Marc Veasey

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Pastor B.R. Daniels, Jr.'s 25th Pastoral Anniversary at the First Greater New Hope Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. A native of Fort Worth, Pastor Daniels attended and graduated from O.D. Wyatt High School. After completing high school, he answered the call of duty and enlisted in the United States Army where he faithfully served his country for 8 years. Pastor Daniels was honorably discharged in 1992, at the rank of Sergeant E-5. In early 1993, when the First Greater New Hope Baptist Church often referred to as ``The Hope,'' was in search of a new pastor and leader, Reverend Daniels was called upon to occupy the pulpit. The congregation knew right away that they had the right man for the job. On May 2, 1993, Pastor Daniels became the second pastor of the First Greater New Hope Baptist Church, and he continues to lead his congregation today. Under his leadership, the First Greater New Hope Baptist Church established multiple ministries and grew to over 600 active members. If that is not enough, Pastor Daniels is also currently pursuing a master's degree in Theology at the Trinity Theological Seminary. Most importantly, he is the proud father of Brittany and Brianna Daniels, and the proud grandfather of Britton Ray Daniels. After 25 years, Pastor Daniels has certainly left his mark not only on his church but also in the City of Fort Worth. His passion and love for the ministry explain why so many follow his vision of hope. Therefore, I include in the Record this statement in recognition of Pastor B.R. Daniels, Jr.'s 25 years of dedicated service to the First Greater New Hope Baptist Church.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Pastor B.R. Daniels, Jr.'s 25th pastoral anniversary at the First Greater New Hope Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. A native of Fort Worth, Pastor Daniels attended Oscar Dean Wyatt High School. After graduating high school, he answered the call of duty and enlisted in the United States Army, where he faithfully served his country for 8 years. Pastor Daniels was honorably discharged in 1992 at the rank of Sergeant E-5. In early 1993, when the First Greater New Hope Baptist Church was in search of a new pastor, Reverend Daniels was called to occupy the pulpit. The congregation knew right away that they had the right man for the job. After 25 years, Pastor Daniels has certainly left his mark not only on the church, but he works closely with so many different groups in the city of Fort Worth and is on different commissions. He does a great job. His passion and love for the ministry explain why so many follow his vision of hope.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Ms. Bettye Jean Wilson Franklin's 90th birthday. Ms. Franklin was born on March 18, 1928 to the late Winburn Wilson and Ruby Cass Gray. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Ms. Franklin attended and graduated from historical I.M. Terrell high school. Her passion for education inspired her to work for Fort Worth ISD for 27 years until her retirement in 1990. But it's her everlasting commitment to her faith that is well-known among her friends and family. Ms. Franklin has been a faithful member of Saint James Baptist for the past 77 years, which she contributed in various capacities, including her participation in the senior choir for 52 years. In addition, she serves her community as a member of The Greater Fort Worth Area Negro Business and Professional Women's Club and Fort Worth Zeta Amicae Auxiliary of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Ms. Franklin is also a member of the Eastern Star Southern Beauty chapter 446 and served as Grand Secretary of the Masonic Grand Chapter Order of Eastern Star of Texas for 13 years. She is the proud mother of two daughters, Brenda Williams and Willie Mae McQueen, grandmother of four grandchildren, and great-grandmother to her seven great grandchildren.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Ms. Bettye Jean Wilson Franklin's 90th birthday. Ms. Franklin was born March 18, 1928. She is a native of Fort Worth. Ms. Franklin attended and graduated from the historical I.M. Terrell High School. Her passion for education inspired her to work for the Fort Worth Independent School District for 27 years until she retired in 1990. But it is her everlasting commitment to her faith that is well-known among her friends and family. Ms. Franklin has been a faithful member of the Saint James Baptist Church for the last 77 years, where she contributed in various capacities, including her participation in the senior choir for 52 years. In addition, she serves her community as a member of the Greater Fort Worth Area Negro Business and Professional Women's Club, and the Fort Worth Zeta Amicae Auxiliary of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Ms. Franklin is also a member of the Eastern Star Southern Beauty Chapter 446, and served as Grand Secretary of the Masonic Grand Chapter Order of Eastern Star of Texas for 13 years. She is the proud mother of two daughters, a grandmother of four grandchildren, and the great-grandmother to her seven great- grandchildren. Happy 90th birthday, Ms. Franklin. I wish you continued health and happiness on this milestone occasion.