José Serrano

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. This is not an easy time. You would hate to think that 23 years of agreeing with Ms. Norton on the issue of the D.C. budget and how we should treat D.C. goes up in smoke in one afternoon. We have never disagreed, and I know that starting in about 30 seconds or 1 minute or 2 minutes, we won't disagree again. But we also cannot be ignorant of the fact that this is a sham, that this is part of a trick. It is a good trick; it is one that sells. In fact, the results may show that it is one that sells, but it is still a trick. It is a trick still to get at ObamaCare on the day that it starts to take place all over this country. It is still a trick to keep the government closed. It is a trick to say that we will single out certain people, certain monuments, certain areas, certain needs, but not others. It is easy for me personally to say ``yes'' to this bill on the District of Columbia. But I also know that in another territory or in another place without congressional representation, they had to close down this morning the WIC offices because there are no people to be able to run that office. In other parts that do have representation, they had to close down areas of services where people need those services. We know what the game is. I know it is not easy for some of us to get up and oppose certain things, but we have to. We have to because if we continue to allow the House to be run by a Member of the other body, we will never get anywhere. It is funny how much time we spend among ourselves knocking the other body, and yet we have a situation now where a Member of the other body is telling everybody over here what to do on one side. That's the problem we have. As painful as this is for me and as difficult as it will be to stay out of the way of Ms. Norton for the next day or two, I still think that the proper vote here is a ``no'' vote because we need a clean CR and we need a full approach, not a piecemeal approach. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, just to inform the gentleman, I am the last speaker. We have no further speakers.

Mr. SERRANO. I yield 3 minutes to my colleague from New York (Mr. Meeks).

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the greatest State in the Union, the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), a person who we all know has been a champion on behalf of not only the District, but all areas of our country.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. Esty) for a unanimous consent request.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It's very interesting to hear my colleague, Mr. Speaker, speak about that. I wish we had recorded him--maybe we have--how many times Mrs. Lowey got up during appropriations meetings and said, Let's go to conference. In fact, once, she said it in Spanish, just to please me. That's how serious it's been. All of a sudden, the big cry on the Hill is, Let's go to conference. But let's not really go to conference. Let's just go to conference and do what we want to do and not what should be done. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) for a unanimous consent request.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly) for a unanimous consent request

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Kirkpatrick) for a unanimous consent request.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright) for a unanimous consent request.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I don't think it's ever dilatory for Members of Congress to speak. I now yield to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici) for a unanimous consent request.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise, reluctantly, to oppose this bill. While, of course, we support freeing up D.C. to spend its own local funds, a policy we've asked to be made permanent, this is a sham of a process and a fake bill designed by the Tea Party, for the Tea Party, and of the Tea Party. It's not a sudden concern or awakening to realize that D.C., this morning, needed all this help. My God, to those of you who've been around for a while, you know that I've made an appropriations career out of telling people to treat the District of Columbia with respect. And all of a sudden, as part of its continuing attack on ObamaCare, your party comes up now and comes with a piecemeal approach to a major issue. Instead, it's part of a strategy to try to draw attention away from the legislative hostage-taking which is hurting people around the Nation. Additionally, I would be remiss if I did not point out that this bill continues an unnecessary and harmful rider that prevents the District of Columbia from expending its own funds, its own funds, on abortion services. No other State in the Nation has such a restriction. Although, I repeat, I support D.C. being able to spend its own money, I do not know why this is the only portion of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee bill being considered to date. I must tell you, and I don't know how my leadership will feel about this statement, but I've got to give you credit, because just when I thought you had run out of gimmicks to bring to the floor, this one takes the cake, a piecemeal approach of three bills that do not speak to any resolution of any issue. Many agencies under our jurisdiction have suffered, or will suffer, devastating problems as a result of the Republican Federal Government shutdown; but you're doing nothing about those agencies in this bill. The Republican shutdown has forced the Small Business Administration to furlough almost two-thirds of its workforce. This has forced the agency to shutter almost all of its loan programs for our Nation's small businesses, including loan programs for veterans, women-owned small businesses, and small businesses located in underserved areas; but you're not saying anything about that in this bill. The Federal defenders currently have enough funding to continue operations for a couple of weeks. However, once that time is up, they will be unable to fulfill their constitutional duty to uphold the Sixth Amendment rights of criminal defendants; but you don't speak to that at all in this bill. The CPSC has been cut from 540 employees--listen to this. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has been cut from 540 employees to 22, making it difficult for the agency to perform its duty of fully reviewing thousands of different kinds of products. This will clearly increase the risk to the public, but we don't speak to that. The IRS, the agency that always takes the biggest hit during this period of time, has been forced to let go most of their workforce, preventing the agency from providing taxpayer assistance to those who have questions, examining questionable tax returns, or even to accept paper tax filings. The IRS brings in the vast majority of our Nation's revenue. The Republican shutdown is harming our ability to pay our bills. All of these agencies need and deserve a continuing resolution so they can perform the many functions of government that remain essential to American consumers, investors, taxpayers, and small businesses. Let me try to save you some time. Some of you newer folks will get up and say: Oh, my God, you are attacking the District of Columbia. No one, except for Ms. Norton, has a clearer record on supporting the District of Columbia. I have said often enough on this floor that having been born in an American territory called Puerto Rico, I take very seriously how I look at and the respect that I have for the District of Columbia. But this is a joke. This is simply another approach at trying to get around the real issue, which is we need to bring a clean CR to the floor, and we will continue to push for that. I urge a ``no'' vote on this bill when it comes for a vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SERRANO. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Duckworth).

