Terri Sewell

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), the subcommittee chairman, as well as the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the ranking member, for their hard work in shepherding this important legislation to the floor and, most importantly, for working with me and my staff to propose this amendment and to make sure that it is budget neutral. On the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, we need to invest in the National Park Service sites associated with the civil rights movement, not cut necessary funding. Seminal locations such as the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site tell the story of the struggle for civil rights and voting rights in this country. It is our obligation to preserve these prominent locations for future generations. My amendment increases funding by $2.5 million for the documentation and preservation of civil rights history as well as restores $2.5 million for the rehabilitation and preservation of historic sites on the campuses of Historically Black Colleges, and $2 million additional for competitive grants for the civil rights initiative to preserve sites of the civil rights movement. Institutions such as Miles College in Alabama and Tougaloo College in Mississippi served as a base for students who were involved in the civil rights movement. Some projects that would benefit would include digitizing the archives at places like Tuskegee University, where the Tuskegee Airmen as well as the records and papers of Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver reside. Other sites that would benefit from this funding include the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site in Washington, D.C., the Selma Interpretive Center at Selma University, the Selma to Montgomery Interpretive Center at Alabama State University, and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Park in Maryland. Mr. Chairman, over the last 5 years, as the Representative of the Seventh Congressional District and a proud product of Selma, Alabama, my native hometown, it has been an honor to not only represent this wonderful district, but to protect the legacy of those that came before us and to make sure that the history of the movement is preserved for future generations. It was my high honor on March 7, 2015, to welcome President and Mrs. Obama as well as President and Mrs. George W. Bush, along with 100 Members of Congress and the Senate, Republican and Democrat, to my hometown of Selma, where we commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March. Let us try to preserve that history and continue to show our commitment to the legacy of John Lewis and those brave Freedom Fighters who changed the Nation as well as this world by their quest for equality and justice for all. I want to again thank the subcommittee chair, Mr. Calvert, and I want to thank the ranking member, Ms. McCollum, for their dedication and commitment to this preservation. I urge my colleagues to support the Sewell amendment and commit ourselves to the task of preserving the civil rights and voting rights. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I just want to again reiterate my thanks. In this commemorative year of the Selma to Montgomery March and so many pivotal moments, including our upcoming 50th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act, I thank you for your commitment to making sure that we preserve these wonderful sites for future generations. I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of this bipartisan, common sense amendment that seeks to streamline and strengthen our Intelligence Community's (IC) cyber workforce. I am pleased to join my fellow colleague, Rep. Rooney, who shares my deeply held desire to help meet the incredible need to raise the number of professionals in the critically important field of cybersecurity. The recent breach of OPM which compromised the personal information of nearly 4 million federal employees further illustrates our urgent and immediate need to make substantial improvements to our cyber databases and overall cyber infrastructure. Cyberattacks have become increasingly common, and state sponsored bad actors pose a serious threat to our national security. These types of attacks are one of the most urgent modern challenges to our nation. Our government must be poised to do more to prevent future attacks. We must position ourselves to curtail any threat, no matter how great or small. In December 2011, the National Science and Technology Council, in cooperation with the National Science Foundation (NSF), advanced a broad, coordinated federal strategic plan to enhance cybersecurity research and education. As part of this plan, the NSF launched the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) program. In an effort to bolster our federal workforce's capacity and advance the nation's economic prosperity and national security, this program provides funding for undergraduate and graduate level scholarships to students interested in cybersecurity. In return, scholarship recipients are required to work for a Federal, State, Local, or Tribal Government organization in a position related to cybersecurity for a period equal to the length of the scholarship. In essence, students receive a scholarship in exchange for their commitment to federal civil service. This program seeks to cultivate pipelines for applicants from undergraduate and graduate programs into federal careers focusing on combatting emerging cyber security threats. Leaders within the Intelligence Community tell me, however, that outdated policies and onerous clearance procedures are inhibiting their ability to fill industry vacancies with young and diverse cybersecurity professionals. Our amendment simply requires the Intelligence Community to report to Congress on how many CyberCorps graduates actually go to work for the IC and how IC agencies recruit these CyberCorps graduates. This information will help Congress determine how we can best improve the hiring process. I strongly believe that Congress should be facilitating ways to help the Intelligence Community hire these critically important CyberCorps graduates and create a pipeline directly into our cyber workforce. I encourage my colleagues to vote yes on this amendment.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Madam Speaker, during the votes today 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 H. Res. 315; ``no'' on the Schiff/Smith (WA) Amendment to H.R. 2596; ``yes'' on the Democratic Motion to Recommit H.R. 2596; and ``no'' on final passage of H.R. 2596.