Marc Veasey

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the citizens of Forest Hill, Texas, for their recent Memorial Day celebration to honor the military service contributions of the men and women of our Armed Forces as well as our public safety officers who have lost their lives in that city in the line of duty. I was proud to attend the ceremony, which included 375 names of men and women who have proudly served the city of Forest Hill and lived there and have lost their lives in the line of duty. Also at the park is the Court of Honor, where the names of prisoners of war and the missing in action serve as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices for freedom. We must remember--perhaps now more than ever--that our debt of gratitude for veterans that have served us can never be repaid in full, but we owe it to them to keep our commitments to them as a country. I would like to thank the citizens of Forest Hill for their display of thanks and respect.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 3717.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the tragic and shocking turn of events in Nigeria, where as many as 300 young girls have been abducted by a terrorist organization known as Boko Haram. As a father, I can't imagine the anguish that these parents must be feeling as they wonder about what happened to their young girls. I stand in solidarity with the people of Nigeria in this difficult time and condemn the violence against innocent people committed by Boko Haram and urge that all possible actions be taken and that President Jonathan finally do something about the terrorists and the thugs that seem to be ruling the country. Too often, women and young girls are tragically persecuted, victimized, or denied education opportunities and a voice, particularly in these countries, based only on their gender. The violence and discrimination has no place in our world today. Today, I will be joining my fellow colleagues and urging them to sign on to House Resolution 573, to condemn this heinous abduction, and supporting all efforts to find these girls and bring them home.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute and honor to a great man, Pastor Raymond Charles Johnson, Sr., known in Fort Worth as ``R.C. Johnson.'' Pastor Johnson moved to Fort Worth in 1953, where he began his work at the Greater Saint James Baptist Church. He was ordained as pastor of the church in 1985, and he dedicated 61 years to the preaching of the Word. Although many in the community knew that he was a pastor, he also worked at General Motors for over 32 years and was a Korean war veteran. In addition to his work in the ministry, he was a precinct chairman for over 50 years in the same precinct. Pastor Johnson was so proud of his work in Ministers Against Crime, where they went to local schools and worked in communities. I can tell you that they worked in those schools and that they made a difference in those kids' lives--in their behavior and in their grades. He really made a difference in the community. Sadly, earlier this year, I was at his wife's funeral. They had been married for 63 years. She died back in the January-February time period, which was really, really tough on him. He, too, succumbed just this past week. I want to thank Pastor Johnson for everything he did to help me and so many other people in the community. He is someone the Fort Worth community will be proud of for many years.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of William ``Bill'' Blair, Jr., a talented Negro Leagues pitcher who became a voice for Dallas' African-American community. His passing on April 20, 2014 leaves a void in the city Dallas, and I join with the Texas community in giving our condolences to the Blair family. Mr. Blair attended Booker T. Washington High School, where he played football and met his wife of 70 years, Mozelle Jordan. He went on to continue his studies at Prairie View A&M University and later enlisted to fight in World War II. In 1945, Mr. Blair became the youngest black sergeant to serve in the U.S. Army during World War II. Mr. Blair, a Negro Leagues Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, pitched from 1946 to 1951, for teams including the Indianapolis Clowns and Cincinnati Crescents, and was a player-manager for the Dallas Black Giants. He was instrumental in the development of the African American Museum's Texas Sports Hall of Fame and served on its advisory board. He was also inducted in 1996 as a member of its inaugural class. After his baseball career, Mr. Blair founded the Highlight News which ran from 1947-1957. He also later founded the Southwest Sports News, a newspaper that specialized in publishing scores from Black college games throughout the United States. The paper was renamed The Elite News in 1960, and is still in publication today, serving as the official voice of the church and the community. As a civil rights activist for more than 50 years, Blair was instrumental in establishing the Elite News Awards, the first local African-American awards ceremony, in 1975. In 1986, he established the first Martin Luther King, Jr., Parade in Dallas, which is now an institution in the community. In honor of William ``Bill'' Blair, a pillar of the Dallas community, this statement will be entered into the Congressional Record. He will be remembered as a civil rights activist, a leader of the community, and an irreplaceable figure in the history of the city of Dallas.