Donald Payne

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Dent and Ranking Member Bishop for your work on this bill. And congratulations to Congressman Dent on the work he has done on H.R. 2029, his first bill as chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee. I admire Chairman Dent's and Ranking Member Bishop's commitment to our veterans of America. They have demonstrated day-to-day that they are here for our people in the armed services. I would like to especially acknowledge this bill's provisions relating to the importance of early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer. As the bill notes, the VA has made screening patients for colorectal cancer a priority, and I am encouraged by the steps that this bill would take to ensure that the VA continues to dedicate the resources and attention to this important issue which it deserves. Almost every family in America, including our veterans, including Members of Congress, including people all over this Nation, have been touched by cancer. My father, former Congressman Donald Payne, who served New Jersey's 10th Congressional District for 23 years, prior to me coming here and taking his place, succumbed to this preventable and treatable disease. Chairman Dent, thank you for your partnership on this issue. I am looking forward to continuing to work together to advance the fight against colorectal cancer and lessen the needless loss of life. The committee report encourages the VA to support additional research and development in the field, including investigating a less costly blood test for colorectal cancer. I applaud this language, and I also understand that both the FDA and CMS have approved a new DNA, noninvasive, stool-based colorectal cancer screening test that is pending review with the Federal supply services for availability in the VA health system. For clarity, does this committee also encourage the VA to consider and review such stool-based test screening?

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues to recognize the one-year anniversary of the kidnapping of nearly 300 Nigerian girls by the terrorist group Boko Haram. A year after this horrific act was perpetrated, 219 of the girls remain missing. Few know of their struggles and of the events in Nigeria, and the world's focus has largely shifted from rescue to remembrance. But we have an opportunity, and a moral responsibility, to act. To ensure the safe return of these young girls and eliminate Boko Haram, so that no one else's child suffers at their hands. The missing girls risked their lives in pursuit of education. Among them we see lawyers, doctors, teachers--future leaders of their country. We see our own daughters. Today, I call on my colleagues not just to remember these girls, but to recommit to their rescue by passing legislation to combat Boko Haram.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Alabama for her eloquent remarks on the topic of the evening. Irrespective of where you are in this Nation, these issues are a common thread in communities throughout this Nation. I am not surprised that the gentlewoman from Alabama, Representative Sewell, is able to talk about the same issues that we are able to talk about in New Jersey, Illinois, California, Florida, and across this Nation, across this great land. At this time, I would like to hear from the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty), an outstanding Member of the United States House of Representatives. In just her second term, she has demonstrated her superior leadership skills. She is a member of my class, the ``class'' of the class.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my coanchor, Robin Kelly, Congresswoman from Illinois, for being involved in this Special Order tonight. Thanks also to the members of the Congressional Black Caucus who are here tonight on such an important topic. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the people at home who are tuning in to watch this. It is truly an honor to speak to them directly in their homes, to fight on their behalf and to advance our shared priorities. That is why we are here tonight and every Monday night that the House is in session--to address the diverse issues affecting African American communities throughout our Nation and to let you know that we are here, fighting for you every single day. Mr. Speaker, this month is National Minority Health Month. It is a chance to evaluate the state of black health, a chance to address health disparities affecting racial minorities, and a chance to speak to efforts to advance health equity. Today, African American and other minority populations lag behind in numerous health areas, including in the access to quality care, in timelines of care, and in health outcomes. These disparities have devastating impacts on individuals and families but also on our communities and our society as a whole. There are numerous factors that contribute to the health disparities throughout New Jersey's 10th Congressional District and throughout our Nation as well--poverty, environmental threats, inadequate access to health care, and educational inequities. These are such interconnected issues that a piecemeal plan to fixing the problem will not work. A comprehensive approach--one that focuses on providing access to quality care for all, creating good jobs that provide a decent living, and increasing educational opportunities for low-income communities--is only one way to eliminate the health disparities once and for all. With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to get to the members of the CBC who are here, and I turn it over right now to the gentlewoman from Illinois, the Honorable Robin Kelly, who has been holding down the fort while I have been dealing with my health issues. General Leave

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny Davis), who, as I stated in my opening remarks about him, has been a deliberate and conscious fighter for not only his constituents, but Americans that find themselves facing these disparities all around the Nation. Next it is my honor to hear from the gentlelady from Alabama, the Honorable Terri Sewell, who had a wonderful participation in her district last month of the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where many of my colleagues were able to go down and celebrate that great victory in this Nation's history, and I was sorry I couldn't be there, but I watched from afar and was very delighted to see such an outpouring of respect for a moment in our history that can never be forgotten, and we can never let the clock be turned back, as we say.