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, during the votes on H. Res. 233 and H.R. 2559, 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 both of the aforementioned bills.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor renowned civil rights leader Rev. Frederick D. Reese, a pillar in the Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965. This courageous Alabamian is being honored on Saturday June 7, 2015, in my hometown of Selma, Alabama, for his service and contributions to education and politics, as well as the fight for equality and justice. I am proud to be a part of efforts to pay homage to one of the most influential Americans in history. Dr. Reese was born November 28, 1929. A believer in education, he graduated from Alabama State University and Livingston University, and studied and attended Southern University, the University of Alabama and Auburn University before receiving his doctorate of divinity from Selma University. Dr. Reese is an historic figure of modern history known for his support of civil rights. Dr. Reese rose to national prominence as a civil rights leader following ``Bloody Sunday.'' This beloved civil rights activist marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in 1965, along with hundreds of other supporters. By the mid-1960's, Reese was President of the Dallas County Voter's League and was also a local teacher who presided over the Selma Teachers Association. Discouraged by Selma's efforts to hinder voter registration for African Americans, Dr. Reese advocated that teachers press the issue. Dr. Reese invited Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to lead Selma's voting rights protest. Dr. Reese has served the Selma and Dallas County community faithfully and his exemplary work and commitment to social justice is well known. Notably, Dr. Reese hasn't left the community that he helped become the center of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Dr. Reese has been quoted as saying his new fight is to inspire young people to lead purposeful lives. ``I tell young people today that they cannot rest on our victories,'' Dr. Reese said. ``We have to remain committed. That means registering to vote and participating in what this country has to offer. That means making a difference for others.'' Dr. Reese said that he marched so that everyone, regardless of color, could become a first-class citizen. Dr. Reese knows that you have to stand for what you believe in. He became nationally known for his beliefs and inspired others to stand as well. Dr. Reese has remained committed to education and service. He became a principal and a city councilman, serving 12 years on the Selma City Council. He also ran for mayor in 1984, and led a campaign to motivate Wal-Mart executives to hire African-Americans as store managers. In 2000, in honor of his civil rights work, a stretch of more than three miles of U.S. Route 80, where he marched to Montgomery, was named the Frederick D. Reese Parkway. The F.D. Reese Christian Academy in Kokomo, Indiana, was also dedicated to him. Dr. Reese has been the pastor of Selma's Ebenezer Baptist Church since 1965. Although he is retired from teaching, he still works as a Baptist minister and delivers a sermon to his congregation each week. On behalf of the 7th Congressional District, the State of Alabama and this nation, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the accomplishments of Reverend Dr. F.D. Reese. We pay tribute to his distinguished career and honor his contributions and leadership in the civil rights movement. My deep appreciation is expressed for his courageous, distinguished and on-going service.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to represent the vibrant community of Montgomery, Alabama--which includes constituents from Alabama's second, third, and seventh congressional districts-- alongside with my colleagues Representatives Martha Roby and Mike Rogers. Montgomery is the proud home of Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA), and today we would like to congratulate Hyundai on celebrating an incredible milestone--its tenth anniversary of manufacturing vehicles in the United States--on Wednesday, May 20, 2015. HMMA is responsible for more than 35,000 direct and indirect jobs throughout Alabama and has had an economic impact of nearly $4 billion in the state. Additionally, approximately 75 suppliers throughout North America support the Hyundai plant and provide jobs for over 6,000 people. Since breaking ground in 2002, Hyundai has invested over $1.8 billion in the Montgomery facility, which is now recognized as being one of the most advanced and efficient manufacturing and assembly plants in the world. Over 3,700 Hyundai Team Members at the Montgomery plant are building Hyundai's Sonata and Elantra sedans. In previous years, Team Members have also built the Hyundai Santa Fe sport utility vehicle. With annual production capacity now approaching 400,000 vehicles, Hyundai Team Members will soon reach another milestone as they build the plant's 3 millionth vehicle in the coming weeks. We are also proud to recognize Hyundai for its efforts to recruit students from the surrounding area for internships. Internships are often valuable stepping stones for future careers. Each year, Hyundai selects students from Alabama State University, the University of Alabama and Auburn University to participate in summer internships. College students are given the opportunity to work 10 weeks during the summer in a variety of roles supporting the finance, accounting, human resources, legal, public relations, part logistics, engineering and maintenance departments. Hyundai also selects students from Trenholm Technical College to participate in an intern maintenance program. On a personal note, Hyundai has worked closely with my office to promote Project READY, an initiative I launched in 2013 to promote workforce development and job creation throughout the 7th Congressional District. Representatives from Hyundai's human resources department have served as presenters during our Project READY workforce development seminars in Montgomery, and have recruited talented employees at each of the 7th Congressional Job Fairs since 2012. Hyundai is truly committed to the people of Alabama's River Region as well as its U.S. consumers, and we are proud to have Hyundai as a leading corporate citizen in our community.