Gregory Meeks

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In closing, let me again thank the chair and the ranking member for their hard work. I listened to the chair talk about his trip and what he and the ranking member observed, as well as the information they brought back to the subcommittee and the committee. It is so tremendously important. It highlights the importance of our great ally, South Korea. We recently passed a trade agreement with South Korea because we worked together and were able to create jobs through that trade agreement, not only in South Korea, but here in America. This is an example of what can be accomplished when you work together and try to make sure there's no lapse in our ongoing civil nuclear cooperation. It shows that we can work collectively to make sure individuals use nuclear forces for the good of mankind and make sure that there is power in their communities. I'm delighted today to join in a strong bipartisan manner to support H.R. 2449. I ask all of my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 2449, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEKS. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2449, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. I'd like to begin by thanking my good friend, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Ed Royce, and the ranking member, Eliot Engel, for their work on this bipartisan legislation. The current U.S.-South Korea civil nuclear cooperation agreement, also known as a ``123 agreement,'' allows the U.S. and South Korea to work together on peaceful uses of nuclear energy. That agreement is set to expire next year. Because our two countries have not yet completed negotiations for a new agreement, H.R. 2449 allows a 2-year extension of the existing agreement to provide more time for the two sides to come to an agreement. An extension would help ensure that there's no lapse in our ongoing civil nuclear cooperation, preserving stability and predictability in our joint commercial activities. South Korea is a vital economic and security partner of the United States, and passing this bill would help ensure that we maintain the strongest possible relationship with our trusted ally. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2449 enjoys wide bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. In closing, let me thank the authors of this bill, Mr. Wolf and Ms. Eshoo, for your dedication, your focus, and your hard work. It would seem that in the year of our Lord 2013 we would learn religious tolerance by now all over the world, we would have learned that it is the right thing to do to be patient with individuals who might believe different than we do, to allow them their way of life so that they can prosper and grow and pray in their own beliefs. Unfortunately, that's not true. For all of us, we should be concerned wherever religious tolerance is not adhered to. I recall the words--and why it concerns us--Dr. King said once that ``injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' If we allow minorities who believe differently than we do anywhere to think that it is okay, and we are not going to use whatever diplomatic or other forms of relationships that we have to try to have religious freedoms, they're mistaken. We must not allow our voices to be silent, we must speak aloud in clear language, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure in the Record.

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield myself such time as I may consume to explain that this legislation would require the Secretary of State to develop a multiyear strategy to bolster the Organization of American States, OAS as we know it, and improve the performance and the process for managing the budget and the personnel at the OAS. When it was founded in 1948, it was the sole multilateral body in the Western Hemisphere. As the premier hemispheric organization, the OAS' key institutional documents--its charter, the American Declaration of Rights, the Inter-American Democratic Charter--enshrine values that are the foundation for political systems in the Americas. Since its founding, the OAS has accepted too many mandates from its member states, resulting in a loss of international focus, and in turn has reduced, frankly, the organization's effectiveness. This bill seeks to push the OAS to refocus on those two core principles of promoting democratic governance and institutions and resolving regional disputes. This push comes as other regional bodies are competing with the OAS for regional influence. There is the Central American System of Integration, the Union of South American Nations, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, which includes Cuba but excludes both the United States and Canada. Many of these political bodies do not represent our values. Most exclude the U.S. Many are used by governments in the region to undermine the U.S., thus undermining U.S. diplomacy in the hemisphere. In order to maintain the OAS as an influential, positive force and to defend U.S. engagement, it is important that the U.S. spearhead an effort to reform the OAS and address its many administrative challenges. This bill calls on the administration to develop a strategy that helps the OAS focus on its core mission, shed nonessential programs, install a results-based budgeting process, and adopt transparent, competitive personnel practices. Additionally, this bill was strengthened in committee to recognize that it is not politically or financially viable for any OAS member state, including the United States, to pay more than 50 percent of the institution's assessed fees. I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, today I urge my colleagues