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a giant whom we lost in the Fort Worth community--Louis Zapata, the first Hispanic ever elected to the Fort Worth City Council. Mr. Zapata held the post for 14 years. He was one of the longest- serving city council members in the city's history. Mr. Zapata was so proud of the city's north side, which he represented well. He did so many wonderful things for the community, like advancing the arts and protecting the Rose Marine Theater. Mr. Zapata was also someone who was interested in raising the quality of life for all of our city's citizens. In addition to his duties on the Fort Worth City Council, he was also a union member and a union representative at Bell Helicopter, one of the city's largest employers, where he worked tirelessly to make sure that every man and woman who worked at the plant enjoyed a better quality of life. I want to thank Mr. Zapata for everything that he did to help make our city better and to help make our community better. He will be missed. He is one of the legends of the Fort Worth City Council, and he is someone who will always be remembered fondly in our city.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend who departed this Earth last week, who I know is headed to glory because of the great things he did in Tarrant County for working men and women. T.C. Gillespie, who was the president of the Tarrant County Central Labor Council, died after a long battle with lung disease. T.C. was such a tireless advocate for men and women. Before he was president of the Central Labor Council, he was the treasurer and secretary of the Communications Workers of America. T.C. just believed in people. He was someone who helped me very early on in my career, before I was in Congress. He helped so many people he believed would do the right thing for so many workers and for so many families in Tarrant County. Even as I watched T.C. struggle in the last couple of years of his life, I would say: T.C., you don't need to be here; you need to be home resting. He was having such a hard time walking and breathing because of the lung issue that he was having, and he just wanted to be there for people he believed in. I want to thank the family and friends he leaves behind. T.C. Gillespie was a dear friend and a great man to so many people in Tarrant County.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, the Republicans released their budget blueprint to the American people. Budgets are moral documents that reflect our priorities as a nation. Republicans have clearly outlined their priorities in this budget, which are: raising taxes on the middle class, cutting taxes for multimillionaires, and hurting seniors by ending Medicare as we know it. The budget plan introduced this week offers no real solutions. If your thing is massive cuts to nutrition, health care, and other critical supports that give low-income children and families a decent chance at life, then the Ryan budget is your deal. Instead of making these hits on the middle class, we should focus on improving education, investing in domestic manufacturing, and paving the way for a good future. Also troubling is that the Ryan budget rejects the opportunity to enact immigration reform, to raise the minimum wage, and to extend unemployment insurance, which would create jobs and strengthen our economy. As elected leaders, we owe it to the American people to invest in them, not to cut the safety net from under them.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the women who have shaped our Nation's history and those women who continue to make a difference in our communities. Women entrepreneurs are the fastest growing sector in the small business community. This month, I launched a new initiative to help better understand the challenges that constituents face in their jobs and daily lives by spending the day working as a baking assistant at Del Norte Bakery, a successful women-owned-and-operated Hispanic business in Dallas. As I rolled up my sleeves and I made pan dulce and other baked goods alongside owners and sisters Carolina Lopez and Gloria De Lira, I gained invaluable insight on some of the challenges small minority-owned and women-owned businesses face and what I can do as a Member of Congress to help. I also hope that by sharing their story, I can inspire other women to realize their dreams of running their own businesses. Let us all continue to work together to ensure that all women enjoy equal opportunity, because when women succeed, America succeeds.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 15 to demand a vote on the bipartisan immigration reform bill that unites families and moves our country forward.