Terri Sewell

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Madam Chair, during rollcall vote number 23 on January 8, 2016, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Stated against:

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Madam Chair, during rollcall vote number 24 on January 8, 2016, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. Deutch

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to express my strong disappointment in House Republicans for starting off the New Year with the same failed policies from 2015. The bill before us today, the so- called Restoring Americans' Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act, is simply more of the same. We've been here 61 times before, making today the 62nd vote to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act. Enough is enough. Ultimately, we are wasting time on a bill destined for a veto and have many reasons to celebrate its imminent failure. This bill is designed to take health insurance from 22 million uninsured Americans. It would cut the subsidies provided to low and middle income Americans living with diabetes and other diseases that allow them to purchase private health insurance. It would also eliminate the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF), which provides investments in public health efforts to prevent and detect diseases like diabetes and cancer. In the first 6 years of the Fund's inception, $5.25 billion in resources have been sent to states, tribal, and community organizations to support community-based prevention. The Fund should be strengthened, not eliminated. This bill is also designed to repeal the ACA's Medicaid Expansion. As representative of a state that has opted not to expand its Medicaid program, I know full well the consequences of non-expansion. The 139,000 working Alabamians who fall in the so-called coverage gap make too much to qualify for Medicaid and too little to qualify for subsidies. My states' decision not to expand this critical program is having a devastating--almost fatal--impact on rural health clinics and hospitals across my district. This provision to repeal Medicaid Expansion would have a devastating impact on the 30 states that have expanded their Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act, including 14 states with Republican governors. The bill is also designed to take away family planning, wellness exams, and life-saving cancer screenings from millions of American women. The issue of access to reproductive care is very personal to my constituents as some women have to drive two counties to deliver a baby. For women in Sumter County, that's as far as Tuscaloosa, which is an hour away. We shouldn't be in the business of restricting access to family planning and reproductive care in our communities that are already struggling from high teen pregnancy, infant mortality, and STD rates. While I am pleased to see an effort to repeal the burdensome Cadillac tax and the medical device tax, I cannot support this dangerous bill in its entirety. I will continue to work with my colleagues to repeal the Cadillac and medical device taxes through other legislative vehicles. Before passage of the ACA, we were spending more money per patient than any country in the world. Under the law, health care prices have grown at the slowest rate in 50 years. This is economic progress that all Americans benefit from. While the Affordable Care Act is not perfect, there are millions of Americans who now have access to quality healthcare and are leading healthier lives because of it. My constituents and the nurses and doctors who care for them deserve better. They deserve a Congress that works together to fix what's wrong with our health care system rather that rolling back the progress made by the Affordable Care Act. In 2016, we should be a Congress that finds solutions that benefits all Americans. Health care should not be a privilege.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise on the first Restoration Tuesday of the session to reiterate the ongoing and urgent need to protect the voting rights of all Americans. On behalf of the constituents we were sent here to represent, we must leave our inaction on voting rights behind in 2015! Now is the time to Restore the Vote! It is completely unacceptable that this upcoming election in November will be our first presidential election in 50 years without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This Congress has had over two years to answer the Supreme Court's call to develop a modern day formula for preclearance. We should be embarrassed by our inaction. It is past time for this body to Restore the Vote! Far too many of our constituents will face new barriers to voting this year. From African American communities in my home state of Alabama, to Native American communities in Alaska, to Asian American communities in California and Latino communities in Texas, thousands of minority communities across America will be met with modern-day barriers to the ballot box due to our inaction. Any attempt to restrict a certain portion of our electorate is a threat to our democracy, whether that is through voter ID laws, the closure of driver's license offices, or the scaling back of early voting. While these don't appear as egregious as literacy tests and poll taxes, they represent modern- day attempts to achieve the same goal--to restrict the vote of a portion of the electorate. This is a very old strategy used by individuals in our democracy who wish to silence the voices of entire groups of people. Because of the Voting Rights Act, approximately 3,000 discriminatory voting changes were blocked from occurring from 1965 to 2013. In 1970, when the law was expanded to abolish literacy tests and lower the voting age to 18, the impact was significant as 9 million new voters were added to the roles. As caretakers of our democracy, it is our shared responsibility to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965. I urge my colleagues to stand with me and renew our commitment towards voter equality. We must pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act and help ensure equal access to the ballot box for every American.