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Barber) for a unanimous consent request.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis) for a unanimous consent request.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Mariano Rivera. Originally from Panama, Mr. Rivera has spent 19 years working in my district, bringing great joy to the people of the Bronx and to Yankees fans around the world with his unparalleled success closing games for the New York Yankees. During his time with the Yankees he showed himself to be one of the greatest pitchers of his generation and struck fear into opponents who had to face him. During his 19 seasons in the Bronx with the Yankees, Mr. Rivera has been the most successful closer in baseball history, becoming the all time saves leader and leading the league in saves three times. For much of his career his fearsome cutter meant that the Yankees were playing shorter games than everyone else. Once ``Enter Sandman'' played and Mr. Rivera strode onto the field, everyone knew the game was over. His mere appearance deflated the other team and the opposing players were often defeated before he threw a single pitch. The length and quality of Mr. Rivera's career is evidenced by his 13 All-Star Game appearances and the five Relief Man Awards he won over an eleven-year period stretching from 1999 to 2009. However, as impressive as his individual accomplishments are, baseball is a team game and his most important role was helping to lead the Yankees to five World Series Championships. Given the high quality of his pitching during the regular season it may be hard to believe, but Mr. Rivera was even better in the postseason. During the 16 postseason appearances that the Yankees made during his time with the team, Mr. Rivera accumulated a miniscule ERA of 0.70 over 141 innings. His importance to the success of the team in the postseason was recognized by voters when he was awarded the World Series MVP in 1999 and the ALCS MVP in 2003, an impressive accomplishment for a closer who, while often pitching at the most critical moments, is only in the game for the final inning or two. However, he did not merely pitch in the Bronx, he also worked hard to improve life for people in New York and back in his native Panama. Through his charitable foundation he has focused on improving the lives of children in need by improving their communities and offering scholarships so that children from underprivileged families can have better opportunities. As his magnificent baseball career comes to an end at the end of this season, I am sure that he will continue to be a positive contributor to his community in a multitude of new ways. It has been an honor to have him work in my district and I look forward to his continued success.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Cordova & Fernos Congressional Internship Program on its twentieth anniversary. The Cordova & Fernos Congressional Internship Program is an educational program that was created in 1993 by the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico to provide outstanding college students on the island the opportunity to spend a semester in Washington, DC. By giving these college students the opportunity to work as interns in the United States Congress, Federal agencies, non-governmental organizations and private corporations, and other places, this internship program enriches their academic, personal, and professional lives. In addition to working, Cordova interns have the opportunity to conduct a research project directly related to their studies, attend lectures in various embassies, and become acquainted with influential policy makers and opinion leaders. Since its founding, the Cordova & Fernos Congressional Internship Program has given hundreds of college students the opportunity to learn and understand how Washington works. Furthermore, Cordova interns have had the opportunity to help others learn about Puerto Rico and what it can offer to our Nation and to the world. I am proud to have been able to contribute to this program since its establishment by hosting interns in my congressional office and in other ways Mr. Speaker, programs such as this one help young people become involved in and learn from our democratic system of government. In short, the Cordova & Fernos Congressional Internship Program is preparing the next generation of Puerto Rican leaders to play an active role in the future of the island and I will continue to support this program and its young leaders.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to twenty-fourth annual Bronx Dominican Day Parade, La Gran Parada Dominicana del Bronx, which will take place on Sunday, July 28, 2013. This celebration of heritage and culture is one that is eagerly anticipated by the Dominican and Bronx communities each year. Under the leadership of Felipe Febles and Rosa Ayala, the Bronx Dominican Day Parade has grown exponentially in size, scale, and significance over the years. It has morphed into the extraordinary cultural celebration that it is today. For years the United States has largely recognized the Dominican-American community for its success on the baseball diamond, however, there are thousands of Dominican professionals and students that serve as community leaders in the fields of government, law, media, science, and technology. As the second largest Latino community in New York City, Dominicans have made invaluable contributions to the city, as well as to the entire nation. Although the highest concentration of Dominican New Yorkers live in Northern Manhattan, a significant, and growing, number have enriched The Bronx with their unique culture, spirit, and drive to live the American Dream. I am grateful that so many have chosen to make The Bronx their home. The Bronx Dominican Day Parade is a unique event that celebrates the diversity of New York City, the distinct heritage of one of its most important communities, and the strong sense of unity that can be found in celebrating our different cultures. As a New Yorker, I am very pleased to see this event grow every year, and extremely proud to march alongside everyone celebrating the accomplishments and contributions of Dominican men and women in our community. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to marching in the twenty-fourth annual Bronx Dominican Day Parade, and I am confident that this event will exist as a cultural landmark celebration for many years to come.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. 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 takes food nutrition from working families.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 2642, the Federal-Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013. I oppose this bill because it ignores the needs of working families. H.R. 2642 completely strips the nutrition titles out of the Farm Bill. Therefore, this is not a true Farm Bill. This would be the first time in decades that nutrition is not considered alongside agriculture, conservation, and trade issues. Chief among the nutrition programs that are eliminated from this bill in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is a critical program for Americans facing food insecurity. As of January 2013, 3,159,000, or 16 percent of New York residents, and 47,772,000, or 15 percent of Americans, received SNAP benefits. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, approximately two-thirds of SNAP recipients are children, elderly, or disabled. Also, most SNAP families with children are working households. It is unconscionable that this body, which should be protecting vulnerable Americans, is instead attempting to ignore them. SNAP is an efficient and effective program. There is much talk by those critical of SNAP, accusing the program of waste, fraud, and abuse. This is wildly exaggerated--only 3 percent of SNAP benefits represent overpayments. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made improvements to its disbursements so that the families who truly need benefits get them. To reduce SNAP trafficking, which violates federal law, SNAP benefits are disbursed via an electronic debit card that recipients can use to purchase food only. Retailers or recipients who defraud the program by trading SNAP for money or misrepresenting their circumstances face strict criminal penalties. Additionally, approximately 95 percent of federal SNAP spending goes directly to families to buy food. Most of the rest goes toward administrative costs, including reviews to determine that applicants are eligible, monitoring of retailers that accept SNAP, and anti-fraud activities. This bill represents a failure to protect the vulnerable people of our country. I cannot support this bill.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. David Goldstein for his many years of selfless and compassionate public service in the Bronx. David has been an exemplary contributor to the Bronx community for more than 13 years, and during that time he has served as mentor and leader to countless professionals. His career in public affairs and community service has been a testament to the importance of unselfish devotion to the well being of others. Since 2003, David has served as the Chairperson for my office's Military Academy Committee so I have firsthand knowledge of his outstanding professionalism. During his tenure as Chairperson, my office has sent 7 young people to the United States Naval Academy. He has brought a variety of skills to his role with the committee, including sharp intellect, a strong work ethic, and a deeply felt commitment to ensuring that the candidates selected serve our nation in the United States military with honor and distinction. David's acute appreciation for the needs of the people he serves can be seen in all of his work. During his tenure at the United Parcel Service of America, Inc (UPS) as Government and Community Relations Director for New York City, he established bilateral relationships with not-for-profit organizations, small businesses, local Chambers of Commerce, and various business associations. Recently, as the former Vice President of Operations at the Food Bank for New York City, David developed operational strategies that led the Food Bank to increase their food donations by more than one million pounds. David also worked to redesign the existing community kitchen/food pantry program to become the Food Bank's flagship program for all of New York City. David's unique ability to understand the goals of each of these organizations, and expand them in ways specifically designed to advance these goals in extraordinary ways is what makes him such an exemplary leader. David has recently taken a position with the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean County in New Jersey. As many of my colleagues from New Jersey can attest, Monmouth and Ocean Counties were severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy. I am confident that David will bring the same dedication and effort that accomplished so much for the Bronx and for New York City to this new endeavor. I know David will be successful in this new position, and that he will help the many families who are still recovering from this devastating storm. David's dedication to helping others, and expanding opportunities for young men and women who wish to serve our country, are truly outstanding. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring David Goldstein for his remarkable dedication to the people of the Bronx, New York City, and the Tri-State area.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Victor M. Fortuno's distinguished career in public interest law and his thirty years of exceptional service to the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). Vic Fortuno is a true American success story. Like me, Vic is a proud ``nuyorican,'' that is, someone of Puerto Rican heritage hailing from New York City. He was born and raised in Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan, where he lived with his brother and grandparents in a small shotgun- style apartment. Vic thrived both in and out of school and was offered a full scholarship to Columbia University. He earned both his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctorate degrees from Columbia, and spent his first year after law school providing legal services to the poor as a staff attorney with Community Legal Services in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vic subsequently served for five years as an Assistant District Attorney for the City and County of Philadelphia. His work under then- District Attorney Ed Rendell included assignments to the Trial and Appellate Divisions, as well as the Organized Crime Unit. Vic came to LSC in 1983 as an attorney in the Office of Compliance and Review. Subsequently, he served as Acting Director of Compliance and Review, Assistant General Counsel, Senior Litigation Counsel, and Deputy General Counsel before being appointed General Counsel of the Corporation in 1991. He has served honorably in that capacity for twenty-two years. Vic also holds the offices of Corporate Secretary and Vice President for Legal Affairs. As a key member of the management team, Vic has provided exceptional legal advice and counsel to eight LSC presidents and four boards of directors. He brought the highest levels of professionalism, ethics, and leadership to LSC's legal department. He achieved a record of success while providing sound advice, compassionate mentoring, and unwavering friendship to countless individuals during his tenure at LSC. Vic served as a stabilizing force in times of crisis, as the keeper of institutional knowledge in times of transition, and as a trusted and knowledgeable advisor throughout. Vic also served as LSC's first Latino president from 2010-2011. Always prepared and unflappable, with a ready smile, a hearty laugh, and a great sense of humor, Vic brought a wealth of experience and confidence to the Corporation's highest office. His patient, thoughtful, and collaborative leadership style empowered staff and enhanced LSC's commitment to providing access to justice for low-income Americans. I met Vic during this time period, and he struck me as just the type of person we should have in public service--caring, committed, and devoted to helping others. Throughout his career at LSC, Vic has selflessly dedicated himself to promoting the public interest and making the dream of ``equal justice for all'' a reality for all Americans. He is a model public servant, and I commend him for his life-long commitment to providing high- quality civil legal services to the nation's poor. I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating and thanking Victor M. Fortuno for his truly remarkable service to the Legal Services Corporation and his immeasurable contributions to both the legal aid community and our nation. I wish Victor all the best as he enters this new phase in his life.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chair, as the Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, I am voting ``no'' on the Continuing Resolution sent back to us by the Senate. This bill underfunds several important programs and initiatives, and does not provide adequate funding to continue the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and Dodd-Frank. Moreover, this bill compounds that harm by allowing the sequester to continue. I am particularly disturbed by serious problems in the Financial Services and General Government section of the bill. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is flat funded at fiscal year 2012 levels, before taking into account the effects of sequestration. This funding level will greatly harm the continued implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This is a critical year for the ACA as the state exchanges prepare to go live, and as part of that effort, the IRS had asked for an additional $254 million in funding to help administer several upcoming ACA tax credits and tax changes. Failing to provide this funding will hamper IRS efforts to continue the implementation of these important efforts--which will help individuals and small businesses--and will create more confusion by not providing the IRS with the resources to answer taxpayers' questions. In addition, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is flat- funded at fiscal year 2012 levels despite a requested $94 million increase. This funding level, further reduced by sequestration, will hinder the SEC in the continued implementation of Dodd-Frank, and will harm its enforcement duties. The SEC still needs to implement several of the most important Dodd-Frank rules and reforms, and this funding level will only slow that effort. This bill prevents the SEC from being the strong ``cop on the beat'' that