Donald Payne

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Girl Scouts of the USA for 100 years of making meaningful and lasting change in their communities and around the world through the Gold Award. Girl Scouts who pursue the Gold Award--the highest award in Girl Scouting--aspire to transform ideas into action. Young women who earn their Gold Award are true leaders, dedicated to civic engagement and community empowerment. Since 1916, approximately 1 million Girl Scouts have earned this prestigious award or its equivalent. Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character. They build true leaders, in fields as diverse as business, medicine, and politics. As Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts said, ``Scouting rises within you and inspires you to put forth your best.'' I am pleased to join Girl Scouts as they celebrate 100 years of the Girl Scout Gold Award, and wish them continued success in inspiring girls to excel and make a difference in the world.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I first want to start by thanking Congresswoman Beatty for that very kind and generous introduction. We, in our class, are very proud of our colleagues, and we support each other in times of need. I just would like to also congratulate and acknowledge Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, the gentleman from New York, who is also host of this Special Order. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss an issue that is very personal to me. Before I begin, I just want to say that my heart goes out to the families and friends of the victims of the horrible tragedy in Orlando, and I can only imagine what they are going through. The other thing that is illuminating to me is that, as we came here and stood up for a moment of silence, after that moment of silence, I believe Members were given a 1-minute opportunity to speak on any topic that they would like to on the floor, as is customary, and not one person from the other side of the aisle mentioned what happened in Orlando. So not only was it a moment of silence for the leadership in this House, but it appears that it is going to be a moment that remains silent or a topic that remains silent from the other side of the aisle. Madam Speaker, eliminating racial-based health disparities depends on our ability to advance access to affordable health care for all. Even in the 21st century, health disparities are stark, especially in the African American communities, where life expectancies are lower and infant mortality rates are higher than among Whites. Today, despite improvement in overall health in the United States, African Americans and other minority populations lag behind in numerous health areas, including access to quality care, timelines of care, and health outcomes. For years, the Congressional Black Caucus has called on Republicans to join us and other House Democrats in developing a plan to eliminate racial health disparities, a plan that addresses the causes of health disparities, such as inequities in environmental, social, and economic conditions in our communities. Instead, we get from them proposals like their so-called A Better Way poverty proposal, a stale, repackaging of failed policies presented under the guise of concern about Americans trapped in poverty. Cutting job training programs, food assistance, and Head Start will push low-income Americans further into poverty, making it even more difficult for them to access the affordable and quality health care needed to secure their well-being and the well-being of their families. We need to, instead, use the government as a source of good. Every American deserves to live in a safe and healthy environment. Yet, low-income and minority communities are much more exposed to high levels of pollution, resulting in serious health problems such as asthma, heart problems, and cancer. This is a very real problem across America, a very real problem in my district. Thirteen million people, including 3.5 million children, are concentrated in the vicinity of transportation facilities and are exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution. My district is home to the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal, part of the Port of New York and New Jersey, the third largest port in the country. According to the EPA, 25 percent of children in Newark suffer from asthma--three times the State average. What we need are additional Federal actions to reduce harmful air pollution from ports and congested components of the national freight transportation system. The issue is critical to the low-income and minority community who suffer the disproportionately adverse health effects of these environmental hazards. Now, since I am on the topic of environmental justice, I just want to remind everyone that the Republicans continue to block any action to help the thousands of children facing lifelong damage from drinking poisoned water in Flint, including a vote to block the Families of Flint Act emergency supplemental. Their radical refusal to address this health issue will have tragic consequences for American families, and, I think it is representative of their overall inadequate approach to health disparities in minority communities. The way to eliminate racial health disparities is neither to downplay them nor to cut programs that will assist the most vulnerable. It is to address the environmental, social, and economic conditions that exacerbate those disparities. It is to expand access to quality health care that could eliminate or reduce the onset of many of these chronic illnesses and disproportionate health outcomes. It is to maintain and strengthen our investments in healthcare access and resources for disadvantaged populations. In closing, Madam Speaker, I also want to stress that health education must also be a focus in any efforts to eliminate racial-based health disparities. African Americans and other communities are disproportionately affected by poor provider-patient communication and health literacy issues. Consequently, they often do not have access to information that enables them to make the appropriate health decisions. We have a responsibility to work with our healthcare institutions and community health centers to make it easier for people to find, understand, and use the information and services. As co-chair of the Congressional Men's Health Caucus, I have hosted and participated in a number of outreach events in my district to engage directly with constituents about the importance of making positive health decisions and staying proactive about their health and well-being. So I encourage everyone watching at home to get the information you need to make smart health decisions, to get the security you and your family deserve, and to get the health care that we all need.