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to stand with our fellow Americans, the 3.5 million American citizens of Puerto Rico, in urging Republican leadership to make good on the promise that action will be taken by March 31st to allow the U.S. territory to restructure its debt. This agreement made last night is welcome news as we cannot continue to ignore the urgency of the mounting fiscal and economic crisis facing Puerto Rico. On behalf of all Puerto Ricans, including the more than 12,000 who reside in my home state of Alabama, I remain disappointed that a deal to enable the territory to restructure its debt and keep its schools, hospitals, and roads open and functioning past January 1 was not included in the Omnibus. The sovereignty of the Puerto Rican people is our responsibility. I represent parts of Jefferson County, Alabama, a political subdivision which became the biggest U.S. municipal bankruptcy in 2011. While we all can agree bankruptcy isn't a cure-all and it definitely has its limits, it is often necessary to begin the process of dealing with an unimaginable debt load. Puerto Rico should have the same power to avail themselves of the federal remedies and negotiate directly with their bond holders as every U.S. state has. Puerto Rico is the third-largest issuer of municipal bonds in the U.S. and now has a debt totaling $72 billion, amounting to $20,000 for every man, woman, and child on the island. As over 50 percent of Puerto Rico's citizens live in poverty, default will potentially lead to a humanitarian crisis. At no cost to us, we can allow the U.S. territory to restructure its debt and declare bankruptcy, ultimately keeping the basic functions of government open and avoiding real social and economic harm to the American citizens living on the island. But we can't stop there. We all must remain committed to assisting Puerto Rico in a long-term solution to the economic and social challenges the island has been facing for far too long. The island territory of Puerto Rico has already suffered a decade of economic stagnation, high unemployment, and cuts in every program from higher education to health care. The government of Puerto Rico has closed 160 schools in the past two years and is spending $2,000 less per student than the average spent in the states. It has laid off 21 percent of its employees since 2008 with further cuts projected in 2016. The Puerto Rican people can ill-afford more cuts. We in Congress must do our part. We should prevent further crisis by giving our U.S. territory of Puerto Rico the ability to restructure its debt and deal with the root causes of the crisis just as all U.S. states have the ability to do. I want to commend the leadership of Luis Gutierrez, Nydia Velazquez, Leader Pelosi, Jose Serrano, and Pedro Pierluisi for their tireless commitment to the people of Puerto Rico and all Hispanic Americans. It is because of their efforts that Republican leadership has agreed to take action by March 31st. We all need to follow their lead in standing up for the American people who live, work, and raise their families in our territories. Today I stand with the Puerto Rican people in urging this body to work together on a bipartisan, commonsense restructuring bill that provides economic hope to the people of Puerto Rico.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the Omnibus Appropriations bill. After a thoughtful and thorough review, I have decided to vote in favor of the Omnibus Appropriations bill. I have reservations about several provisions in the bill, but ultimately I believe that the good contained in this bill outweighs the bad. My vote was cast in favor of keeping the government operating and to continue to make critical investments agency programs that benefit all Americans. I also firmly believe that we cannot afford another shutdown and this bill provides the Federal Government with funding through September 30, 2016. The omnibus provides much needed increases for a broad range of education programs including Head Start, Title I grants, aid to HBCUs, the TRIO and GEAR UP programs, and rural education. Providing the resources low-income families need to increase their academic success is one of my highest priorities, and this legislation is a first step in the right direction. Furthermore, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and other minority serving institutions are set to receive an additional $40 million in funding. HBCUs have created and fostered a generation of African-American professionals, and still play a vital role in educating our youth. My district is home to some of the most prominent HBCUs in the Country, and as a Vice Chair of the Bipartisan Congressional HBCU Caucus, securing adequate funding for these institutions is critically important to me. I am also pleased that this bill provides funding through the Department of the Interior that will be used to preserve historic civil sites. The struggle for civil and voting rights is an integral part of American history. Our district is known as the civil rights district, and we have the potential to benefit from this competitive grant process. I fought to secure two amendments that made this funding possible in order to preserve important civil rights sites for future generations. The bill includes many increases in programs that are critical to improving access to quality health care and innovative medical research. I am particularly pleased to see a much needed increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). These investments in research are essential to providing long-term stability for our research communities in Birmingham and across the state. The package recognizes that HIV and Hepatitis should be a priority by reinvesting in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the mental health crisis becomes more urgent, the deal's increased funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (SAMHSA) is a welcome sign of progress for the mental health community. There is an urgent need to address racial health disparities in Alabama's 7th Congressional District, and I am pleased this bill recognizes that need. By funding Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), Congress has made an investment to help eliminate health disparities across a range of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. This is not a perfect bill, but I am proud that both sides of the aisle were able to work out a compromise that benefits our nation, and helps us continue to grow.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to express my strong concerns for the ``Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015.'' I want to commend Ranking Member Levin and the Democratic leadership for their strong, unwavering support for hard-working families across our country during these difficult negotiations for a comprehensive tax extenders package. While I support a strong tax policy that provides certainty to individuals and American businesses, I have a number of concerns with respect to the final provisions of the package and the ultimate cost of the bill. Our nation's tax code should continue to evolve in order to reflect and meet the challenges facing modern businesses. It should also create opportunities for growth, without undermining critical social programs that benefit all Americans. This package includes several provisions I strongly support, including permanent expansions of the earned income tax credit, the child tax credit, and the American opportunity tax credit. The package also provides a two-year moratorium on the medical device tax and extends the work opportunity tax credit to help employers that hire Americans who have faced significant barriers to employment. This bill also provides incentives to individuals for charitable contributions and for businesses to continue to invest in critical research and development. However as with most legislation, these tax cuts and extenders have a huge price tag. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) estimates that the provisions would reduce net revenues, and thereby increase deficits, by a total of $622 billion over 10 years. I am deeply concerned that passing this tax extenders package without offsetting its cost would greatly undermine our ability to make key discretionary investments in the future that would hinder job creation, and lessen opportunities that make the American dream possible for millions of families across our great nation. We know that every dollar in lost revenue must be made up somewhere else in the budget. And far too often, my Republican colleagues have sought to do this by reducing spending in critically important domestic spending programs such as infrastructure development, education, social security, and increased healthcare access. As Members of Congress, it is our responsibility to pass sensible and pragmatic legislation that not only aids industry, but also grows the paychecks of hard-working families and invests in the future of our children. We must weigh this tax extenders package against its long- term impact on Congress' ability to help businesses create jobs and opportunities, grow our economy, invest in our aging infrastructure, strengthen our national security, and provide our senior citizens with the opportunity to retire with dignity. The American people deserve a more balanced bill that offsets its cost, and helps both individuals and businesses equitably across the board. I urge my colleagues to review this legislation carefully, with a focus on our nation's future.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of our Nation's security and in our ongoing fight against terrorists and extremism around the world. As a Member who serves on the Intelligence Committee, the safety and security of the American people is my top priority. H.R. 4239, the Tracking Foreign Fighters in Terrorist Safe Havens Act, requires the intelligence community to report on foreign fighter flows to and from terrorist safe havens abroad. The recent horrific terrorist attacks that occurred in Paris, Beirut, and here at home in San Bernardino, California, not only shake our very conscience, but also cause us to evaluate our own security measures and intelligence protocols. This bill expands on the approach to tracking foreign fighters outlined in the Intelligence Authorization Act, and requires the DNI to produce an additional written report on foreign fighter flows to and from terrorist safe havens abroad every 180 days. Each report would include invaluable details, such as countries of origin, the numbers of U.S. citizen foreign fighters, and the numbers of foreign fighters whose whereabouts are unknown to us. The threat of extremists returning to the United States from the battlefields in Iraq and Syria are serious, and we must do what we can to prevent it. I am convinced that a more vigilant and robust foreign fighter tracking and reporting process is critically important to fighting terrorism and combating ISIS abroad, as well as extremism here at home. We must evaluate our national counterterrorism strategy and policies continuously to ensure that we are doing everything within our power to protect the American people and to defeat and destroy ISIS and all terrorists that seek to do us harm. I want to congratulate the chairman and my colleague, Mr. Swalwell, for their leadership on this effort, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to acknowledge Restoration Tuesday, and the need to restore federal voter protections for vulnerable communities. Every Tuesday that Congress is in session shall be known as Restoration Tuesday, and I invite each of you to share constituent testimonials about modern-day barriers to voting. I am a proud daughter of Selma, Alabama where 50 years ago the brave Foot Soldiers of the Voting Rights Movement dared to challenge an unjust system that prohibited people of color from voting in the South. Unfortunately, Alabama has not yet fully learned the lessons of its painful past. We have witnessed a renewed assault on our sacred right to vote in the wake of Shelby County versus Holder. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court's decision, Alabama implemented one of the most restrictive photo ID laws in the nation. Under this pernicious voter ID law, only a handful of photo IDs can be used at polling places. When the State of Alabama started requiring a photo ID to vote, officials claimed it would reduce voter fraud. The reality is that voter fraud is rare--but the end results are that more than 250,000 Alabamians without a photo ID have been disenfranchised. Many of the disenfranchised are African-Americans, low-income individuals, senior citizens, and the disabled. This past October, Alabama lawmakers decided to make this bad law even worse by reducing services at 34 DMVs across the state. Driver's licenses are the most popular form of ID used at the polls--and 8 out of the 10 counties in Alabama that are impacted have the highest percentage of black registered voters in the state. How is this not discriminatory? I fully support the federal lawsuit filed by the Greater Birmingham Ministries and the Alabama NAACP, challenging the photo ID law in our state. I have repeatedly argued that Alabama's photo ID law is a renewed assault on voting rights. I also applaud the U.S. Department of Transportation's decision to investigate the reduction of services at the 34 DMVs in question for a possible violation of Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Alabama cannot balance its budget on the backs of those who can least afford it, nor infringe upon the civil rights of minorities by limiting access to the most popular form of identification used to vote. Voting is at the heart of our democracy. It's our most fundamental right--and duty--as Americans. I am a proud Alabamian, so it disappointments me that for every two steps Alabama takes forward, we take one step back. Voting should be made easier--not harder--so that no voices are excluded and that every citizen can cast their vote without any unnecessary or unwarranted barriers. Alabama recently reached a settlement with the Department of Justice to settle claims that the state did not fully comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. An investigation by the Department of Justice found that Alabama had largely failed to provide opportunities for Alabamians to register to vote when they applied for or renewed a driver's license. Mr. Speaker, we have witnessed a number of attempts--not just in Alabama--but across the country to restrict the vote. I stand before you today to urge Congress to restore the vote. Representatives Linda Sanchez, Judy Chu and I introduced the Voting Rights Advancement Act in June to stop the renewed assault on voting rights, and to restore preclearance for states like Alabama where new barriers to voting threaten to silence the most vulnerable voices in our electorate. We cannot take for granted the battles endured by those who came before us, nor can we neglect our own responsibilities to ensure liberty and justice. The struggle continues, and each of us must do our part to further the cause of human and civil rights for all Americans. We must restore the voices of the excluded--Congress must act today to restore the vote.