Bobby Scott

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 50th anniversary of New Hope Baptist Church in Hampton, Virginia. New Hope Baptist Church began as New Hope Mission in 1967. Former members of New Emmanuel Baptist Church in Newport News, Virginia felt compelled to establish their own place of worship, and they began to meet and cultivate their fellowship. The group originally began meeting in a store on North Avenue and later at Carver High School, both in Newport News. Reverend C.B. Potts served as the mission's spiritual leader during this time. The mission officially became New Hope Baptist Church in October of 1967. Reverend C.B. Potts oversaw the church's move into their first building on April 10, 1969. With more space, proper furnishings, and a growing community presence, the church soon experienced an increase in membership and the creation of their first choir. Pastor G.I. Melton, installed as pastor in 1970, provided guidance and direction throughout this period. Under his leadership, the church saw over 100 new members and the creation of the Children's Church Ministry and Transportation Ministry. This growth continued over the years, and under the leadership of Pastor Melton the congregation broke ground on a new sanctuary in 1980. The construction of New Hope Baptist Church's new sanctuary was completed in August of 1981, two months after the death of Pastor Melton. Today, New Hope Baptist Church has grown beyond any of its founders' expectations. Members of New Hope Baptist Church have seen the expansion of the church through membership and the creation of many ministries such as the Women's Fellowship, Men's Fellowship, Evangelism Team, Seniors' Ministry, Tutorial Ministry, and many more. In January 1995, Rev. Dr. Christopher C. Carter, Sr. was installed as Pastor. In 2004, Pastor Carter led the congregation as they broke ground on a 12,000 square foot facility located in Hampton, Virginia, where they worship today. Over the years, the congregation of New Hope Baptist Church has been dutifully led in prayer and service by the following men of faith--Rev. C.B. Potts, Rev. W.W. Butler, Rev. G.I. Melton, Rev. Dr. Ivan Harris, Rev. Virgil Newkirk, and Rev Dr. Christopher C. Carter, Sr. Mr. Speaker, as New Hope Baptist Church celebrates its 50th anniversary, the church's congregation can look back on its history with pride. I would like to congratulate Pastor Carter and the entire New Hope Baptist Church community on this special occasion. I wish the church another 50 years of growth and fellowship.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I also want to thank her for her leadership in organizing this Special Order and for her leadership of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caucus. HBCUs provide a great value to America, and I am honored to represent a congressional district that is home to two HBCUs: Hampton University, which celebrates its 150th anniversary next year, and Norfolk State University. Since their inception, HBCUs have been the cornerstone of postsecondary education for the African-American community. This was true 150 years ago and remains true today. HBCUs account for no more than 3 percent of all colleges and universities, yet they enroll almost 10 percent of all African-American undergraduate students and produce about 15 percent of all bachelor's degrees earned by African Americans. They also produce 25 percent of African-American STEM graduates and 33 percent of African-American science and engineering Ph.D.'s. Approximately half of all African-American teachers graduated from HBCUs. Many of them choose to teach in high-minority, low-income school districts where they serve as role models for their communities. As ranking member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, I know the prominent role that HBCUs play in our higher education landscape. I believe that strengthening and supporting them must be a key priority as Congress looks ahead to taking action on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. However, it does not appear that the majority shares that belief. The Committee on Education and the Workforce meets tomorrow morning at 10 to mark up H.R. 4508, a partisan rewrite of the Higher Education Act that was drafted in secret, introduced less than 2 weeks ago, and is now being considered in committee without a single hearing on the bill. Mr. Speaker, HBCUs, those who lead them, those who support them, and those who hope their children might one day attend them, should be gravely concerned with H.R. 4508. This is a bad deal for students, a bad deal for schools, and a bad deal for working families. This bill would decimate the Federal student aid for low-income students. It would significantly reduce available aid for grants--that is money that students don't have to pay back, forcing them to borrow more money. It leaves the Pell Grant program as the only remaining grant aid, yet it fails to increase Pell dollars, fails to increase the Pell maximum award to account for inflation, and it expands eligibility to low-quality programs without any Federal oversight. This bill changes the available terms for Federal student loans, making them far less generous than current law, and eliminates the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, a program that attracts the best and the brightest to forgo higher salaries in exchange for public service. H.R. 4508 caps loan amounts for graduate students and families, pushing them into higher interest, private markets, and even