David Scott

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 5290. Our agriculture industry is the best, the greatest in the world. And at the centerpiece of it is our livestock industry. And that is why we are gathered here. Livestock mandatory reporting is an important tool that provides the necessary transparency information to our livestock producers. This legislation extends livestock mandatory reporting until the end of September 2022, and it has bipartisan support with Democrats and Republicans working together on this very, very important bill. In talking to our great livestock producers, I have heard time and again how important it is to extend this mandatory reporting program; and that if we let it lapse it will cause significant problems for our farmers and ranchers. We are working together to make sure we get the job done the right way. All of our industry groups agree on this important bill, and that is the 1-year extension immediately of our livestock reporting. Our Agriculture Committee held a hearing earlier this year that extensively covered the importance of livestock reporting, mandatory reporting. In that hearing, we also heard from a variety of very distinguished industry representatives that, first and foremost, we need to extend this program. My committee's work on this issue--and while I am at it, I want to really give great thanks and gratitude to our agriculture staff. They have worked very diligently on this, and we are grateful for the hard work and dedication of the House Agriculture Committee staff. So, as I said, my work on this issue is indicative of how important the livestock industry is to our fellow committee members, both Democrats and Republicans, and to our Nation and the vital importance, as the leading force, in our Nation's economy. That is where our great agriculture system is today. I am aware of some ongoing discussions and pending legislation that seeks to reform the cattle industry, and we are going to deal with that. We are dealing with that over in the Senate Agriculture Committee and in our House committee. However, we should not let negotiations of those reforms that we are working with stand in the way of extending this vital program for 1 year. In recent months, we have seen cattle markets begin to recover; prices for producers have moved up. This change in market dynamics is important to account for as we look to reach a consensus point on the framework of our reforms. This 1-year extension will help to settle the concerns in the livestock markets and provide certainty to our livestock industry, while also giving our Agriculture members in both the House and the Senate more time to come up with a consensus of the proposed reforms to cattle markets. We, in our House committee, are working with the Senate Agriculture Committee. I am personally working with Senator Grassley on the Senate committee so that we can have legislation going forward that has the vital input of both the House and the Senate, and we are giving it the time and the interest that is needed, more time to have a consensus on the reforms that other Members of Congress have ideas on. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5608) to support research and state management efforts on chronic wasting disease.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4489) to amend the Act of June 20, 1958, to require that certain amounts collected by the United States with respect to lands under the administration of the Forest Service be invested into interest bearing obligations, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 132nd anniversary of the St. James African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church of Douglasville, Georgia on October 10, 2021. Since its founding in 1889, St. James A.M.E. Church has served the greater Douglasville area through ministry, service, and fellowship. As they mark this momentous occasion, it is my pleasure to extend congratulations to the church leaders, elders, and congregation. There are many ways to gauge the impact a religious institution has on its community. However, one of the most telling is its longevity, for that demonstrates that teaching of a loving gospel can move generations of God's people. The mission of St. James A.M.E. is to minister to the spiritual, physical, emotional, and environmental needs of all people through spreading the word of Christ. However, this church community does not just preach the gospel on Sundays, but instead carries the gospel with them every day through their good deeds. Saving the lost, serving the needy, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, housing the homeless, caring for the sick, are only a few examples of how St. James A.M.E. impacts its community. St. James A.M.E. has been a beacon of Christian light and fellowship for a very long time. They take care of their community and those that are struggling. Loving our neighbors as we love ourselves is deeply engrained in St. James A.M.E.'s culture. Through the spirit of selfless generosity and love for others, God has shined his light on this congregation, and you all have taken that light and steadfastly turned it on your community. For fifteen years, St. James A.M.E. has partnered with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to serve meals and provide goods to fellow neighbors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the church set up a mobile food bank and food pantry for patrons to easily get meals for their families. Additionally, St. James A.M.E. organized a COVID-19 vaccination event to ensure that citizens of the greater Douglasville area had access to this lifesaving vaccine. Throughout the 132 years of St. James A.M.E., its members and fellow Black and African American neighbors were not afforded the same freedoms as their white brothers and sisters. This church has lived through the great Civil Rights Movement and the continued effects of racism and bigotry. Through their perseverance, they have continued to promote equality in their community, through actions such as working tirelessly during the 2020 election cycle to ensure voters were registered and had all the information they needed to cast their ballot on election day. I am pleased to congratulate your church leaders, elders, and the generations of congregants at St. James A.M.E. Church for setting positive examples as leaders in ministry for the city of Douglasville. From the first pastors back in 1889, Reverend Pierce and Reverend Lawrence, to today's Reverend LeRoy Ladson, Jr., these leaders have grounded this community's faith and united the people of Douglasville through the Word of God. Madam Speaker, as St. James A.M.E. Church of Douglasville, Georgia marks its 132nd anniversary, I would like to applaud this church's steadfast commitment to God's Word and God's people. I want to close with a fitting scripture that epitomizes the spirit of St. James A.M.E., Galatians 6:9, which reads, ``And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.'' May God continue to bless St. James A.M.E. Church of Douglasville, Georgia.