Charlie Rangel

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in appreciation of the significant Haitian contribution to the American fight for independence. A pioneering band of 500 Haitians volunteered at the inception of this Nation's great story, laying life and limb on the line for the cause of liberty. That effort left an indelible mark on history, drawing the largest unit of soldiers of African descent to fight in the `Siege of Savannah.' It is the highest expression of selflessness and generosity to brush aside geopolitical divisions and serve nobly in support of another nation. We salute these valiant men--over 300 of which were killed on our soil--for helping secure and establish our great democracy, for answering the call in defense of neighbors, in defense of friends. That island nation has, over the years, proven its commitment to courage--leading a successful battle for independence of its own and repudiating early the pernicious institution of slavery, Hundreds of years later, we have not forgotten.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in mourning of a most distinguished colleague, a champion for America, a lifelong survivor, and a kind friend, Representative Tom Lantos. He stood at the near-perilous brink of history. Born to Jewish parents in Budapest, Hungary, he joined the Hungarian underground--at not yet 17--after the Nazi occupation and twice escaped from forced labor camp. He was beaten. His mother, much of his family, and the family of his high school sweetheart-turned-wife were killed. He transformed tragedy into triumph. After earning an American education and raising a family, he became the only Holocaust survivor elected to the U.S. Congress in 1980. Three years later, he had founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus. And last year, he became the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He was a man of steadfast principle. He was one of five members of Congress--at not yet 80--arrested in a protest outside the Sudanese Embassy, in opposition to the genocide in Darfur. He trumpeted the causes of civil liberties and human rights with a consistent, measured voice, having survived such great evil and wanting to spare the world that suffering. His soul, his convictions, his grit and determination--as genuine at age 17 as 80--remained uncompromising, unimpeachable.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I would like to offer a few words on H.R. 5264, a bill that I introduced to provide a long-term extension of three trade preference programs scheduled to expire this year. This bill would extend until September 30, 2010 the Andean trade preferences (ATPA) that are due to expire on February 29, preferences for the Caribbean Basin (CBI) countries--which expire on September 30--and the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which expires on December 31. H.R. 5264 also addresses a number of problems with the textile provisions of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the competitive need limitation (CNL) waiver provisions of GSP. These preference programs have been a centerpiece of U.S. efforts to spread the benefits of globalization to the world's poor and developing countries. They have created tens of thousands of jobs--jobs that are likely to be lost to countries like China if the programs are not renewed--and have created critical economic opportunities for workers and businesses in the United States. These programs have also fostered key U.S. foreign policy goals, including U.S. counternarcotic efforts, and empowered the agents of democracy and reform abroad. Extension beyond 2010 would have been ideal to provide the necessary predictability and stability for the Andean, Caribbean, and GSP programs. However, I have included the shorter extension in this bill to accommodate the range of opinions on the issue of renewal. In the coming days, I will work with my colleagues to harness the strong bipartisan support that I believe exists to extend and improve these critical trade preference programs. Finally, a 2-year renewal of these programs at this time should send a clear signal to negotiators in the World Trade Organization Doha Round negotiations that the U.S. commitment to trade and development remains unwavering and substantial. This element of the Round is fundamental, even as the United States presses for key goals in agriculture, far reaching commitments on tariff and non-tariff barriers with respect to manufactured goods, services and strong outcomes in other areas, including the so-called Rules negotiations.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my full support for H. Con. Res. 283, the calling for a peaceful resolution to the current electoral crisis in Kenya. I applaud the people of Kenya for pursuing their right to democracy. Democracy is a fundamental right to be shared by all. Voting is at the core of a democratic society and conveys the will of the people. I encourage the Kenyan government to work diligently and quickly to restore order to their nation. Violence should not be used as a means by which to achieve political objectives. After the devastating bombing of the U.S. embassies in 1998, Kenya became a crucial ally in the global war against terrorism. Thus, the welfare and stability of the Kenyan people is of concern to the United States. I am hopeful the leadership and strength that prevailed during that crisis will rise and put an end to the current devastating violence. I encourage the Kenyan leaders on all sides to welcome the U.N. human rights teams to investigate the violent acts that have destroyed the confidence of the citizens of Kenya. In doing so, the government can slowly start to rebuild the trust of its citizens. Therefore, I urge Kenyan officials to do everything humanly possible to end the unprecedented bloodshed and violence. It is unsettling to hear that over 1,000 people have lost their lives and more than 300,000 have been displaced. Kenya was hailed as a great example of democracy for other African nations to emulate. I look forward to the day when Kenya returns to its pursuit of democracy. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I applaud the Kenyan people for standing up for democracy and their right to a democratic government.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in reverent celebration of the birthday of Robert Nesta Marley, a man whose musical genius provided the soundtrack to the politically awakening times of the '60s and '70s. Through song, he attempted to forge a new world order, infusing his calls for nonviolence, unity, and faith with an enthralling reggae beat that propelled the sound of Jamaica internationally. On this day, the anniversary of his birth, the world rejoices in the myriad contributions his unique voice made to reggae music, to Rastafarian religion, to social justice and peace. He serves, still, as an ambassador for the Jamaican essence, personifying through his undying image and legacy the diverse people of that island and its rich culture. His sound sprung from the slums of Kingston. But--surrounded by economic devastation, political violence, and the intolerance of his mixed-race heritage--he clung to optimism, instead. The sanguine anthems of ``One Love'' and ``No Woman, No Cry'' gave voice to the oppression of poverty and its effect on the human spirit, captivating a generation and spanning the globe in its power and scope. For this, we honor him--stirred, touched, inspired by his cause.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to place in the Congressional Record and allow two editorials, the Feb. 5 New York Post piece ``They Shocked the World'' and the Daily News' ``Land of the Giants,'' to speak to the inarguable superiority of New York's football team, the Giants. In what has become one of the greatest upsets ever, the underdog Giants ended the New England Patriots' hopes for a perfect season and brought the title home to the Big Apple and New Jersey. The tenacity of this championship team carried it over the finish line--from the steady leadership of its most valuable player, Eli Manning, and head coach, Tom Coughlin, to the late-breaking plays from wide receivers David Tyree and Plaxico Burress. The 17-14 nail biter was a match of wills and mettle, and the people of New York are proud that their team came out on top. Congratulations are in order for the New York Giants, and its supporters, in its win of Super Bowl XLII. They Shocked The World Everyone knew that Super Bowl XLII was going to make history. Either the world would witness the coronation of Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots as masters of a once-in-a-generation perfect season . . . or it would see one of the greatest football upsets ever. But no one could possibly have foreseen that the Eli Manning-led New York Giants would pull off that upset with one of the most iconic performances in Super Bowl history: two fourth-quarter touchdown drives, including one to take a final lead with mere seconds remaining. The team is being honored this morning with a much-deserved parade through New York's Canyon of Heroes, from Battery Park to City Hall. Theirs was a performance, indeed, that could shape the game for years to come--if New York's already proud football history is any indication. Take the 1958 NFL championship at Yankee Stadium--``the greatest game ever played''--where legendary quarterback Johnny Unitas' own late-game heroics led the Baltimore Colts to a thrilling overtime victory over the Giants. It was a devastating loss for New Yorkers, but a huge blessing to the sport. Football caught the nation's imagination as never before, and the country soon discovered that its even pace, regular breaks and hard-hitting action made the game perfectly suited for the television era. Within two years, the NFL boasted two new teams, and the newly formed American Football League (the leagues decided to merge in 1966) added eight more. New York got its revenge in 1969, anyway, when ``Broadway Joe'' Namath famously guaranteed--and delivered--victory for his (AFL) Jets over the heavily favored Colts in Super Bowl