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of a long-term surface transportation bill. Right now Americans are looking to Congress for REAL bipartisan solutions to fund and upgrade our deteriorating infrastructure system. As hard as it may be, as uncomfortable and contentious as the debates may become, it's time to for us to move past the senseless chatter and to stop kicking the can down the road. We must get serious about fixing America's infrastructure and establishing long-term funding for the Highway Trust Fund. This is not the time for partisan politics. We need to work together for the benefit of the men and women who sent us here. Yesterday, the House passed a bill that was nothing more than another ``Band-Aid'' for a much larger problem. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that 1 out of every 9 bridges in the U.S. is structurally deficient, and gave our overall infrastructure a ``D-.'' An alarming 54 percent of all major U.S. roads are in poor or mediocre condition, and these roads account for 1 in 3 fatal traffic accidents. In my home state of Alabama alone, driving on roads in need of repair cost motorists $1.2 billion a year. Now is the time for a lasting solution to this important issue. Yet, here we are, at the end of May, and we are no closer to crafting a long-term solution to invest in our roads, bridges, and rails than we were this time last year. The benefits to investing in our highways, bridges, railroads, and other transit systems are clear. By building the infrastructure of tomorrow, we would create thousands of good-paying jobs that help more hard-working Americans earn a living. A solid transportation system is necessary to quickly move goods, which will help further grow our economy. This is vital if America is to compete in the 21st century global marketplace. I urge my colleagues to work together to develop a long-term plan that will improve our aging infrastructure, encourage job creation, and strengthen our nation's economic development.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert my statement into the Record that the House should focus on the real priorities of the American people instead of another attack on women's health.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Madam Chair, I would like to thank Ranking Member Adam Schiff, as well as our chair, Chairman Nunes, for your leadership on this matter. Today, I rise in support of H.R. 1560, the Protecting Cyber Networks Act, a bill that I am proud to be an original cosponsor, a bill that was unanimously voted out of our committee, the Intel Committee. Again, I want to commend both the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership. It is an honor to serve on that committee where we really try, on a daily basis, to be bipartisan in our efforts to protect the homeland and to secure our national security. This critical bill is bipartisan legislation, which encourages the private sector to share cyber threat information, which will ultimately help prevent future attacks. It seems like we are always hearing about another company being hit with cyber attacks. These attacks cost our economy billions of dollars each year, and it threatens our national security and jeopardizes every American's sensitive, personal, and financial information. This bill takes a very important step towards addressing this emerging national security threat without compromising the privacy of American citizens. Fostering an environment where companies can voluntarily share information with each other helps American businesses defend themselves against harmful cyber attacks and helps them protect consumer information and privacy. Additionally, two-way information sharing with the Federal Government helps improve the Federal Government's ability to protect all Americans against foreign cyber threats by disseminating vital information in a more timely and efficient manner. I know some continue to criticize this cyber bill and all cyber bills as violating privacy, but I must assure you, Madam Chair, that this bill is a vast improvement over the CISPA bill that was entered and passed this House last term. This bill includes many more privacy protections that weren't in the original bill, the most important of which is the requirement for two scrubs of private information, one by the private sector before sharing that information and one by the government before sharing it further. There is also now a civilian portal--no direct sharing with NSA--a very narrow set of government use provisions, and a clear and legislative prohibition against such surveillance. Let me repeat: no provision of this bill provides any surveillance authorities. I am encouraged by the strong showing of bipartisanship as we work together to address the emerging threats to our national security. I urge my colleagues to join those of us who are members of the Intel Committee, as well as this administration has said that it also encourages a vote in support of this bill. I urge my colleagues to support the efforts and vote ``yes'' on H.R. 1560.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to talk about the critical need for the stronger oversight of payday lenders. In March, I welcomed President Obama to the city of Birmingham, in my district, where he highlighted our Nation's economic recovery and put a spotlight on the areas that needed the most improvement. The President highlighted the urgent need for better regulations of the payday lending industry--the very same day that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau unveiled proposals to rein in this loosely regulated industry. I hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting the CFPB's efforts to ensure that these products help--not harm--consumers. The payday lending and title loan industry must take steps to ensure that borrowers understand the loan terms and have the resources to pay them back. In my district, the proliferation of payday lending is, really, unacceptable. On every corner, you will find a payday lender. In fact, the President quoted that there were more payday lending institutions in my district than there were McDonald's. These borrowers are disproportionately African American and Latino--two communities that were severely impacted by the predatory lending practices, and far too many of these borrowers find themselves trapped in a cycle of debt. In the coming weeks, I plan to introduce a bill and to spearhead efforts, led by consumer industry groups, to protect consumers from predatory lending. I ask my colleagues to join me. These good people are my constituents and are not this industry's prey.