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from Illinois. That is so true. And as you stood there and stated those issues, that is something that we have known for quite some time, how oral care impacts so many other parts of your health--and as you mentioned, could really show you the onset of diabetes. I mention diabetes, Madam Speaker, because I have been out for several weeks now with a foot infection. And it got pretty severe and had to be operated on. But what has complicated the circumstance with my foot is me being a diabetic, a very noncompliant diabetic, a diabetic who did not take it seriously, did not take the medicines that I should have for years. This circumstance with my foot made it all so very clear what needed to be done. The circumstance frightened me into doing everything that I am supposed to now, so you are looking at a compliant diabetic. But it is crucial, and the diabetes is what has complicated the healing of my foot. Now, I am a very fortunate person in this country. I am living an American Dream that I did not realize would happen to me because of another issue of my father losing his bout with colorectal cancer. He was the Member prior to me, and I took his place. But we were fortunate. We have always had good health care. We are talking about the disparities and the inequities in this Nation for people who are not in the positions that Representative Kelly, myself, and other well-to-do Americans are who have health care that keeps them alive. Now, whether you use it or not is really up to you. But we are afforded that opportunity to get great health care. We are talking about people who want health care but cannot afford it and find themselves in emergency rooms as their visit to the doctor. They have to wait until they are very ill and go to the emergency room, which is how they get their health care. That costs this Nation millions and billions of dollars. But what the Affordable Care Act has done is given a lot of these people the opportunity to get pre-screenings and pro-care prior to showing up at the emergency room. So whether people realize it or not, you end up paying for these people who cannot afford their own health care in your premium, because someone is going to cover it. The insurance companies aren't going to just cover it. The hospitals aren't, so we pay it in our premiums. So as you get more people their own health care, it drives the cost down. It will drive the cost down in this Nation, and we will all benefit from more people being healthier. That is what the Affordable Care Act is about. That is what it does. That is what it does. I am so fortunate to live in this Nation, to be able to represent the 10th Congressional District of the State of New Jersey, and to stand here and fight for not only the people of the 10th District of New Jersey, but every American that deserves an equal opportunity. That is what it is about. It is not about favor; it is about the opportunity, the equal opportunity. And we see these disparities, iniquities in health care, in economics all across the board, all across this Nation. It is incumbent upon us as the Congressional Black Caucus to speak up for the residents that we represent, children and infants. You know, even in the 21st century, health disparities are stark, especially in African American communities, where life expectancies are lower and infant mortality rates are higher. Children of color who live below the poverty line are much more likely to suffer from asthma, develop ADHD, and contract diseases because they can't afford vaccinations. It is the situation across the board. Cancer, African Americans have the highest death rate and the shortest survival rate of any racial ethnic group in the United States. And it just goes on and on. It is important that we get the message out. And we will continue to fight with Representative Robin Kelly, head of the Health Braintrust. I know the work that she will do on behalf of the American people. So, Madam Speaker, with that, I would just like to thank Ms. Kelly for the opportunity to speak on what I feel is a dire, dire situation in this country, the inequity in health disparities.