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, it is not a new problem. Lead in school drinking water has been a problem in communities across this Nation for years. So why isn't there more outrage and talk about it among my colleagues? Even Chris Christie has ordered lead testing in New Jersey public schools. When New Jersey's Governor starts to admit that there is a problem that demands government action, you know the situation must be dire. No child takes a drink from a water fountain in school and thinks about whether the water is contaminated or not. It is our job to protect our children, and that means ensuring the safety of school drinking water. Congress should pass and the President should sign my TEST for Lead Act. The bill requires States to help schools establish programs to test for lead in the drinking water if those States receive Federal funding for safe water programs. It would ensure transparency by requiring disclosure of high levels of lead in schools. Most importantly, it would help keep our children safe.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for National Infertility Awareness Week, which has been federally recognized since 2010. Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system that affects men and women equally, and millions of people--as many as 12 percent of reproductive-aged couples in America--suffer from this devastating disease, unable to start a family. The good news is that treatment for infertility has advanced sharply in the last two decades, and includes in vitro fertilization, now considered the standard of care for many couples being treated for infertility. Despite such 21st century advances, only 15 states currently provide coverage for even basic treatment for infertility. It is my hope that National Infertility Awareness Week will encourage honest and candid dialogue among lawmakers and health professionals, in an effort to seek cures that will allow every American the opportunity to have a family. Mr. Speaker, in concluding, I want to congratulate RESOLVE, the nation's oldest fertility advocacy organization, for the brilliant work they are doing to raise awareness about infertility.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, we have a situation that is getting very serious in this Nation, and it is the issue of drinking water in schools. I hail from the 10th Congressional District of the State of New Jersey, and after traveling to Flint, Michigan, on March 4 to listen to the people of that community talk about what had happened in their community around their drinking water and how their children have been poisoned--a potential of 9,000 children having issues with lead--I came back to Newark, New Jersey, my home, knowing that Newark is the third oldest city in the Nation. I took action. I spoke to several mayors in my community, and I said: ``You need to pay attention to what is going on with drinking water. There is a problem.'' Lo and behold, 3 days later, in 30 schools in Newark, New Jersey, elevated levels of lead were found. So I took action, and I have introduced the TEST for Lead Act in schools. This will help States that get Federal dollars from the Federal Government test the water in schools for lead. This is not only a cities issue. In several communities around Newark, this issue has also been found in the suburbs. It is coming to a community near you. So I ask my colleagues to support the TEST for Lead Act.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, the agreed upon mission of the Countering Violent Extremism Taskforce ``to review terror travel programs, and issue a report that may include recommendations based on this review.'' I agreed to serve on the task force because I agree that we must do everything we can to prevent acts of terrorism on our homeland, and terror travel programs is one of many terrorism-related threats we must address. The bipartisan Taskforce Report I signed included general recommendations related to terror travel programs--it did not include specific legislative proposals nor did it suggest that we should prioritize the threat of foreign terrorist organizations over the threat posed by domestic terror organizations. As a Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and the Representative of a diverse Congressional district in New Jersey, I recognize that we must do everything in our power to prevent our communities from being terrorized, regardless of the motivation. We need to prevent the radicalization of people inspired by anti- government ideology who might ultimately try to occupy Federal facilities. We need to prevent the radicalization of people inspired by racism who might ultimately sit through an evening prayer service at a predominantly black church and then shoot the other attendees. And we need to prevent the radicalization of people inspired by a perverse interpretation of religion from carrying out attacks on American soil. No one version of radicalization is more dangerous than another. And we cannot treat them differently. That is why I cannot support H.R. 4820.