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, today I rise on behalf of the New York Delegation to congratulate the champions of the football world, the New York Giants. They successfully defeated the perfect New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII in one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history in Glendale, Arizona on February 3, 2008. New Yorkers were first introduced to professional football and the New York Football Giants in my congressional district, sharing their games with the city's baseball Giants in the Polo Grounds. From those magnificent days on 155th Street and 8th Avenue until today, the Giants have always brought us memorable games. Deep-routed enthusiasts remember the famed Sneaker Game when the team, playing in 9 degree weather, switched to basketball shoes to increase traction in the icy turf Frankfurt Yellowjackets in 1925. They recall how the G-men sailed to Super Bowl victory in 1986 under the powerful running game of Joe Morris, the pressure of Lawrence Taylor and near-perfection of quarterback Phil Simms. Football fans everywhere will also recall how the Giants won their second Super Bowl in a dramatic 20-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills. In Super Bowl XLII, the Giants have once again provided fans with another dramatic victory. This time it was against arguably one of the greatest offenses that the game has seen, an undefeated veteran team who was widely expected to win their fourth championship of the decade. Yet the Giants remained resilient. Just like they overcame an early 0-2 start to their season, they overcame early mistakes to keep it close. And then when it mattered the most, they came up with a perfect answer for the perfect Patriots: a frantic 12-play, 83-yard drive, led by quarterback Eli Manning, that featured a dazzling leaping catch by David Tyree and key plays by running back Brandon Jacobs, as well as receivers Steve Smith and Plaxico Burress. Because of their team effort, the Giants now become the first NFC wild card team to win a Super Bowl. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the entire team who placed with such valor and heart. Especially to the recipient of the Most Valuable Player Award, quarterback Eli Manning who has shown tremendous growth and has matched the successes of his brother, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Paton Manning. I also salute the co-owners, the Mara and Tisch families and their coaches--Head Coach Tom Coughlin, Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride, Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Special Teams Coordinator Tom Quinn, and the rest of the coaching staff for their commitment, expertise and leadership. Coughlin, a highly successful head coach at Boston College and with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and a former Giants assistant, was hired as the 16th head coach in Giants history. This victory is Coughlin's first appearance in a Super Bowl as a head coach. History will always have a special place for Coughlin's New York Football Giants. They are truly an inspirational team whose victory will live forever in Super Bowl lore.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Robert M. Ball, a great man who lived a life dedicated to serving the American people. Mr. Ball passed away last week at the age of 93, but we will forever be indebted to the legacy he leaves for us through his lifetime of commitment to the social insurance programs of Social Security and Medicare that allow us to provide for the elderly and people with disabilities and their families. Madam Speaker, I join my colleagues in extending my condolences to the Ball family, his wife Doris, his children Jonathan and Jacqueline, and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Born in Harlem and raised in Boston and New Jersey, Mr. Ball was the youngest in a family led by Methodist ministers who taught him the social gospel. He was educated at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, where he received a master's in labor economics. Even as a teenaged boy, Mr. Ball felt a calling to contribute to something greater than himself. As his biographer Professor Daniel Berkowitz wrote in Robert Ball and the Politics of Social Security, Mr. Ball indicated that he wanted to become a ``person of consequence.'' Considering his contributions to Social Security and Medicare, he certainly lived up to his hopes for himself. After taking a Federal civil service exam, Mr. Ball was called up to work for the newly forming Social Security Board as a field assistant in Newark, New Jersey in 1939. He joined Social Security and immediately understood that Social Security was a contract between generations that ensured that today's workers would provide for today's retired seniors so that they may avoid the indignities of abject poverty. He saw his job in support of this new social insurance program as part of something greater. Mr. Ball helped build Social Security from the ground up. As a field assistant in Newark, he was bringing workers into the program, spreading the news about the value of social insurance several years before the first benefit was even paid in 1942. His next position in the new Social Security headquarters in Baltimore allowed him to fully engage with his primary interests: the philosophy of the program, the legislative agenda, and where the whole program was going. Mr. Ball grew to know the program intimately. He developed a deep technical expertise in Social Security, and he also grew to know Congress and how it works. He was soon able to provide legislators with what they needed to govern and oversee the Social Security programs responsibly and effectively. Mr. Ball became so familiar with the work of the Committee on Ways and Means, that he was seen by Members as an extension of their congressional staff. Mr. Ball's career is intertwined with the history of Social Security and he played a key role in every major policy development. He was the architect of the 1950 amendments, which raised benefits and expanded coverage to more Americans. He helped implement the disability insurance program beginning in 1956. He orchestrated the developments that produced the 1972 amendments that