Cedric Richmond

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. Thank you, Mr. Boustany. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to welcome the newest member of the Louisiana delegation, the Representative of Louisiana's Fifth Congressional District, to Washington, D.C., and to this distinguished body. There is no doubt in my mind that he will be a welcome addition. While he has never served in or held elective office, Mr. McAllister brings with him the value of the many experiences and accomplishments he has attained through his lifetime. Like Mr. Boustany said, he is a veteran, a successful businessman, and a devoted family man. He has committed himself to addressing the needs of the people of Louisiana and finding commonsense solutions to the problems that plague the Nation. One thing that I have come to know as a Member who represents Louisiana is that, historically, we have not had the luxury of being partisan because of the many needs of our State. With that, Mr. Speaker, I congratulate our newest Member of the House and welcome him.

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Black Men of Labor as they celebrate 20 years of service in preserving art and culture in the city of New Orleans. The Black Men of Labor was established in 1993 by musicians Fred J. Johnson Jr., Benny Jones Sr., and Gregory Stafford. For the past twenty years, they have honored the contributions of African American men in the work place while promoting and preserving traditional jazz music. Rooted in the historic neighborhood of Treme, America's oldest African American community, these men celebrate their West African heritage with yearly parades throughout the streets of New Orleans. I want to commend the Black Men of Labor for their commitment to preserving the living, breathing birthright of the city of New Orleans, jazz music. Through our triumphs and tragedies, it is our rich legacy in the arts that keeps us grounded as a community. Organizations like the Black Men of Labor are at the core of this commitment. On Sunday, October 20th, the streets once again came alive to the sound of music as the Black Men of Labor celebrated their 20th anniversary. I want to join the New Orleans community in celebrating their contributions. In 1987, the United States Congress designated jazz as a rare and valuable national treasure to which we should devote our attention, support, and resources to make sure it is preserved, understood and promulgated. Today, I echo that sentiment and applaud these men for their dedication to empowering their communities through music and the arts.

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Reginald ``Reggie'' Lawson, Sr., a New Orleans resident who exemplified the true value of citizenship and worked every day to improve his community. Mr. Lawson recently passed away after a battle with cancer. While today I am saddened by his passing, I wish to pay tribute to Mr. Lawson and the inspiration he provided to all those who desire to improve their own corner of the world. Mr. Lawson grew up in a single-parent household in public housing. He graduated from St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, where he played football and sang in the Glee Club, and was a proud Purple Knight alumnus. After studying at LSUNO and Straight Business School, he became a realtor in 1963. He remained in that trade for the rest of his life and developed a passion for helping those shut out of home ownership. In 1993, an important event for both Mr. Lawson and the St. Roch neighborhood occurred: Mr. Lawson moved to a house across the street from St. Roch Park. His love for the neighborhood and his desire to improve it led him to found the Faubourg St. Roch Improvement Association in 1995. His hard work and determination made him a key figure and leading force in the drive to improve St. Roch. Mr. Lawson's effect on the neighborhood can be seen in a wide variety of areas, including the physical improvements to the park, the development of youth sports teams, and the sponsorship of health and housing fairs by the Faubourg St. Roch Improvement Association. However, the best evidence of the great and positive influence he had comes from the testimony of those whose lives he touched. He was known throughout the city as ``the face of St. Roch.'' His hard work and dedication were widely noted and he served as an example of the good that a responsible member of a community can have on the lives of those around them. I want to join his family, the people of the St. Roch neighborhood, and the city of New Orleans in celebrating the life of an exceptional citizen.