bars graduate students from participating in Federal work study. The Republican bill fails to reauthorize the Perkins Loan Program, a campus-based aid program that allows low-income students to access low- cost loans, and eliminates other forms of campus-based aid. Mr. Speaker, there is no way around it. This is a bad bill. H.R. 4508 will force students to borrow more money, pay more to borrow more, and pay more when they pay that money back. It makes college more expensive at every step of the process, putting college and graduate degrees further out of reach for low-income and minority students. Those are groups that are already underrepresented in our higher education system and served at higher rates by HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions. Further, the bill makes no additional investment in minority-serving institutions and other underresourced institutions, institutions that tend to serve communities of color, and eliminates grant programs that support minority students who want to pursue postgraduate degrees. The bill would even incentivize institutions to forgo enrollment of high- risk students. Lastly, the bill prioritizes low- or no-quality workforce training over more advanced credentialing, potentially exacerbating what is on track to become a two-tiered system of higher education: college and graduate school for the wealthy, and direct-to-workforce training for the poor. While not every student seeks to pursue a 4-year degree or even a graduate degree, every student must have that option and opportunity to make that choice. According to the United Negro College Fund: ``We remain deeply concerned that H.R. 4508 falls short of enabling college success for minority and low-income students who can help our country compete and win the global economy. On balance, the PROSPER Act would cause minority and low-income students to pay more to earn their college degrees at a time when they should be paying less. In addition, we are concerned that one theme of the bill is to highlight short-term training options, when a 4-year college degree has a substantially greater payoff, in general, with higher lifetime earnings and lower unemployment--and this payoff may be the greatest for minority and low- income students. Further, a significant shortcoming of the bill is it fails to make any new investment in HBCUs which pull above their weight in producing African-American college graduates and, worse, it cuts the current Federal investment in these institutions.'' Mr. Speaker, we want to ask what problem H.R. 4508 is trying to solve. Does the majority think there is too much money to send poor and minority students to college? Does the majority think that there are too many poor students and minority students accessing and completing their college education? Does the majority think that inequality in higher education is solved? Mr. Speaker, as we rise to commemorate 150 years of HBCU excellence, let us remember that we still have a fight to fight. Let us reject H.R. 4508 and fight for a Higher Education Act that not only honors HBCU excellence, but also builds on it through investing in students and working families. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for organizing this Special Order.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor An Achievable Dream, which will be commemorating its 25th anniversary this weekend. An Achievable Dream was founded by the late Walter Segaloff, a local community leader, businessman, and humanitarian. His ambitious public- private educational partnership in Newport News, Virginia started small but has grown exponentially in the last 25 years. When An Achievable Dream first opened its doors in 1992, it was a small summer and after-school tennis and tutoring program for 95 fourth graders. A year later, the program more than doubled the number of students it served to 200 rising fourth and fifth graders. In 1994, An Achievable Dream expanded even further by becoming a full-time, extended day school for 400 children in grades three through five, and in 1994 they started serving grades six through eight at Dunbar Erwin Middle School. Five years later, in 2000, An Achievable Dream Academy was founded as a year-round, full time elementary school and by 2007 they opened a separate, full-time middle and high school. Since those early years, An Achievable Dream has grown beyond Newport News and now has partnerships with Virginia Beach City Public Schools and Heinrico County Public Schools. The motto of An Achievable Dream is ``Teaching Kids Winning Ways.'' The Achievable Dream program is structured to give young people the skills needed to succeed in life. Those skills are taught at An Achievable Dream on the tennis court, in the classroom, on field trips, and in sharing experiences with successful and caring adults in the community. One of the things that makes An Achievable Dream so impactful on the lives of the young people it serves is An Achievable Dream's ability to show the boundless opportunities available if you just make the right choices. The staff, supporters and sponsors at An Achievable Dream have worked over the last 25 years to ensure that their students graduate on time and have an opportunity to go to college. An Achievable Dream has not achieved all of this on its own. Walter Segaloff understood that it took every facet of the community-- including school leaders, public officials, law enforcement, the military, and businesses--to work together toward the common goal of making better the lives and educational outcomes of as many young persons as possible. I would like to thank each of the community organizations and businesses for stepping up and helping make An Achievable Dream the success that it is today. I would also like to thank our military for volunteering regularly with these students for An Achievable Dream's character development program. And of course, I want to thank Kathy Edwards, President and CEO of An Achievable Dream, and all the faculty and staff who have dedicated their careers to these young people. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have been involved with An Achievable Dream as a supporter since its beginning. As our community gathers to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the An Achievable Dream at the annual Tennis Ball gala this weekend, I look forward to the continued success of An Achievable Dream. I would like to congratulate the staff, supporters and sponsors at An Achievable Dream on a quarter century of success and I look forward to witnessing their many continued successes in the future.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3441, the so-called Save Local Business Act. Mr. Speaker, in recent years, employers have increasingly moved away from direct hiring of employees to the use of permatemps and subcontracting to reduce labor costs and liability. For many workers, the name on the door of the building where they work may not be the name of the company that technically signs their paycheck. In situations like these, where more than one entity controls or has the contractual right to control the terms and conditions of employment, the National Labor Relations Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act hold both entities responsible for violations as joint employers. The joint employment standard under the NLRA ensures that workers can negotiate with all parties that control the terms and conditions of employment. Similarly, the joint employment standard under the FLSA ensures the appropriate companies can be held accountable for wage theft, equal pay, overtime pay, and child labor violations. H.R. 3441 rewrites both the NLRA and the FLSA by establishing a narrow definition of joint employer that effectively eliminates accountability for some of the entities that are actually calling the shots. Under this bill, an entity may be a joint employer only if it ``directly, actually, and immediately'' exercises control over nine essential terms and conditions of employment, such as hiring, firing, determining rates of pay, and scheduling. However, an entity could have control over all nine of the essential terms, and if it indirectly exercises control through an intermediary, such as a subcontractor, then the entity would not be an employer because its control is not direct. This loophole would allow joint employers to evade liability for child labor or wage theft and undermine workers' ability to bring all of the entities to the bargaining table that actually control the terms and conditions of employment. Alternatively, if an entity controls only eight of these nine essential terms and outsources the ninth, then it may also not be deemed a joint employer under this legislation. That is just a loophole. Under this legislation, an employee could have no employer liable for a violation. This would arise when each of the joint employers raises a defense that they are not liable because they are not an employer, because they don't control all nine of the essential terms and conditions of employment. This bill provides no guidance over how many of the essential terms the joint employer must control. Do they have to control two? a majority? all nine? The consequence is that a court could find an employee is owed overtime, but nobody owes the money because nobody qualifies as an employer under the definition of the bill. This bill opens the door for potential chaos. And one thing for sure, H.R. 3441 does not provide the clarity that its proponents advertise. Today, we are debating legislation that is based on a misplaced criticism of the National Labor Relations Board's 2015 decision in Browning-Ferris Industries, where the NLRB held that the client employer, BFI, and its staffing agency, Leadpoint, were joint employers at a recycling facility and, therefore, jointly had the duty to bargain with the union. BFI capped wages that Leadpoint could pay and set scheduling, reserved the right to overrule Leadpoint's hiring decisions, and, if the NLRB had certified the union with only the staffing agency, Leadpoint, as the employer, then collective bargaining would have been a waste of time because Leadpoint was contractually limited in its ability to bargain without BFI's permission. The BFI decision reinstated the common law definition of an employer, a precedent that had been in place at the NLRB for decades prior to 1984. Critics contend that the BFI case threatens the independence of franchisees. Well, first, the BFI decision states that it does not cover franchising. Second, there are no decisions where a franchisor has ever been held to be a joint employer with its franchisees under either law. Despite claims that H.R. 3441 would protect the independence of franchisees, legal experts point out that, under this bill, the bill actually insulates franchisors from liability, which leaves the franchisors free to exercise greater control over their franchisees' employee relations without liability. Under this bill, if a franchisor directs actions that could violate wage or labor laws, then the