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3583, the ``Promoting Resilience and Efficiency in Preparing for Attacks and Responding to Emergencies Act,'' also known as the ``PREPARE Act.'' I became Ranking Member of the Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee in the beginning of 2013. I took on that position because I represent the 10th Congressional of New Jersey, which according to the New York Times, encompasses the two most dangerous miles in America. From major mass transit arteries and chemical facilities to homes and schools, my district is vulnerable to a variety of man-made and natural disasters. Our community's first responders must be prepared to respond to every worst-case scenario. That is why I was proud to work with Ms. McSally to author the ``PREPARE Act.'' In my capacity as Ranking Member of the Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee, I have had the opportunity to hear from first responders and emergency managers across the country, as well as doctors, public health experts, and individuals advocating to ensure the needs of children are incorporated into disaster response plans. I am pleased to say that H.R. 3583 is responsive to the calls to action we have heard on the Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee. For example, the Subcommittee has conducted extensive oversight of progress related to interoperable communications, and we have learned that the important governance structures--developed with support of the Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program--have suffered since the program was eliminated in 2011. To preserve the progress States have made on emergency communications planning and coordination, H.R. 3583 includes my Statewide Interoperable Communications Enhancement Act, which passed the House as a stand-alone measure in July. H.R. 3583 also includes language I offered to address communications training gaps at DHS by requiring all radio users to receive initial and ongoing training consistent with the DHS Interoperable Communications Strategy, which was required under legislation I wrote last year. The ``PREPARE Act'' also makes important progress in the area of biopreparedness, particularly related to improving how DHS manages its medical countermeasures program and establishing a voluntary anthrax vaccination program for first responders. To address concerns the Subcommittee heard from organizations like Save the Children related to the unique needs of children during disasters, the Committee accepted an amendment I offered directing FEMA to appoint a technical expert to ensure that children are incorporated into disaster preparedness, planning, response, and recovery activities. As the father of triplets, I have worked hard to improve the way the Federal government helps schools keep children safe during disasters and to address gaps in disaster planning that affect children. I appreciate the Committee's support for my efforts to ensure H.R. 3583 improves the way the needs of children are integrated into emergency planning. Finally, the bill guarantees homeland security grant program recipients three years to use their grant funds, which will help ensure that limited funds are spent effectively and deliberately. H.R. 3583 also includes common-sense provisions requiring grantees to have maintenance plans in place before using Federal money to procure important emergency response equipment, directing FEMA to include grant management best practices in its annual Notice of Funding Opportunity, and charging FEMA to provide information to Congress on how grant funds are closing capability gaps. On the subject of the Homeland Security Grant Program, I would like to once again, on the record, voice my opposition to the funding cuts proposed in the President's FY 2017 budget request. First responders across the country have made clear over and over again that these important grant dollars are critical to building and maintaining preparedness and response capabilities. State and local governments are already struggling to absorb cuts to homeland security grant funding that have occurred over the last decade, and every first responder I have spoken to tells me that planning, training, and exercise opportunities would further suffer with more cuts. I urge appropriators to reject the proposed funding cuts and to provide additional funding to these grant programs. Before I conclude, I would like to congratulate the former Subcommittee Chairman McSally on bringing this legislation to the floor, and I thank her for working with me as she developed the bill. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3583.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, today marks two years since the terrorist group Boko Haram abducted nearly 300 Nigerian school girls from their school in the middle of the night. Most of those girls have not been seen or heard from since. Boko Haram has abducted, imprisoned, and violated countless women and girls in Nigeria and surrounding countries. They have displaced more than 2 million people, including 1.4 million children, who have seen their homes destroyed, their families brutally killed, their lives torn apart. In 2014, Boko Haram was responsible for nearly seven thousand deaths, making it deadlier than any other terrorist group, including ISIS. But amid all the horrors in the world, the media and the global community have largely remained silent about Boko Haram's brutalities. As a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I continue to advocate for increased attention to Boko Haram, knowing that the atrocities perpetrated by Boko Haram could very well cause further instability throughout the region and have significant implications for U.S. national security. Earlier this year, I called for a committee hearing to explore the issues around Boko Haram. We have a moral responsibility to work toward the elimination of this terrorist group. Inaction is incompatible with our commitment to human rights. Those who choose to ignore the ongoing atrocities committed by Boko Haram look at Africa and see instability and strife. Those of us here today look and see these kidnapped girls, and we think about what would happen to our own children if they were taken from us. It is time for all of us to see these girls not as a burden of another nation, but as a responsibility of our own. It is time for us to help secure justice on their behalf and their safe return to their families.