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlelady from Ohio. As I stated in my introduction of her, she has just demonstrated an outstanding leadership in our class that is second to none, and we can always depend on her to bring some clear thought to these issues at hand, so we would like to thank her once again. Madam Speaker, tomorrow there will be a press conference at 1:30 with Representatives Caroline Maloney and G.K. Butterfield to discuss the new JEC report on persistent economic challenges in black communities. The report is bleak. There is not a lot of good news in this report. Nearly one in seven Americans identify themselves as African American. The third-largest racial ethnic group in the United States, African Americans have made significant social and economic progress since the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; however, the black community continues to face enormous challenges. Economic data reveals startling inequities. By many of the most important measures of economic well-being, blacks lag far behind the majority white population. And that is just the overview of the report. That is just the start. I hope the people watching at home and my colleagues in earshot of me will be there tomorrow to support our colleagues at 1:30 at the HVC Studio A. I would like to give my colleague, Representative Kelly, the opportunity to provide us more information on the issue at hand. As was mentioned, the Affordable Care Act, something that has passed this Congress, and there have been many attempts to thwart it and repeal it, but the majority is never successful at doing that because people understand what this legislation has meant to this Nation. You see, it makes sense for more people to have quality affordable health care, and that has been the issue. The first word in the act, ``affordable,'' has been prohibitive for many Americans to have the health care that they need and desire. But this legislation has made it available to 16 million more people in this country. Sixteen million people have benefited from this piece of legislation that is continually under attack. Actually, it is 16 million and one, because I have heard a candidate--the first person to announce they are running for President of the United States in 2016, who is a Senator, who hails from the great State of Texas--say that with him running, his wife will lose, will stop working at her job, dedicate herself to this campaign, so his health care was under her benefits. Well, guess what? In a kind of coy little shrewd way, he said, Well, you know, now I will take the mantle of getting health care for my family. You mean the Affordable Care Act, sir? The issue you railed about constantly for years since you have come to the Senate? Oh, well that is different. It is absolutely incredible, when I sat there and watched him try to dance around that, that he is now in the exchange. It was a sight to see. But I will get off of that and let my colleague from Illinois provide us some information.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlelady from Illinois (Ms. Kelly), who has done a tremendous job and has stepped into the gap left by the leaving of one of our former colleagues, Donna Christensen from the Virgin Islands. Ms. Kelly has stepped up to fill the position at the Health Braintrust. She has been a fighter in this area prior to coming to the Congress and has continued to demonstrate her leadership along these lines. At this point in time, it is my honor to hear from a member of the CBC who has been a leader, seasoned in so many areas and aspects, and has been a real mentor and a role model for me as I come here and try to fight for the American people every day, as he does for his constituents in Illinois, the Honorable Danny Davis.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the School District of South Orange and Maplewood and the Linden Public Schools for receiving recognition as one of the Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). This association only recognized 388 school districts around the nation this year and I am very proud of each district's achievement. The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) gives its distinction for outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders to emphasize the importance and accessibility that every child have to music education. The BCME program evaluates districts and schools based on funding, staffing of highly qualified teachers, commitment to standards, and access to music instruction. Music education helps develop educational, cognitive, and social skills. Listening to music strengthens the ability to perceive speech within noise, pay attention, and develop memory abilities. Music exposure reveals different aspects of brain function and addresses language and learning difficulties, such as the neural timing precision between speech syllables. The School District of South Orange and Maplewood and the Linden Public Schools have done an excellent job in promoting music education and in successfully exceeding any challenges and barriers that may have appeared along their pathway. I hope they continue empowering the community with their leadership and enthusiasm in music education.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me as I rise to pay tribute to Mrs. Larrie West Stalks, and the many contributions she made as a dedicated public servant in Essex County. Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Mrs. Stalks had an extensive career in public service and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others in her community. In 1974, Mrs. Stalks was elected as Essex County Register of Deeds and Mortgages and served four consecutive five year terms. In her fourth term she was the only African-American Constitutional Officer serving on a County level in New Jersey. As a trailblazer, she served as Director of Health and Welfare and Executive Secretary of the Newark Central Planning Board, where she became the first African American appointed department head and cabinet member in the history of Newark municipal government. In 1984, Mrs. Stalks achieved another first, when she was elected President of the County Officers of the State of New Jersey. Following her election, she also served on the National Association of County Officer's (NACO) Human Services Steering Committee. Mrs. Stalks was then appointed to the Board of Directors of NACO which represented 48 states. During her tenure in municipal government, she developed and supervised federally funded anti-poverty programs and instituted Newark's first mobile health unit program, which served as a national model. She then founded the Municipal Career Women of Newark and became a mentor for numerous women who worked in government. Mrs. Stalks spearheaded the development of 426 units of affordable housing and a shopping mall. She also chaired the Long Range Planning Advisory Budget Committee for St. Michael's Hospital. A staunch democrat, her previous home at 41 Rector Street in Newark was affectionately referred to as ``The House for Democrats.'' Mrs. Stalks resided in the Village of South Orange Township for the past 40 years but she always proudly said, ``I am Newark first!'' Mrs. Stalks had numerous awards reflecting her civic activities, professional affiliations and political involvement. Mr. Speaker, I know my fellow members of the House of Representatives agree that Mrs. Larrie West Stalks was an integral part of the growth and development of Essex County. This tribute recognizes her life's work, her stellar career and her personal commitment to improving the lives of her fellow man.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 36th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act and recognize the long-standing U.S.-Taiwan relationship. On April 10, 1979, President Jimmy Carter signed TRA and it has served to define the relationship that the United States has shared with Taiwan ever since. Since the signing of the Taiwan Relations Act, we as a nation have supported the Taiwanese efforts over the last three and a half decades by fostering commercial exchange. Over that time, Taiwan has grown to become a significant security and trading partner to the United States. It is critical that we continue to explore the beneficial connections between our nations and work to promote it at every opportunity. Taiwan continues to be an economic powerhouse in the Asia Pacific and a beacon of democracy. The United States recognizes Taiwan's unfailing determination to promote a free and fair democratic society. However, because of Taiwan's ambiguous international status they have been left out of many international organizations that the rest of the world uses to make global decisions. I believe that if allowed to participate more fully, Taiwan would be a valuable asset to organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Taiwan has already contributed significantly to humanitarian relief worldwide. In 2013, they provide shelters and supply to refuges in Jordan and Iraq. In 2014, they donated supplies and money to help treat Ebola in West Africa. Those are just a couple of examples in a long list of humanitarian work by Taiwan, all without being fully allowed to join international organizations. In the coming years, I hope that Taiwan's hard work and contributions will be rewarded with a place in the global conversation. I hope we can continue to strengthen our unique relationship with Taiwan and its people.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from Illinois for her concise assessment of the nomination of an outstanding prosecutor, outstanding attorney, and outstanding American. As it was stated by one of my colleagues, Ms. Lynch has followed and been a part of the American Dream, coming from meager beginnings, having a mother and father who cared for her and nurtured her, allowed her to get a good education and move on to--as it was stated--one of the best schools in our Nation and in the world and also to get her law degree from that same school. Now, it appears to me, based on the hearings that I saw, Ms. Lynch has one problem. Is it her qualifications? No. Is it her demeanor? No. Has she done everything that she has been asked to do as a prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York? Yes. Well, why is she not qualified? Well, no one is saying that she is not qualified. There is a political issue in the way, and that political issue is that she is the nominee of President Barack Obama, and that is her only issue, as I see it. She has done everything that a good American should do: played by the rules all her life, pulled herself up by her bootstraps, got a good education, went into the private sector and then decided, Do you know what, I am going to go be a Federal prosecutor at a 75 percent decrease in salary. Now, if that is not an American committed to this Nation, I don't know what is, so her only violation is that she was nominated by this President. Immigration continues to be the issue that is the rub. That is why we don't have funding for the Department of Homeland Security: because of immigration, because my colleagues on the other side don't agree with what the President did. This is outrageous, this is absolutely outrageous, that a person that has done everything that they are supposed to do gets to this point and was confirmed twice by the Senate--now, I don't know if President Obama nominated her either one of those times, but now that he is nominating her for this position, well, she just doesn't cut it, there are issues. They are not her issues. They are issues with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and their disdain for their President at times, absolute disdain. It is a matter of you are better off not saying that you are involved with the President the way it is going around here. It makes no sense. It absolutely makes no sense. Now, here is a woman that has allowed herself to go through this process and knew it was going to be rigorous, knew there were going to be challenges, knew she would be challenged, and came through the committee 12-8. But people initially that were going to