Nydia Velázquez

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Fair Pay Act. It is shameful that such a law is necessary, but it is. While my Republican colleagues have spent the first hundred days of this Congress on extended vacation let me assure my colleagues that the women of this Nation have been out there working hard for a lot less money. Mr. Speaker, how it is possible that women have to work until April 11 to make what men earned the year before for the same work. How do we allow employers to continue to discriminate against women by paying them 72 cents for every dollar they pay their male employees. The Fair Pay Act requires employers to pay equal wages for equal work. This bill would also prohibit wage discrimination based on race and national origin. In 1992, Hispanic women earned half as much as white men for compatible work, half as much. This is a disgrace. It is time to send a message that we will no longer tolerate this. Let us pass the Fair Pay Act.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, my colleagues, I am amazed at how far the Republican majority will go to keep hardworking American families in poverty. The Paycheck Reduction Act is their latest in a string of anti-family and anti-child proposals. The Miller substitute protects pay, benefits and time for working families. I urge all of you to support the Miller substitute and oppose H.R. 1. This bill--on top of last year's welfare reform--will only make the difficult lives of working mothers a nightmare. The reality is that they already have a huge struggle. Many work two or three jobs just to make ends meet and keep their families together. Consider a mom who puts in a 47 hour work week at $6 an hour. She will earn $308.00. By substituting comp time for overtime, she will only bring home $240.00--a 22 percent pay cut. This is simply a price most families cannot afford. Faced with less money in their pay check, they will have to scrimp for even the most basic necessities. Worse of all, comp time will not be voluntary. Do you truly believe a parent will be allowed to use the time when they need it most? Clearly, the majority cares more about making sweet heart deals with the privileged than helping hard working employees. My colleagues, overtime is important to so many working families and their children. We, here in Congress, should not be undermining their standard of living. Support the Miller Substitute. Vote No on the Pay Check Reduction Act.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the administration's decision to certify Mexico. If we are serious abut combating money laundering and drug trafficking, we must help Mexico and keep them as our ally. They should not be expected to fight this war alone. Money laundering and narcotic trafficking are a global epidemic--not just Mexico's. The Mexican Government--itself--recognizes these activities as the principal security risk to that nation. It is up to us to help Mexico constructively, instead of slamming the door on a strong and close friend. My colleagues, if we do not support the administration, we will be sending the wrong message to the Government of Mexico. We should make it clear to our neighbor that we truly intend to fight this war together. I urge all of you to support the administration's Mexico certification decision and to oppose this resolution.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, we need to put together a budget. Every day Republicans force poor American families to balance their budgets or plunge into poverty. Meanwhile, as the deadline draws near for our national budget to be balanced, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle submit nothing and delay action. Real people have to balance their budgets; so should we. Consider the human face of this debate. Hardworking people have to make painful decisions on a daily basis about keeping a roof over their family's head or putting food on their table. While you waste your time on political posturing, families I represent in Williamsburg and Brooklyn, NY, study their bank statement, trying to make ends meet. They cannot postpone their budget; neither should we. My colleagues, everyone in this Chamber supports a balanced budget, and there are already two proposals we could be working on. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Majority Leader, Americans cannot wait any longer. Let us get working.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, this resolution is a waste of time. Why do my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to stall the budget process? I thought that the clock was ticking for us to enact a balanced budget, which I support. In the rush to pass a fiscal year 1998 budget, the Republicans are setting up another scenario for last- minute legislation. In that rush, the most vulnerable populations will be targeted again for the highest spending cuts and the lowest assistance. It is remarkable how far the Republicans will single out poor families. The deadline grows near for our national budget to be balanced. Note that my Republican colleagues have not submitted a budget proposal. They must not be serious about negotiating a balanced budget agreement. What is their strategy now? To shut down the Federal Government again? Remember, it did not work before; it will not work again. I ask my colleagues to consider the human face on this debate. Consider Miguel Pena from Brooklyn, a 72-year-old Dominican legal immigrant with mental illness who will lose his SSI disability benefits within months because he is not a citizen. He, like hundreds of thousands of other legal immigrants, has no other source of income. Consider the 30 percent of the 30,000 Hasidic children in Williamsburg who will lose their Federal assistance. Consider Maria Rodriguez, 27 years old, a legal secretary with two children and no subsidized daycare options. Hardworking people have to make painful decisions on a daily basis about keeping a roof over their heads or putting food on their table. We should not be spending precious time on political posturing at the expense of America's future. The families I represent in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens carefully manage their limited incomes to make ends meet. They cannot postpone their budget; neither should we. Let us get on with the people's business.