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to remind Americans today to hurry: they have 6 days left to sign up for the Affordable Care Act through their Federal and State exchanges and marketplaces. Don't believe the hype from the Republicans. The Affordable Care Act is working to improve the lives of millions of Americans. More than 5 million Americans have signed up so far through the marketplace, and they will continue to do so. This weekend, I hosted two enrollment events in my district, both in Dallas and Fort Worth, and attended two additional ones to ensure that constituents in my district get the affordable health care they deserve. What I saw when I visited those events were rooms filled with men, women, and children looking to provide insurance for their families, looking to ensure that they are protected from unforeseen sickness and health issues. Let's stop playing politics with people's health care. Let's work together to get every American covered.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to the tragic events that took place in Austin, Texas, on Thursday at the annual South by Southwest Festival. A suspected drunk driver being chased by the Austin police slammed his car into the festival crowd. Two of those injured were in high school. Curtisha Davis--known as ``Tish''--and Deandre Tatum--called ``Dre''--students at Trimble Tech High School in my hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. Curtisha is a senior and has broken bones and other injuries, and Deandre is in the intensive-care unit under a medically induced coma at the University Medical Center at Brackenridge. Please continue to pray for the Trimble Tech family. It is a very close-knit family at Trimble Tech High School, known as the Bulldogs. I ask for the prayers of everyone. There was a death involved in this particular tragedy, and I ask for prayers for all the families affected, including these two young people from my hometown, Curtisha and Deandre.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight an issue impacting constituents in my district and all across the Nation. Recently, statistics were published lauding Texas' falling unemployment rate. Articles say that Texans are finding good jobs. I want to rise today to speak on behalf of those that have a hard time making it each month. Many of these so-called good paying jobs, after working 40 hours a week, pay about $15,000 a year. Sometimes these hardworking Americans have to work two or three jobs just to make it at the end of the month. Mr. Speaker, the truth is that Texas families are hurting and struggling every day just to put food on the table and to put clothes on their kids' backs. I was talking to a lady at Luby's just the other day that asked me, What are we going to do about the minimum wage? We need to vote on the minimum wage--H.R. 1010, that would raise the minimum wage and bring over 5 million Americans out of poverty. I have signed the discharge petition and urge you to bring this bill up for a vote.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following regarding two missed votes on March 4, 2014. ``Yes'' on H.R. 3370, Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act. ``Yes'' on H. Res. 488, Supporting the people of Venezuela as they protest peacefully for democratic change and calling to end the violence.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Reverend Nehemiah Davis on his 50th anniversary as pastor of the historic Mount Pisgah Baptist Church. The church is in my hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, located on Evans Avenue, on the historical South Side. While this year marks Dr. Davis' 50th year as pastor of Mount Pisgah, I would also like to congratulate him on his installation as president of the National Missionary Baptist Convention of America. Pastor Davis' dedication to the church and to his community is exceeded only by his devotion to his wife, Dorothy Nell Cole Davis, and his two daughters, Carol Michelle Davis Jackson and Nina Caron Davis, who have given Dr. Davis two grandkids. Mr. Speaker, Pastor Davis has lived his entire life giving service to the community and preaching the faith, and he wanted everyone here to know today that out of all the things that he has accomplished over his lifetime, that he is also very proud of his domino-playing skills. I ask my distinguished colleagues of the 113th Congress to join me in honoring Pastor Davis on his 50th anniversary as pastor of Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, as well as an exemplary life of service.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Nehemiah Davis on his fiftieth anniversary as pastor of the historic Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church. The church is in my hometown of Fort Worth, Texas and I am proud to represent this community in Congress. While this year marks Dr. Davis' fiftieth year as pastor of Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church, I would also like to congratulate him for his installation as President of the National Missionary Baptist Convention of America. Pastor Davis is a native Texan, born in Centerville, and received his Bachelors of Arts degree from Mary Allen College in Crockett, Texas. He also received three degrees from the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas including a Bachelor of Divinity, a Master of Divinity, and a Master of Religious Education. He is the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Guadalupe Baptist Theological Seminary. As a regional and civic leader, Dr. Nehemiah Davis served for as a Trustee on the Board of the Fort Worth Independent School District, held various local and national leadership positions within the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) including serving