support her, Mr. Speaker, had decided, Well, now, there is something wrong. I mean, what happened? What happened in 2 weeks, in the space of 3 weeks, that has made you anti-Loretta Lynch? We have issues all over this Nation, Mr. Speaker, that we need to be dealing with, and the Department of Homeland Security is one of them. We need to fund the Department of Homeland Security. It is interesting. I hear my colleagues' interest and concern about immigration and people coming across the border. If you don't fund the Department of Homeland Security, how do you think that work continues? If you think it is bad now, don't fund the Department. You have people listening--the terrorists. You don't think terrorists are listening to this? You don't think this is a great opportunity for them to decide to maybe go rogue, to come out of their lone wolf status and do what they need to do because they know no one is minding the store because we decided to furlough people? You are concerned about this Nation and its security? It doesn't make sense to me. We have many issues in the African American community, and we are here every other Monday night to express them--criminal justice, the issue around ``Black lives matter,'' and the perceptions of police treatment in the African American community. I can tell you a personal story about my interaction, as a youngster, with a member of the police force back in my home in Newark, New Jersey. It was a horrendous, horrendous episode in my life, but I got a break because the officer realized that my father was a member of the city council of that town. Prior to seeing my name on my driver's license and learning that, he told me that, if I didn't produce the papers that he wanted, they would throw me so far under the jail that they would never find me. But once I produced this document that said that I was all of a sudden somebody--I am a person; I am relevant--then he became nurturing. He said: Don't you know that making a U-turn is dangerous? and became paternal, but prior to that, it was that they would throw me so far under the jail that they would never find me. So I stand here, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all of the people who wouldn't have gotten that break. It is my obligation to make sure that the playing field is level, not because you are related to someone, not because you know someone, not because you have connections. Every American should be afforded the opportunity I was afforded that day. In closing, I would just like to thank the gentlewoman, Robin Kelly, for her leadership in leading tonight's Congressional Black Caucus hour. These Special Orders give us the opportunity to speak directly to the American people about the work on their behalf and the issues that we care about. This is something that we do, and we are honored to be able to do it. I would also like to thank the people at home who have tuned in tonight. It is our point to engage in an ongoing and meaningful dialogue, and I hope that they will continue to join us on Monday nights. We began by discussing the nomination of Loretta Lynch as the next U.S. Attorney General. Ms. Lynch's nomination has been slow-walked by the Republicans, who would rather make it more about the President's immigration policy than about Ms. Lynch's qualifications and strength of character. Ms. Lynch has earned a number of outside endorsements, including from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and her record is impeccable. It is the hope of this caucus that the full Senate comes to realize the urgency of her nomination and confirms her immediately. Ms. Lynch's professional record suggests that she will embrace the vision of the Department of Justice, whose mission is to advance the cause of justice and equality for all Americans. This is absolutely critical to the African American community, whose needs are not currently being met by our criminal justice system. Today, we see a criminal justice system that does not treat all Black lives as though they matter. From Staten Island to Ferguson, unarmed Black men have been the victims of excessive, deadly force by law enforcement. This creates and perpetuates a distrust in our communities, and it makes it increasingly difficult to have a meaningful dialogue between law enforcement and the communities they are charged with protecting. These negative perceptions of police treatment are compounded by a number of other factors, including the disturbing gaps in incarceration rates. African Americans are incarcerated at a rate that is seven times higher than that of our White counterparts. These individuals are removed from the workforce often for drug-related crimes during their prime working years. They struggle to reenter society, having difficulty finding jobs and becoming productive members of their communities. Instead of immediately incarcerating those who commit drug-related, nonviolent crimes, more effort should be devoted to rehabilitation. At the same time, we need to reevaluate the effectiveness of the war on drugs, a war that disproportionately affects African Americans and devastates African American and minority communities. When ex-felons reenter society, we need to ensure that our criminal justice system avoids purely punitive measures against them, including ex-felon disenfranchisement. Finally, there is the reforming of our criminal justice system so as to eliminate disparities in sentences. According to the National Urban League, mandatory minimums and disparities in crack cocaine sentencing incarcerated countless numbers of African Americans for an inhumane length of time and had the U.S. as the world leader in prison population. This has created a modern-day caste system in America. When we address these issues, we will make significant progress toward a criminal justice system that reflects our values of full equality for all Americans.