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lake Forest Charter Elementary School, an outstanding school from my district, for being selected as a 2013 National Blue Ribbon School. Lake Forest Charter is a special school in a special city. After the 2005 disasters of Hurricane Katrina and the levee failures left the school and the area devastated, current CEO Mardele Early, dedicated teachers, and devoted families banded together to rebuild and reopen the school. That effort illustrates vividly the commitment of the faculty and staff and the level of parental involvement that are the foundation of Lake Forest's success. Lake Forest Charter's Blue Ribbon Schools selection is in the ``Exemplary High Performing'' category. This award is given to some of the highest performing schools across the nation, and I am proud that Lake Forest is receiving national recognition for the outstanding education it provides to local school children. With more than 80 percent of its students qualifying for free or reduced lunches, Lake Forest Charter has consistently been one of the top schools in Louisiana. It is one of only two schools in the state that are National Title I Distinguished Schools for Exceptional Performance and repeatedly has had every one of its 4th and 8th graders pass the required statewide tests. Every child in this nation deserves a quality education and it is schools like Lake Forest Charter Elementary School that bring us closer to making that a reality. I commend the faculty, staff, parents, and students for all their hard work and congratulate them on this prestigious award.

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Chairman, let me start with congratulating both the chairman of the committee and the ranking member for including commonsense reforms in this WRRDA bill of this Congress; and with those commonsense reforms, I have just one to add. Right now, when the Corps of Engineers does their cost-benefit analysis, they only look at the brick and mortar of the property that they are looking to protect. Well, that just doesn't make sense when we are talking about things that affect our economy. For example, you can't just look at the bricks and mortars of the Port of New York. The Port of New York pays about $3.7 billion in taxes to the Federal Government every year. So if you only looked at the cost of the port, to rebuild the Port of New York, you would certainly miss the billions and billions of dollars' worth of impact. There is an example in Louisiana where the port is thinking about building a levee. It includes not only the port, but it also includes our refineries, where we know that if those residents are forced to evacuate, like in Isaac, the cost of gas went up 7 cents around the country for 5 days. So you can't just look at the cost of those homes, when we know that that keeps the price of gas down and would affect the national economy. So this is just one more of those commonsense reforms, Mr. Chairman; and I would hope that we look at this and make sure that everyone who has a port understands that the value of the port is not in the bricks and mortar, but in the goods and services that come through in the commodities. With that, Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my colleague from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise).

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Chairman, also what we included in here, which I think is very important, and all of my colleagues should understand, is that when the Corps right now would evaluate a farm, they would just look at rebuilding the farmhouse, as opposed to the fact that you have millions and millions or hundreds of acres that produce goods every day for the Nation. So we don't want the Corps to just look at brick and mortar when, for example, you may have an interstate smack dab in the area that they are thinking about protecting, and that interstate may be an evacuation route. It may be Interstate 10, which our goods and services come down. All we are saying is that the Corps should use common sense when they do their cost-benefit analysis and not just look at bricks and mortar because, to do a true economic impact or a cost-benefit analysis, you have to get into the complexities of what the building, what the area has to offer. So we would say that our refineries, our Port of South Louisiana, our Port of New Orleans are those types of things that you absolutely must protect, and you have to factor in the fact that they send billions and billions of dollars to the Federal Government every year in taxes. So we would not just lose the bricks and mortar, but the Federal Government would lose billions and billions of dollars. And we are saying to the Corps of Engineers that they should take that into account when they are doing their cost-benefit analysis. With that, Mr. Chairman, I would just urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Myke Reid for his distinguished service and commemorate his retirement from the American Postal Workers Union (APWU). From the beginning of his postal career as a clerk in 1976, through serving as the Legislative Director of the APWO since 2004, Mr. Reid has tirelessly fought for and proudly represented our Nation's postal workers. Since arriving in Washington, DC in 1984, Mr. Reid played a major role in shaping important legislation and worked tirelessly as a strong and effective advocate for postal workers across the country. As first the Assistant Legislative Director of the APWU, then the Legislative Director, he played a key role in the development and passage of many bills that made life better for people everywhere. His accomplishments can be seen in the bills he fought for, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, reform of the Hatch Act, and the Postal Employees Safety Enhancement Act. His career was dedicated to serving our nation's postal workers and strengthening our nation's postal system. Mr. Reid's accomplishments and dedication to serving others extended far beyond the halls of Congress and the legislative arena. While working, he remained very involved and active in his community. His energy and enthusiasm also carried into his love of golf and photography. He also was a great fan of jazz music and the great New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in congratulating Myke Reid on his retirement and commending him for his years of service to our nation's postal workers.