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this rule and this bill for one basic reason: It is antiwoman and it is antifamily. It is not enough for our women here in the United States to be harassed and intimidated and to have family clinics bombed and burned; now we are considering restricting the human rights of women in other countries to control their bodies. International family planning assistance has been responsible for reducing maternal deaths and unwanted pregnancies. Contrary to what antiabortion forces tell you, these Federal funds cannot be used to pay for abortions. If we truly want to decrease abortions, then we should release this assistance now without restrictions. Two hundred twenty-five million women worldwide need family planning services to allow them to make informed decisions. We should be striving to empower poor women around the world, not denying families living in poverty this survival assistance.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, it is sad to admit it, but we live in a time of few heroes. Last week, we lost a modern-day hero who only months ago walked among us on this floor. Congressman Frank Tejeda has left us, but his spirit remains. What an honor and privilege it was to serve with this great Latino. Mr. Speaker, a hero sacrifices selflessly and gives his whole being to causes bigger than himself. Frank Tejeda demonstrated this not only as a United States marine in the jungles of Vietnam but also in public life back home. As a State legislator and as a Congressman, he fought the hard fights. He relentlessly protected the poor Mexican-American people of his Texas district. Here in Washington, he spoke out against assaults on immigrants, women, and children. He was also a true champion of all veterans and never forgot his fellow men and women in uniform. Frank Tejeda was truly a powerful ally for all of us in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Out of the tough barrios of San Antonio, TX, Frank Tejeda was conditioned to survive--to beat the odds--to overcome any barriers. When I think about Frank Tejeda, what sticks out the most is what a fighter he was in all that he did. He battled off his tragic illness for over a year. Even in his final days, he insisted on being sworn in on his sickbed to fulfill the wishes of the 73-percent strong who elected him to his third term. The Congress and the Nation mourn Frank Tejeda because he left us way too soon. However, we also celebrate his inspiring memory and peaceful strength. You were an example and a hero to this country. Thank you, Frank, and may your goodness and justice guide us all.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to offer thanks to the gentleman from California [Mr. Beilenson] for his guidance, leadership, and vision, and we all are going to miss him. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong opposition to this conference report. This so-called immigration reform bill not only attacks a wide range of very hard-working Americans but, worst of all, it wreaks havoc on the lives of children. When did we become such a distrustful society that we would even turn on our most vulnerable members? In a frenzy to shove undocumented immigrants out of the country, the Republican majority has crafted one of the most offensive pieces of legislation ever. They did not make this bill any better simply by removing the bar on undocumented children attending public school. The conference agreement still severely restricts legal immigrants' access to benefits, even though they play by the rules, they work hard and they pay taxes. But yet those multibillionaires who renounce their citizenship just so they cannot pay taxes, they are welcome to come back. I ask my colleagues and urge them to vote down the rule and vote this legislation down.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor and pride that I rise to congratulate and recognize a fellow Puerto Rican, Dr. Antonia Pantoja, for receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award a President can bestow on a citizen. With this distinction, Dr. Pantoja joins other Americans of exceptional merit such as Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Cardinal of Chicago, David Hamburg, and Rosa Parks. For many years, Dr. Pantoja has been a nationally recognized leader in education, civil rights, and community development. Most importantly she has been a tireless advocate for the right to culturally supportive, and equal educational opportunities for Puerto Rican and Latino children. Unselfishly, Dr. Pantoja has dedicated her life not only to children but to everyone. She has enriched our neighborhoods. Her acthivements include the creation of many institutions that provide valuable services to