Donald Payne

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Charles Hall, Jr., as a part of my Black History Month celebration. Mr. Hall is the president of the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union, Local 108, in Maplewood, New Jersey. His commitment to his members is without equal. For more than 21 years, Mr. Hall, Jr., has improved wages, health benefits, and working conditions for workers throughout the Northeast. He has increased diversity in his own staff and companies across the area. Recently, he organized more than 2,000 exploited Latino workers and got them higher wages. In addition, he got health benefits for local nursing home workers and their first raise in 10 years. His contributions to my district are immeasurable. That is why I celebrated his work during a Black History Month celebration on February 21. Charles Hall, Jr., is a great man and deserves all of these accolades and more.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a truly great person in my district, Council President Joyce Watterman, who was honored in my celebration of Black History Month. Ms. Watterman is the first African American woman to be elected council president for Jersey City. Right now, she is working to improve disabled parking, increase affordable housing, provide a safe environment for our children, and empower prisoners to better their lives. In addition, she has one of the strongest commitments to promoting diversity and inclusion throughout the district. She is an active member of the local NAACP and co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board. This is not my only tribute for Ms. Watterman. I honored her during a special Black History Month celebration on February 21. She is a tremendous asset to my district and deserves all these accolades and more. She is a truly great public servant through her ministry in church and her public office.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, due to a medical condition, I was unable to vote on the following Roll Call on February 13, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``yea'' on rollcall No. 70 (Final Passage of H.J. Res. 79)--Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment (Rep. Speier--Judiciary).

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, due to a medical reason, I was unable to vote on the following 10 Roll Call Amendments/Bills. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 60 (DeGette Amendment)--Makes changes to Title I--Colorado Wilderness and designates an additional 60,000 acres wilderness; NAY on Roll Call No. 61 (McClintock Amendment No. 2)--Authorizes local counties to veto Congressionally approved wilderness designations; NAY on Roll Call No. 62 (McClintock Amendment No. 3)--Allows the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of the Interior to veto wilderness and wild and scenic river designations authorized by Congress under this Act if the areas do not meet the definition of wilderness in the Wilderness Actor the criteria for designation under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act; YEA on Roll Call No. 63 (Panetta Amendment)--States that the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture may manage for fire, insects, and diseases in wilderness areas designated by this Act; NAY on Roll Call No. 64 (Westerman Amendment No. 6)--Allows the Secretary of Agriculture or Secretary of the Interior to exempt from wilderness designations under the Act any area determined by the Secretary to be at high risk of wildfire; NAY on Roll Call No. 65 (Westerman Amendment No. 7)--Strikes all designations of ``potential'' wilderness under the bill; YEA on Roll Call No. 66 (Cunningham Amendment)--Ensures that military aircraft overflights, units of special air space, and flight training routes are allowed over wilderness areas designated by this Act; NAY on Roll Call No. 67 (Tipton Amendment No. 9)--Strikes wilderness additions in the 3rd Congressional District of Colorado; NAY on Roll Call No. 68 (Republican Motion to Recommit on H.R. 2546); and YEA on Roll Call No. 69 (Final Passage of H.R. 2546)--Protecting America's Wilderness Act (Rep. DeGette--Natural Resources).