franchisee is forced to accept this shared control, without shared responsibility. For example, suppose the franchisor directs the franchisee to designate all of the employees as managers and refuse to pay them overtime and the court comes in and says overtime was owed, then the franchisee is stuck with the bill because the franchisor is not an employer under this bill. That is not fair to small businesses and it is not fair to franchisees. This legislation also creates perverse incentives by rewarding low- road construction contractors who compete by outsourcing entities that drive down costs by stealing wages, not paying overtime, and other violations. A national coalition of construction contractors is warned that H.R. 3441 would ``further tilt the field of competition against honest, ethical businesses.'' For those reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds to state that I agree with the gentleman when he says that no rights are reduced. The only problem is you can't have anybody that is liable to fulfill your benefits under whatever those rights are. If you are owed overtime, you are owed overtime. That is not reduced. It is just that nobody is there to pay it. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Fudge).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Norcross).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, could you advise us as to how much time is remaining on both sides.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. I yield the gentlewoman from Connecticut an additional 1 minute.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record page 50 of the committee report, which outlines the exchange with Mr. Braddy, which suggests that the franchisors do not become joint employers under the present law. In an exchange between Representative Guthrie and Ed Braddy, a Burger King franchisee testifying on behalf of the International Franchise Association, Mr. Braddy was asked: Representative Guthrie: Do you or do [sic] the franchisor hire and fire and determine the work of your employees? Mr. Braddy: I schedule interviews every other Wednesday. I sit down with eight people every other Wednesday. Even though I am not hiring, I do the interviews because I always like to have a waiting list of people who want to work. So I do all the hiring. I don't allow my managers or my assistants to terminate anyone because I want to make sure that once I let someone go it is for a good reason. Mr. Guthrie: But it is you as the business owner, not the-- what role does the franchisor play in any of your--those issues? Mr. Braddy: None at all. Based on this testimony, nothing in the Browning Ferris decision could establish that these franchisors are exercising sufficient control to be deemed a joint employer with their respective fanchisees.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking member of the Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining for both sides?

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici), the ranking member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, so I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, this bill will undermine employees' ability to secure recourse for unfair labor practices and wage theft when there should be a joint employer. It undermines the workers' freedom to negotiate for better wages in return for their work. It inflicts damage to prime contractors who play by the rules and are forced to compete against unscrupulous other employers who save money by failing to pay wages. And it exposes franchisees to liabilities they should not have to shoulder alone because it allows franchisors to exercise more control over franchisees without incurring any liability. Mr. Speaker, therefore, I urge my colleagues to oppose the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank and pay tribute to Denise Forte, who is my staff director on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. After a remarkable 20 plus year career in federal service, today is Denise's last day with us. Denise first came to Capitol Hill as a Women's Research and Education Institute fellow in my personal office in 1994. While she received her degree in computer science from Duke University, Denise's fellowship on Capitol Hill made her realize her true professional calling--helping ensure America's children have equality access to a quality education. I recognized her talent and; at the conclusion of her fellowship, hired her as a full-time employee where she excelled at several positions, including as my legislative director. Her passion and talent eventually caught the attention of Congressman George Miller, the former Ranking Member and Chairman of the Education and the Workforce Committee. Denise seized an opportunity to join the Committee in 2001, where she served in successively senior roles, eventually becoming Congressman Miller's director of education policy. During her initial service with the Committee, Denise played integral roles in major reforms, including the No Child Left Behind Act, the College Cost Reduction Act, Child Nutrition Reauthorization, reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention Act, and the Student Aid and Responsibility Act, amongst others. Denise left the Committee in early 2011 to join the Obama Administration at the Department of Education's Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development as a deputy assistant secretary. In that capacity, she provided strategic advice and counsel to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Denise