Boricuas. As the founder of the Puerto Rican Forum, a membership organization dedicated to creating Puerto Rican community service institutions, she has left her mark with us forever. Seeing the need to improve the educational and professional situation of the Latino community, she succeeded in developing such landmark organizations as the ABC Project, a program for Puerto Rican business people, and BOLT, a project to teach basic occupational English to Puerto Rican workers in order to advance in their jobs. Not stopping there, Dr. Pantoja's crown achievement and greatest contribution to our community was the creation of ASPIRA, an institution based on empowering the Latino community through the educational and leadership development of its youth. During the last 35 years, ASPIRA has become the leading national organization devoted to the education of Latino youth. In a world in which people mainly care about their own needs, it is refreshing and gives me pure joy to see a person whose entire life has been dedicated to the needs of others. I want to thank Dr. Antonia Pantoja for her life-long commitment to and hard work for the Puerto Rican community. I strongly believe that without her achievements, many in our community would not have the tools necessary to advance in life. We all owe her a great debt and much thanks.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the conference report. Legislation to increase the minimum wage is long over due. For months, Democrats have been calling for a raise for the American people, but that wasn't enough. Even when 85 percent of the American people voiced their support for an increase, that wasn't enough. I'm glad to see that the Republican majority is finally starting to get it. The increase in the minimum wage will help to lift millions of Americans out of poverty. For years, single mothers have been struggling to feed their families on a poverty wage. This takes on even more importance, now that this Congress has shredded the safety net of welfare. We must make work pay, and make the pay a living wage. Although I support this conference report, I also want to express my great anger over the price that some will have to pay for the adoption of this legislation. In classic Republican style, they give a helping hand to the needy while using the other hand to stab someone in the back. By removing the 936 tax credit, Republicans are taking the lifeforce that keeps Puerto Rico alive. I urge my colleagues to support the conference report. But keep in mind the 300,000 U.S. citizens that live in Puerto Rico, who will not gain but lose under this legislation.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise today, amazed by how far some will go to unravel our country. H.R. 123 should be called the Linguistic and Voting Deprivation Act, not the English Language Empowerment Act. Instead of providing language minorities with the opportunities to learn English, this legislation will cost our Nation one of our most valuable resources--our diversity. I urge all of you to support English Plus. Earlier in the year this House took opportunities away from our limited-English children by cutting funding for bilingual education. Today with the passage of this legislation, we are making the chance for a better life nearly impossible. As a Representative with one of the highest immigrant and language minority populations in the country, I know the difficulties that language minorities face day in and day out. H.R. 123 will have the effect of further isolating my constituents who speak primarily Chinese or Spanish. To make matters worse, without bilingual ballots, these constituents will be completely unempowered. As elected officials, our job is to make democracy work by reaching out and serving all our constituents--not just those who speak English only. Language minorities are some of our society's most vulnerable members. They are especially in need of assurance that their civil liberties will be protected. My colleagues, H.R. 123 will not bring us together, it will only serve to divide this country. Vote ``yes'' for English Plus.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the welfare conference agreement. This bill is an outrage. It constitutes the latest chapter in the right wing majority's all-out attack on children and the poor. Let's get real. Less than 2 percent of Federal dollars are spent on assisting poor women and children. Yet radicals are ramming a bill down our throats that does nothing more than single out and punish children in the name of deficit reduction. Many on the other side of the aisle are under the false assumption that all we need to do to eliminate poverty is take food and money away from poor people. But I have news for you--this sink or swim approach will not work. According to the Urban Institute this bill would push 1.1 million children into poverty and eliminate their ability to count on basic income support. The worse tragedy of all is that this cruel bill comes up short on jobs. Cutting financial assistance to poor families without money for job creation, job training and day care will not force recipients to swim but cause millions of poor children to drown. The real problem is that in poor areas like the one I represent, there simply are not enough jobs for people. In fact in some areas in NYC there are 14 applicants for every one fast-food job. Let's end this charade. I implore my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to support fairness and basic decency and reject this heartless legislation.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, during rollcall votes 357, 358, and 359, I was unavoidably detained. If I were present, I would have voted ``yes'' on all three amendments. personal explanation