to support House Resolution 222, recognizing the long-term partnership and friendship between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, working together towards peace and security in the Middle East. I would like to recognize the bipartisan support of my colleagues, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel. This resolution comes at a time of extreme unrest and conflict in the region. Since taking up the post of our country's top diplomat in February, Secretary of State John Kerry has traveled to Amman over six times. Close cooperation between our two nations is critical to meet the challenges of the Middle East region. Jordan plays a key role as the host and mediator in Middle East peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. Jordan has maintained full, normalized diplomatic relations with Israel for almost 20 years since signing the historic 1994 Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty. As an advocate for progress in the Middle East peace process, Jordan is a stabilizing force for the region. The horrific violence in neighboring Syria threatens to destabilize an entire region. The al-Assad regime continues to fuel a humanitarian crisis through attacks against innocent civilians. Over 100,000 Syrian lives have been lost and approximately 1.8 million refugees have fled Syria. Jordan is hosting over half a million refugees, which is almost 10% of Jordan's population. The government of Jordan is partnering with the international community to care for the needs of this vulnerable population, providing shelter, food, water, health care and education. The burden of caring for such a large number of refugees places enormous economic and social pressures on the country. The United States has enjoyed a strong alliance with Jordan for over six decades. The Jordanians work closely with the United States in multiple areas, from cooperation in regional and global counterterrorism efforts, to economic development and humanitarian assistance. King Abdullah II is an advocate for modernization in the Arab world, and recognizes the potential opportunity for political reform in Jordan. U.S.-Jordan relations are a key element of U.S. strategic interests in the Middle East. I am pleased to offer this resolution commending the people and Government of Jordan for their continued friendship with the United States and commitment to peace, security and stability in the Middle East.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove my name as a cosponsor of H.R. 580.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I tell my colleagues on the other side it's time to stop chasing the ghost; 38, 39 times in trying to repeal ObamaCare? Give up chasing the ghost. I also tell my friends stop being confused by the facts. The facts are, as The New York Times indicated today in New York, that the cost of health care insurance, because of the Affordable Care Act, will go down 50 percent. The fact is, as Mr. Levin has indicated time after time, that preventive care will be available for all Americans. The fact is that you will not be discriminated against because you're a woman. The fact is the American people want the Affordable Care Act. How do I know? They reelected President Obama again, understanding that President Obama stood for health care for all Americans and bringing down the cost of health care in America. That's what this is about. Thirty-eight times? Give up chasing the ghost.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in strong opposition to the farm bill rule and the underlying bill because it hurts the working poor, it leaves children without food, and it hurts seniors on an everyday basis.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. I want to thank the gentleman for organizing the opportunity to say thank you. First, thank you to God for sending us Bill Gray. Thank you to God for having an individual who understands who he was, where he came from, and how he got here, and never forgetting about those least than he. Bill Gray knew what his purpose was in life. Many individuals go through this thing that we call life and never find out what our purpose is. But all you have to do is to look at the works of Bill Gray, and you know his purpose was to serve people, to serve people who needed a hand up, to serve people who sometimes are forgotten about, to serve people to make sure that their tomorrow was better than their yesterday. When I think of Bill Gray, one of the first things that I was told when I got elected to Congress, by an individual who looked up to him, my predecessor, the Reverend Floyd H. Flake, said that Reverend Gray inspired him because, like Reverend Gray, Reverend Flake had a large congregation. And he understood how he could take that skill, being a minister, and help the masses. In fact, I can recall a statement made by Representative Gray when he was appointed, when he was elected the chair of the Budget Committee. They asked him, What do you know about budgets? He said, Have you ever been the pastor of a Baptist church? And he showed that he did understand budgets and money, and how to deal with it, and he did it in such a masterful way. He also understood the world, and the global world. Even the last few conversations I had with him were about the world, were about going out to countries, whether they be on the continent of Africa or right here in North America, whether it was in the Western Hemisphere, and how he could help people, all people, but especially people of African descent, so that they too can rise and see and accomplish all that they could be. So death is always--and I send my condolences to the family--it's a sad thing. But when one has had such a stellar life, when one has made the kind of contributions, it's a celebration. It's a celebration that we need to thank God for, and we need to thank the fact that God sent him here so that he could be that bright and shining star for all to see and many to follow. He leaves a legacy for us to follow. We will follow. We will miss him, but we thank him for his service to mankind.