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague from Louisiana, Representative Scalise, and our leader, Leader Pelosi, in recognizing such a great and remarkable woman. It is with a heavy heart that I rise to recognize the loss of a true legend in Louisiana, Ambassador and former Representative Lindsay Boggs. She was the perfect example of leadership--never afraid to fight for justice and to demand equality. She took the responsibility of service seriously, addressing the plight of everyday people, and the State of Louisiana and our Nation are better for it. She was a first-class woman who enjoyed numerous firsts and was an effective legislator. She loved this body, earning the respect of her colleagues on both sides of the aisle, which is exemplified here today through Congressman Scalise and me, and she loved her family--a role model for all of us. During Women's History Month this year, we were able to recognize former Ambassador Boggs on her 97th birthday with a tribute, which was led by our leader, Leader Pelosi. Mr. Speaker, after words from Leader Pelosi, I would just ask that we have a moment of silence in recognition of the great contribution and sacrifice of a true, remarkable Louisiana citizen who, I think, displayed what was best of the best in Louisiana.

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in strong opposition to the farm bill rule and the underlying bill because it's sinful, it increases poverty in America, and it takes the food off the table of American families.

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Chairman, I rise to support my colleague from Louisiana's amendment. Not to belabor the point, but just in the last 11 months, mitigation costs in the New Orleans district for the Corps of Engineers and projects related to this have increased right at $11 million. It affects all types of projects, and I'll just give you a few examples: One is a pipeline because we're responding to an increased need for natural gas transportation as our Louisiana oil refineries expand. One is a grocery store that provides fresh food, especially in our food deserts. Another one is the expansion of a 100-acre commercial park in St. Tammany Parish to create jobs and new office space. The last is a St. Tammany Parish drainage project, which would help Louisiana with its flood protection and protect our community. So this is a matter that is of vital importance. We are not diminishing the need for mitigation or underestimating its importance. What we are trying to say is that it should be reasonable and that the method that we had before we moved to the Modified Charleston Method was a good method, but we need to make sure that the Modified Charleston does not hamper our growth in Louisiana and prohibit us from protecting our citizens and our residents from future damage caused by storms or prohibit us from prospering from economic development at the same time. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RICHMOND. I move to strike the last word.

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Chairman, I would urge everyone to support the bipartisan amendment that's being offered by my colleague, Mr. Scalise, from Louisiana. And just in response to the last comment about reducing the budget and getting our fiscal house in order, there are two ways to do it, and one way to do that is to make wise investments that give you a return on your dollar. This investment, alone, would secure the coastal area of Louisiana, which would prevent the Federal Government from spending money in future years because of effects of hurricanes or surge or coastal erosion. The dollar we spend today, I'm sure, and I feel very comfortable in saying, we will recoup multiple dollars because of that. If you just look at Louisiana and what we've contributed to the Nation's economy and to the Federal Government since 1950-2006, the Federal Government, the Federal Treasury has received over $150 billion from Louisiana. And we do that in a number of ways. But if you think about Louisiana, you think about the coast that we're talking about. We're talking about 33 percent of the Nation's seafood comes from the coast of Louisiana. We're talking about almost a quarter of the Nation's domestic energy, and you look at it's home to the country's largest port system. So when we talk about what we're protecting and the $2 million that we would spend today and the amount of money that we would recoup, I would just say that it's probably the prudent thing to do is to spend this money so that we can continue to protect Louisiana and the investment it makes in the country so that we continue to do it. And I would also add that the bipartisan amendment simply builds on President Obama's 2014 budget request, and the administration called this a high-priority construction project. So I would just urge everyone to support this bipartisan amendment and to look at it not as just spending or construction, but as truly an investment in the future of the country in terms of making sure that our energy production, our seafood, that the people in south Louisiana continue to have comfort and some protection. And I would just tell you that either we spend it today or we're going to spend it tomorrow in an exponential number, because restoring the coast of Louisiana is a national priority and it's a national need. And if you look at the coast of Louisiana, every hour we still lose a football field of land, and at some point, we're going to pay for it. My preference would be to pay for it when we're not spending as much. So it's almost like that leaking roof. You can pay for it now and just replace some shingles, or you can wait a couple of years and replace not only the shingles, but the roof, the ceiling, the carpet, and the electrical. So, at some point, it's your choice. And I would just urge us to support this amendment, and let's spend the money now while we can get a great return on our investment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. I move to strike the last word.