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary contributions of lifelong civil rights activist and public servant Doris Dozier Crenshaw. For more than 60 years, she has been on the frontlines in the fight for equality and human rights for all. Today, we salute this Alabama native for her commitment to serving this nation. Her journey began in 1955 when at just 12 years old, Doris served as Vice President of the NAACP Youth Council when Rosa Parks served as the organization's advisor. After completing her degree at Clark College, she continued her community outreach in Chicago with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the Open Housing Campaign. Doris began her professional career as a Southern Field Representative for the National Council of Negro Women by organizing chapters, designing rural economic programs, and health and housing programs. In 1977, Doris joined the Carter White House Democratic Policy Staff for the Small and Minority Business Issue Division. In 1980, she went on to serve as Deputy Director for the South East Region for the Carter Presidential Campaign. In the early 1980s, Doris also served as Special Assistant and Mobilization Director for Special Projects to the Rev. Jesse Jackson. In this capacity, she worked extensively in Washington, D.C. and nationwide with black businesses for the PUSH Trade Bureau. Doris then served as a consultant to Vice President Walter Mondale and was later named National Political Director for ``Mondale for President in 1983.'' In 1985, Doris was tapped by Coretta Scott King to serve as Director of Mobilization for the first national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She was also charged by Dorothy Height to serve as Director of Mobilization for the First National Black Family Reunion and the National Black Family Reunions in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Detroit. This community icon also organized the nationally recognized 40th, 45th, 50th, 55th, 57th anniversary and now the 60th celebrations of the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott. In addition to her various leadership roles, Doris is committed to passing the torch to future generations. In 2008, she founded the Southern Youth Leadership Development Institute. The organization was created to address educational policy issues while engaging youth leaders in inspirational training programs through the ``train-the- trainer'' approach. Over the years, Doris has been recognized and awarded numerous accolades from organizations around the country and she is a lifetime member of the NAACP and the National Council of Negro Women. Doris is also a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference as well as the First United Church of Christ. Her proudest accomplishment is her daughter, Dr. Kwanza (Mikki) Crenshaw. On a personal note, Doris has served as dedicated mentor and friend. I know that my journey as the first black woman elected to Congress from the State of Alabama would not be possible without her wise counsel, support and mentorship. On this the 60th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to an Alabama treasure whose extraordinary contributions to this nation will continue to shape future generations of public servants.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition and acknowledgement of Restoration Tuesday and to recognize the 60th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. There has been, Mr. Speaker, a renewed and relentless assault on our sacred right to vote in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's ruling in Shelby County v. Holder. Since elections are held on Tuesdays, my colleagues in the Democratic House caucus and I have declared that every Tuesday that the House is in session shall be declared as Restoration Tuesday. So I stand before you and this august body today in hopes of giving a voice to those who have been excluded from our political process. My hope is that all the Members, Members from both sides of the aisle, will join me and over 140 Members of this august body in supporting the Voting Rights Advancement Act. This Voting Rights Advancement Act not only restores the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but it advances it. It gives more protection to more people in more States and is, indeed, what our Founding Fathers would have wanted when they declared that our electoral process would be fair. I think that the events of last week--we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in my district, in Montgomery, Alabama, last week. The Montgomery Bus Boycott--the 381 days when people refused to sit and use the buses in Montgomery, breaking desegregation of the bus systems in Montgomery--it stands forever as a powerful testimony of the will of disenfranchised people to work collectively to achieve extraordinary social change. Sixty years ago, Mr. Speaker, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus, and her bold stand against racial discrimination sparked a city-wide boycott. I was in Montgomery to commemorate that occasion, along with several Members of this House. I want to thank Congressman Butterfield and Congresswoman Corrine Brown for joining me last week in that celebration, along with Congressman John Lewis, who forever stands as a beacon, a reminder of what it takes to show strength in the face of discrimination. Mr. Speaker, I say to all of my colleagues, what will we do to progress this wonderful legacy of social change and democracy? So many average, ordinary Americans have stood up for that proposition in the face of tremendous adversity. So it is my hope that on this Restoration Tuesday, we will remember their legacy, the legacy of Americans who stand up for social change, and we will do what we know is right to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965. We can do that today, Mr. Speaker, by joining with all of the 140 or so Members of Congress who have already signed on to the Voting Rights Advancement Act; by remembering that on Tuesdays across this country, people go to vote, and they should do so without barriers, knowing that their polling stations will not be changed, knowing that if they are disabled, they will still be able to get into the ballot box in order to vote. It is so important that we all recognize that modern day barriers still exists to voting, Mr. Speaker. Mere words are not enough to restore the vote to millions of Americans who have wrongly been shut out of the Democratic process. The voice of those excluded cannot be unheard. The Voting Rights Advancement Act that I introduced alongside Representatives Judy Chu and Linda Sanchez contains a modern-day formula that will determine jurisdictions which should have Federal protections, Federal pre- clearance requirements. I stand here before you to call on Congress to pass this bill to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965. We cannot return to the days where only some votes matter. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, all voices, all votes matter. Our vote is our voice, and our voices must be heard.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of the late Shirley Chisholm whose courage helped pave the way, for a little black girl from Selma to walk the hallowed halls of Congress as the Representative from Alabama's 7th Congressional District. I strongly believe that in order to be a Congresswoman, I had to first see myself as a Congresswoman. The person who most embodied that was Shirley Chisholm. Through her--I was able to see that I too could be in Congress. I too could represent my community and work towards positive change for people who were denied a seat at the table. I am fortunate to have met Ms. Chisholm before she passed away. I took a train to Mount Holyoke my senior year at Princeton to interview Ms. Chisholm for my senior thesis, ``Black Women in Politics: Our Time Has Come.'' As luck would have it, it started to snow just as soon as I sat down in the chair across from her. My thirty minute interview turned into a four hour interview, and Ms. Chisholm shared the challenges and struggles she encountered as the first African-American woman ever elected to Congress. Whenever I feel the weight of the world resting on my shoulder . . . I walk by her portrait hanging in the Capitol to remind myself of her strength, courage, and conviction. I know that whatever challenges I have encountered pale in comparison to the trials she faced. It was not easy for her to walk the halls of Congress as the only black woman. She opened the door for Barbara Jordan, and everyone else who followed including me. Even though many barriers have been broken since her tenure here, there is still much work to do. Ms. Chisholm once said that ``service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.'' I can only hope that my service in this august body will one day inspire others to work for a better, more just society in the same manner that Shirley Chisholm has inspired me.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 2967 the Voting Rights Advancement Act and to recognize today as Restoration Tuesday. Our sacred right to vote has come under attack in numerous states across the country in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's ruling in Shelby County v. Holder. Many states, including my home state of Alabama, have enacted pernicious and burdensome voter ID laws that have the practical effect of restricting access to the polls for low income and minority voters. Recently, Alabama closed 31 DMVs, leaving 29 Alabama counties without a DMV. Fifteen of those counties are located in rural Black Belt communities. Driver's licenses are the most popular form of photo identification used to vote. The heart of the problem lies with access. How can Alabama require a photo ID to vote, and then limit access to the most popular form of ID used? It is unconscionable that my constituents will be denied their constitutionally protected right to vote because they do not have access to a valid photo ID. Despite the Governor's recent decision to reopen these DMVs once a month, critical access to these commonly used forms of photo IDs is still an issue for far too many minorities, senior citizens, and those living in rural communities. The reality is that opening these offices for once a month provides only bare minimum access, and that is unacceptable. Had the preclearance requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 still been in place, Alabama's decision to close these DMVs would have likely had to have been reviewed by the Department of Justice. In Alabama, the DMV closures occurred under the guise of budgetary concerns. Any budgetary savings are far outweighed by the discriminatory impact these closures will have on my constituents' ability to access the polls. But these types of discriminatory decisions are not exclusive to Alabama. These DMV closures are indicative of a broader and systematic effort that threatens to undermine our most basic right as Americans--the right to vote. Protecting the right to vote for all Americans, especially those traditionally excluded from the democratic process should be top priority for us all. Every eligible voter must be allowed to cast his or her ballot unhindered by laws that deter participation in our democracy. As Members of Congress, we must speak up for the voices of the excluded. If we do not act then we risk silencing these voices forever. We must fight to restore the critical protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that were struck down in the Shelby vs Holder case. Now is the time to restore the vote.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, during the votes held on December 1st, 2015, I was inescapably detained and away handling important matters related to my District and the State of Alabama. If I had been present, I would have voted ``no'' on Passage of S.J. Res. 24 and ``no'' on S.J. Res. 23. Also, I would have voted ``yes'' on the Motion to go to Conference on H.R. 644. personal explanation

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, during the votes held on December 1, 2015, I was inescapably detained and away handling important matters related to my District and the State of Alabama. If I had been present, I would have voted ``no'' on the Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on the Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 8, S.J. Res. 23 and S.J. Res 24. Also, I would have voted ``no'' on H. Res. 539. Finally, I would have voted ``yes'' on S. 1170, the Breast Cancer Research Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2015, and ``yes'' on H.R. 4127, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the National Bar Association's Civil Rights Commemoration Tour during the 60th Commemoration of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Today, we honor the pivotal role that black lawyers played during the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Civil Rights Movement. Sixty years ago, demonstrators in Montgomery boldly challenged the segregated bus system with the help of talented black attorneys who were committed to eradicating social injustices across the State of Alabama. Gifted lawyers like Thurgood Marshall, Fred Gray, Constance Baker Motley, U.W. Clemon and countless other African American attorneys argued and won some of the most pivotal cases of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Movement. Yet so often we overlook the courageous men and women who bravely defeated the government sanctioned oppression that was Jim Crow in the courtroom. Each of their stories is embedded in the fabric of this nation for they contributed to making America a more fair and just society. The State of Alabama was home to some of the key black lawyers in the civil rights movement. One of the most impactful lawyers of the Movement was Alabama native, Fred Gray. Attorney Fred Gray came to prominence representing key figures in the Montgomery Bus Boycott including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Claudette Colvin, and Rosa Parks. He represented Rosa Parks on appeal for her conviction for