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, due to a medical appointment, I was unable to vote on the following three Roll Call Bills on February 11, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``yea'' on rollcall No. 57 (Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule (H. Res. 844); ``yea'' on rollcall No. 58 (H. Res. 844--Rule Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2546--Protecting America's Wilderness Act and H.J. Res. 79--Removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment); and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 59 (H.R. 1980-- Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act, as amended) (Rep. Carolyn Maloney--House Administration) Suspension bill.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge The Positive Community magazine on its 20th anniversary. The Positive Community started as an idea of two broadcasting professionals, Adrian Council, Sr., and Jean Nash Wells. They were tired of all of the negative press about African Americans. They wanted to create a publication that focused on the good news coming from these communities. They started with a newsletter and distributed it to churches and community centers. It became so popular that they turned it into a magazine. Today, The Positive Community magazine and its website highlights great events and people from our African American culture. I applaud their efforts and encourage more people to read it. It is time to hear more positive stories from African Americans in their communities.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Gun Violence Survivors Week. Every year, roughly 36,000 Americans are killed from gun violence. This is an average of 100 Americans every single day. Also, there are close to 100,000 Americans injured every year from gun violence, yet we do very little to prevent these preventable injuries and deaths. I am proud to come from a State with effective gun laws. In New Jersey, we have strong background checks, a ban on high-capacity magazines, and an extreme risk protection order for possible victims. That is why New Jersey has one of the lowest firearm death rates in America. If we had national laws such as the ones in New Jersey, we could save lives and spare families the hurt and horrors of gun violence.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 1:30 p.m. on Monday next, and further, when the House adjourns on that day, it adjourn to meet at noon on Tuesday, February 4, 2020 for morning-hour debate and 2 p.m. for legislative business.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Keith Lamont Stith for becoming the first African American Chief of Detectives of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. Mr. Stith brings more than 2 decades of accomplishments and experience in law enforcement to the position. For the last 3 years, he was the deputy chief for the prosecutor's office; and in that role, he managed the daily investigation operations of the Criminal Investigation Division. In the past, he has worked as a narcotics detective and for the U.S. Customs Service in their Financial Crimes Task Force. He has done groundbreaking work to reduce gang and gun violence, as well as rehabilitate convicted criminals in Hudson County. Also, he is a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy. With these extraordinary credentials, I think Mr. Stith will be an exceptional chief of detectives in Hudson County.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the kindness and generosity of a rising star in my district, Donari Joy Mosby. Ms. Mosby is a senior at County Prep High School in Jersey City, New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, 7 years ago, she made it her goal to select socks to help the homeless residents stay warm during the winter. She started with a modest goal of 250 pairs of socks. When she exceeded that, she raised the number every single year. This year, she donated more than 5,700 pairs of socks to a local community center on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in Jersey City. In 7 years, Ms. Mosby has donated 21,883 pairs of socks to help the homeless of my district. She called her campaign the Joy of Sox and wrote that socks are a simple and powerful way to show love to someone going through difficult times. I agree, and I think her efforts and commitment to charity deserve to be praised.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a true warrior from my district, Grandmaster Kevin Thompson. Grandmaster Thompson was a son of Newark and a world-famous martial artist. He was a lightweight fighter at 155 pounds who defeated many heavyweight challengers. In his time, he won more than 100 trophies at world championships in three disciplines: weapons, forms, and fighting. Today, he is in the Black Belt Hall of Fame alongside noted martial artists Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. Through his skill, he earned the rank of grandmaster, a rare honor for his achievements and contributions to the sport. Grandmaster Kevin Thompson's bravery and courage helped him battle Lou Gehrig's disease until his passing on January 8, but that will not dim the bright legacy he left in the world of martial arts and in our Newark community.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I thank our majority leader for those kind words. I also thank Joint Economic Committee Vice Chairman Beyer, Budget Committee Chairman Yarmuth, and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Neal for organizing this Special Order hour. It is important to discuss the state of our economy because it is a case of true contrast. Trump's economic decisions have created two very distinct Americas. There is the one America for the affluent where incomes are rising and taxes are dropping. There is the other America, the one reserved for minorities and low-income Americans, the one for middle Americans, the one that is losing manufacturing jobs to automation and cheap, foreign labor, the one that forces people to turn to minimum wage jobs as careers. President Obama worked to unite these two Americas. Trump has worked very hard to divide them, once again. As President, Trump is known for two major business moves. First, he passed his 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but his law did not give the vast majority of Americans tax cuts. It