also directed and managed several policy portfolios, including overseeing budget, higher education, and early education policy development. In late 2014, my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus elected me to succeed George Miller as Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. I immediately knew who I wanted to help me assemble a staff and lead my team--Denise Forte. As my colleagues know, Denise is well-regarded and respected by Members and staff on both sides of the aisle. She is known to care deeply and fight vigorously for what she believes in, but Denise always remains focused on achieving what's possible. She understands the importance of building bridges and working to identify policy areas on which Committee Democrats and Republicans can agree. The best example of that is the most recent reauthorization of our nation's landmark education law, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Despite an increasingly polarized environment, Denise believed in the possible and led my team to realize a full rewrite of the law in the Every Student Succeeds Act, which was enacted last Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support. Denise led our team's effort and helped us accomplish something that hadn't been done in nearly 15 years. Denise Forte built her career in public service on getting results, making meaningful progress for America's students and working families, and helping this institution function effectively. She cares deeply about Congress and our Committee's mission, and she will be greatly missed. I wish her well as she gets to spend a little extra time with her husband, Kyo, and her beloved sons, Gabe and Johnny, before she starts her next adventure at the Century Foundation. Mr. Speaker, I speak for my staff, Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, and all the members of the Committee on Education and the Workforce in thanking Denise Forte for her more than two decades of honorable service to this institution and the American people.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 120th anniversary of St. Augustine's Episcopal Church in Newport News, Virginia. St. Augustine's Episcopal Church had humble beginnings. Originally known as Warwick Parish, and then as St. Paul's Church, its mission was started in 1897 with the intention of providing a religious community for African-American Episcopalians. The church was started with neither a full-time pastor nor an official building, so the congregation ran their early services out of the upper floor of the Columba Opera House in Newport News. Reverend Joseph F. Mitchell became the first vicar for St. Paul's Mission in the fall of 1897 and spent the next six years of his ministry trying to grow the parish and raise enough funds to afford to build a chapel for the congregation. Under the leadership of Reverend Adolphus A. Birch, the church's sixth rector, the name of the mission was officially changed to St. Augustine's Episcopal Church in 1924. Reverend Birch's successor, Reverend J.J. Posey, oversaw the church's move into their official building on Marshall Avenue at Twenty-Sixth Street in Newport News. The congregation still meets at this location in a new church building that was constructed in 1962 under the leadership of Reverend Lloyd M. Alexander. Today, St. Augustine's Episcopal Church is home to a thriving parish life with a variety of ministries and programs aimed at bettering the congregation as well as the Newport News community. The Feeding Program was established in 1988 and offers hot meals to hungry adults and children every month. The Twelve Steps Program meets five days every week to extend counseling, support, and mentorship for men and women in the area who are struggling with substance abuse. The church also sponsors a yearly ``Back to School Drive'' which ensures that local children can begin the school year with a backpack and school supplies that they might struggle to otherwise afford. These programs provide an invaluable service to the church and its neighbors. St. Augustine's growth in these past 120 years has been facilitated through the hard work and tireless efforts of seventeen devoted rectors--Rev. Joseph F. Mitchell, Rev. Henry J. Geiger, Rev. E.H. Hamilton, Rev. Byron E. Floyd, Rev. J.T. McDuffie, Rev. Adolphus A. Birch, Rev. J.J. Posey, Rev. Julian F. Dozier, Rev. Charles S. Sedgwick, Rev. Charles H. Dukes, Rev. Theodore R. Gibson, Rev. George E. Harper, Rev. Lloyd M. Alexander, Rev. Robert C.S. Powell, Rev. R. Scott Copeland, Rev. Ralph E. Haines, III, and Rev. Terry D. Edwards. Mr. Speaker, today the congregation of St. Augustine's Episcopal Church can feel affirmed and celebratory in light of this historic milestone. As a longtime member of St. Augustine's, I wish to extend my warmest congratulations to Reverend Terry Davis Edwards and the entire St. Augustine's community. With the church's distinguished history in mind, the congregation may truly take this occasion to feel proud about their past, joyful about their present, and hopeful for their future. I wish St. Augustine's Episcopal Church 120 more years of growth, fellowship, and service.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 80th anniversary of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority's Newport News Alumnae Chapter. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded in 1913 by 22 students attending Howard University. These women all saw education and community service as the key to pushing forward the cause of civil rights and progress for the African American community, and that mission remains strong to this day. Today, Delta Sigma Theta has grown to an organization with over 250,000 members and over 940 local chapters operating all over the United States and the world. The Newport News Alumnae Chapter was originally charted in 1937 as the Beta Kappa Chapter. It was then changed to the Gamma Iota Sigma Chapter in 1947 before officially becoming the Newport News Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority in 1960. The Chapter was dutifully led in these early years by Charter members Marian Palmer Capps, Clara Pannell, Ethel Pannell, Sallie Watkins Roberts, Dorothy Roles Watkins, Olivia Williamson, and Christine Jefferson Haynes. The women of the Newport News Alumnae Chapter are committed to the same honored tradition of community service that has driven all of Delta Sigma Theta's members since its inception. Delta Sigma Theta's sisterhood has always been guided by the sorority's Five-Point Programmatic Thrust of Economic Development, Education Development, International Awareness and Involvement, Physical and Mental Health, and Political Awareness and Involvement. It is with these principles in mind that the Newport News Alumnae Chapter established the programs that continue to serve their local community to this day. Delta Sigma Theta's unwavering commitment to serving the needs of African Americans has been truly reflected through the good work pursued by the Newport News Alumnae Chapter over the years. The Dr. Betty Shabazz Delta Academy provides young girls between 11 and 14 years old with the opportunity to pursue their interests in math, science, and technology. The Delta GEMS program offers college and career planning to at-risk teenage girls who may otherwise not understand the opportunities available to them. The EMBODI program addresses the challenges facing African-American boys by providing middle and high schoolers with counseling and support in subject areas such as fostering healthy relationships, fiscal management, physical and mental health, self-efficacy, and more. These programs provide an invaluable service to the youth of Newport News. Mr. Speaker, as the Newport News Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority celebrates this exciting milestone, its members can feel affirmed that these past 80 years of fellowship and outreach have left the Newport News community stronger and more united than it otherwise would have been. I would like to congratulate Chapter President Joyce Melvin-Jones and all of the members of the Newport News sisterhood on this special occasion.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great champion of religious freedom and my friend, the Reverend Barry W. Lynn, who will soon retire after 25 years as executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and an attorney, Rev. Lynn has paired his two callings and been a leader in the fight to protect our civil rights and civil liberties, especially the First Amendment. His work has helped protect our right to believe (or not) as we see fit and guarantee that the government does not promote religion. Rev. Lynn has been on the frontlines of the fight to ensure that religion is not used as an excuse to discriminate against others, dictate people's private lives, tell others whom they can love, or limit people's access to healthcare. Under Rev. Lynn's leadership, Americans United has grown into one of the most prominent organizations in the country working to protect religious freedom. During his tenure, the organization has led the charge to defend the wall of separation between church and state. Rev. Lynn's tenure is marked by efforts to ensure that all people feel welcomed in their community regardless of their faith. He led Americans United's fight to ensure that students at public schools were taught science rather than creationism in their classrooms and for the removal the 2\1/2\ ton monument to the Ten Commandments erected at the Alabama Supreme Court. During his leadership, Americans United successfully stopped a proposed constitutional amendment to allow public school-sponsored prayers and fought for women's health and equality when it stood up for students when their university cited religion to block their access to birth control. Rev. Lynn is an author and educator who has shared his expertise with audiences across the country, giving speeches, appearing on television, hosting his long-running radio show, and testifying in Congress, about why the constitutional principle of church-state separation is the only way to ensure freedom of religion for all Americans. Although he will now have more time to spend with his twin grandchildren, just born this summer, Rev. Lynn's lifelong passion for social justice remains. I feel confident he will continue to engage in social justice issues and stand up for important causes for years to come. It has been my pleasure to work with Rev. Lynn over the last two decades. I commend him for his transformational service to Americans United, our Constitution, and our country, and I wish him well in his retirement.