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4509, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 4509, the State and High-Risk Urban Area Working Group Act. Before I begin my statement, I would like to support the comments made by my chairman in his being very concerned about the cuts to the grant that have been proposed. Mr. Speaker, I represent the 10th Congressional District of the State of New Jersey. Communities throughout my district from Newark to Jersey City have built robust capabilities to prevent, protect against, and respond to terrorist attacks and natural disasters with State Homeland Security grants and the Urban Areas Security Initiative funding. I am proud of the progress New Jersey has made in preparing and protecting against terrorist attacks with these important grant dollars. I cannot stress enough the critical role these funds play in my district's ability to protect itself from terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Over the past 3\1/2\ years, I have served as the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security's Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee. In this capacity, I have seen the benefits realized across the Nation from DHS' Homeland Security Grant Program. With this funding, State and local governments equip first responders with the much-needed protective equipment and emergency communications technologies as well. These grants also help jurisdictions develop and exercise disaster response plans. These activities facilitate important relationships among the individuals and entities that play critical roles in disaster prevention and response. As successful as DHS' Homeland Security Grant Programs have been, however, more needs to be done to ensure those who are responsible for the various aspects of the disaster response plan, train, and exercise together before a disaster strikes. Indeed, Save the Children testified before my subcommittee about the disconnect in some communities between emergency planners and school districts and childcare facilities. A GAO report I requested with former subcommittee chair Susan Brooks released earlier this week revealed that about 68 percent of school districts surveyed incorporate the district emergency management plans into the broader community's emergency management plan. That is good progress, but we must do better. The State and High-Risk Urban Area Working Group Act seeks to build upon the relationships that the State Homeland Security Grant Programs and the Urban Areas Security Initiative facilitate and to ensure decisionmakers have a complete understanding of a community's vulnerabilities so that investments can be prioritized appropriately. H.R. 4509 would facilitate the whole community approach to disaster planning by identifying key players to be included in the State planning committee's Urban Area Working Groups. From firefighters and police to medical community and school officials, H.R. 4509 would ensure that the right people are at the table when decisions are made about how Federal Homeland Security Grant funds are to be spent at the State and local levels. H.R. 4509 was approved by the Committee on Homeland Security by voice vote, and similar language was approved in a larger package late last year. The legislation also has the support of the Security Industry Association, and I include in the Record a letter from the Association. Security Industry Association, March 22, 2016. Hon. Donald Payne, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Payne: On behalf of the Security Industry Association (SIA), and its more than 600 corporate members, I would like to express our strong support for H.R. 4509, the State and High-Risk Urban Area Working Group Act, which clarifies the roles and responsibilities of state planning committees and urban area working groups under the Homeland Security Grant Program. H.R. 4509 amends Title 6 U.S.C. 611 to include additional stakeholder representation in committees and working groups that set local priorities for grants awarded through the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) and the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP). We believe this is critical in light of recent attacks and broader terrorist threats against vulnerable targets such as schools and workplaces, and the desire of state and local governments to provide additional protections and response capabilities. SIA and its members believe that the inclusion of educational facilities, emergency communications coordinators and fusion centers will help improve state and local homeland security grant planning processes as they are aligned with evolving threats. SIA members have assisted many homeland security grantees with technology solutions essential to securing critical infrastructure such as maritime ports and airports, schools, power generation and transmission systems, hospitals, factories, transit systems, and governmental buildings. SIA urges swift consideration of H.R. 4509 by the House Homeland Security Committee, and on the House floor. We stand ready to provide any further information you may need. Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter. Sincerely, Don Erickson, CEO, Security Industry Association.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Time and time again, we have learned the true value of Homeland Security grant dollars comes from the relationships built through planning, training, and exercises that are done in these communities. H.R. 4509 would facilitate the whole community approach to disaster response and planning by adopting a more inclusive definition of emergency response. I would like to thank my colleagues on the Committee on Homeland Security as well as the Security Industry Association for their support. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 4482, the Southwest Border Security Threat Assessment Act of 2016. H.R. 4482 would help enhance the Department of Homeland Security's border security efforts by enhancing DHS' understanding of the relevant vulnerabilities and capabilities and by requiring a strategic plan to ensure border security personnel, technology, and infrastructure resources are being used to their fullest. Specifically, the bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess vulnerabilities and capabilities on the southwest border to help counter threats and illegal activities. The assessment is to include an analysis of the improvements needed at and between the ports of entry; gaps in law and policy between State, local, and tribal law enforcement and international agreements that hinder border security efforts; the flow of legitimate trade along the southwest border; and the percentage of situational awareness and operational control achieved by DHS in the region. The bill also requires the Chief of the Border Patrol to issue a Border Patrol Strategic Plan every 5 years based on this assessment. Last month, the bill was reported to the House by the Committee on Homeland Security after the inclusion of provisions that were offered by the ranking member, the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson), in order to strengthen an already good, commonsense bill. H.R. 4482 would help the DHS and the Border Patrol, in particular, to understand and to mitigate border security threats, to improve coordination and cooperation between DHS' border security components and partners, and to increase situational awareness along the border. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4482. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to note the bipartisan nature in which this measure comes to the floor today. I thank Members for their support of this measure, and I encourage support for this legislation. Enactment will contribute to strengthening the aviation security system by ensuring that passengers undergo screening before boarding commercial flights. I had the pleasure of being in south Texas in the last week, and I flew out of McAllen, Texas. I see the nature and size of these airports; but, nevertheless, they should have the same support as the larger airports. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4549, the Treating Small Airports with Fairness Act of 2016. Under this act, TSA would be required to provide staffing and screening equipment to any airport that lost commercial air service on or after January 1, 2013, if the operator submits a request to TSA together with a written commitment from a commercial air carrier that such carrier intends to resume service at such airport not later than 1 year after the date on which the request is submitted. It is my understanding that, without this legislation or alternative measures, should commercial service return to the affected airports, the passengers who depart the airport would fly unscreened to their destination and be subject to security screening upon arrival if they have to connect to another destination via commercial air flight. The potential universe of airports that are believed to be implicated by this legislation is over 20, but there are at least 6 airports that are expected to pursue Federal screening operations. As a member of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, I believe that it is important that passengers undergo a security screening before boarding commercial flights. As we have heard from TSA and various media reports, this travel season is expected to be the busiest in many years. One of the factors contributing to the long wait times at airports across the Nation is the lack of adequate staffing. During consideration of this measure in committee, the committee approved an amendment offered by the ranking member, Mr. Thompson, to ensure that when TSA acts to implement this law and provides screening services to new airports, they do not do so at the expense of other airports in the system. If TSA does this right and manages its staffing resources in a thoughtful and holistic manner, there is no reason for other airports to be negatively impacted. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 3586 helps enhance the coordination and cooperation among DHS' border security components, and it authorizes integral border security programs that enhance homeland security. I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 3586, the Border and Maritime Coordination Improvement Act of 2015. Mr. Speaker, this legislation aims to improve the unity of effort between the various DHS components charged with securing our land and maritime borders. H.R. 3586 also seeks to push out border security to mitigate threats at the earliest possible point. Collaboration and cooperation are vital to ensuring our efforts are efficient and effective. H.R. 3586 allows the Department to leverage the capabilities of its components, such as Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard, to improve its approach to our border and maritime security. The bill requires the Department to assess the use of its resources, air and marine assets, and personnel deployed both domestically and abroad in order to identify opportunities to better coordinate and streamline its operations and ensure the success of its border and maritime security missions. H.R. 3586 also formally authorizes the DHS Secretary's Border Security Joint Task Forces, which utilize Department component personnel and capabilities, to secure the land and maritime borders of the United States. These tasks were launched in May of 2014 through the Secretary's Southern Border and Approaches Campaign and represents a more collaborative approach to border security missions than we have previously seen. H.R. 3586 also authorizes two programs specifically intended to bolster the Department's ability to identify and prevent threats from entering the United States via commercial aircraft--the Air Cargo Advance Screening pilot and the Immigration Advisory Program. Through these two programs, DHS is able to thoroughly screen and vet cargo and passengers coming to the United States from abroad on commercial airplanes and share information with international partners prior to departure. There is strong bipartisan support and interest in strengthening and improving our border and maritime security efforts among my colleagues on the Committee on Homeland Security. I urge my colleagues in the House to support H.R. 3586 as well. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, we are here tonight to honor the thousands of brave men and women who, 51 years ago, organized and marched over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in support of a fundamental truth: that every American has the right to vote. The Selma march altered the course of history. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ``Selma produced the voting rights legislation of 1965.'' The Voting Rights Act of 1965 banned discriminatory voting requirements that disenfranchised African American voters. For 51 years, the Voting Rights Act has helped ensure that all Americans have an equal opportunity to participate in the democratic process. But nearly three years ago, the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, saying it was outdated and unjustified. Since this decision, we have seen that the Voting Rights Act is needed now more than ever before. Today, 30 states require voters to show identification in order to vote. And 15 states already require voters to show a photo ID in order to cast a ballot. At the same time, Republican controlled-legislatures continue their efforts to cut early voting. All of this limits access to the ballot, making it harder for American citizens to have a say in the direction of our country. Restrictive voting laws disproportionately impact minorities and low-income communities. Upwards of 25 percent of African Americans lack a photo ID, compared to 8 percent of white Americans. Moreover, 12 percent of those earning less than $25,000 annually lack a photo ID. States with strict voter ID laws require voters to have certain government-issued photo IDs, like driver's licenses. However, African Americans and low-income individuals are less likely to have driver's licenses because they are more likely to live in cities and rely on public transportation. These groups also have a harder time obtaining other valid forms of photo ID because they often lack the time and money to track down necessary documents, like Social Security cards, and because ID offices are not easily accessible to them. America is a nation built on the democratic process, and when that process is broken for any of us, it impacts all of us. People want to vote because they care deeply about where our country is headed. They want to create a better life for themselves and their families, and they know that their ability to do so is in many ways tied to the outcomes of elections. As a country, we should make it as easy as possible for people to exercise this right. Election officials should not erode the democratic principles that they have sworn to uphold. They should make sure every American citizen has an equal voice in the democratic process. Protecting every person's right to vote is essential to a fully functioning democracy. The countless men and women who risked their lives to defend that right knew our system of government only works when it's inclusive and fair--when it enables all voices to have a say in the future of our country. So it's our responsibility to make it easier for people to cast a ballot. Just as it's the responsibility of those people to vote. When people don't vote, not only do they dishonor those who risked everything for voting rights; they risk perpetuating policies that hurt hard-working Americans. I can tell you with certainty--had we not elected President Obama, we wouldn't have the Affordable Care Act, and 20 million fewer people would have health insurance. So it's important for every eligible American to vote. Failure to do so can have grave consequences for American families, who deserve public policies that work for them, not special interests. Voting rights has been historically important to the African American community, which was denied its constitutional right to vote for far too long. That is why this caucus--the Congressional Black Caucus--is doing everything possible to expand voting rights protections and increase citizen participation in elections. We are calling for an immediate restoration of the Voting Rights Act. Democracy cannot flourish until voting rights are reinstated in this country. We have broken down many barriers to justice and equality since the Selma march and the signing of the Voting Rights Act, but we dishonor those accomplishments and the people who fought for them if we accept the continued weakening of voting rights. Fifty-one years ago, thousands of Americans marched in Selma against racial discrimination in voting. That march is ours to continue.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, barely an hour after Justice Scalia's death was confirmed, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement rejecting any judge President Obama chose to nominate to the Supreme Court. At that point, the President hadn't even announced his intention to fill the vacancy on our highest court. It's a sad state of affairs that the highest ranking Republican in the Senate would politicize the Court in such a grotesque way when many of us were still learning of Justice Scalia's passing. But this is par for the course for the Republicans. On issue after issue, debate after debate, they continue to solidify their reputation as the party of ``no,'' to the detriment of this great nation. Senate Republicans continue to maintain that they will deny a confirmation hearing to any individual nominated by President Obama to serve on the Supreme Court. This is part of the Republican political agenda to disrupt the work of government when it does not align with their far-right ideology. It is a thinly-veiled attempt to obstruct the nomination process in hopes of packing the Supreme Court with conservative justices who will roll back the progress our nation has made, from marriage equality to reproductive rights. We have already seen what is at stake here. In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down the heart of the Voting Rights Act--a major setback for civil rights and voting rights, and a major blow to fundamental democracy in this country. The president has a constitutional responsibility