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. I want to thank the gentlelady from California for all of her hard work. I rise to support H.R. 1564, which I cointroduced with my colleague, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Hurt). This bill will ensure we maintain strict auditing standards without imposing overly burdensome and ill-conceived rotation requirements on our public companies. I also want to point out the hard work the gentlelady from California put in with regards to the GAO study and why it is important so that we can continue to make sure that our markets are strong and sturdy; and that amendment, as she so indicated, is what enabled us to have a unanimous agreement coming out of our committee. It was us working together across the aisle to make sure that that happened. I think it was good for our markets. It helps to remove the uncertainty that the markets certainly would have right now had we not had this removed and had this study going forward. I think it's important for me to emphasize that this bill does not, first, weaken our auditing and accounting standards which were reinforced 10 years ago under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and that this bill does not weaken--nor do I want to weaken--or remove the regulatory powers of PCAOB, but we do want to remove the uncertainty. This bill does not, in any circumstance, provide an opportunity for more fraudulent accounting gimmicks. In fact, I want to remind my colleagues that we have supported and we have enacted here in the United States one of the toughest pieces of legislation against accounting fraud and that our existing laws already embrace the concept of rotation by requiring the replacement of the lead auditing partner. This selective rotation ensures that the opinions and interpretations of the reviews remain unbiased and do not remain under the authority of the same individual for prolonged periods. This provision puts us ahead of most developed countries when it comes to antifraud accounting rules, and I believe that it remains the right and smart approach. Imposing mandatory rotation of the entire auditing firm in the industry where companies often have none or, at best, one or two credible options to rotate to is simply unworkable, it is disruptive, and it imposes undue expenses on our public companies. In fact, studies conducted here in the United States show that requiring mandatory rotation would increase cost by 20 percent in the subsequent year and an additional 17 percent cost for selection process alone. In addition to cost, it is possible that it may actually force public companies to select less credible auditing firms that may not have the required expertise, or it may encourage the auditing firm to charge excessively high fees because mandatory rotation may impose the selection of the single remaining qualified auditing firm. Mr. Speaker, as I stated before, we did not introduce this bill simply because we're against the principle of rotation; but, rather, we introduced this bill because imposing rotation at all costs, by any means, regardless of market conditions, would simply be irresponsible and detrimental. Many of my colleagues, me included, do favor a more competitive auditing industry where companies can have more choices in selection of their auditing firms. Eventually, market conditions may evolve and we may have new auditing firms that emerge and gain the confidence of marketers and investors. As that happens, firm rotation, I believe, will naturally happen through market forces, but not through legislation. It is for that reason, Mr. Speaker, that I urge my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 1564 and to support this commonsense regulation of our auditing industry. I thank both the chairman and the ranking member and my colleague, Mr. Hurt, who cosponsored this, for bringing this piece of legislation forward.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Chairman, today, I rise to demonstrate my strong support for this amendment, led by my colleague from New York, Mr. Gibson, to strike the olive oil price increase. This amendment is needed to stop the unnecessary increase in olive oil pricing. The unfair marketing order being considered would place heavy restrictions and burdens on the importation of olive oil. The United States is the largest importer of oil, importing approximately 97 percent of the olive oil Americans consume. The marketing order would result in tens of millions of dollars of costs for inspections a year, in turn raising the price of olive oil and making it incredibly expensive. The inspection would occur only when it is produced, not once the product enters the United States. This tax on American consumers will hinder trade and undermine our international trade relations. It is clearly a non-tariff trade barrier, which will further complicate U.S. trade and export relations with our Transatlantic partners. Just this week, the President has launched the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations. This provision is against the spirit of the talks and trade with our largest trading partner. Current European Union free trade talks would be compromised, resulting in the loss of greater U.S. exports. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment to strike the olive oil price increase.