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Vote ``yes.'' And by doing so, you will say not: This is my country. You will say in one united voice: This is our country, Black and White. This is our country, the greatest country, and we thank God Almighty for this blessing. Please, let us do as the Senate. Vote unanimously for passage of this bill.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, let me say to some of my Republican friends: If our African-American slave ancestors were here today, they would say to you: You know, them that's got should get, and them that's not should lose, because the Bible says, and it still is news, your mama may have, and your papa may have, but God bless the child that's got his own. God bless the child who can say I am free. Two hundred years in the deep slavery south, but God put hope in our hearts and a song in our mouths. All we are asking is for you to express the feeling and the depths of the African-American people today who need you, all of us, White and Black Members of Congress, to stand together and vote ``yes.''

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary Georgian and a great American, Dr. Thomas J. Hynes, Jr., outgoing President of Clayton State University. Dr. Hynes is retiring as President of Clayton State University (CSU) after over ten years of serving the institution with honor and distinction. During this time, he has led the University to success and growth and helped secure Clayton State's position at the forefront of Peach State academics. Beloved by Lakers across campus, the leadership of Dr. Hynes has empowered students and greatly strengthened the CSU community. Throughout his career, Dr. Hynes has committed himself to service through education. He previously served as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs and Professor of Mass Communication at the University of West Georgia. Prior to his time at West Georgia, he served in various departments at the University of Louisville for eighteen years. Outside of his university experience, Dr. Hynes has greatly benefitted our community. He has served as the overall Chair for the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce, the Chair of the Chamber's Education Committee, a member of the Fayette County and Metro Atlanta Chambers of Commerce, and on the Atlanta Regional Commission, amongst many other local and national positions. I express my deepest appreciation for the dedication that Dr. Hynes has given to the Thirteenth District and the state of Georgia. Throughout his various tenures, Dr. Hynes has instilled his students and others around him with exemplary values. He has led by example to reflect the importance of service to our communities. He has facilitated and encouraged an open exchange of ideas, a principle too often overlooked in a contentious world. Dr. Hynes has taught his students to pursue excellence through knowledge and to uplift themselves through a quest to reach their full potential. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Hynes for the impact he has left on future generations and I thank him for his ability to connect with his students in such a powerful way. Madam Speaker, I congratulate Dr. Hynes on his retirement from Clayton State University and I wish him continued success, health, and happiness in the future. CSU is also prepared for continued greatness, thanks to Dr. Hynes' commitment to Strategic Plan 2022, an initiative that will give students the resources they need to succeed in a changing world, with an emphasis on community involvement. May God continue to bless Dr. Thomas J. Hynes, Jr., and Clayton State University.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I would like to reflect that had my vote for H. Res. 275, a resolution condemning the horrific shootings in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 16, 2021, and reaffirming the House of Representative's commitment to combating hate, bigotry, and violence against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, been cast, it would have been recorded as AYE. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 149,

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding. I thank my distinguished Republican colleague for his very fine comments. Madam Speaker, this is one of our most important bills because it is happening at a time when so many of our people are facing such ravaging financial problems and concerns. Since the passage of Dodd-Frank, which I worked hard on, as many of you did, and the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, we charged that agency with ensuring that consumers have access to safe, accessible, and affordable financial products. Yet, Madam Speaker, do you know that we still have 7.1 million of our American citizens who are unbanked, relying on pawn shops and payday lenders to get by? As this past year has laid bare, many families are just one crisis, one sickness, one broken vehicle, one emergency from absolute financial devastation. Without support from regulated, legitimate financial institutions, these consumers are forced to turn to predatory lenders and unsound products. They are at the mercy of some of the most unscrupulous characters we know. Our bill is a very strong bipartisan bill, which the gentleman from Arkansas has articulated well. Madam Speaker, with this bill, we will prioritize the most underserved and unbanked persons across our great Nation, and we will be taking the first step toward improving access and affordability in banking for all of our American people. I urge my colleagues everywhere to give this a unanimous vote on the floor later today.