actually cut their tax deductions. He did not improve their ability to get new jobs. He made it more difficult. He has taken away benefits that low- and middle-income American families took for granted. He took away their ability to deduct moving expenses when they had to find a better job and support their families. He took away their ability to deduct alimony, which could lead to more deadbeat dads. He even forced average Americans to declare more of their income, costing them more money in taxes. And while you cannot deduct your moving expenses, millionaires can deduct the entire cost of a private plane. Then, Trump chose to impose tariffs on Chinese goods. Economic advisers said the move would hurt our country before Trump did it, and they were right. A Federal Reserve study published last December said that tariffs have caused Americans to lose critical manufacturing jobs and raised the costs of goods for consumers. Manufacturing jobs have helped millions of Americans get out of poverty, and that opportunity wanes today. They have allowed older generations to pay the college tuitions of younger generations. They have been critical for minorities to grab a piece of the American Dream. President Trump likes to point to his work around minorities participating in the job sector, but where I come from in north New Jersey, we do not see it. Where I come from in my district, we do not see it. It is a situation of two Americas, once again, one for the haves and the other for the have-nots. The majority of the people under this President have not.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me as I rise to pay tribute to The Positive Community Magazine for 20 years of promoting African-American culture, values and traditions. In the late 1990s, Adrian Council, Sr. and Jean Nash Wells wanted to change the way African Americans were perceived in their communities and in the country. They did not like the fact that most of the publicity they read about African Americans was negative. They started a newsletter, called the Good Newsletter, and filled it with positive stories from black culture. Then they distributed it to churches and other popular gathering places throughout the northern New Jersey and New York area. Eventually, the Good Newsletter became the Positive Community Newsletter. In 2000, the founders decided to turn their newsletter into a magazine, called The Positive Community, and still contains stories about the people, organizations, and companies that are doing good things in black communities. For example, one of their issues is dedicated to college graduation with photos and descriptions of the graduates. Today, The Positive Community has evolved into a faith-based lifestyle magazine written for African-American consumers in the New York and New Jersey market. It continues to be focused on the good news reported from churches and communities. The co-founders initial dream to create a balanced medium that accurately reflects the efforts of churches, small businesses, corporations, and concerned individuals to improve their neighborhoods, towns and cities has become a reality. In addition to the monthly publication, The Positive Community co-sponsors church and community events that focus on health and financial literacy-related issues. On New Year's Day of 2020, the magazine hosted the inaugural Great American Emancipation Day Awards Banquet at the historic Robert Treat Hotel in Newark, New Jersey to celebrate their 20th anniversary. They presented seven guests with awards to honor their commitment to African-American communities, such as the Torchbearer Award, Servant Leadership Award, and the Community Spirit Award. The event continued the same devotion to respect for the audience as the magazine has shown to its readers. Madam Speaker, I ask my fellow Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to join me and recognize The Positive Community Magazine for its 20-year commitment to positive publicity for African Americans across the country.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the late Dr. Jonathan Holloway on becoming the first African American president of Rutgers University. Rutgers is getting a leader with exceptional credentials. Currently, Dr. Holloway is the provost and chief academic officer at Northwestern University. He oversees the school's academic priorities, annual budget, and faculty appointments. Previously, Dr. Holloway served as the dean of Yale College, the undergraduate school of Yale University. Before that, he was the Edmund S. Morgan Professor of African American Studies, History, and American Studies at Yale University. Dr. Holloway was appointed to the post on January 21, after a search that included more than 200 candidates. He will start the new position on July 1. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Dr. Holloway. He will be a welcome addition to an outstanding university.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate some exceptional young people from my district, the cheerleaders from West Orange High School, known as the Mountaineers. They have one dream this year. They wanted to compete in the National Cheerleading Championships. They knew it wouldn't be easy. It would require hours of practice. They would have to work and make every routine perfect, and they would have to defy expectations. They went to the regional qualifier in Pennsylvania with one goal, and when the routines were done and the points were counted, they earned a trip to the national championships. In February they are off to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando to battle with the best high school cheerleading squads in the country. Mr. Speaker, I hope they bring home that trophy to West Orange. But whether they do or not, they will always be champions to me and all of us in the 10th District of New Jersey.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, due to a medical procedure, I was unable to vote on the following 5 roll call Amendments/Bills on January 10, 2020. Had I been present, I would have voted: NAY on Roll Call No. 9 (Burgess Amendment}; NAY on Roll Call No. 10 (Balderson Amendment); YEA on Roll Call No. 11 (Pappas Amendment); NAY on Roll Call No. 12 (Republican Motion to Recommit on H.R. 535); and YEA on Roll Call No. 13 (Final Passage of H.R. 535--PFAS Action Act (Rep. Dingell--Energy and Commerce).