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Waters. Today, I stand in support of H.R. 650, the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act. Manufactured housing serves as an affordable and sustainable housing option for roughly 22 million Americans. In my State of Alabama, more than 300,000 families reside in manufactured housing, which comprises in excess of 14 percent of the State's housing market. In districts like mine, where we face tremendous economic disparities and suppressed rental markets, manufactured housing must remain an option. Oftentimes, it is the only safe and affordable mortgage option available to families. Without this bill, working families and retirees with poor credit or limited income can't obtain credit at all and are forced into more expensive housing options; and, in some parts of my district, the more rural parts of my district, the only option for many is manufactured housing. H.R. 650 makes a simple but necessary adjustment to these thresholds to enable lenders to fully meet the demand for affordable, responsible loans for manufactured homes. In many ways, Mr. Speaker, this bill is an acknowledgement that manufactured housing is different from regular dwelling housing. It is, in fact, not real property, but personal property, more like a car than it is like a home. The fact of the matter is I believe that Dodd-Frank did not anticipate--was an unintended consequence of Dodd-Frank--that manufactured housing would get wrapped into the regulatory scheme for dwelling homes. In fact, most of the lenders are not loan originators, as it would be in the mortgage context; rather, they are lenders giving limited options--I should say giving families, working families, the only option in many, many of the jurisdictions, the rural communities, that I represent. With all due respect, I don't see this as a predatory lending bill. This is all about access to affordability. I, like the ranking member, strongly advocate against predatory lending, would not be supportive of an industry that preys upon the most vulnerable in the community. In fact, many of my constituents represent vulnerable communities. Instead, I really see this as an opportunity for them, many of the communities I represent, to have affordable housing at all. It is with that that I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to consider H.R. 650 as an opportunity for rural communities all across America to have, as a viable option, manufactured housing. I want to repeat something that was very important. In no way does this bill take away consumer protections. The consumer protections that were established by Dodd-Frank are really important.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. The consumers will continue to have the wide range of consumer protections that Dodd-Frank affords and which I think many of us agree with. Steering would be prohibited. We would still have truth-in-lending disclosures, which are critically important, and loan-term disclosures that are critically important; and the prohibitation against mandatory arbitration and other State laws are not affected. I see this not as a predatory lending bill, but an access to affordable housing bill, and I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 650.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Thank you so much. I want to commend my colleagues from Illinois and New Jersey for having this wonderful CBC hour on minority health and the disparities that exist. I want to talk for a minute about how we in Congress have tried to address these disparities. You know, our Nation celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act in March. This anniversary marked the historic progress our Nation has made towards making health care not just a privilege, but a right for every American. The ACA has significantly affected the minority population by trying to close the gap on the disparity by giving access to affordable healthcare insurance for all Americans. Thanks to the ACA, health insurers can no longer deny coverage to individuals because of preexisting conditions, and women no longer have to pay higher premiums than men. Because of this law, millions of Americans can finally afford to go to the doctor, and families no longer risk losing their home savings and all that they have if a family member gets sick. For those who already had insurance, the ACA has meant new savings and new protections. This has even been true in my home State of Alabama, a State that did not choose to enact a healthcare exchange, a State that did not expand Medicaid. During the most recent enrollment period, more than 171,000 Alabamians enrolled in quality healthcare coverage at a price that they could afford. Over 1.1 million Alabamians with private health insurance now have access to free preventive services, and Alabamians with Medicare have saved more than $240 million in prescription drug costs. In 2014 alone, nearly 90,000 Alabamians saved an average of $931 for prescriptions. Yes, even in my State of Alabama, which chose not to enact a healthcare exchange and not to expand Medicaid, the ACA is working. These are more than just numbers. Greater access to healthcare insurance leads to a healthier population, which is good news not only for Alabamians, but for all Americans. The ACA, indeed, works. That is why I have proudly defended the ACA against numerous attacks to undermine or repeal the law. Bipartisanship is possible. Members from both sides of the aisle in both Chambers must work together to strengthen our healthcare system and to ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable healthcare insurance. In March, I was proud that 392 of us in the House of Representatives agreed on a permanent fix to the flawed Medicare physician payment system and an extension to the Children's Health Insurance Program, otherwise known as CHIP. This bipartisan agreement marked a historic victory for our children of this Nation. It also was a victory for our seniors, working class families, and healthcare providers. We must continue to work together to ensure the healthcare system is working for all of us. Unfortunately, for many working poor individuals and families, access to quality health care is still out of their reach. An estimated 191,000 Alabamians, for