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Trini Garza High School for earning the designation of National Title I Distinguished School for the 2016-2017 school year. This exclusive designation is given to high-poverty schools that excel in either student performance or for its work to close the achievement gap. Garza, with a student body that is 86 percent economically disadvantaged, was one of 34 schools across the Nation to be praised ``for its exceptional student performance for two or more consecutive years.'' Garza's designation would not be possible without the strong partnerships of its educators, parents, students, and the Oak Cliff community in Dallas. Each of you have made sure that we are doing our part to empower our future leaders with the tools they need to succeed. Congratulations, Trini Garza High School, for your well-deserved recognition.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Ms. Regina Farr Ross, lovingly known in her North Side, Fort Worth community as Big Mama. Ms. Ross was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on the Fourth of July in 1914 in Stick Town, which was a Fort Worth neighborhood. She attended Ninth Ward Elementary School and graduated from historic I.M. Terrell High School in Fort Worth. She worked as a dishwasher and a general helper for several restaurants, including the famous Pig Stand drive-in, the Farmer's Daughter, and the Cattlemen's Steakhouse in the stockyards, where she spent 39 years and retired at the age of 80. Ms. Ross was active in the community and volunteered her time to teach young children how to read, and on her birthday, every Independence Day, she had a huge party on Prospect Avenue in the North Side near the stockyards for everybody to come out and celebrate. Through her membership with the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, she traveled across the East Coast advocating for lower utility rates for senior citizens. On Wednesday, January 31, Ms. Ross passed away at her home at the age of 103. She is survived by five daughters, two sons, hundreds of grand- , great-, great-great-, and great-great-great-grandchildren. I know the Fort Worth community will miss seeing Big Mama from her porch, waving to every passerby while she sits in her favorite chair.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Gwen York who dedicated her life to advance the goals of Transportation Workers Union (TWA) and the Texas American Federation of Laborers and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). As Director of Transport Workers Union International Committee on Political Education, Gwen's contribution to the TWA and AFL-CIO are incalculable due to the combination of her unwavering dedication and prudent leadership. For these reasons and more, Gwen will be remembered as an integral part of the Transport Workers Union, a beloved member of the Texas AFL-CIO Executive Board, an outstanding organizer and a passionate voice for working families across the state. Gwen York was born December 27, 1956, in Houston, Texas. Soon after her first birthday, her family relocated to Garland, Texas where she would spend much of her life. Gwen graduated from South Garland High School in 1974, and attended the University of Texas at Austin. In 1980, Gwen opted to become a flight attendant, an occupation she loved dearly. However, she never forgot the importance of education, when she decided to return to school and graduate from the National Labor College in 2006. Gwen's passion, experience, and tenacity made her a unique and irreplaceable advocate for labor rights. Gwen's laser focus on the future of labor as well disrupting the status quo prompted her to undertake the task of mentoring the next generation of union activists. She dedicated her time to mentoring young women, who she believed would serve as a new stream of activists that would help renew the labor advocacy movement and push it into the 21st century and beyond. Today, we recognize Gwen York for her leadership, dedication, and lifelong work with the Transport Workers Union and the Texas American Federation of Laborers and Congress of Industrial Organizations. I honor the life of Gwen York, a cornerstone of the labor movement and an exemplar of women's leadership.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the legacy of Gwen York, who dedicated her life to advancing the goals of the Transport Workers Union and the Texas AFL-CIO. Gwen was born December 27, 1956. Soon after her birthday, she located to Garland, which is just outside of Dallas, where she would spend much of her life. She graduated from South Garland High School and attended the University of Texas at Austin and later went on to join Southwest Airlines in 1980. It was a job that she loved dearly and put everything into. She later returned to school and graduated from the National Labor College in 2006. And for the past 10 years, Gwen continued her passion for making sure that people could have a good life, particularly those at the Transport Workers Union. She was loyal and dedicated. She was everybody's advocate and friend. I checked my last text to Gwen, and it was trying to get her to advocate for me and give me some advice on something. She was just that type of person. She was always very busy with her work, but she always made time to mentor people, especially a lot of the young women who were also part of the labor movement. Gwen left us far too soon, and it was very tragic in how she did, but I want all of her friends and family out there to know just what a big impact that she made on this world and for the State of Texas and for workers everywhere. She is survived by her husband, Mark York; her daughter, Alyson Reed; and her sister, Wanda Goode.