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a national champion from my district, the Brick City Lions. Brick City is the nickname of Newark, New Jersey, and the football team, the Brick City Lions, beat the Arizona Far West Jets 34-24 to win the 2019 Pop Warner Division I Junior Varsity national championship last month. Lions coach Nasir Gains should be very proud of the work of his team. He founded the Lions, also known as the Newark Youth Athletic Foundation, in 2012. In that short time, his teams have succeeded at every level. But Coach Gains wants them to excel in the classroom as well. He provides reading and math tutors plus standardized test classes to all his players. He wants to build teams with character, confidence, comradery, and brotherhood. Clearly, he is succeeding on and off the field and deserves this recognition. Coach Gains and his teams represent the best of Newark, and they are a point of pride in our community.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise the Newark Mentoring Movement, an organization that wants to turn Newark into ``Mentor City.'' Unlike most mentoring organizations, they do not supply mentors. Instead, they do a more valuable thing. They connect politicians with organizations who support mentoring so they can discuss how to increase mentoring opportunities in the future. The importance of mentors in America has never been greater. Today, more than 30 percent of children come from single-parent homes, and it is incredibly difficult to raise children alone. Mentors give these parents a helping hand. They give their children a role model. They can help increase their grades and increase their self-esteem. In addition, they can put students on a better path and keep them on a positive trajectory. We need to dedicate more time and resources to provide mentors for children across this great Nation. Every child must be given a chance to succeed.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a local gentleman and distinguished resident of Orange, New Jersey, Mr. Robert Cottingham. His life has been one of inspiring public service and dedication to his community. He is a military veteran who served as a combat infantryman during the Korean war. When he returned, he sought opportunities to help others. During the 1970s and 1980s, he mentored new African American workers at the Xerox Corporation to help them thrive. In his community, he sought to help youth and others through service organizations such as Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and the Montclair YMCA. He even dedicated his weekends to service and taught Sunday school as a member of the Church of the Epiphany and Christ Church in Orange. In addition, he was a nationally accomplished high hurdle runner and high school track star. I had the privilege of attending Mr. Cottingham's 90th birthday yesterday and I can tell you that he still inspires and serves as an example of the best in our community.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank my colleagues for passing my important cancer screening bill as part of the critical healthcare bill. The Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act was added to the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, H.R. 3, right before it passed on December 12. My bill would allow Medicare to cover the costs when cancerous polyps are removed during colorectal cancer screenings. No longer will patients have to wake up to a surprise charge after their screening. These are charges that could cost from $400 to $20,000. It will improve the health and save the lives of millions of Americans. My father, former Congressman Donald Payne, Sr., died from colorectal cancer. I introduced this bill so that more fathers, brothers, and sons can survive this deadly cancer.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise the unsung heroes of the terrible shooting in Jersey City, New Jersey, last month. When tragedy strikes a community, we all hear about the criminals who committed the horrible acts. Only now and then do we hear about the heroes who risked their lives to save others. In Jersey City, it was heroes like Sergeant Majorie Jordan. She walked into the line of fire to pull a wounded police officer to safety. Heroes like Anayah Bey; she cared for one of the shooting victims until help arrived. These are two of the many stories of individual bravery, from officers and civilians alike, that happen during national tragedies like Jersey City. These unsung heroes represent the best of America during the worst of times, and they deserve our thanks and praise. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing these brave and honorable citizens and their care for their fellow man.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to praise my House colleagues for their votes to impeach President Donald Trump last night. I know it was not easy for many of them, but when called to make the tough choice, they proved themselves true patriots: They chose to protect and defend our country and our Constitution from a President who has little regard for either. Foreign influence in American affairs was the Founding Fathers' biggest fear. That is why Presidents must be natural-born citizens. But now we have a President who profits from foreign officials staying at his hotels, who solicits foreign interference in our elections, and who attacks everything American, including our courts, FBI, veterans, Gold Star families, and even our citizens. The Founding Fathers would have been extremely proud of what we did last night. That is why I am proud to be a Member of a Congress that fights for the public good and not personal profit.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Human Rights Day. More than 70 years ago today, the United Nations established the fundamental human rights to be protected for every person in every nation, such as the right to liberty, freedom from slavery, and freedom of opinion. But there were rights added in 1976 that bear repeating here today: the right to work in just and under favorable conditions, the right to an adequate standard of living, and the right to an education. In the last few decades, we have failed to live up to these rights. We have allowed unions to lose their power and protect worker conditions. We have failed to increase the Federal minimum wage. We have failed to provide funding for higher education. We need to get these rights back for all Americans. We can regain the high ground in our struggle for human rights.