example, are uninsured because our Governor has refused to expand Medicaid. Let me repeat that. 191,000 Alabamians would benefit if our Governor would expand Medicaid in the State of Alabama. These individuals pay their taxes, work hard, and contribute to their communities. Our government should assist them in return. Governor Robert Bentley recently created the Alabama Health Care Improvement Task Force to examine ways to increase access to health care in rural Alabama. I welcome my Governor's establishment of this task force. I know that when this task force meets, it will recommend expanding Medicaid. My hope is that we will put partisan politics aside in my great State of Alabama and look to what is in the best interest of all the people. Clearly, 191,000 Alabamians fall in that gap, those who currently cannot get healthcare insurance because this State would refuse to expand Medicaid. I find it ironic, Mr. Speaker, that my Governor would choose to recommend expanding taxes. Increasing taxes is his current proposal on the floor in the statehouse in order to meet the shortfall that exists in my State. Let's just think about that. My Governor would rather increase taxes than to accept money from the Federal Government to expand Medicaid-- how shortsighted. No State that refuses to expand Medicaid has been better off without it. Without the expansion, the dramatic healthcare needs of Alabama's working poor will remain unmet; and rural hospitals, many of which I represent, will face growing financial challenges that will undoubtedly lead to reduced services. According to a 2013 study conducted by the Culverhouse College of Commerce at the University of Alabama, the Medicaid expansion would create $28 billion in overall business activity in the State of Alabama. There has not been another economic development investment in the State of Alabama that would bring the State more than 30,000 new jobs annually. A 2012 study conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health found that Medicaid expansion in our State would generate $20 billion in new economic activity and a $925 million increase in State tax revenues--yes, revenues to our State. Expanding Medicaid is clearly not only a moral imperative, but I would say to you that it is an economic imperative in my State. With each day that our State delays expansion, more Alabamians are unable to work due to unrelated health conditions. More rural hospitals have to cut services because of uncompensated care provided in their emergency rooms. With each day that my State delays expanding, Alabamians continue to forego the immense economic benefit that results from this investment. The greatest casualty, Mr. Speaker, are the most vulnerable Americans, the most vulnerable in our society: the poor, the working poor, the unemployed, the uninsured. It is unacceptable that the State of Alabama has not chosen to expand Medicaid. We owe it to Alabama taxpayers to expand Medicaid now. I want to commend my colleagues, Representatives Payne and Kelly, for choosing to talk about the effects of health care on minority populations. I would add that in this day and age, when we have a law-- the Affordable Care Act--that stands ready and willing to help Americans help themselves--after all, what we are saying is we are giving access to affordable healthcare insurance, insurance that they have to pay for, insurance that they can get subsidized if they are the working poor--we deserve it as Americans. In this great country, no one should go without health care, no one, especially those who are the most vulnerable in our society. I hope that through talking about the disparities that exist in minority health, we also remember that this great institution did do something that would help decrease the disparity. We chose to pass the Affordable Care Act, and every time, we have defended it against repeal. It is time that States like the State of Alabama get with the program. It is time States like Alabama expand Medicaid and that we choose our people over politics. Partisan politics should not rule the day; instead, we should care more about the people we represent than the partisan politics of each of our parties. I thank my colleagues for continuing the fight. The CBC Special Order hour is very important. It highlights not only what is important to minority communities--because what is important to minority communities is important to all vulnerable communities in America. I want to thank my colleagues for continuing this great tradition. I want to thank them for choosing to talk about health care and the disparities that exist in this country. I want to urge all of the Alabama lawmakers who are listening to my voice, the State lawmakers who are in Montgomery today, that we need to work together to expand Medicaid in the State of Alabama. The medical case is there. The economic case is there. The moral case is there. Let's do what is right for all Alabamians, and let's expand Medicaid today.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chair, during the vote on the Butterfield/ Scott (VA)/Lee/Moore Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H. Con. Res. 27 and the Van Hollen Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H. Con. Res. 27, I was inescapably detained in my congressional district attending vitally important district events commemorating the voting rights movement. If I had been present I would have voted ``yes'' on both of the aforementioned amendments in the nature of a Substitute to H. Con. Res. 27. Additionally, had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on the Stutzman/Flores Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute H. Con. Res. 27. Amendment No. 4 in the Nature of a Substitute Offered by Mr. Van Hollen