violating Montgomery's public transit segregation law which ultimately led to the desegregation of buses throughout the City of Montgomery. Attorney Fred Gray later secured a victory in Williams v. Wallace (1963) which protected the Selma to Montgomery marchers. Attorney Fred Gray continues today to provide legal counsel to so many in the fight for social and economic justice. Attorney Fred Gray's indelible legacy paved the way for many other black lawyers including Judge U.W. Clemon, Alabama's first black federal judge and Judge Oscar Adams who was the first African-American Alabama Supreme Court Justice. Likewise, the National Bar Association has consistently been recognized for its commitment to spearheading efforts to uplift those that are oppressed and disenfranchised. Since its inception in 1924, the National Bar Association has fostered and supported the important role of black lawyers in the fight for equal justice. Today, that legacy continues under the leadership of its President Attorney Benjamin Crump who is a modern-day example of what it means to fight for equality and justice in the courtroom. As a Member of Congress and a former member of the National Bar Association, I am honored to welcome the association to my district during the 60th commemoration of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. During this special commemoration, we thank the National Bar Association for all of the work it has done and continues to do, and we salute its individual members who are working to make a difference in the lives of everyday Americans. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting the significant contributions and achievements to this nation of black lawyers and the National Bar Association during this 60th commemoration of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, during the vote on H.R. 2288 and H.R. 2270, I was inescapably detained and away handling important matters related to my district and the State of Alabama. If I had been present I would have voted ``yes'' on the aforementioned bills. personal explanation

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk listed as Sewell Amendment No. 3.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the ranking member, Congresswoman Waters, for her diligence on this committee. She serves as a model for all of us in her vigor and fervor for making sure that we are not discriminating against average Americans. All of us agree that nothing we do should be about discriminating or adding to the effects of discrimination. I ask for support of this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), the ranking member of the committee.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 1737. My amendment is a commonsense and straightforward amendment. It simply states that nothing in this bill shall be construed to apply to guidance issued by the CFPB that is not primarily related to indirect auto financing. This amendment is intended to help ensure that the underlying bill in no way prohibits, disrupts, or affects the enforcement of other fair lending laws or guidance that protects millions of Americans from unfair or discriminatory lending practices. The underlying bill, H.R. 1737, provides the CFPB with criteria to consider when issuing further guidance on indirect auto lending. While I agree that the CFPB should reevaluate its recent guidance, we should also ensure that the scope of this legislation stays narrow and applies only to indirect auto financing. Mr. Chairman, I applaud the CFPB's efforts to protect consumers from discriminatory lending practices. We can all agree that no one supports or should condone abusive or discriminatory practices in auto lending or in any area of the marketplace. However, it is our job as Members of Congress to offer guidance and constructive critique to our regulatory agencies to enforce and ensure that regulations are pragmatic and workable. This noncontroversial amendment simply clarifies that the other valuable tools possessed by the CFPB are not infringed upon and ensures that there is no room for ambiguity. The CFPB plays a critical role in protecting consumers and buyers. My amendment helps ensure that laws like the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and other fair lending laws are not inadvertently or directly affected by this bill. My amendment helps ensure that the Bureau continues to play this role while hardworking Americans continue to have access to the necessary credit to purchase any central mode of transportation. I urge support of this amendment. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Waters. Today I rise in opposition to H.R. 1210. During the financial crisis of 2008, predatory subprime lending was far too prevalent and underwriting standards were not adequately adhered to by lenders. In response to these practices, the Dodd-Frank Act created a new set of mortgage underwriting rules. These qualified mortgage rules are critically important to helping ensure that all American consumers are protected against harmful mortgage products and abusive lending practices. These commonsense rules now require a lender to make a good faith effort to determine that a borrower has the ability to repay a mortgage. Additionally, the final rule contains critically important and special provisions and exemptions that are available only to small lenders and to lenders that operate predominantly in rural and underserved areas, exceptions that are critically important for districts like mine. The QM rules simply state that, if banks make risky loans, like interest only, or adjustable mortgage loans, consumers can hold them accountable if those mortgages go bad. Lenders are also responsible for accurately researching and documenting borrowers' incomes and their ability to repay. Unfortunately, as currently drafted, H.R. 1210 would undermine these critically important consumer protections by exempting all depository financial institutions, large and small, from QM standards as long as the mortgage loans in question are held in portfolios by those institutions. H.R. 1210, broadly defined, would broaden the qualified mortgages to include all mortgages held on a lender's balance sheet. Under the bill, depository institutions that hold a loan in portfolios could arguably receive legal safe harbor, even if the loan contains terms and features that are abusive and harmful to consumers. Essentially, the bill would limit the rights of borrowers to hold harmful those banks that do bad practices. We all know that no regulation or law is perfect. We must work together to strike a delicate balance and ensure that regulations are pragmatic and workable without placing undue harm on financial institutions that provide critically important access to capital for potential homebuyers. Home ownership remains an important goal for most Americans and one of the most traditional gateways to the middle class. However, the financial crisis of 2008 reminds us that we must have in place sensible safeguards to protect consumers against harmful mortgage products. I want to thank the ranking member for her leadership on this matter. I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 1210.