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, this is an important and urgent activity that we are on this morning. Now, my Republican friends talked about this, but they did the identical, same thing in 2017 with President Trump's tax cuts. What is good for my friends is also good for us. That is the way the rules are. Mr. Speaker, let me tell you how devastating the damage would be if we do not act. First of all, it will cut $29 billion from badly needed programs, and no entity will be impacted and devastated like agriculture. They will cut $29 billion and cut our programs for energy efficiency and rural development. We are working on that together. This bill will save our rural development, research, specialty crop development, and beginning and veteran farmer development. Out of the $29 billion, it will take $23 billion out of our Commodity Credit Corporation, limiting our ability to make payments to our farmers and food producers at this critical time when we are in a hunger crisis. Mr. Speaker, you must understand, we Democrats and Republicans need to send a powerful message to the Nation on this bill.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, let us move hand in hand together at this serious time. Now, when my friends used this, it was for the tax cut, most of which went to the wealthy. But this $23 billion cut to our CCC will devastate the American people where it hurts the most: their food, their water, their shelter, and their clothing. We must not do that. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join us.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, let me, first of all, try to respond so the American people will know that this money, this $1.9 trillion, is going to help our Nation survive COVID-19. It is not just a disease that is out there. It is a disease that has impacted our people. Let me tell you what is in this bill: $800 million for food. Don't you all know we have a hunger crisis? Don't you know that the American people are hungry? They are in record lines--you see them-- miles long every day, trying to get food. It has $800 million for food for women, infants, and children. We have 13 million of our children and infants going to bed hungry and malnourished every single night. You know why? Because of COVID. Employment is down; our folks don't have the money to get the food. Mr. Speaker, this is why our Agriculture Committee is having hearings tomorrow to address hunger, to see what else we need to do. And I must respond to this.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. He brought up the issue of the Black farmers. It is important for you to know that our Black farmers were not included in the other pieces, so we got them $4 billion just to help them and technical assistance. America needs this.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, let's face facts. Let me tell my Republican friends: We have a terrible hunger crisis going on in this country right now. Fourteen million of our children are going to bed hungry this night. The American people are crying out: Congress, help us. We have support of our measure from the American Farm Federation and from Cargill, and we have support of our legislation from God Almighty Himself. What did He tell you and me? He said: Feed the hungry and heal the sick. America is hungry, America is sick, and America is calling on you Republicans to love your people and take care of your people at this critical time of need. Madam Speaker, as the first African American Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, I am proud that the American Rescue Plan Act provides support for all sectors of agricultural production, including farmers, ranchers, and private forest land owners of color. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) spends billions of dollars annually in providing much needed support to American producers. Sadly, Black farmers and other farmers of color have received a small share of the USDA farm loans and payments as a result of discrimination. When these producers did receive loans or payments, many of them were not provided timely or proper loan servicing options due to discrimination, which led to producers of color losing their land and operations. Sections 1005 and 1006 of the American Rescue Plan Act provide targeted and tailored support for these farmers and ranchers. I note for the record that changes made to these sections in the Manager's Amendment were to ensure that these sections would meet the requirements of section 313 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 for consideration in the United States Senate. The systemic discrimination against Black farmers and other farmers of color by USDA is longstanding and well-documented and continues to present barriers for these producers to participate in the agricultural economy. It is important that we document this history and the continuing challenges for these farmers of color in the Congressional Record. A 1965 report by the United States Commission on Civil Rights found that Federal, state, and local officials discriminated against Black farmers in agricultural programs and that this discrimination actively contributed to the decline in the Black ownership of farmland. In 1968, a follow up report from the United States Commission on Civil Rights found that Black farmers continued to face discrimination when seeking farm loans and other forms of assistance. In 1970, the United States Commission on Civil Rights again found that discrimination continued in USDA program administration. The 1970 report indicated that prior to 1968, no Black farmer had ever been elected to any former Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service committee at the county level in the South. In 1970, two out of more than 4,100 committee members in the South were Black farmers, even though there were 58 counties in the South, where Black farmers comprised a majority of the farm operator population. In 1982, the United States Commission on Civil Rights issued another report on the rapid decline of Black-operated farms. The report noted that between 1970 and 1980, the