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise against the Republican fiscal year 2016 budget resolution. This budget proposal would reduce critical economic investments, undermine growth in our jobs, as well as attempt to reduce the deficit on the backs of our students, seniors, low-income families, and the American middle class. The Republican 2016 budget abandons our students. Our students, overall, are our country's future. It abandons our students by making cuts to college aid, research, job training, and innovation. It also abandons our most vulnerable. It would end Medicare as we know it and make harmful changes to Medicaid, threatening our seniors across this country. The 2016 Republican proposal also threatens low-income families by reducing the food stamp program and by repealing the Affordable Care Act, leaving 16.4 million Americans who now have access to quality, affordable health care coverage without a viable option. In my State of Alabama alone, over 171,000 Alabamians have selected a plan and/or were automatically enrolled in the ACA--that is over 171,000 Alabamians. These citizens will be abandoned by the Republican budget proposal and would not have insurance for quality health care. Furthermore, the Republican budget proposal does nothing to help incentivize job creation or put Americans back to work. We are currently on a path towards growth and prosperity. Under President Obama's leadership, the economy has added more than 12 million private sector jobs in the last 60 months. The Republican 2016 budget proposal would reverse those valuable gains--12 million private sector jobs in the last 60 months. Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that instead of putting forth a budget that would create jobs, balance our budget, and spur economic growth throughout our country, we are once again seeing divisive politics at work. Instead of attempting to balance the budget on the backs of American families, as this budget proposal does, we should be seeking to find a fair and balanced plan to responsibly reduce our deficit, to grow our economy, to strengthen our infrastructure, to spur innovation, and to create jobs. As we move forward, it is my hope that we will pass a 2016 Federal budget that works for all Americans and leaves no one behind. I ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Republican 2016 budget resolution.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, on March 7, 2015, nearly 100 Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle went to Selma to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday and the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery. I was humbled to welcome so many of my colleagues in Congress to my hometown of Selma, Alabama. It meant a lot to me and the State of Alabama to also welcome President and Mrs. Obama and their daughters, as well as President and Mrs. George W. Bush to Selma to commemorate the significant events in American history. The Selma movement for voting rights was a uniquely American story of how ordinary Americans working together achieved extraordinary social change. I want to thank all of the Members and everyone who participated in the Faith & Politics pilgrimage to Alabama this year. I especially want to thank my Alabama colleagues--Senator Sessions, Representative Martha Roby, Representative Robert Aderholt, Representative Bradley Byrne, and Representative Gary Palmer--for their participation in the delegation. A special thanks to Congressman John Lewis and the Faith & Politics Institute for a job well done. You know, Mr. Speaker, the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of John Lewis with John Lewis is an unforgettable experience that is truly transformative. The bipartisan participation by Republicans and Democrats alike was truly something to behold, especially given the hyperpartisanship of Washington. It was something to see us gather together in Selma, Alabama, to honor the sacrifices of the foot soldiers who dared to fight for voter equality 50 years ago. I tried not to have any expectation from this bipartisan showing, but I must admit my hope was that all of us would be motivated by the experience of traveling with John Lewis, in his footsteps with him, to honestly look at modern-day threats to voting rights today. Now that the spotlight is no longer on Selma, we must move beyond the bridge and see that there is still a need to fight to ensure that all Americans can participate equally in the political process. New barriers to voting rights have been legitimized in State legislatures across this country. Photo ID laws and efforts nationwide to get rid of early voting or weekend voting are modern-day efforts that have had the profound effect of restricting access to voting. Any effort that restricts or decreases the likelihood of citizens to vote is a threat to the voting rights of all Americans. There is no denying that modern-day laws imposed to ostensibly prevent voter fraud has had the ``unintended consequence'' of making it much harder for certain sectors of the population to vote. My father is a perfect example of an individual who has found it harder to vote because of these modern-day laws. Prior to the State of Alabama imposing a photo ID law to vote, my father, Andrew, a stroke victim who has been wheelchair bound for the last 10 years, had been voting by using his federally issued Social Security card, which does not have a photo; but once the law was imposed, my father--who no longer drives, who no longer works, is retired--had no way of getting a photo ID. After the Alabama law changed, my mother and I made sure that my father would get a photo ID to vote. The effort was tremendous. We transported my father in a special wheelchair access van and got him into the old Dallas County courthouse, which was grandfathered in from having ADA laws and, therefore, no wheelchair ramp. Once inside the courthouse, the elevator to the registrar's office was being serviced, and we had to wait an hour in order to use it. Once we finally got to the office of the board of registrars, there was only one person waiting on 25 people in line. My mother and father persevered. They persevered to make sure that my father got a photo ID that day because he was resolved in voting because his daughter was on the ballot for reelection. Just think of all of the seniors or disabled citizens who do not have a relative or a person to take them to get a photo ID. This photo requirement definitely reduces the number of and the ability of certain segments of the society to exercise their right to vote. In the Supreme Court ruling which invalidated the preclearance provisions of the VRA, the Court said that the formula used by Congress to determine the covered States was outdated, and it implied that there was no need for the Voting Rights Act today since, after all, there was an African American elected as President. Oh, how shortsighted the Supreme Court was. As long as there are vulnerable communities that face barriers to voting, there is still a need for Federal protection. Just last year, after the Supreme Court ruling, the city of Evergreen, Alabama, came under Federal scrutiny for unfairly excluding