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today is Restoration Tuesday. I rise today to support voting rights for all Americans. I was proud to stand alongside Members who support the restoration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 recently and to launch the #restorethevote legislative strategy. This national effort will help mobilize support for H.R. 2867, the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015, a bill that I sponsored with Representatives Judy Chu and Linda Sanchez to restore critical Federal oversight to jurisdictions who have a recent history of voter suppression. Since elections are held on Tuesdays, every Tuesday that Congress is in session, like today, we will declare it to be Restoration Tuesday. So today I am speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives on the need to restore the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Our call for restoring the VRA is urgent, Mr. Speaker. As our colleague John Lewis so eloquently says, there is no other work more important in this or any Congress than protecting the full access of all Americans to the democratic process. If we do not act, the 2016 election will be the first Presidential election in 50 years without the protections offered to millions of voters by the Voting Rights Act of 1965. We must act now. I therefore urge all of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, my Republican and my Democratic colleagues, to join me on Tuesdays and speak in support of the Voting Rights Act and to sign onto the Voting Rights Restoration and Advancement Act of 2015, which restores key components of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Ultimately, this bill, H.R. 2657, will restore key components of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The bill will provide more protection to more people in more States. It is about broadening, expanding, advancing the Voting Rights Act. Nothing is more American than voting. So every Tuesday Congress is in session we will be wearing the #restorethevote pin. The red, white, and blue pin is a symbol of our unwavering commitment to restoring the voices of the excluded, ending discriminatory practices, and providing transparency in the voting process. Fifty years ago, in 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. His voice and his words still resonate today. The vote, he said, is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was pivotal in preventing voter discrimination and preventing it from occurring across the United States. The act gave millions of African Americans a voice, a voice that has been heard throughout our Nation for nearly 50 years. Now the Voting Rights Advancement Act will expand that not just to African American voters, but to all voters. That is exactly what we should be about. We should be about expanding voting rights opportunities so that all Americans are protected. As a daughter of Selma, Alabama, I am painfully aware that the injustices suffered on the Edmund Pettus Bridge 50 years ago have not been fully vindicated. As States across the country are passing laws to restrict access to the ballot box, we are ever mindful that old battles have indeed become new again. The recent decision by the State of Alabama, for example, to close 31 DMV offices in majority Black counties in spite of Alabama's photo ID law is just one example of a modern-day barrier to voting. The Supreme Court issued Congress a challenge in the Shelby decision. It didn't say that pre-clearance was unconstitutional. Rather, it said: Congress, come up with a modern-day formula to address modern-day barriers to voting. Well, this example in Alabama of 31 DMV offices closing when indeed the State requires a photo ID and a driver's license is the most popular form of ID is one example. These counties that were discriminated against by this recent law in Alabama were the very counties where foot soldiers and activists like Jimmie Lee Jackson and Jonathan Daniels died for the opportunity and the right for others to vote. If Federal pre-clearance provisions were still in effect, these DMV closings would not have occurred. To restrict the ability of any American to vote is an assault on all Americans' equal participation in our electoral process. No one benefits when American voices are silenced at the polls. Mr. Speaker, I applaud certain States like the States of California and Oregon, two States that are now automatically registering citizens who request a driver's license to actually vote. So, Mr. Speaker, on this Restoration Tuesday, I am asking all of my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 2867, the Voting Rights Advancement Act, and I am asking all Americans to join us in our efforts for #restorethevote and #restorationtuesday.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Madam Chairman, I am offering this amendment on behalf of myself and as the designee of the gentlewoman from Texas, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Once again, I want to thank the chair and ranking member of the Rules Committee for making this amendment in order. I thank the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman, Bill Shuster, as well as the ranking member, Peter DeFazio, for their bipartisan work in bringing the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act to the floor. This Jackson Lee-Sewell amendment provides a report to Congress from the Secretary of the Department of Transportation on the Internet of Things, IoT, as to its potential to improve transportation services to the elderly and persons with disabilities as well as to assist local, State, and Federal transportation planners in achieving better efficiencies and cost savings by protecting privacy and the security of persons who use IoT technology. The IoT refers to the wireless environment that will support the networking of physical objects--or things--embedded with wireless electronic components, software sensors, and network connectivity. The IoT will introduce the functionality of computing into physical space as computing technology is integrated into devices and systems. This Jackson Lee-Sewell amendment will allow Congress to take into consideration how IoT technologies can be used to make public transportation safer and more convenient to the elderly and to the disabled and how it may improve mass personal transportation efficiencies. This Jackson Lee-Sewell amendment will help ensure that we harness the benefit of the Internet of things for the traveling public and minimize the threats to privacy and cybersecurity presented by this new technology. I include in the Record, first, an article entitled ``How the Internet of Things is Improving Transportation and Logistics'' and, secondly, an article entitled, ``Mapping IoT into Today's Urban Transportation Systems.'' [From SupplyChain247, Sept. 9, 2015] How the Internet of Things Is Improving Transportation and Logistics Whether by air, ground or sea, transportation and logistics are essential components to many enterprises' productivity, and