we need to ensure that the abuses that helped cause the fiscal meltdown don't recur. Moreover, our Federal Public Defenders, who are part of the Federal Judiciary budget, actually receive a small increase of $9 million above the fiscal year 2012 level. However, this amount is less than they requested, and not enough to offset the overwhelming impact of sequestration. Our Federal Public Defenders provide indigent criminal defendants with their constitutionally protected right to counsel, and the effect of the CR and sequestration will substantially damage their ability to do their utmost to help their clients. Lastly, federal employees are once again asked to endure a pay freeze. Our federal employees have already contributed an incredible amount of money to deficit reduction, and another federal pay freeze will only prevent the recruitment and retention of a qualified and committed workforce. In reality, while this bill purports to maintain finding levels at the FY 2012 level, sequestration means further damaging cuts to these and other accounts. We need a solution that will prevent important services that all Americans depend on from being impacted, and allows all agencies the flexibility to address the current effect of the sequester. This bill fails in that regard.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. I thank the ranking member. As the ranking member of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, I wanted to outline several areas of concern in this section of the bill. Several agencies under the jurisdiction of the subcommittee requested vital changes to their fiscal year 2013 budget to help them address pressing needs and to blunt the impact of the sequester. Unfortunately, all of these changes were rejected by the other side. For instance, no additional money is provided to the Securities and Exchange Commission to continue the implementation of the Dodd-Frank legislation. We need a strong cop on the beat to prevent financial misbehavior, and this bill does not help in this regard. Under this bill, no additional money is provided to the IRS to help them catch tax cheats or to help Americans with questions on their tax forms. Moreover, no additional money is provided to help the IRS administer new tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, which is something that will only lead to more confusion; and once again, Republicans are attempting to extend the Federal employee pay freeze for the rest of the year. Had we had a full omnibus bill--and I think, with a little bit of work, we could have had such a bill--we could have helped address many of these concerns. Unfortunately, this CR is inadequate to the needs of our Federal Government and to the American people, and does not provide all agencies with the needed flexibility to best deal with the sequester. For that and other reasons, I urge opposition to this bill.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, the theme of Black History Month 2013 is ``At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington.'' In the 100 years between their emancipation and the success of the civil rights movement, African-Americans were subjected to the abuse of slavery and the exclusion from benefits attributed to American prosperity. In spite of the civil and political barriers facing them, African-Americans worked diligently to achieve full equality with other Americans. Therefore it is with great respect and sincere admiration that I rise to honor an outstanding public servant who has served the Bronx community for over 25 years. Judge Donald A. Miles, a child of North and South Carolina parents, and the eldest of two children, is presently a Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York in Bronx County. Before beginning his life in the courtroom, the New York City Public Schools-educated Miles received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, with a minor in Sociology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and earned a Master of Science Degree in Social Work from Columbia University. His background in social sciences led him to Lincoln Hospital where he worked as a Certified Psychiatric Social Worker. I imagine it was this experience at Lincoln Hospital, serving and supporting many of the underserved and under-resourced in the South Bronx that led Judge Miles to pursue his Juris Doctorate, from the Antioch School of Law in Washington, DC. Though there is much to extol in Judge Miles' rise from a private practice attorney to Principal Law Clerk at the Bronx Supreme Court and on to his current position as Judge of the Civil Court of the City of New York in Bronx County, today it is important to focus on Judge Miles' commitment to improving the position of the African-American community. He is currently a member of the Bronx County Bar Association, Black United Leadership in the Bronx, Scholarship Committee of the Black Bar of Association of Bronx County, and when he finds the time he volunteers as a judge for the Thurgood Marshall Mock trial competition. I also take personal pride in having Judge Miles serve as a member of my military academy recommendation committee. His participation in these committees and groups helps empower African-Americans in Bronx County. Mr. Speaker, the Bronx is proud to be the home of many African- American leaders. Individuals like Judge Donald A. Miles continue to open doors and set high standards for generations of African-Americans. During Black History Month, we pay tribute to and thank him for his work on behalf of the people of the Bronx, and I ask you and my colleagues to join me.