Black farm population declined 65 percent, compared to a 22 percent decline in the white farm population. The report also documented numerous discrimination complaints filed against USDA field offices regarding the administration of farm loan programs and noted that for many of these complaints, USDA's Office of Equal Opportunity investigated and found equal opportunity violations at those field offices. The report concluded that racial discrimination was continuing within the USDA, at USDA headquarters, and in the network of field offices that implement USDA programs. In 1988, Congress passed section 617 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 requiring the USDA to establish annual target participation rates, on a county-wide basis, that would ensure that members of socially disadvantaged groups receive direct or guaranteed farm ownership loans. Congress amended this requirement in 1996, to ensure that USDA's implementation was consistent with the holding of the Supreme Court in Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Federico Pena, Secretary of Transportation, 515 U.S. 200 (1995), which held that race-based actions by the government is within constitutional constraints when it is necessary to further a compelling interest such as the ``unhappy persistence of both the practice and lingering effects of racial discrimination against minority groups.'' A 1995 U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that socially disadvantaged producers were significantly underrepresented on the county and community committees of the former Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service. Specifically, the report found that while minority producers accounted for nearly 5 percent of the producers eligible to vote for committee members, minority producers only represented 2.1 percent of county committee members in the United States. In 1997, the USDA formed a Civil Rights Action Team to hold nationwide listening sessions to hear from socially disadvantaged and minority farmers. A report published after the listening sessions documented Black, Hispanic, Asian-American, and American Indian farmers who told stories of USDA hurting minority farmers more than helping them. Minority farmers described how their discrimination complaints were caught in the backlog of appeals or if successfully appealed, were given findings of discrimination that were not enforced. The report acknowledged that discrimination in USDA program delivery continued to exist to a large degree unabated. Also in 1997, the USDA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued a report to the USDA Secretary that noted ``a climate of disorder within the civil rights staff at [the Farm Service Agency].'' It was difficult for the OIG to even determine the number and status of civil rights complaints at the agency and department because of that climate. As the OIG later summarized in a 2005 audit, ``it took 12 days longer to complete minority applications, delinquencies were higher for minority borrowers than nonminority borrowers, and minority borrowers were reluctant to enter into FSA offices to apply for loans.'' In 1998, the USDA National Commission on Small Farms further described and documented the longstanding discrimination of USDA towards socially disadvantaged producers. And, it observed that ``discrimination has been a contributing factor in the decline of Black farmers over the last several decades.'' The Commission's report also notes the ``history of under-allocation of resources to institutions that have served minority farmers,'' the ``disgraceful'' ``failure to elect minority farmers to positions on FSA County Committees,'' and more. During the period between 1997 and 2000, Black farmers, Native American farmers, and Latinx farmers filed lawsuits alleging USDA discriminated against them on the basis of race in processing their farm program applications and that USDA failed to investigate their complaints of discrimination. But settlements resulting from these lawsuits have not provided the relief necessary for these farmers of color to participate fully in the American agricultural economy. For example, the Los Angeles Times reported in 2012 that payments made to Black farmers under the Pigford settlements were significantly eroded by state taxes, as well as tax debt related to forgiven USDA farm loans. In 2001, a report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights documented the continued discriminatory lending practices against minority farmers. The Commission found that Black farmers waited four times longer than white farmers for USDA farm loans. The Commission recommended that USDA resolve the backlog of civil rights complaints and document and alleviate discriminatory lending practices. However, USDA continued to struggle with resolving its backlog of civil rights complaints. In 2008, GAO reported that USDA's difficulties in resolving discrimination complaints persisted and that the USDA had not achieved its goal of preventing future backlogs of discrimination complaints. Recent studies and reports continue to document the challenges and barriers faced by farmers of color due to race or ethnic discrimination or the legacy of such discrimination. A September 20, 2017, study in the Agriculture and Human Values journal described the challenges faced by Latinx farmers due to failure of agricultural agencies to engage in appropriate outreach or account for language barriers. In 2019, a GAO report observed that socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers had proportionately less agricultural credit than non- socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. This report found that farmers and ranchers of color continued to face more difficulties in obtaining farm loans and highlighted the historic, systemic discrimination against such farmers. The Market Facilitation Program and Coronavirus Food Assistance Program are recent USDA programs designed to bolster the farm economy; in both programs the majority of funds went to non-minority farmers. For example, the Environmental Working Group reported that nonminority farmers received nearly 97 percent of the $9.2 billion provided by the USDA's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Additionally, the Farm Bill Law Enterprise reported that 99 percent of Market Facilitation Payments went to non-minority farmers. The systemic discrimination of farmers, ranchers, and other producers of color by the USDA is longstanding and well-documented. I urge my colleagues to support me and the Committee on Agriculture as we work to enable socially disadvantaged producers to succeed in the agricultural economy. Sections 1005 and 1006 of the bill before the House today are critical to that work, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, now is the time. We can't afford more delays. The time for us to be bold is now. This is the time to be decisive, to move confidently, and most importantly, to move Democrats and Republicans together to save our great Nation; not tomorrow. The time is now.