as President of the Fort Worth chapter for over 25 years, and has held a wide array of positions within the Pastor's Conference and the Minister's Conference of the National Missionary Baptist Convention of America. He currently serves as Dean of the Congress of the North Texas District Association and a teacher in the Baptist Ministers' Union of Fort Worth/ Tarrant County and Vicinity. Pastor Davis' dedication to the church and to his community is exceeded only by his devotion to his wife Mrs. Dorothy Nell Cole and his two daughters, Carol Michelle Davis Jackson and Nina Caron Davis, who have given Dr. Davis two grandsons. Mr. Speaker, Pastor Davis has lived a life of service to people of faith and his community. I ask my distinguished colleagues of the 113th Congress to join me in honoring Pastor Davis on his fiftieth Anniversary as Pastor of Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church as well as an exemplary life of service.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to recognize Adelfa Callejo, a legendary Latina civil rights leader in Texas who died Friday at the age of 90. A Dallas lawyer and civil rights leader who was first exposed to activism as a girl interpreting for her father, Adelfa made a significant impact during her life. Ms. Callejo became the first Latina to graduate from SMU School of Law and practiced in Dallas for more than 40 years, mentoring many Latino and Latina lawyers along the way. Adelfa Callejo, La Madrina, or Godmother, as many called her, is well known for her civil rights work to eliminate racial barriers, stop immigrant abuse, and improve education in the State of Texas. During her dedication of an elementary school named after her in Dallas last year, Adelfa told the audience: Only through education will we make the world a better place than we found it. May her commitment to improving education and her legacy of working on behalf of a better Texas continue through her family and all of those lives she has touched throughout the decades.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Madam Speaker, as we continue on our economic recovery and debate about raising the minimum wage for hardworking Americans, I want to talk today about raising the standard of living for women in America. According to the latest BLS report, the monthly job gains were filled entirely by women in our country. This may seem like great news, but please understand that women's recent gains have been concentrated in low-wage sectors, like retail or hospitality. Women still tend to be driven away from the manufacturing sector, which, on average, pays 17 percent higher than non-manufacturing jobs. As a result, the pay gap between women and men in our country continues to be an issue. Before Republicans deny an extension of unemployment benefits to job- seeking women everywhere, we need to take a multi-faceted, bipartisan approach to solving the pay and job discrepancies. That includes increasing access to STEM education for women and getting them more interested in these manufacturing careers. We have a manufacturing gap in this country that needs to be filled, and women can help do it.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Fort Worth, Dallas, and Arlington chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, on their Founders Day for 101 years of dedicated service to our communities. Founded in 1913 by 22 women on the campus of Howard University, Delta Sigma Theta is an organization committed to scholarship, sisterhood, and service. Deltas are committed to service and provide assistance and support through established programs like Delta GEMS, a program the Fort Worth alumnae chapter hosts at T.A. Sims Elementary School each month, which works to empower high school girls. In Arlington, Deltas help fight heart disease through Zumba and line dancing as a part of the Go Red Campaign. And in Dallas, Deltas provide free hair styling for senior citizens at their Joy Woodfork Beauty Salon. I applaud the Dallas/Fort Worth alumnae chapters and the thousands of Deltas nationwide for their distinguished service to our country, State, and the world, and I wish them many more.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of over a million Americans who saw their unemployment benefits disappear on December 28. With our economy still struggling and unemployment remaining unacceptably high, now is not the time to take more money out of the pockets of those who are struggling to simply get by. This week, Republicans would rather continue debating the Affordable Care Act instead of working to get our economy back on track by helping to raise the standard of living for the poorest Americans and provide assistance to the unemployed. Democrats in the House and the Senate are working to offer solutions here in Washington and back in our districts. In the district I represent, I am helping constituents find jobs by hosting a job fair on January 24. The constituents I serve will have the opportunity to apply for jobs on site, network with employers, and attend professional development workshops. Mr. Speaker, we need to address the job crisis in America, and Republicans need to get back to the business of fixing our economy.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 1, had I been present, I would have voted ``present.''