African Americans from the voting rolls and for attempting to further dilute their voting power with a redistricting plan that would pack its majority Black population into only two of the five municipal districts. Incidences like this in Evergreen, Alabama, remind us that progress is always illusive and that the injustice suffered on the Edmund Pettus Bridge 50 years ago has not been fully vindicated. Mr. Speaker, beyond the bridge, there are still laws that explicitly or unintentionally limit the access of Americans to vote. Now that we have commemorated the movement that led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, what are we going to do to protect the progress that has been made and to expand access to the sacred right to vote? On March 7, 2015, while en route to Selma, President Obama signed H.R. 431, the bill that awarded a Congressional Gold Medal to the foot soldiers of the Selma to Montgomery march of 1965. Finally, this Nation is acknowledging the bravery of these foot soldiers, who dared to make this Nation live up to its ideals of justice and equality for all. While a great honor, a medal is not adequate repayment for their sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, the greatest tribute that we as Members of Congress can give is to work honestly and earnestly on a bipartisan bill to restore Federal voting protections to vulnerable communities under the Voting Rights Act. While I applaud bipartisan efforts made in the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2015, which creates a new formula that would determine which jurisdictions require Federal preclearance, this new formula that is in the current VRA Amendment Act omits key States, key States like North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama. I can't imagine, Mr. Speaker, that the very State--Alabama--that prompted the Voting Rights Act that was signed into law 50 years ago would now not be afforded the protection of Federal oversight. The fight for voting rights was born in Alabama, and on my watch, it will not die there. Voting rights advocates and everyday citizens must remain vigilant and do all that they can to safeguard against efforts to constrict democracy in State and local governments. Our democracy requires it. We can all pay a debt of gratitude to those foot soldiers by voting in every election--local, State, and Federal. We all have our part to play, and we in Congress can play a vital role. To echo the President's call to action, President Obama said on that day: Selma shows us that America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ``we.'' We the people are tasked with strengthening and safeguarding our democracy. We the people are responsible for ensuring our Nation lives up to its very principles. On the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, I urge my colleagues--Democrats and Republicans alike--to recommit ourselves to the work that was done by our predecessors, to work together to restore the Voting Rights Act for all Americans. That is the least we can do on this, the 50th anniversary. I look forward to this august body taking up a voting rights amendment act that fully restores Federal protection to all vulnerable communities so that all Americans can definitely exercise that sacred right to vote.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I often don't come to the floor to speak, but I felt compelled on this particular bill, H.R. 5, to talk about it. Why? Because I represent a district that has 90 percent of the public schoolchildren who live and receive reduced or free lunches and it is important for me to just state for the record that I think that a bill that takes away funding from public schools--targeted funding for low-income and poverty students--would be an abomination. This bill is here because of the work of Lyndon Johnson 50 years ago. It was a civil rights bill, frankly. Why? It was an acknowledgment that socially disadvantaged children needed additional help. Somewhere along the line, Mr. Chairman, we have lost as a nation the notion of ``our children.'' It is always ``my child,'' not ``our children.''

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Until the parents of more affluent children see that their lives are intrinsically linked to children who are poor, we as a nation will never be the beloved community that so many civil rights leaders fought and died for. I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia for the opportunity to speak on this underlying bill, and I want to urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 5.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to celebrate the life and legacy of Jimmie Lee Jackson. Jimmie Lee Jackson was one of the foot soldiers who died to ensure that all Americans have the fundamental right to vote. This 26-year-old Marion, Alabama, native was brutally killed at the hands of an Alabama State trooper on February 18, 1965, after attending a voting rights rally while trying to protect his mother and his 82- year-old grandfather. The State trooper confronted the family at Mack's Cafe in Marion and shot Jimmie Lee Jackson at gunpoint range for simply shielding his family from the intimidation and retributions being carried out by law enforcement. And to think that this occurred because of the audacity of this young man and his family to peacefully protest for their constitutional rights, which led to his brutal murder at the hands of law enforcement. It was the senseless murder of Jimmie Lee Jackson that served as a catalyst for the voting rights movement in Selma, Alabama. Jimmie Lee Jackson deserves to have his proper place in American history as a true agent of change. Likewise, the city of Marion is, rightly, the starting point of the historic road to voter equality that led marchers from Selma to Montgomery. I have sponsored efforts and look forward to the National Park Service adding the city of Marion to the historic trail from Selma to Montgomery. The senseless killing of Jimmie Lee Jackson shocked the consciousness of the American public and galvanized local leaders to be even more resolved in their fight against the inequalities in voting. Who was to blame for the death of Jimmie Lee Jackson? Dr. Martin Luther King professed, as he eulogized Jimmie Lee Jackson at his funeral, we are all to blame for his murder. Dr. King said it best: A State trooper pointed the gun, but he did not act alone. He was murdered by the brutality of every sheriff who practices