Mr. RICHMOND. I stand in support of my colleague from Ohio. Part of being a legislator and part of having the responsibility of being elected to this body and representing people back home is you have the use of the tools that are in front of you to accomplish the goals that you need to accomplish. As we stress regular order and as we talk about the Judiciary Committee, right now, today--right here on the floor of this House--we have the ability as Congressmen to make a difference for a family whose hero was killed. We know who the perpetrator is, and nothing is being done about it. So I share in my colleague's frustration, and I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan).

Mr. RICHMOND. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. RICHMOND. Back home, I've talked to thousands of my constituents and had thousands of my constituents talk back to me, scream back to me, and cry in my arms because of the impact of this legislation. Right now what they're facing is a double whammy when it comes to flood insurance. They face the likelihood of higher rates and incorrect flood maps. FEMA has drafted new maps that completely ignore the facts on the ground. The maps disregard nonstructural features, like marshland and forest and our investment into restoring our coast. It also ignores the investment and sacrifices by locals to build their own levees. These communities are investing in their own safety, in their own security, and FEMA should recognize that. In many of these communities, like the west side of St. Charles Parish, the levees are more than 100 years old, and many of these communities have not flooded in 100 years. If that's not 100-year flood protection, I don't know what is. You see, for too long, the National Flood Insurance Program wasn't on stable footing. Since the last long-term authorization expired in 2008, we had to pass nine short-term extensions. During that time, the program lapsed five times. The last time, in June of 2010, approximately 47,000 home sales were delayed or canceled. Due to the leadership of my colleague, Representative Waters, last July we passed the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act. The bill put the program on stable footing for 5 years, but the rate increases FEMA has quoted are astronomical and unintended. Homeowners who played by the rules and built their homes according to the guidelines in place are being told that their insurance is going to go up hundreds of percent. What is even more shocking is that many of these homes have never flooded. For instance, a homeowner in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, who was paying $338 per year for flood insurance will now have to pay $23,000 per year with new maps. Another homeowner in the same town will go from $365 to $28,000 per year. If this stands, people will be forced to give up their homes, burdening the banks and killing the real estate markets. We cannot, in good conscience, stand here and let this law force people to give up their homes, to give up on the American Dream and destroy hardworking, taxpaying citizens. these taxpayers depended on and followed the rules and lost. We cannot turn our backs on them. I have a bill that will fix much of this without a score, and I'm proud that Representative Waters and the entire Louisiana delegation have signed on. The homebuilders and the Realtors support this amendment and my bill. This amendment would give homeowners immediate relief. Therefore, I urge you to join me in supporting this amendment so that we can fix these issues while keeping the National Flood Insurance Program on sure footing and make sure that we don't leave hardworking families across the Nation on their own. Because, as we come here and do things in theory, a lot of times we miss what happens in reality and what's on the ground; and if the we don't change this law, reality is going to set in and people are going to lose their homes. They won't be able to sell them, and we will create another disaster of national proportion with unintended consequences that we never tried to do. I ask that we support my colleague in this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Chairman, we've heard talk about if we believe in regular order. Some of us believe in regular order--most of us believe in regular order--but I think everybody in this body believes in homeownership, and the fact that it's your biggest, safest investment; you pass it down generation to generation. And those people who work, sacrifice, save money to buy a home--we ought not change the rules in the middle of the game with a system that's dysfunctional, it doesn't work. But at the same time, we say that we value the sanctity of homeownership and the American Dream. So what we're asking here today is that we just back up a little bit. Because part of what leadership does is that sometimes you make a decision that has consequences that weren't foreseen or that are not ready to be implemented. But the true sign of leadership is that you back up and say, let's get it right, not let's do it just for the sake of doing it because we were already going down that road--when it's the wrong road. The biggest question is: What message are we going to send to those people in New York, Louisiana, and all of those red dots on the map that Representative Cassidy had, what message are we sending to them? Yes, you saved to buy a home. Yes, you pay your insurance. But now we're going to raise your insurance so high you can't afford that home anymore. What are they to do, walk away from the home? Now it's on the banks, now it's on the community. We have more blighted property. That's not what we should do as a body representing the people, representing our constituents. I would just say that it's not wrong, it's not unusual, and it's a strong sign of leadership to say, hey, we may have gotten this one wrong. Let's review it. Let's make sure we're being fair. And let's make sure that we protect the American Dream as Congress people. So that's all I'm asking. With that, Mr. Chairman, I would just re-urge my colleagues to support the amendment.