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Chairman, as an American, I am proud that for six decades our great Nation has been a leader in the global effort to fight hunger and malnutrition. I have seen for myself what we have been able to do, helping Haiti, Pakistan, Sudan, Kyrgyzstan, Botswana, and so many more nations, yet we can do better. We can reach millions more. We can enable local and regional producers to do more, and we can alleviate hunger while at the same time promoting agriculture development that is so desperately needed in many low-income and high- risk developing nations. I've seen how much more we can do if we enable in-country producers with local procurement and technical assistance. Millions more can be reached more efficiently and effectively and we can better empower nations and their people with the ability to self-sustain. Food reform makes sense. If our goal is to help as many people as possible with funds that are dedicated to fighting hunger, why not reach millions more for what we are spending today? I want it to be the case that we have reached many. When I go on future trips, I want to know that there is progress for recipient nations on how many we have reached. But I also want the capacity of those to have increased to help themselves. Support and vote for the Royce-Engel amendment.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding. Let me say, first of all, we used to have--or we have--in the part of the city that I live in, a statement that says, ``Give us your poor, your hungry, your huddled masses yearning to be free.'' We have people here yearning for food. Now, I have heard my very good friend from Texas talk about rapists and murderers, et cetera, but the Congressional Budget Office, it talks about 200,000 children who will be cut off from the school program. That's not Democrats talking about it. It is the Congressional Budget Office that is talking about it, and we as a country should be focused on the least of these. I think you judge a country by how you take care of the poor. Here we have clear evidence from an impartial group of about 200,000 children and hundreds of thousands of elderly individuals who will go hungry if we cut this $20.5 billion. This is what this is all about. We talk about the future of America. Well, somebody within that 200,000 children, who are hungry, who will not have the ability to learn because their stomachs will be crying out for some food, could be the person that could take us where we want to go as a Nation. But what are we doing? In the name of saving money, which we are not, we are turning our backs on these children, on the elderly who have worked hard, many of whom came in with the sign of giving us your young, your poor, and your hungry.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I'm puzzled. This is not the America that I know. It can't be. When we were growing to make ourselves a great Nation, we were talking about trying to make sure that our young people had a free education. I can't figure out what's going on here. So many Americans that are doing well now, when I talk to them about when they were going to school back in the forties and the fifties and the sixties, it was a free education. Now we want to ask our young people, the ones that are going to be the middle class, the ones that are going to strengthen this country, to be more in debt than ever. How could we say to our students--when we're talking about financial literacy everyplace and trying to teach them how to be financially able--that you've got to take a bait-and-switch loan? Didn't we learn anything from this last financial crisis? What are homeowners doing now? All who had these adjustable-rate mortgages, all of them are running to make the adjustable-rate mortgages fixed-rate mortgages. And yet we take what we say are our precious resources--our children--to say that you've got to pay these resources is ridiculous. Some are wealthy, some are not.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, we were pleased to welcome the Hashemite King of Jordan, King Abdullah II bin al-Hussein to Washington a few weeks ago and I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the importance of our vital bilateral relationship. The United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan began their diplomatic relations in 1949, and have remained strong allies for over six decades. We collaborate closely with the Jordanians in multiple areas, including: security cooperation, economic development, humanitarian assistance and counterterrorism. The timing of the King's visit is critical. The United States is working closely with Jordan to address the humanitarian crisis in Syria, which becomes increasingly dire with each passing day. Jordan is hosting approximately 500,000 refugees, and that number grows by 2,000- 4,000 refugees a day. Jordan faces tremendous economic and humanitarian pressures in the face of regional challenges. Stability and peace in the Middle East hinges on a strong strategic alliance between the United States and Jordan. Jordan plays an important role in the Middle East peace process, having signed the historic Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty in 1994, normalizing relations between Jordan and Israel and establishing a partnership toward peaceful relations. Jordan is a strong advocate for moving the peace process between the Israelis and Palestinians forward, often reiterating the need for negotiations and offering to serve as a mediator and host for peace talks. Under the leadership of King Abdullah II, Jordan is the voice of moderation and progress in the Arab world, and recently implemented economic and political reforms. Now is the time to reaffirm the United States' commitment to and friendship with the people and Government of Jordan. Therefore, I am pleased to submit a resolution to recognize and highlight the long-term partnership and friendship between the United States and Jordan, working together towards peace and security in the Middle East.