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlelady from Illinois who has demonstrated her leadership throughout her time here in Congress, and I am just delighted to also be working with her. Mr. Speaker, we want to thank the Congresswoman, once again, for opening tonight's Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour. It is an honor to join with her and the other members of this caucus to speak directly to the American people and keep them up to date on our efforts. We are here tonight to talk about the urgent need to ensure the nomination of Loretta Lynch as the next Attorney General of the United States of America. Ms. Lynch has a distinguished legal career in private and public service, earning the respect of her colleagues and establishing herself as a topnotch lawyer and Federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York. She has successfully prosecuted cases on far-ranging issues, including public corruption, violent crime, and terrorism. They have included a number of high-profile cases, such as United States v. Volpe. In that case, Ms. Lynch was part of the trial team that convicted several New York police officers involved in the torture of Haitian immigrant Abner Louima in 1997. She also prosecuted the Bangladeshi man convicted of attempting to blow up the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 2012. Mr. Speaker, Ms. Lynch's professional credentials are matched by her strength of character. Throughout her career, Ms. Lynch has demonstrated unparalleled strength of character, integrity, and independence. She has displayed an unwavering commitment to the rule of law, to public service, and to this Nation. She has proven time and time again that she is a highly capable, independent leader who carefully considers all sides of an issue and does not cave to outside influences. These are the characteristics we look for, characteristics we should and do demand when considering nominees for U.S. Attorney General. Ms. Lynch's professional background and outstanding character suggest she would be capable of using her position to address a number of issues that are important to achieving true equality and justice for African American communities. These include perceptions of police treatment, voting rights, and sentencing disparities, which undermine the foundations of African American communities. There is every indication that Ms. Lynch would make an outstanding U.S. Attorney General, and it is the hope of this caucus that she can quickly be confirmed by the Senate. General Leave

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 102 I would have voted ``no'' on sending to conference. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for very important reasons. First, I would like to commemorate the tragedy that took place in Khojaly, Azerbaijan, where on February 25, 1992, 23 years ago, 444 mostly elderly men, 106 women and 63 children were brutally killed. Please join me in recognizing the horrific atrocities that took place during the month of February in Khojaly, Azerbaijan. Secondly, I would like to recognize the night of January 19, 1990, as ``Black January.'' On this day, 26,000 Soviet troops invaded the capital city of Baku and surrounding areas. By the end of the following day, more than 130 people had died, 611 were injured, 841 were arrested and 5 were missing. This event is memorialized as ``Black January,'' and, for the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan this event left an indelible mark on their minds and hearts. Although Azerbaijan thrives today, the people of Azerbaijan recognize those who lost their lives in Black January, 1990, and honor their sacrifice through their commitment to the ideals of democracy. Mr. Speaker, Azerbaijan is a strong ally of the United States in a strategically important 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, here we go again. It appears that my colleagues on the other side have short memories and do not remember the consequences that led to a backlash from the American people when they shut down the Federal Government in the last Congress. Republicans continue to play politics with the Department of Homeland Security funding by insisting that any funding bill overturn the President's executive actions on immigration. If the Republicans fail to pass a DHS funding bill, the consequences will be severe. One direct consequence is that there will be no funding of new nondisaster grants to local and State governments, law enforcement, fire departments, and other emergency responders. As ranking member on the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, I understand how critically important these grants are to safeguarding our communities. Protecting the Homeland Security Grant Program is critical to ensuring that our cities, transportation systems, and first responders have the capabilities to prepare for and to respond in times of disaster. Mr. Speaker, simply put, Republicans should stop putting politics ahead of the safety of the American people and join with Democrats to fund the Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. I thank the gentleman from New York. His kind thoughts and perspective is always, always needed in this House. Now, I have the honor and the privilege of yielding to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell), who represents the city, the town, that is on everybody's breath over the last couple of months.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Clyburn. As in the past, the Congressional Black Caucus will work to continue to reduce the epidemic of poverty in this country. When over 45 million Americans live below the poverty line, we are failing as a nation. As Congressman Butterfield said earlier this month, the CBC will advocate the Clyburn 10-20-30 plan, which redirects at least 10 percent of an agency's grants in its discretionary budget to communities where at least 20 percent of the population has lived below the poverty line for the past 30 years. These are the issues that we will continue to work on as members of the Congressional Black Caucus. It is now my honor to yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), one of my mentors since before I arrived in Congress, a former friend of my father's and a great colleague.