access to real-time data is critical. Many businesses have already discovered the advantages of using mobile technologies; however, the unpredictable nature of fuel costs, rising labor rates, increased traffic and a changing regulatory environment, continue to make operations challenging. What's more, inefficiencies caused by a lack of visibility create considerable costs. As industry regulations force transportation and logistics organizations to do more with less, profitability is threatened. However, with visibility into personnel, equipment and transactions, enterprises can better support peak operations in real time--improving operational efficiency and performance. With the advent of today's mobile technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT), enterprises can accelerate productivity, profitability and operations with solutions designed specifically for their processes. With the right IoT solution in place, enterprises can connect all devices across a centralized cloud network, and capture and share their mission-critical data, allowing them to gain real-time visibility of their operations. This actionable insight is what provides organizations the Enterprise Asset Intelligence they need to make improvements. This enhanced business knowledge can be gained through a set of enabling technologies in the areas of asset management, cloud, mobile and Big Data. By leveraging Enterprise Asset Intelligence, transportation and logistics can dramatically improve the following areas: I. End-to-End Visibility Transportation and logistics businesses around the globe are focused on maximizing supply chain efficiency in order to sustain profitability and viability. However, to reach this level of performance, they need to make end-to-end improvements. Complete visibility facilitates more effective, timely decisions and reduces delays through quicker detection of issues. Mobile devices, such as radio frequency identification (RFID), barcode scanners and mobile computers, have become a major influence in supply chain visibility and operations. Many transportation and logistics companies using RFID today are reaching nearly 100 percent shipping and receiving accuracy, 99.5 percent inventory accuracy, 30 percent faster order processing and 30 percent reduction in labor costs. Mobile technologies provide businesses line of sight into equipment, inventory and business processes. This asset intelligence allows organizations to increase their efficiency by providing them real-time data across their entire supply chain. Though these types of solutions have already helped transportation and logistics businesses make improvements over the years, leveraging them with enabling technologies like the IoT can deliver even more asset intelligence, leading to more informed decisions. II. Warehouse and Yard Management The warehouse and/or yard are at the core of transportation and logistics businesses. Their efficiency directly impacts the cost of doing business and the ability to compete. With IoT-enabled mobile devices designed to track inventory data, equipment and vehicles, enterprises can give their physical assets a digital voice. By converting the physical to digital, transportation and logistics warehouses can capture and share their mission- critical data across the cloud, ensuring they have the right products in the right place at the right time. Yard personnel are frequently moving around on foot or in vehicles, manually conducting their routine tasks. This process is time intensive and prone to error which causes a number of visibility-related problems including redundant trailer moves, yard gate congestion, product shrinkage, wasted fuel and lost time. To address these issues, organizations across the supply chain implement RFID systems that automate asset tracking and location. By reducing human intervention and enabling more machine- to-machine information sharing, enterprises can greatly increase efficiency and accuracy. III. Fleet Management When it comes to transportation and logistics, fleet management plays a critical role in managing maintenance schedules, everyday vehicle usage and service routes. In order to maximize productivity and operational efficiency, fleet downtime must be minimized. With mobile scanners, computers and RFID systems alone, enterprises can gain visibility into their assets and better streamline operations to keep their fleet moving. By replacing manual and hard-copy work orders with mobile devices, technicians save time and increase data accuracy. Furthermore, with realtime, accurate insight into maintenance history, parts availability and inventory records, technicians can relay information back to their central database. By leveraging connected, mobile devices, enterprises can capture, share and manage data around their moving assets across the enterprise. Connectivity also enables enterprises to communicate with their technicians (drivers) anytime, anywhere, allowing them to be proactive with in-field repairs, maintenance, etc. With real-time updates on certain conditions such as bad weather or traffic, fleet technicians can better respond and/or prepare. For field technicians, real-time visibility into driver and vehicle performance is critical. This visibility can be used to increase the safety of technicians, reduce damaged inventory and decrease insurance-related costs all of which are critical to an enterprise's bottom line. Additionally, with real-time insight, technicians and drivers can respond to customer service inquiries in a timely manner. This helps personnel know when and where to allocate their time-- improving the organization's overall performance and customer service. Furthermore, with the ability to securely monitor their equipment and environment in real time, field service technicians can take action before problems arise. With the IoT, companies can gain intelligence remotely around their assets in the field, allowing them to facilitate needbased maintenance and eliminating unnecessary and/or reactive responses. Advances in mobile technology and the IoT are dramatically improving the way transportation and logistics businesses operate. The Enterprise Asset Intelligence delivered through these solutions is what enables organizations to pinpoint inefficiencies in real time, improving throughput and helping them build progressive plans to move toward innovation.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, we are asking our colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to join with us in supporting the Voting Rights Advancement Act as Congress must act now to protect the rights of all Americans. The fate of our democracy depends upon its citizens having the unfettered right to vote. Our vote is our voice, and no voices should be silenced. We are asking everyone to join us in our efforts to make sure that we restore the vote to the voices of the excluded. To restrict the ability of any American to vote is an assault on all Americans' rights to participate equally in the electoral process. I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 2867, the Voting Rights Advancement Act.