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today to honor a respected leader in my community, Queens County Executive District Attorney Jesse J. Sligh. I have known Jesse Sligh for over 20 years and during that entire time his character and the way he conducts himself has been an example for all. Since 1991, for twenty-two years, Mr. Sligh has served in the Queens County District Attorney's Office as an Executive of District Attorney Richard A. Brown's Special Prosecutions Division. The Special Prosecutions Division serves as a bridge between the Queens County District Attorney's office and the diverse people of Queens. The division proactively fights crime by building strong community partnerships, tackling quality of life issues, and spearheading crime prevention and mentoring programs that educate the youth of Queens about law enforcement and provide a positive structure for children who might otherwise head down the wrong path. Mr. Sligh, the third of thirteen children, was the first member of his family to attend college, but not only did he attend college he graduated from the Ivy League Columbia University and then he earned his juris doctorate from Georgetown Law School here in Washington D.C. After that, he served our great nation as a Captain in the U.S. Army Jag Corps and earned an exemplary trial record in the process. In 1982, he joined the Queens County District Office. Jesse Sligh's talent impressed his supervisors and continued to impress them until he reached the position of Executive District Attorney. Thirty-one years later he still serves Queens County. On Feburary 20, 2013 the Queen's County District Attorney office honored Jesse Sligh as a part of a Black History Month Celebration and I want to honor him today as well. Jesse, a man of great faith, is a founding member of the Erie Avenue Baptist Church in Philadelphia and he is a member of the Queens Executive Board for the Boy Scouts. Jesse has been a mentor to young and old, he is a true friend to everyone he has known, and he always offers help in times of need. I applaud Mr. Sligh for all he has accomplished and his service to our Country, his family, public service and God. I am proud that he is a member of my district. Jesse, we thank you for your good and faithful work.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend Time Warner Cable for its Connect a Million Minds (CAMM) initiative designed to inspire the next generation of problem solvers by connecting young people to the wonders of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) outside of the classroom. Time Warner Cable's campaign includes original public service announcements and programming, millions of dollars in grants to support non-profit organizations that introduce students to STEM in fun and informal settings and the creation of ``The Connectory,'' a one-of-a- kind resource that allows parents to find kid-centric STEM learning opportunities in their own backyard. CAMM also encourages Time Warner Cable employees to volunteer at science fairs, robotics competitions and local Connect a Million Minds events. In this time of increased global competition and rapid technological change, STEM fields have become increasingly important for the development and maintenance of America's high standard of living. Unfortunately U.S. students' performance in STEM subjects has fallen behind their international peers. As of 2009, the average math literacy score for a 15-year old in the United States is lower than 17 other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries, and is lower than 12 other OECD countries on science literacy. Perhaps most troubling, data found that only one out of every five households had access to STEM extracurricular activities. Meanwhile, even in school, students today spend less time studying science than they did just 15-20 years ago. Today, employers report that they are having a difficult time finding qualified applicants for STEM jobs, which, on average, pay $77,880, versus an average of only $43,460 for non-STEM jobs. This is a problem which will only worsen without serious effort and focus, as it is estimated that jobs in STEM fields will grow 17 percent by 2018, almost double the rate of non-STEM jobs. Given these figures, it is difficult to understate the importance of STEM education for both our nation's collective economic future and the future our nation's students. In one program in New York, beginning in early February of this year, students will have a chance to see professionals at the BluePearl Veterinary Partners working in the field and help them using real equipment. Through their many programs they give students from low income families the chance to learn science through scuba diving, receiving tutoring, and going on field trips with STEM professionals. I am looking forward to working with them on programs in my Congressional District. The CAMM program has not only focused resources in New York City, but also in cities, towns and states. With increased attention and support from community figures and leaders in the industries that will someday hire students in STEM fields, CAMM looks to be a tremendous success. In closing, I congratulate Time Warner Cable for its CAMM initiative; and I hope my colleagues understand the importance of such initiatives for all of our communities.