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, as a resident of Louisiana, the sportsman's paradise, I'm a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. However, I do not subscribe to the belief that Congress has no role in responding to the gun violence epidemic plaguing communities like New Orleans, Chicago, and Detroit. According to the FBI, 1,464 people were killed by a firearm in New Orleans between 2008 and 2011. That's 1,464 families who will never see their loved ones again. We can't afford to do nothing. We can no longer be the do-nothing Congress. We have a moral obligation to reduce the broad epidemic of gun violence in this country. So I urge my colleagues in Congress to join with me in standing with the victims and families of gun violence to approve legislation that invests in our mental health system, institute more rigorous background checks, and place a ban on assault rifles and high-capacity magazines. Even incremental progress means fewer heart-broken families. I don't want to see another child fall victim to our selfish efforts to preserve what obviously needs to change. I would remind my colleagues that the life we save may be our own.

Mr. RICHMOND

Mr. RICHMOND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the continued achievements of Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, a leader in the Louisiana community. I congratulate Justice Johnson on her pending investiture as Chief Justice of Louisiana's Supreme Court, on which she has served with distinction for nearly two decades. As the most-tenured member of Louisiana's highest court, Bernette Joshua Johnson will continue her legacy of excellence as the state's first African American Chief Justice. Her investiture is an important one for her career as a civil servant, for the state of Louisiana, and for the United States. Before her service on Louisiana's Supreme Court, Justice Johnson began her career as the first woman to be elected to the Civil District Court of New Orleans and was elected Chief Judge soon after. A cornerstone of her career has always been advocacy for civil rights and social justice. During the Civil Rights Movement, she worked as a community organizer with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Legal Defense & Educational Fund. She also worked as a legal intern with the Civil Rights Division at the US Department of Justice, here in Washington, D.C. where she worked on cases filed by the Department to implement the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson has received numerous honors and awards throughout her career, including the Louisiana Bar Foundation's 2009 Distinguished Jurist Award, the American Bar Association's Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, and the 2000 Medal of Honor presented by the Mayor of the City of New Orleans. In addition, she has spoken at universities and government agencies all over Louisiana and throughout the south. Justice Johnson is a prolific writer having published editorials, essays, and legal opinions since the beginning of her legal career. Justice Johnson is a community advocate, an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and the proud mother of two. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, and in 2001 was honored with an Honorary Doctorate in Law from her alma mater. She was one of the first African American women to attend the Law School at Louisiana State University where she received her Juris Doctorate in 1969. She has since been inducted into the LSU Law School Hall of Fame. Justice Johnson's achievements are a testament to her commitment to public service. She is an excellent example of the value of hard work and perseverance in the face of adversity. I wish to congratulate Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson on her investiture as the Louisiana Supreme Court's first African American Chief Justice.