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Pastor B.R. Daniels as he celebrates 45 years of service at Beth Eden Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, on February 18. From an early age, it was his love for the Word of God that led him to pursue a degree in religious studies at the Southern Bible Institute in Dallas. In addition, Pastor Daniels graduated with a master's degree and a Ph.D. in Christian education from Aspen Theological Seminary in Denver, Colorado. Installed as the pastor of Beth Eden in 1972, his leadership has helped raise the church's profile and membership to nearly 1,000 members. It is due to Pastor Daniels' dynamic leadership that a $3.2 million building program was completed and celebrated in 2016. A pillar of the community, Pastor Daniels continues to be an active member of the community by leading the region as moderator of the Northwestern District Baptist Association while also holding various civic leadership positions around the city of Fort Worth and Tarrant County. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to celebrate his 45th pastoral anniversary and his years of spiritual leadership to our community.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the legacy of Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Evans Avenue in Fort Worth during its 123rd founding celebration. Since its founding, Mt. Zion has served as a beacon of light, pillar of support, and a place of refuge. In 1894, Reverend Frank Tribune, Katie Patterson, Laura Purvis, Josephine Wells, and Ella and Lee Brooks founded Mt. Zion. They planted the seed for what would become a ministry of solace and guidance. The church began on a small lot on the corner of Louisiana and Rosedale in the southside Fort Worth community. Soon after, the congregation moved to its current location on Evans Avenue. In 1919, the church expanded to include an auditorium. It has since grown to include a facility for weekly Sunday school, a daycare and educational services, and it also served as a meeting place when Dr. Martin Luther King visited Fort Worth. Although the church staff of leadership has changed since its founding, the congregation has never lost sight of its mission. The current pastor is Carl McElroy. Many great people in Fort Worth are members of the church. My good friend Gwen Hicks, former House Clerk Lorraine Miller, and I stand with them today to honor the recognition of these founders, leaders, and the congregation of Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Union of Nigerian Friends for its 30 years of service to Forest Hill and the North Texas community. In 1987, the Union of Nigerian Friends was founded in order to provide a safe environment for dialogue on issues that affect the political, economic, and social progress for Nigerians here in my home state of Texas. Since its establishment 30 years ago, the Union of Nigerian Friends continues to promote cultural awareness and unity among all Nigerians and Americans, while serving as a shining example of civic engagement for our community. The Union of Nigerian Friends takes great pride in its active civic participation through its numerous community partnerships in the areas of business, family recreation and education. For their longstanding excellence in community engagement Mayor Lyndia Thomas of the city of Forest Hill, Texas recognized the Union of Nigerian Friends for their success. I honor the Union of Nigerian Friends 30th anniversary celebration.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Lorimer Arendse, the principal of Grand Prairie High School, who lost his battle with stage IV lung cancer on December 15. Never shy about sharing his hatred for school during his formative years, Lorimer found his passion for academics once he met and fell in love with his wife, Jeanelle, while attending Grace College in Warsaw, Indiana. Upon graduating Grace College, Lorimer continued his passion for education upon earning his master's degree in educational administration from Ashland University. From there, he began his career in education as a math teacher and advanced to assistant principal. In 2013, Lorimer was named principal of the Young Men's Leadership Academy at Kennedy Middle School in Grand Prairie. In 2014, he was named principal of Grand Prairie High School. Although his time with us was short, let us all be encouraged by his final lesson: treat each other with kindness. Be respectful. Be courteous. Be what a Gopher is. At this time, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their prayers to Principal Lorimer Arendse's family and the Grand Prairie High School community.