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. I thank the ranking member from the Rules Committee. I stand here today as we deal with an American issue. It is an issue that is unique to America. It is an issue in which American people are saying we need help. It is an issue in which the American people say we want hope. I had the opportunity to look at Webster's Dictionary to see what ``hope'' meant. It said: ``Hope'' means to cherish a desire with anticipation. ``Hope'' means to trust. ``Hope'' means to expect with confidence. Our people in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey have hope today-- hope that their Members of Congress and that the Members of Congress from all across this great land will come together and help them; hope that the Members of Congress will do like their people in their various States because the hope that came to many of the individuals who were victimized by the storm came from people from all over this country. Whether you come from the East or the West or the North or the South, the American people came to help. So I'm here today for John Corey, a man in our community who works hard, a civic leader. I'm here for Josephine and Gary Robinson, small business owners of Goody's Restaurant. I'm here today for Joann Shapiro at Elegante Pizzeria. I'm here today for Peter Corliss, a homeowner whose entire home was damaged and had to leave it. I'm here for Julia Blair and Lou Simon, who have lost everything and want to know a better hope for tomorrow. I'm here today for Barbara and Richard Rampy, who have to move away from their home because they can't stay there. I'm here for Americans. Let Congress be here for our American people.

Mr. MEEKS

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I apparently missed it earlier; I want to thank Mr. Garrett especially for his request earlier to make sure that we included on this bill every Member from the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut delegations as sponsors of this bill, and every member of the committee. I want to thank the ranking member, Ms. Waters, for agreeing to be an original cosponsor on this bill. It shows that we're all working at this together. And I want to thank Mr. Garrett for his cooperation in allowing everybody from this delegation, both Democrats and Republicans, to be a part of this bill. Now I'd like to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished whip of the Democratic Conference, the individual who walked with me in Breezy Point and up and down Rockaway Beach, the Honorable Steny Hoyer.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I'm pleased that today on this floor, though it may be a little late, that we'll finally act on a piece of legislation that's vital to the Superstorm Sandy disaster relief legislation to increase the borrowing authority by FEMA on behalf of the National Flood Insurance Program. By increasing financing by $9.7 billion, this bill will enable the provisions of a central relief of 120,000 flood victims who have waited for far too long for the payment on the claims. I support today's bill as an important step for recovery from Superstorm Sandy. When taken as a whole, the House's actions today, I believe, still are slow--67, 68 days have gone by--and I know we've got some commitments, but we're moving forward, and I'm hopeful that we will get the full entitlement that the individuals from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut vitally need. Some of the programs, of course, that need essential funding include the Army Corps of Engineers, who worked to protect New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut shorelines in coastal communities, and the Small Business Administration so they can provide loans to help small businesses. But let me, before I yield back my time, take some special time to thank Mr. Garrett. I want to thank every member of the New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey delegation for working collectively together to try to make sure that our people--because this is an issue that affects the American people--that our people receive the kind of aid that they need. I particularly want to say to my friends Mr. Grimm and Mr. King of New York, and I've seen several times that they've sat and worked together collectively with our Governor, whom I also want to give a special thank-you to, Governor Mario Cuomo, and Governor Chris Christie from New Jersey, for working cooperatively, not as a Democrat or a Republican, but working as an elected official to come together to the aid of people who need aid, aid from a terrible storm. And so I'm hopeful as we move forward--we do the $9 billion today, and do what we need to do by January 15--that we get certain things done and finally the people of this region receive the kind of aid that they need. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MEEKS. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from New York, Mrs. Carolyn Maloney.

Mr. MEEKS. Madam Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request. (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)