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me tell my Republican friends this: All you have to do to know why we have got to go big for the survival of our Nation is look at the news recently. Have you seen the lines of cars? Some have been in line since 4 and 5 in the morning. And our community food banks are there. Why do you think that they are there? They are hungry. We have got 17 million of our children going to bed hungry every single night because the American people don't have the money to go buy groceries. And you know, what? One of the fastest growing groups of those out there hungry, who are starving, who are dying under the viaducts, who are committing suicide in record numbers, are our veterans. That is why we need to go bold, to go big. You talk about bipartisanship. That is what the American people want, bipartisanship to get money in their pockets. And look, friends, I am chairman of the Agriculture Committee. I am a businessman. I graduated from the top school of finance in the world, the Wharton School of Finance. I can speak on this economy. The basic tool of growth in economy is getting money in the pockets of people who are spending. That is how you keep your community going. They are not going to sit on that money. They are going to buy, go into Kroger and Publix and get food.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, let me make everybody aware that on those just sun-bleached bones of history of many great nations are written those poetic words: Too late, they move too late to save their great nations. Madam Speaker, let us not this day move too late to save our great Nation.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, what we are discussing tonight isn't about us. It is about the will of the American people. They are brokenhearted. They are crying. And they are discouraged. An overwhelming number of American people want this President out of office now. This is why we have to do it now. We have to heal the wound. The longer the President is over there, the more we are tearing the heart and soul out of the American people. Let us do it now.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary Georgian and a great American, Reverend James C. Birdsong, Jr. Rev. Birdsong is a multi-talented preacher, gospel musician, nationally published author, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur. Through his faith-based outreach, Rev. Birdsong has reached thousands of Georgians with his message of perseverance and trust in God's plan. Rev. Birdsong was born into a family of talented artists in Richmond, California. From a young age, he knew that his mission in life was to share the word of God with others. Rev. Birdsong exhibited courage and resilience in overcoming a developmental disability to pursue his goals and further his education, culminating in a degree in Biblical Education from Beulah Heights University in Atlanta. In recent years, Reverend Birdsong has kept busy, conducting numerous media interviews, accepting awards across the country, authoring a moving autobiography, and continuing to preach the gospel. He remains deeply involved in his community, founding the Birdsong Association of Broadcasting and Arts, to provide young voices with the platform and guidance to refine their talents and follow their dreams. He has further helped young Georgians to find their path in life through his continued youth advocacy efforts, leaving a positive impact on so many young people. Madam Speaker, I congratulate Reverend Birdsong on his impactful career, and extend my sincerest wishes for his continued health and success, as he inspires people across the United States. May God continue to bless Reverend James C. Birdsong, Jr.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very, very much for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I have served in this body for 18 years, and throughout those 18 years, I have had a man that I am convinced was sent by God enter my life at a critical time, and that man is the chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson. I am here to certainly ask everybody to make sure you vote unanimously on the bill. But I am here to express a great friendship, a heartfelt gratitude. And I say, as so many of my colleagues, you cannot have gone through this tremendous challenge of being an elected official without God having sent people your way to help you, to guide you. Such a man is Collin Peterson and let me tell you why. When I came to Congress 18 years ago, I was assigned to the Agriculture Committee, and I was the only African American on that committee for several years. Sometimes, when you are going into the crevices and the corners of life where you have not been before, God sends somebody along to give you a helping hand. Such a man in my life is Collin Peterson. Not only that; he took me under his wing and guided me. Not just on one committee did he have me chair, several, starting with livestock, moving on to credit, energy, the commodities, and now the financial exchanges; daring to move me into areas where I did not know that he had faith in me. And so I wanted to take this moment to say thank you. Now, as you mentioned, Mr. Chairman, thanks to your good right hand, you have opened a way that I might become the next chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. No man, nothing, has helped me more to be in this position than my friendship with this great man, Collin Peterson.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated-Eta Lambda Chapter, on their 100th Anniversary. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first inter-collegiate Greek letter fraternity established for Black college students, was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, in 1906. In a period of one hundred fourteen years, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. grew from one undergraduate group of seven members to an international organization with an active membership of more than one hundred fifty thousand. The national organization is now the central organization to many subordinate chapters. The Eta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was founded in Atlanta, chartering on May 19, 1920. As the First Alumni Chapter, and one of the most accomplished in the Southern Region (Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi) I am honored to highlight the rich history and significance of my beloved fraternity in Atlanta. For one hundred years, the Eta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has been intertwined in the fabric of the City of Atlanta; from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to Andrew Young International Boulevard and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center, just to name a few. Notable Alpha Brothers have served as leaders in all levels of government, business, education, and civic affairs. I am a proud member of this prestigious organization, which was founded on the precepts of many deeds, scholarship, and love for all mankind. Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing the historic significance of the centennial anniversary of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated-Eta Lambda Chapter.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the seriousness of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a genetic, hormone, metabolic and reproductive disorder that affects women and girls. PCOS can lead to lifelong complications such as infertility; anxiety, depression and other psychosocial disorders; obesity; severe hair and skin issues; endometrial cancer; type 2 diabetes; cardiovascular disease; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and other life-threatening conditions. Many of these complications are a significant burden on quality of life, health, and the healthcare system. PCOS affects over 10 million women and girls in the United States. Currently, there is no cure for PCOS, and women living with this disorder experience symptoms such as insulin resistance, menstrual irregularities, weight gain, thinning scalp hair, and depression and anxiety during puberty and throughout their lives. PCOS is a grave issue that affects hundreds of thousands of women in Georgia and millions more across the country. For far too long, PCOS has been a prevalent public health concern, threatening the mental and physical health and quality of life of girls, women and their families. Increasing awareness about polycystic ovary syndrome is critical to our efforts to address the national maternal mortality crisis and prevent pregnancy-related deaths. Pregnant women with polycystic ovary syndrome are more likely to develop gestational diabetes, preeclampsia (pregnancy-related hypertension) and have emergency C-sections. Without access to quality prenatal care, many African American women with PCOS are not diagnosed until they have difficulty getting pregnant or experience dangerous pregnancy complications. PCOS is also the most common cause of female infertility. Many women living with the disorder often have miscarriages or premature deliveries. There is a growing need to educate healthcare providers about PCOS because 50-70 percent of PCOS patients are going undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 50 percent of women with PCOS develop Type 2 Diabetes or prediabetes by the age of 40 and are at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Women and girls with this disorder are also at higher risk for uterine cancer, liver disease, and suicide. Madam Speaker, I ask that you join me to advance this bipartisan effort and make PCOS a public health priority.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, John Lewis' mother and his grandmother named him John after John the Apostle, the disciple, the Scripture says, whom Jesus loved, John the Beloved. And John Lewis dedicated his life to building the beloved community. And one more thing. John Lewis, being named after John, Jesus' Apostle, it must be noted that the Apostle John was the youngest of the disciples. John Lewis was the youngest of our civil rights leaders who spoke at the momentous March on Washington. God bless John Lewis, and we thank God for sending him our way.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I say to ladies and gentlemen on the floor and people all across this Nation: If you listened to my Republican friends, you would think we are not in a crisis. We are in a terrible crisis. Just think, 42 million Americans that had jobs just 14 weeks ago no longer have those jobs. Their homes are on the verge of being foreclosed. They need our help. Yes, the gentleman from Michigan is right. We did pass this bill in the HEROES Act, but the Republican leader over there says: Let's pause. This is the wrong time for this Nation to pause. This is a crisis. And let me tell the gentleman something. It is a crisis in terms of health, but it is also a crisis in terms of our great economy going down and the great pillars of our economy: our homeownership, real estate values, and the security of our banking system. That is what is at stake here. So it makes sense for us to move. With 42 million Americans no longer working, they are not going to be able to pay for their mortgages. They are not going to be able to keep their water on, the electricity on, the utilities. They are coming due already. So I want to say to the gentleman that, when Senator McConnell says ``put a pause on it,'' this Nation stands in horror when we see this epidemic already creating 42 million jobless people, but now burdening us with the revival of an additional thrust of this pandemic. Nothing is more important than showing the American people we care about them. And we can't tell them to keep in their homes if they don't have a home, I urge my Republican friends.