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the welfare budget agreement. Once again, a far-right, out-of-touch, radical minority is pushing for welfare reform that eliminates survival programs that millions of poor children desperately depend on. The cuts in this bill are vicious. H.R. 3734 would block grant AFDC benefits and arbitrarily throw thousands of children and families off the welfare rolls after 2 years--even if they cannot find a job. Genuine welfare reform must help poor people gain the skills and resources needed to become self-sufficient. Yet this short-sided bill includes work requirements without providing jobs. In fact, according to the CBO, most States will not be able to satisfy the work requirements included in H.R. 3734. This bill also gives legal immigrants the shaft. Most of us here today descended from immigrant roots. Yet H.R. 3734 calls for an unprecedented denial of benefits for legal immigrants who, despite their contributions by working hard and paying taxes, fall on hard times. I support real welfare reform, but not by hurting children, not on the backs of legal immigrants and not without real job creation. The main target of any welfare legislation ought to be poverty, not children. This bill is an outrage. I implore my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to support fairness and basic decency and reject this heartless legislation.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, we cannot pick up a newspaper, turn on the radio or television without seeing the names and faces of celebrities caught using sweatshop labor to produce their signature line of goods. Last month it was Kathie Lee Gifford; then it was Michael Jordan; and next week, it will be someone else. The fact of the matter is, sweatshops are a very serious problem throughout the United States. As sweatshops have spread like wildfire, Congress has turned a blind eye and ignored this problem. This has caused millions of workers and American businesses to suffer. My amendment takes the first step to rectify this national disgrace, by restoring funds to the Department of Labor to fight sweatshops, across this country. It provides $5 million to the Wage and Hour Division, to specifically fight sweatshop violations in the garment industry. To pay for this, we would transfer $5 million from the Jobs Training Partnership Act, that was funded at $25 million over its fiscal year 1996 level. Both of these efforts serve to help disadvantaged workers. We must provide these professionals, who are on the front lines of this battle, a fighting chance. In recent years, the Wage and Hour Division has seen its budget slashed, while the number of sweatshops have skyrocketed. From New York to Los Angeles, all across this country, millions are being exploited by unscrupulous employers. In California and New York, studies have found that over half of all garment factories currently operating are sweatshops. Most shocking of all is how society's most vulnerable--our children--are being abused. How can we permit these people to be treated like this? My colleagues, fly-by-night kingpins open sweatshops for just a few months and then close without warning. They collect money from manufacturers and pay workers a pittance--if anything at all. Then, as quickly as they appear, they disappear with the cash--only to open again somewhere else under a new name, to start the cycle of despair all over again. They operate a classic shell game, with women, immigrants and children as their pawns. These crooks must be stopped and we must begin by adopting this amendment. Take a good look at this picture of workers in sweatshops. Note how the workers are hunched over their machines, how dirty and crowded the factory is. In many cases, women and children work behind bars and barbed wire that seem more like a prison than a workplace. I have seen first-hand the suffering these workers are forced to endure. This exploitation has left many maimed, blinded and scarred from a life in these sweatshops. How would you feel if your child, your mother, or your sister was forced to work 60 hours a week, and only be paid a couple of dollars an hour? What if they were forced to work in a factory like this--crowded, filthy and with emergency exits that were blocked? What if they told you that they dared not complain for fear of being fired--worse yet, they worked even when sick for fear of losing their job and having no income. The individuals slaving away in sweatshops are not the only ones forced to suffer. Legitimate American businesses and their employees are also victims, unfairly forced to compete against sweatshops. By allowing sweatshops to operate, in our own backyard, we are allowing the livelihood of many to be stolen. By supporting efforts to combat this problem, we are ensuring a level playing field and simple fairness for our workers and American businesses. By adopting this amendment, we have a rare opportunity to help workers, businesses, and to support American-made products. This amendment is supported by labor groups, like UNITE, which represent workers. It is supported by business groups, like the National Knitwear and Sportswear Association, which represent manufacturers. This amendment is truly a win-win situation for everyone. If you think this issue does not affect you or your district, think again. There may be people in this Chamber today that are wearing clothes made in sweatshops. If you shopped in stores like J.C. Penney or Macy's, or purchased a pair of Air Jordans, you are guilty of adding to this problem. Let's show the American people and the world that Congress is no longer going to turn a blind eye and keep this dirty little secret, here or abroad. I urge you to vote ``yes'' on this amendment.