lawlessness in the name of law. He was murdered by the irresponsibility of every politician, from Governors on down, who has fed his constituent the stale bread of hatred and the spoiled meat of racism. He was murdered by the timidity of a Federal Government that would spend millions of dollars a day to keep troops in South Vietnam and cannot protect the rights of its own citizens seeking the right to vote. He was murdered by the cowardice of every Negro who passively accepts the evils of segregation and stands on the sidelines in the struggle for justice. Justice should be blind, Mr. Speaker, but in many cases it is not. Everyone knew who killed Jimmie Lee Jackson, but it wasn't until 40 years later, when Michael Jackson, Dallas County's first Black district attorney, reopened the investigation, that the wheels of justice slowly began to turn. Yesterday, this august body unanimously passed H.R. 431, a bill that would award a Congressional Gold Medal to the foot soldiers who participated in Bloody Sunday, Turnaround Tuesday, or the final march from Selma to Montgomery. It is past due, Mr. Speaker, that these brave men and women take their proper place as agents of change in American history. While Jimmie Lee Jackson did not live to participate in the march from Selma to Montgomery, he was there in spirit. It was his spirit that gave strength to the weak, that gave courage to the scared, and that gave hope to the hopeless. To his family, I say this Nation owes his family a debt of gratitude which we can never repay. My hope is that this national recognition of the significance of the death of Jimmie Lee Jackson will spur a renewed commitment in all of us to continue to fight for justice and equality for all. We, the beneficiaries of that struggle, must continue his fight. We must continue to stand together. We must continue to be united in the fight for justice everywhere it is needed. Jimmie Lee Jackson did not stand on the sidelines waiting patiently for justice to come, nor should we. Dr. King once said: If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward. We must continue to stand together because our greatest and biggest fights are yet to come. We still need Federal oversight to ensure that every eligible voter in these United States is able to cast their ballot and that every vote matters. Jimmie Lee Jackson recognized the importance of the vote. He recognized the power of the ballot box. We owe it to ourselves and to the memory of Jimmie Lee Jackson to continue his fight.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 15 seconds.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, voting is the most fundamental right that we share as Americans. The foot soldiers who dared to march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in the face of extreme racial hostility did so in the spirit of equality. We should never forget the sacrifices they made so that this Nation could live up to the ideals of equality and justice for all. While we can never repay these foot soldiers for the sacrifices that they made, we can offer a down payment by continuing to fight against injustice wherever it exists. For as Dr. King so eloquently noted, ``Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' May we be moved by the valor and determination of these foot soldiers to stomp out modern-day inequities in the name of justice. The foot soldiers of the voting rights movement set forth a powerful precedent for all of us to follow. Whenever the rights of any one man have been denied, the rights of all are in danger. The price of freedom, as has been said before, is not free. The foot soldiers paid the ultimate price to ensure equal voting rights for all Americans. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that over 300 of my colleagues in Congress-- both Democrats and Republicans--have agreed to cosponsor this bill. I am proud that my colleague from Alabama Senator Sessions and Senator Booker will introduce this bill on the Senate side today. I am humbled by the strong bipartisan support of this bill, and I would like to thank Representative Martha Roby and all of the members of the Alabama delegation for standing with me in support of this bill. Today, I am especially proud to be from Alabama. I invite my colleagues, Republican and Democrat, and all Americans, to come to Selma during the first week of March to witness living history. You, too, can witness living history. The city of Selma and the jubilee group will be doing a host of activities all week long. Of course, the commemorative march itself will be on Sunday, March 8, as well as our President will be speaking to us in Selma on March 7. I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 431. I believe that bestowing the Congressional Gold Medal to the foot soldiers of the voting rights movement is a strong reminder of the power of ordinary Americans to collectively achieve extraordinary, extraordinary social change. I want to again thank the gentleman from Michigan for sharing with me this wonderful 40 minutes of debate. I want you to know that it is one of the highlights of my life to have the opportunity to bestow this Congressional Gold Medal to the foot soldiers of the voting rights movement. As a proud daughter of Selma and the Representative of Selma, Montgomery, Birmingham, and Tuscaloosa, I want you to know that those of us who are the direct beneficiaries of the movement, Black and White, we owe a debt of gratitude that we can never repay. Today goes a long way in acknowledging those unsung and noted heroes like John Lewis, but there are so many, so many, that are in our midst, in our communities, that gave that sacrifice. Today, we honor them, the foot soldiers of the voting rights movement. I want to say again to all of my colleagues: I hope that you will take seriously this bill and what its significance is to America. I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan for sharing this time with me, and I want to thank the leadership of both parties for putting this bill on the floor in such a timely manner, so that we can get it on the President's desk before the March 7 and 8 wonderful, wonderful celebration. Again, Mr. Speaker, I thank all of you for being here, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 431, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, how many more minutes do I have remaining?

Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. I yield the gentleman an additional 1 minute.