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, as our Nation's economy continues to improve, we still need to have a serious discussion about jobs in this country. As Congress will soon debate whether to extend unemployment benefits for needy Americans, we must remember that there are young people that are graduating from high schools in our country that are not ready to take jobs that are in high demand. For instance, from an article I read in The Wall Street Journal last year, an estimated 600,000 skilled middle class manufacturing jobs went unfilled in this country. That is absolutely unacceptable. Much of that can be attributed to kids who are simply unprepared. Mr. Speaker, improved education must be included if we are serious about rebuilding the middle class in this country. And if we are really serious about looking out for the middle class, we have to do something about raising the minimum wage in this country. Any serious discussion about raising the standard of living in our country without addressing these two areas of education and raising the low minimum wage that we have is simply not addressing the issue seriously. Mr. Speaker, I am trying to address these issues by having a job fair in my district on Friday, January 24, in Fort Worth at the Resource Connection. It is efforts like these and many others that will help get the middle class back on track in this country.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I have risen before to talk about the fact that the congressional district that I represent has the highest uninsured rate out of any congressional district in the entire country. About 40 percent of the constituents that I represent don't have health care insurance, and I wanted to talk today about how the Affordable Care Act is already helping many of those constituents in the very district that I represent. Yesterday, I found out that a constituent who resides in the district I represent, Jason Roberts, had suffered from cancer and that he had been running out of options, but when the Affordable Care Act kicked in, he found out that his COBRA benefits would be saved. Because of the options offered through the Affordable Care Act, Jason, who, again, had suffered from cancer, he actually dropped his monthly premiums by $251 and his deductible by $1,500. That is an overall savings of about $4,500 a year for what Jason describes as ``great coverage.'' The simple fact that he and so many others are actually able to keep their insurance, even if they have a preexisting condition like Jason had with cancer, is a true testament to the benefits of the health care law. Let's work together to make sure that this health care law works for all of the uninsured like Jason and that it continues to work for all Americans.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Proyecto Inmigrante on their 8-year anniversary on December 7. Proyecto Inmigrante is a nonprofit organization in Dallas and Fort Worth that, since 2005, has served our community by providing low-cost and reliable immigration counseling. I admire the hard work and perseverance of its executive director, Douglas Interiano, and the entire staff and volunteers who work hard to help their clients navigate the immigration system to become permanent residents and citizens and to also help them apply for deferred action. Proyecto also serves a very critical role in protecting a vulnerable immigrant community from fraud and abuse. These efforts take courage, conviction, and selflessness that, as the holiday season approaches, remind us that we should serve others and look beyond ourselves. Respecting our immigrant community and working hard to enact comprehensive immigration reform should be an urgent national priority for the country. I look forward to continuing that fight, and I am honored that our Nation will have Proyecto Inmigrante as an ally in that effort. Keep up the good work, and good luck on future years of service.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow will mark 50 years since President John F. Kennedy's tragic assassination in Dallas, Texas. As Americans pause to remember President Kennedy's legacy of public service and fight toward achieving racial equality, north Texas will host events related to the occasion, both in Dallas and Fort Worth. A dear friend and mentor, former House Speaker Jim Wright, who accompanied the President on that fateful day, will be a special guest at the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce High Impact 50th Anniversary Breakfast at the Downtown Fort Worth Hilton. Formerly known as the Hotel Texas, it is where President Kennedy spent his last night and delivered one of his final two speeches. President Kennedy defied a tumultuous era of racial and gender discrimination by promoting forward-thinking policies for the sake of progress. Kennedy also defined the civil rights crisis as moral, as well as constitutional and legal. As we commemorate President Kennedy's life and the historic impact he had on the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the Nation, I call upon my colleagues to work together to ensure that the legacy that inspired a generation lives on.