linked benefits to inflation, ensuring that Social Security would never fail to meet basic needs. In what was seen as a natural assumption, he was appointed by President John F. Kennedy as Commissioner in 1962, a post in which he diligently served longer than anyone else prior or since. He is regarded by many as the father of Medicare, as he shepherded the Federal Government through the development and implementation of that program. In 1987, Yale School of Management Professor Ted Marmor, who began his career as an intern under Mr. Ball's superiors, wrote this description of Robert Ball. I think it captures the quiet and competent strength of the man quite well: Ball, six feet one inch, is a white-haired, broad- shouldered man whose gravity is lightened by a readily available twinkle and chuckle. He wears black-rimmed, prominent glasses that he takes on and off when shifting from speaking to reading. His expression is frequently softened by his easy smile and firm but unaggressive manner. At meetings he leans forward intently in his seat and, with a formalism that seems now a little old-fashioned, begins to speak in a manner instilled by years of testifying before Congress: `Mr. Chairman, let me begin by stating that I am in full agreement with the general thrust of Mr. X's remarks. But I would like, if I may, to bring up three somewhat technical points about social security. . . .' Ball could have posed for pictures of executive presence in Fortune during the 1950s and 1960s. But in Bob Ball's case, the imagery captures much of the man, not a myth. Ball did indeed come to stand for the SSA and its reputation for honest, competent, reliable service to Americans, who were regarded as clients, not supplicants. Even after retirement as Commissioner in 1973, Mr. Ball was often relied upon by policymakers and Presidents as a key advisor on Social Security and Medicare. An aide to President Jimmy Carter deemed him to be one of the ``high priests of Social Security.'' When the financing arrangements for Social Security needed to be reformed, he was appointed by President Reagan to a commission to recommend a plan of action to ensure the program's long-term fiscal health. In that role, Mr. Ball unexpectedly salvaged negotiations that had been stymied by partisan bickering and produced the deal that saved Social Security in 1983. As the Founding Chair of the National Academy of Social Insurance, Mr. Ball helped create in 1986 what has grown to be an organization of over 800 policy experts dedicated to helping Americans better understand the role that social insurance programs play in our lives through research, leadership development programs, and forums for exchange of ideas for issues in the field. Well into his retirement, Mr. Ball continued to defend Social Security from ideological challenges such as efforts to privatize the system and undermine the very purpose of social insurance. Last fall, he reminded us in a piece in the New York Times that without Social Security as designed, 13 million more seniors, one million more children, and 55 percent of people with disabilities would live in poverty today. As a chief architect of the 1983 reforms, and someone who knew the program from the inside out, he also reminded us that the prescription for Social Security's long-term fiscal health should not result in further reductions in benefits, which are already declining in value primarily because of the increasing cost of health care and Medicare premiums. In that October piece in the New York Times, he wrote that ``Social Security is the nation's most effective anti-poverty program. But it's much more than that. For every worker it provides a solid base on which to try to build an adequate level of retirement income. To weaken that foundation would he grossly irresponsible.'' I will certainly heed his advice. Policymakers who ignore him do so at their own peril, because when it comes to Social Security, Robert Ball knew what he was talking about.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it shall be in order at any time to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 5140) to provide economic stimulus through recovery rebates to individuals, incentives for business investment, and an increase in conforming and FHA loan limits, with a Senate amendment thereto, and to consider in the House, without intervention of any point of order, a motion offered by the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means or his designee that the House concur in the Senate amendment; the Senate amendment and the motion shall be considered as read; the motion shall be debatable for 40 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means; and the previous question shall be considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption without intervening motion.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the previous order of the House, I call up H.R. 5140 and the Senate amendment thereto.