their own, are unemployed? Are we, in this country and as a government, turning our backs on those people? That is why we have, through the Progressive Caucus, a budget that will awaken the minds of so many in this country and this government, and we want our colleagues across the aisle--and all of our colleagues--to look at this budget and say that this is the time in America we need to step up and fund sustainable housing in America.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of my Delta Sigma Theta sisters. Delta Sigma Theta sorority was founded in January 1913 at Howard University by 22 brave young women. They sought to promote academic excellence, to provide scholarships, to support the underserved, to educate and stimulate participation in the formation of positive public policy, and to highlight issues with recommended solutions for problems in our communities. Since its founding, it has distinguished itself as a public service organization that boldly confronts the challenges of African American women and all Americans. The women of Delta Sigma Theta continue to push for many of these same issues. In fact, they were at the confirmation hearing of Loretta Lynch, also a member of Delta Sigma Theta. They will be in Selma, along with many Members of Congress and the administration, for the annual pilgrimage. This journey allows us to visit not only the sites of the civil rights movement, but to hear firsthand the stories of hope that emerged from the civil rights movement. Mr. Speaker, this month 102 years ago, the women of Delta Sigma Theta marched in the historic suffragette march as the first public act. This weekend I will join my sorors again, my congressional colleagues, as we cross the bridge to show how we must continue to work, and we still have work to do.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to speak in support of amendment No. 4, which requires that the Secretary of Education disapprove any State plan that fails to, in consulting with the State and local education agencies, demonstrate that there is a separate reporting of academic assessments for foster youth. The bill requires the Secretary of Education to report academic assessments for foster children. Victor Hugo said, ``He who opens a school door, closes a prison.'' I believe this statement is particularly true for children living in poverty, those who are homeless, and those in the foster care system. Many students are blessed to have parents that can be advocates for them in and out of school; they have parents that know their teachers, attend PTA meetings, and even testify at school board hearings. However, too many young people are not that lucky. One in 45 children experience homelessness in America each year. Children experiencing homelessness are four times more likely to show delayed development and are twice as likely to have learning disabilities. Many of these children are under the care of the State through our foster care system. There are approximately 402,000 children in foster care in the United States. In Michigan alone, approximately 13,000 children are in foster care on any given day. On average, children remain in State care for nearly 2 years, and 8 percent of children in foster care have been there for more than 4 or 5 years. The ethnic breakdown is even more devastating, as 24 percent of those in foster care are African American, double the percentage of African American children in the entire United States population. In 2013, more than 23,000 young people aged out of foster care without permanent families. In fact, research has shown that those who leave care without being linked to permanent families are likely to experience homelessness, unemployment, and incarceration as adults. The State, therefore, has a vested interest in this next generation of Americans who face heightened emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges. Amendment No. 4 simply further disaggregates the data that is already collected. If included, the data generated would allow the State to track the achievement or failure of students who are in foster care on their academic assessments. As you are aware, academic assessment results are already disaggregated within each State and LEA by gender, racial and ethnic group, English proficiency status, students with disabilities, and students with an Active Duty military parent. This only seeks to ensure that foster youth are also monitored and reported on so that the State can take corrective action, as needed. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. LAWRENCE

Mrs. LAWRENCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose H.R. 5. The legislation represents a significant backward step in the efforts to help all of our Nation's children and their families prepare for their futures. I speak as a parent, as a grandparent, and as a past school board president. H.R. 5 abandons the historic Federal role in education at elementary and secondary levels. It is the role of ensuring the educational process of all of America's students, including students from low-income families, students with disabilities, English learners, and students of color. It also fails to maintain the core expectation that States and school districts will take serious, sustained, and targeted action, when necessary, to correct achievement gaps and to reform low-performing schools. Additionally, H.R. 5 fails to identify opportunity gaps or to correct inequities in access to resources and supports that students need to succeed, such as challenging academic courses, excellent teachers and principals, after-school enrichment or expanded learning time, and other academic and nonacademic supports. The bill's caps on Federal education spending would lock in recent budget cuts for the rest of the decade, and the bill would allow funds currently required to be used for education to be used for other purposes, such as spending on sports stadiums or tax cuts for the wealthy. Finally, H.R. 5 fails to make critical investments for our Nation's students, including high-quality preschool for America's children, support for America's teachers and principals, and investment in innovative solutions for the public education system. For these reasons, I oppose H.R. 5. It would deny Federal funds to the classrooms that need them the most, and it fails to assure parents that policymakers and educators will take the action students need when they are not learning.