to nominate a successor to Justice Scalia. The Senate also has a constitutional responsibility--to give the nominee a fair hearing and a timely vote. This is about democracy and protecting the institution of the Supreme Court. What we are seeing from Republicans is a clear pattern of obstruction. They have shut down the government, threatened not to pay our debts, and halted the nomination process before it has even begun. This divisiveness is a detriment to our democracy, an affront to justice, and an insult to the American people, who deserve to have their nation's highest court working at full capacity. Republicans have said that there is no precedent for confirming a Supreme Court nominee during an election year. That is blatantly wrong: six Justices have been confirmed in presidential election years, including three Republican appointees. Since the 1980s, Congress has almost never left any vacancy during a single Supreme Court session. What is unprecedented in modern history is denying the President of the United States a hearing or vote on a nomination to the Supreme Court. And yet that's what the Republican plan is. It's hard not to see this as an effort to delegitimize the nation's first black president. Republicans have been trying to derail President Obama ever since he took office. And now, whoever ends up being nominated for the Supreme Court, regardless of qualifications, will be rejected simply because he or she is an Obama nominee. The disdain Republicans have for Obama is so great that they are willing to trample on the U.S. Constitution to prevent him from appointing a judge to the Supreme Court. The U.S. Constitution--the very document that Republicans like to accuse the President of ignoring--states that the president ``shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint . . . Judges of the Supreme Court.'' Not only does he have the right, he has a duty to appoint a judge to the Court. Now, President Obama made clear that he seeks judges ``who approach decisions without any particular ideology or agenda, but rather a commitment to impartial justice, a respect for precedent, and a determination to faithfully apply the law to the facts at hand.'' There is nothing radical about the President's position. His comments speak to his respect for the law and the seriousness he brings to the nomination process. Republicans must do their job as it relates to that process-- earnestly debate and then vote on the person nominated by the President. There are many hotly debated issues in our country--immigration, gun reform, health care, campaign finance; issues that necessitate the maximum strength of the Supreme Court. The American people deserve far better than attempts by Republican politicians in Washington to stack the Supreme Court with far-right judges who will forgo impartial justice to advance the conservative agenda. They expect their government to work for them, and Senate Republicans must meet that expectation by swiftly filling the vacancy on the Court.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, in Michigan, thousands of young children were poisoned because Governor Snyder used a contaminated water source to cut costs. Last year, in my State of New Jersey, over 3,000 children under 6 years old were afflicted with dangerous levels of lead, according to a new report. Four of the communities I represent in Congress--Irvington, East Orange, Newark, and Jersey City--have dangerous lead levels. At the same time, our runaway Governor continues to roll back protections for clean water. It is a national disgrace that children in New Jersey, Michigan, and other U.S. States are being poisoned by lead in the year 2016. Many of these children will suffer irreparable harm, never reaching their full potential, because of the neglect and indifference of their leaders. We have a moral obligation to protect the health and well-being of our communities, especially our children. Let's meet it.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 90th birthday of a very incredible constituent, Muriel Lois Corrin Davis. Muriel was born on February 9, 1926 in Sea Bright, New Jersey. At the age of 1, her family moved to East Orange, New Jersey. She graduated from East Orange High School in 1944 and left for Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia in 1945. She received her B.A. in English and Spanish in 1950. An avid moviegoer, her dream was to see the world she had only seen onscreen. After graduation in August 1950, Muriel was the first African American woman to be hired by Doubleday Publishers. Her position was Assistant Secretary in the Executive Office of Doubleday. Her courtship with Morehouse College graduate (Class of 1947) Griffith ``Griff'' Davis began while he lived in the Harlem home of Langston Hughes. Mr. Hughes used them as the prototype for his Simple book series. Liberia President William V. S. Tubman commissioned Griff to do the first photography exhibit on Liberia at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City and the filming of Liberia's first promotional film entitled ``Pepperbird Land.'' In March 1952, Muriel flew to Liberia to marry Griff. Their ``Global Honeymoon'' on three continents was written and photographed by Griff and appeared in the September 1952 issue of Ebony magazine. Upon returning from their honeymoon, Griff took the Foreign Service exam in Washington, DC. In November 1952, they returned to Liberia as African-American pioneers in President Harry Truman's Point Four Program for foreign aid. As the spouse of a U.S. Foreign Service Officer during the family's tours of duty in Liberia from 1952 to 1957, Muriel was unofficially responsible for developing, cultivating and maintaining diplomatic relationships with President Tubman, key business and government officials of Liberia, citizens and high level visitors to the country: like the future Prime Minister of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah in January 1953. Muriel was the first Bank Teller for the first indigenous bank in Liberia (Bank of Liberia) founded by her former Morehouse classmate A. Romeo Horton. She taught Early European