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may utilize. Madam Speaker, I have asked the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation to make available to the public a technical explanation of the tax divisions of H.R. 5140. The technical explanation expresses the committee's understanding and the legislative intent behind this important legislation. This explanation document, JCX-16-08, is currently available on the joint committee's Web site. Madam Speaker, first and foremost, I want to extend my deep appreciation for Speaker Pelosi, for her leadership and commitment to a bipartisan spirit, and to the minority leader, Mr. Boehner, for his hard work and the cooperation as we move toward this truly critical legislation. In addition, I want to thank my friend, Hank Paulson, for working to broker a compromise between the Congress and an administration that not before had indicated the depth of cooperation that the Secretary of the Treasury invoked. Finally, I would like to thank the Senate leadership for recognizing the urgency of this relief and finally getting to work to ensure its quick passage today, enabling the House to pass the Senate amendment and delivering it to the President's desk. I also would like to thank Mr. McCrery, who made it easy for us to work with our leadership in the House to cooperate with the administration to make certain that our mission to speedily pass the stimulus bill was done and sent over to the Senate. I also want to point out that they should give us all, in our country, and indeed in this House, an opportunity to see that we are not sending these hundreds of billions of dollars in rebate dollars to the people that need it out of compassion. We are not sending it to them because we think it's right that they should put a roof over their heads or clothing on their backs or provide food on the table. We are doing it because, once again, we want to stimulate the economy, and therefore, it means that we want goods and services to be purchased. We do this and we support this effort because the economists say it's the right thing to do and we do it because these are the people, middle-class people, lower income people, hardworking people, disabled veterans, we do it because it's the right thing to do. But, Madam Speaker, my colleagues in the House, I hope when this recession is over, and it will be over, that we'll take a good look at the people that we are talking about today, and we should be able to say that there is something wrong with this picture and there is something wrong when we can find millions of people unable to provide the basic goods and services they need and, at the same time, find that those who are most affluent are not even disturbed by the recession that we find ourselves in today. And so we should be pleased that the Congress is doing the right thing. But we also should also remember that it is not with a lot of dignity and pride that people receive this assistance. They receive it because, as the economists and elitists said, they're going to spend this money because they have to spend this money. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my good friend from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kanjorski).

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the chairman of the Finance Committee who, under the leadership of our Speaker, provided the guidance to all of us in the committee to be ready for this occasion if, in fact, we had to. We do have to, we were ready, and I'm proud to be his colleague, Mr. Frank, for 3 minutes.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I am certain that all of us feel the same sense of pride in that Speaker Pelosi has responded to a national need, and not only did it by reaching out to the minority leader, but created an atmosphere in this House of Representatives so that we all could respect our dignity and the differences that we have with the other body. Our staffs, our committee has worked together in such a way that at the end of the day we knew that we would be able to say that it was the House of Representatives that sent the bill over there. And so I would like to yield 1 minute to our distinguished Speaker, Nancy Pelosi.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Donnelly) for 2 minutes, who last week introduced H.R. 5172 to assure that 127 million Americans, senior Americans, receive this relief.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz).

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott) for 1 minute.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I cannot think of any higher way of expressing the hopeful bipartisanship in the House of Representatives than expressed by my friend, Minority Leader Boehner. General Leave

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5140.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I ask for an ``aye'' vote on this piece of legislation before the House, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I have asked the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation to make available to the public a technical explanation of the provisions of H.R. 5140. The technical explanation expresses the committee's understanding and legislative intent behind this important legislation. This explanation, document JCX-5-08, is currently available on the Joint Committee's Web site. Mr. Speaker, I'll reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, as we move forward to pass this historic piece of legislation that has been requested of us, I am, indeed, honored to yield 1 minute to our Speaker, who, on December 9, called us together to decide what we should be doing if, indeed, the economy was moving the way it has. Not only did she bring us together, but she brought Republicans and Democrats together in dealing with the administration in a way that some of us never thought was possible. It's a great honor for me to support and yield 1 minute to our distinguished Speaker.