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to introduce a crucial piece of legislation--the Managed Care Bill of Rights for Consumers Act of 1996. I introduced this legislation in response to a repulsive and dangerous trend taking place in this country. Seven out of ten Americans are now in some form of managed care plan. Although this newest form of health care has been successful in cutting costs, it has done so at the expense of patient care. Working class people are falling victim to a cruel and vicious system that far too often puts profits before people. Health care companies should make people healthy, not sick, yet enrollees with specific or rare diseases are not provided specialists to treat their illnesses. Even more alarming, HMO patients are routinely denied compensation for emergency room visits and managed care companies often include financial perks in the contracts of doctors who withhold patient services and lab reports in order to save money. So while ultra wealthy HMO's are making billion dollar profits, working class families are paying for those profits with their health and in some cases their lives. My bill seeks to eliminate these problems and many more by ensuring that there is a wider variety of care providers to choose from and that providers are geographically accessible to patients. Moreover, my bill seeks to prohibit unhealthy HMO policies by allowing out of network options for specialists and emergency room care without prior approval. I implore my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in sponsoring this essential piece of legislation. Assist me in safeguarding the American citizens' access to quality, affordable health care.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise before the Members to introduce a crucial piece of legislation that is long overdue, the managed care bill of rights of 1996. Today I introduce this legislation in response to a repulsive and dangerous trend that is taking place. Across this country, Americans are joining managed care plans in order to cut costs. However, while ultra-wealthy HMO's are making multibillion-dollar profits, working- class families are paying for these profits with their health and, in some cases, their lives. Health care companies should make people healthier, not sicker, yet HMO patients are routinely denied access to specialists and refused compensation for emergency room visits. My legislation will put an end to these cruel policies. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation and work toward safeguarding every American's access to quality health care.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot of rhetoric from Republicans this year. However, the current trust fund scare is one of the biggest scams ever perpetrated on the American people. Republicans in Congress are using the Medicare trust fund report to justify their extreme proposal to slash Medicare. The trust fund report is simply a smokescreen for the real reason they want to cut Medicare: tax breaks. If Republicans were truly interested in saving Medicare, they would reduce their huge tax breaks to the rich, not by slashing this vital program with cuts that will devastate seniors, close public hospitals, and burden working-class families. Medicare is a program that should provide health care services for seniors, not a piggy bank for wealthy corporations and the privileged few.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Roemer amendment to eliminate funding for the space station. Just 3 weeks ago, we debated a bill that drastically cut housing aid to lower income Americans. In the name of deficit reduction, this body eliminated housing assistance for hundreds of thousands of Americans. The argument we heard was that, as a nation, we simply could not afford it. But today, many in this Chamber are singing a different tune. This bill is definitely not about reducing spending. This bill continues the foolish proposal to spend billions of dollars for an orbiting public housing project, for just a few astronauts. How can we tell millions of homeless people that there isn't enough money to put a safe roof over their heads, and then, continue to fund the space station? It is unconscionable to pour billions of dollars into this science fiction experiment, when we cannot afford to take care of our own citizens. My colleagues, the real question before us today is whether millions of Americans will be forced to go without the most fundamental of needs--housing--in favor of an expensive space toy. Spending cuts to balance the budget must be applied to all domains, not just to the social programs. It is wrong to place this burden on the backs of the defenseless poor, without asking others to pay as well. Let us not pour any more of our scarce funds into building a luxury hotel in the sky--especially after we just demolished public housing for the needy down here on Earth. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Roemer amendment to cancel funding for the space station.