Mr. PAYNE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are looking forward to your leadership in the 114th Congress, and we will continue to strive to make sure that the issues that the CBC find important are relevant on the day-to-day basis. Now, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), the leader, who has probably forgotten more about the goings- on and the rules in this Chamber than I will ever know.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE. I thank the gentlewoman. Mr. Speaker, at this time, it is my honor and privilege for the first time in the 114th Congress to have the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, G.K. Butterfield, address us, and I yield to the gentleman.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 615, the Department of Homeland Security Interoperable Communications Act. My goal today is to put the Department of Homeland Security on the path to achieving agencywide interoperable communications. Almost 15 years ago, courageous first responders raced to Lower Manhattan, to an area that came to be known as Ground Zero. In the days that followed, first responders from neighboring jurisdictions, including Jersey City, responded to help with response and recovery efforts. Not long after these devastating attacks, concerns were raised about the interoperability gaps that existed between responders on that deadly September day. The 9/11 Commission identified improving interoperable communications at all levels of government as a pressing recommendation. They emphasized that both technology and governance are critical components of interoperable solutions and recognized DHS as the Federal agency responsible for spearheading such an effort. Though nationwide over $13 billion has been invested in achieving interoperable communications at the State and local level, we are still not there. At DHS, over $430 million has been invested into communication capabilities for its 123,000 radio users since 2003. However, in 2012, the Department's own top watchdog, the Office of Inspector General, found that DHS ``personnel do not have reliable interoperable communications for daily operations, planned events, and emergencies.'' In May of 2014, the inspector general testified before the Homeland Security Subcommittee that, out of 479 field radios that attempted to communicate on a specific channel, only one user could do so. That is a 99.8 percent failure rate. Too often, communication failures are attributed to technology or a lack of resources. But here, technology is not the culprit; it is the scapegoat. Indeed, the inspector general found that DHS had not established protocols to ensure that practices are in place to achieve interoperability throughout the Department. H.R. 615, the DHS Interoperable Communications Act, which I introduced with the gentlewoman from Indiana, Congresswoman Susan Brooks, the former chair of the Emergency Preparedness Subcommittee, would direct the Under Secretary for Management to issue policies and directives related to interoperability, develop a strategy to achieve DHS-wide interoperability, and report to Congress biannually on the Department's progress. Interoperable communications are essential to emergency response and Homeland Security operations. The men and women in uniform that serve and protect the 10th Congressional District of New Jersey never miss an opportunity to remind me of something we already know: interoperable communications save lives during disasters. Interoperable communications challenges must be addressed in a timely and thoughtful manner. Last Congress, this Chamber unanimously approved legislation identical to the measure before you today. Enactment of H.R. 615 into law would put DHS on the path to achieving interoperability. I would like to thank the former subcommittee chairwoman, Susan Brooks, for her dedicated efforts to work with me on this measure. I will miss working with her on this panel. I would also like to thank Ranking Member Thompson, Chairman McCaul, and the new chairwoman of the subcommittee, Ms. McSally, for their continued support in addressing this important issue. I urge my colleagues to support improving interoperable communications at DHS by voting. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I am prepared to close. Mr. Speaker, TSA must be able to talk to FEMA and the Coast Guard during an emergency, be it a terrorist incident or natural disaster. For that reason, the achievement of cross-component interoperable communications is essential to DHS' being able to carry out its mission. H.R. 615 takes a responsible approach to addressing the oversight findings of the inspector general and the Committee on Homeland Security about a serious operational gap at the Department of Homeland Security: interoperability. Moreover, an earlier version of this bipartisan measure passed the House unanimously last Congress. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 615. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency. I am glad to have her join us here in Congress for her great ability in the State legislature, and she has removed me from being the lowest member in the delegation, off the bottom.