History and Political Science at Monrovia High School. She gave birth to her two children in Monrovia: Dorothy Davis and Ben Davis. In 1957, the family was posted to newly independent Tunisia. Muriel repeated the same unofficial diplomatic duties she had in Liberia but faced an even more multicultural and potentially hostile environment. Although women could not attend government activities, Muriel was able to meet Tunisia's first President Habib Bourghuiba. Muriel returned to New Jersey in 1959 to enroll her two children in private school. When she met the principal of The Carteret School of West Orange, he rescinded the school's initial offer for admission to her daughter, Dorothy, because she was African American. On behalf of her daughter, Muriel filed a complaint with the State of New Jersey Division Against Discrimination of the Department of Education in 1959. She won the next year. This decision enabled African Americans to attend New Jersey's private schools. In June 1967, Muriel taught pre- schoolers at East Orange Co-op Day Care Center until 1980. She became an Investigator for the Essex County Probation Department's Bail Program in Newark until she retired in 1994. Since her retirement in February 1994, Muriel has traveled across the United States and to France, Ghana, Switzerland, Barbados and the U.S. Virgin Islands and remains friends with people from around the world. She has volunteered for several institutions including the United Black Episcopalians, the Church of the Epiphany, the United Nations International School (UNIS), and the Women's Africa Committee of the African-American Institute. Ms. Davis is the proud grandmother of Joelle Joseph, Anne-Laure Davis and Daniel Davis. She has lived a life that makes me honored to acknowledge her 90th birthday and wish her another year of happiness.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me as I rise to honor those who were lost in Khojaly, Azerbaijan on February 25, 1992. On that day, 24 years ago, over 600 people were brutally murdered. They were mostly elderly men, women, and children--innocent victims that should have never been part of such a heartbreaking tragedy. I would also like to recognize the night of January 19, 1990, as ``Black January.'' This event has been memorialized as ``Black January'' because of the invasion by 26,000 Soviet troops into the capital city Baku and surrounding areas. By the end of the following day, more than 130 people had died and over 600 people were missing. It is necessary to take the time every year to remember those who lost their lives during these two horrific events in Azerbaijan. Their unwilling sacrifice continues to serve as a reminder to hold fast to the principles of democracy. Mr. Speaker, Azerbaijan is a strong partner of the United States in a strategically crucial and complex region of the world. I ask my colleagues to join me and our Azerbaijani friends in commemorating the tragedy that occurred in the town of Khojaly as well as Black January.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by thanking my classmates, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, for anchoring these important Special Order hours for the Congressional Black Caucus. Since her arrival here in Congress, Congresswoman Beatty has demonstrated why she was a leader in Ohio, and she has become a great leader in the House of Representatives. Mr. Speaker, Dr. King envisioned for this Nation a future of vast potential, a future where every man and woman and child would have the opportunity to get ahead, free from the constraints of injustice and intolerance. What we see happening across our country shows how far we still have to go to achieve Dr. King's dream. From gun violence to racial wealth gaps, from lack of diversity to persistent poverty, there are still critical issues affecting our communities that must be addressed. In 2015, there were at least 76 gun deaths in my district in New Jersey, the Tenth Congressional District. One-third of all the gun deaths in New Jersey last year happened in my district. If we don't do something to tackle this epidemic, then we are failing our children. We are failing the next generation, to give them the hope and the possibilities of being a positive part of this community, such as we saw in Congressman Cedric Richmond. In my district, African Americans face unemployment rates nearly triple that of White workers. Generations of African American workers are being left behind, without a fair shot at success. The economic prosperity and the American Dream are on hold for many African American communities. Instead of working to address these challenges facing our communities, Republicans continue their assault on women's health by trying to defund Planned Parenthood. On the other hand, Democrats are working on bold, aggressive action that will have an immediate impact on the challenges facing African Americans. I have tried to do my part here in Congress. My Safer Neighborhoods Gun Buyback Act would create a voluntary Federal gun buyback program to keep guns out of the wrong hands. That is just one measure that we have to look at. But in talking about Dr. King's dream, it reminds me of A Tale of Two Cities. This is the best of times and the worst of times. Yes, we have seen an African American rise to the pinnacle of success in this country in public service in President Barack Obama. Dr. King would be very proud of that. But he would be upset to see the other part, the despair that our communities are in without the opportunities to raise their children as other communities do. Dr. King was about equal opportunity for every man and woman. He discussed problems in Appalachia, he discussed problems in the South, and he discussed problems in the North. So, yes, his main focus was the African American community. But injustice somewhere is injustice anywhere, and he lived that motto. He would be happy for some reasons, but in other areas he would be very disappointed. So it is our job to continue to push towards that dream, and we here in the Congressional Black Caucus are committed to pushing forward to see his dream realized.