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, finally, we get the chance to vote on an increase to the Federal minimum wage. Americans have been calling for a vote on increasing the minimum wage for months. In fact, 85 percent of America supports giving minimum wage workers their first raise in five, long years. But instead of a straight up-or down vote, Republicans had to make sure their business buddies got some goodies in the deal. This should have been a simple bill. Instead, it guts Federal wage protections by attaching two Trojan Horse amendments full of poison. We should be making work pay. I am truly outraged that Republicans would try to exclude many millions of Americans from being paid a fair wage. Mr colleagues should come down from their corporate ivory towers and do the work they were sent here to do. Represent the people who have told us loud and clear that they want a clean minimum wage increase period. Vote against both Goodling amendments and support a clean increase to the minimum wage.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 3448. World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, this country has sent our brave and courageous Americans from the island of Puerto Rico, such as my uncle, to fight in foreign lands. Now, through their repeal of section 936, Republicans intend to use the people of Puerto Rico as human shields to give businesses more tax breaks. This bill is an insult to the 3.8 million American citizens in Puerto Rico. What is good for American citizens in the mainland should be good for the people in Puerto Rico. If this was not cruel enough, Puerto Rico will get nothing for this national sacrifice in the name of more tax cuts. In typical Republican style, you go after the one group of Americans who have no vote in this Chamber. Section 936 is not charity. It has been successful for the island and for the United States. It has created 300,000 jobs through private capital and tax incentives. Without it, the already high poverty and unemployment rates on the island will skyrocket. Many companies will move out of Puerto Rico, but they will not move to the mainland. They will move to such places like Mexico and Singapore. Many Puerto Ricans forced out of work will need public assistance to survive. We will all pay sooner or later, jobs under section 936 or more public assistance. Be ready to invest in jobs creation, because there will be thousands of Puerto Rican workers migrating to the mainland. I thought you were the party of work, not welfare. Your radical, heartless agenda is clear: Up with tax breaks for business; down with the middle class, down with Puerto Rico. I urge my colleagues to vote no on this legislation.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise today amazed by how far the Republican majority will go to keep hard-working Americans down. Instead of being the first rung on the ladder out of poverty, this housing bill kicks the ladder away. By repealing the Brooke amendment, the already difficult lives of the extremely poor will become a nightmare. Adequate housing must remain affordable for everyone. In New York City alone, 560,000 housing authority tenants will face higher rents or eviction if Brooke is eliminated. There is not going to be mixed income people living in public housing. There will be families making $40,000 living in public housing and poor people will be thrown into the streets. This is a price they simply cannot afford to pay. Faced with higher rents, families will have to scrimp for even their most basic necessities. How much more are we going to bleed out of our poor? The United States already has the impressive distinction of having the highest poverty rate of the industrialized world. Elimination of rent caps coupled with funding cuts to housing and a 25-percent cut to homeless shelters will force waiting lists for park benches to skyrocket. Mr. Chairman, I say to my Republican colleagues, you should be ashamed of yourself. Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of the Americans least able to shoulder that burden. Think of the message you are sending. Mr. Chairman, clearly, the majority cares more about the haves than the have-nots. Instead of investing in the neediest Americans, they give a $7 billion increase to the Department of Defense; they give hefty tax breaks to wealthy corporations and contributors that dwarf our spending to house the poor; and they deny an increase in the minimum Federal wage for working Americans. Today confirms that the Contract With America was not a contract with all Americans, only the privileged few. I urge my colleagues to support the Frank amendment.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, the poor across this country have already been asked to pay an extraordinarily high price. Essential programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Workforce have all been put on the chopping block. At a time when society's most vulnerable are seeing a reduction in their benefits, an increasing amount of rent to pay is cruel, heartless and shameful. If we do not adopt the Velazquez amendment, thousands of our Nation's poorest families will no longer be able to afford public housing. For the most part, they will be mothers and children, women and children, that will be thrown into the streets with no place to go. We here in Congress should not be creating this underclass. It is a shame that what we are doing here today is creating an underclass of poor people that cannot afford even to live in public housing. If we do not want the poorest of the poor to live in public housing, just say it. Stop playing games, and let us end this charade.