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 150th anniversary of Colossian Baptist Church in Newport News, Virginia. Colossian Baptist Church was established in 1867 on Mulberry Island, Virginia. Reverend Henry Harris and Reverend Walter Williams worked together to organize the church along with other members of the First Baptist Church in Hampton and locals from the Island. The group began to meet together with the hope that they could build a congregation born out of community and anchored in faith. These early services were held in a barn on Mulberry Island's Follies Farm, led by Reverend Williams. Reverend Williams served as the church's pastor for its first five years. Following his service, he was succeeded by Reverend Thomas Poole in 1872 and Reverend Thomas Wright in 1887. The congregation of Colossian Baptist Church continued worship in the Follies Farm Barn until it burned down in a fire. Reverend Aaron Wyatt, elected as pastor in 1894, oversaw the church's transition into their new building. The church was then rebuilt in 1915 following a devastating windstorm, but the congregation soon needed to move again. In response to the outbreak of World War I, the United States Army bought and repurposed the Colossian Baptist Church property. That area is currently the United States Army Transportation Center at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Following their displacement, the church moved to Newport News, and has remained there ever since. Reverend Irvin D. Melvin was named the first full-time pastor of Colossian Baptist Church in 1989, and the church has only grown stronger since that time through the expansion of their music, fellowship, and youth programs. Reverend Peter A. Evans became the church's third full-time pastor in 1999. Under his leadership, the church broke ground on a new edifice in 2005, and construction was successfully completed in 2006. Over the years, Colossian Baptist Church has continued to grow as it expands its outreach to the community. The church works with Greenwood Elementary School in a partnership dedicated to mentoring young men. Since 2014, the church has overseen the ``Christmas House'' program during December, which serves the local community by providing an avenue for the needy to access clothing, food, and more free of charge. Over the last 150 years, Colossian Baptist Church has been served by many dedicated men of faith--Rev. Henry Harris, Rev. Walter Williams, Rev. Thomas Poole, Rev. Thomas Wright, Rev. Aaron Wyatt, Rev. Frank Ashby, Rev. David D. Harris, Rev. Thomas Ash, Rev. Andrew D. Holmes, Rev. Frank Rylander, Rev. William Cheeseman, Rev. Elick Edlow, Rev. James M. Lee, Rev. Irvin D. Melvin, Rev. Steven W. Banks, Rev. Lloyd Williams, Sr., and Rev. Peter A. Evans. Mr. Speaker, as Colossian Baptist Church of Newport News, Virginia celebrates this historic milestone, its congregation can rejoice in 150 years of successful discipleship and service to the Hampton Roads community. I would like to congratulate Reverend Peter A. Evans and all of the members of the church's congregation. I hope that their next 150 years proves to be as rewarding and fruitful as the first.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Chair, I would like to include in the Record letters from Social Security Works, AFSCME, SEIU, and the Coalition on Human Needs. Social Security Works, October 4, 2017. Hon. Cedric Richmond, Chair, Congressional Black Caucus, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Richmond: We are writing to express our support for the FY18 Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Alternative Budget. Your budget outlines responsible priorities, including strengthening Social Security benefits, and demonstrates the CBC's commitment to the best interests of the American people. The CBC budget alternative is the complete opposite of the cruel legislative proposals contained in the Republican FY18 House Budget Resolution. While the Republican budget proposes cutting Social Security benefits and undermining Medicare and Medicaid, the CBC Alternative Budget works to improve Social Security and, more generally, our economic security, for all of us, including seniors, people with disabilities, children, and other vulnerable Americans. The Congressional Black Caucus clearly understands that Social Security is a solution to a number of challenges facing the nation, including our looming retirement income crisis. Most workers--especially African-Americans--have seen their wages stagnate. They need insurance against the loss of wages in the event of death disability or old age, which Social Security provides, as opposed to more retirement income savings, which are a far less effective solution. Social Security is the primary retirement income for 72 percent of African-American seniors; we must work to protect Social Security benefits from any cuts, and work to expand its modest benefits. The recommendation of the CBC Alternative Budget to adjust the cost of living calculations by using the Consumer Price Index for the Elderly (CPI-E) would be a great start to strengthening our Social Security system. The current formula for the Social Security cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) is slowly eroding the value of Social Security's already modest benefits. Seniors and people with disabilities deserve a yearly raise that keeps pace with their actual costs of living, which are ever increasing due to the cost of pharmaceutical drugs and medical expenses. Thank you for introducing the CBC budget alternative. The American people deserve a budget that fully funds vital programs, and not one that makes cuts to pay for tax handouts for wealthy Americans. We look forward to working with you during the formation of next year's CBC budget alternative to strengthen the proposal even further. Sincerely, Nancy J. Altman, President. Alex Lawson, Executive Director.