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my neighbor in east Fort Worth and my friend, Lillie Biggins, who will soon be retiring from the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital after 45 years of service. Lillie joined the Texas Health Fort Worth family back in 1997, serving as vice president of operations. Her role was critical in overseeing major departments, such as emergency services, trauma services, and restorative services. During her tenure, she helped cultivate a vision of success for the Texas Health Fort Worth community. Not only did Lillie dedicate her time in the health community, but she also volunteers all around the city of Fort Worth. Lillie often mentors and helps others in the area of health, education, youth, senior citizen services, businesses, and so many areas in our city that are underserved. For her dedicated service to the community, she has been awarded so many awards, including her induction into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame in 2014. Mr. Speaker, I wish Lillie all the best as she moves on into her relaxing retirement, but I know that she probably won't be that relaxed and that she is going to be very active in the community. I wish her the best in the future.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of my friend, Jerline Harvey of Forest Hill, Texas. Since making Forest Hill her home in 1975, Jerline was a true champion for the improvement of the city. Among her many accomplishments, she was the first Black female elected to the Forest Hill City Council. She played a critical role in establishing the first library in Forest Hill, serving as its first librarian and also on the board of directors. During her tenure serving on the board, Jerline coordinated the purchase of over five acres of land for the library district, and dedicated the Forest Hill Community Garden in 2011. Jerline also made a mark in the community by operating and serving as the community outreach coordinator for the food bank at the Love Sanctuary Church of God in Christ for 15 years. I ask my colleagues to join me in honor of her life. While the community will be sad that we are losing Jerline, I know that she is probably happy right now with Coach Harvey in Heaven. I want to thank her for being the driving voice to help get that library created. When I see those kids on the computers in the library reading those books and having a good time, I think of Jerline and her vision of Forest Hill having their own library.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, the House and Senate Armed Services Committees have demonstrated admirable bipartisanship in completing this year's NDAA. This past weekend, as I celebrated Veterans Day in the Dallas/Fort Worth area by honoring local veterans, we spoke about the importance of taking care of our servicemembers, and I think this year's NDAA does a good job in doing that. I am very proud of the assistance to legal permanent residents who serve in our Armed Forces in understanding their naturalization options. I am also very happy about investments we made in improving diversity, such as the DOD Cyber Scholarship Program, grants for women and minorities in STEM, and funding for HBCUs. I think that these investments will yield a diverse and stronger national defense workforce for our country's future. I am also happy that we have continued support for the tactical aircraft that are manufactured in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, which are very critical to our local economy and our Nation's defense. I am very happy to have been a conferee, and I am very proud of the hard work that the committee staff has done to help complete this vital piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this conference report, and I want to respectfully remind my colleagues on both sides of the aisle how critical this funding is to our national security.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to co-anchor this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour. I also want to take the time to acknowledge our chair, the Honorable Cedric Richmond from the State of Louisiana. For the next hour, we have a chance to speak directly to the American people on issues that are important to the Congressional Black Caucus. The issue right now that seems to be of the most importance to the Congressional Black Caucus and the constituents that we represent, and the American public, for that matter, is tax reform, and the plan that is being considered that the Speaker has indicated that he would like for us to vote on this week. We have a few Members here who would like to take the time to also express their interest in this. This is a very big deal, obviously. We don't do tax reform that often. The last time we did tax reform was in the early 1980s, and that was, obviously, something that was very bipartisan. This experience has not been bipartisan whatsoever, and we are concerned also about the effect that it is going to have on our constituencies. Mr. Speaker, I am going to open it up for Members to talk about whatever it is that they would like to, but I did want to let you know that the main topic was going to be tax reform. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Payne for his participation again and for always participating in the CBC Special Order hours. We know that these are very important. Our constituencies, again, want to hear how we stand on these issues. They are getting a lot of press right now. So I thank the gentleman very much for being here this evening. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), my friend and colleague.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Payne very much for speaking this evening on the importance of this tax bill and that we debate this and really, again, just keep or constituents informed. Mr. Payne takes every one seriously, and I know he has tried to participate in as many of these as he can, and I thank him for that--again, the importance of talking about this tax bill, talking about the Republicans' past attempts at failed trickle-down policies and trying to bring those same policies and put them in this tax reform bill and trying to rush us into a floor vote this week. We should all be working together to try to come up with some sort of bipartisan solution, some sort of bipartisan policy position that will be good for everyone, because I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, that for many of the low-income and working class and lower middle class constituents and middle class constituents in the district that I represent, I know that people are going to be hurt. Mr. Speaker, I know Mr. Payne is concerned about that. I know the 49 members of the Congressional Black Caucus are concerned about that. This is very serious, and it could have very long-lasting implications, as has been pointed out by advocacy groups and others from all sides of the political spectrum. It is not just Democrats or the Progressive community that is concerned about this. There are a lot of people who are concerned about a variety of the different programs here that are going to be affected. Mr. Speaker, again, I appreciate everything that Mr. Payne brings to this, particularly with him representing New Jersey, because we know that, for that particular part of the country, housing and other goods can sometimes be even more expensive, and it can be a very tough hardship on families. When you add this tax bill to the fold, it makes it even more daunting.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, we want to make sure the American Dream doesn't become the American nightmare while people are trying to figure out how they are going to make their house payment and pay for their house.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Payne very much for his remarks. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my colleague from the city of Houston, Harris County, our country's fourth largest city, Sheila Jackson Lee. I thank Representative Jackson Lee for always participating in these Special Order hours. Mr. Speaker, I know that, in particular, the gentlewoman's concern is Houston, being such a large part of our State, a large part of our Nation's capital economy, and the effects of this tax bill. When you start talking about something affecting Houston, with it being the fourth largest city, it can have very consequential effects on our entire State, because their economy is such a big part of what makes Texas go. Mr. Speaker, I again thank the gentlewoman for being a part of this.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague, my fellow Texan, for her eloquence in laying out the issues with the Republican tax plan. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans), my friend and colleague, for being here. I thank the gentleman for always offering his insight on these matters. I know that, in addition, just like the gentlewoman from Texas, that he is open to a broad array of topics. I appreciate any insight the gentleman wants to give us on tax reform or any of the other issues that the American public wants to hear from their congressional representatives on this day. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans).

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for laying out those concerns about the tax plan, and he did so very eloquently. I always appreciate the gentleman's participation. Kind of building on what the gentleman talked about, I just want to give the American public out there and the constituents that we represent in the Congressional Black Caucus just a quick outline of who exactly this plan will hurt. I am very concerned about this terrible tax plan because it is going to cut rates for the highest 1 percent of earners and corporations, while increasing the tax burden on lower and middle class families, while the Republicans are falsely going around claiming that they are going to be helping these individuals and these families. That is just not the case. That is not the case at all. For example, let me give you one area that has been touched upon that I am concerned about, and that is State and local taxes. You won't be eligible any longer for the deduction, which means many individuals end up paying twice the amount of taxes on the same income. The elimination of deductions for student loan payments: we have talked extensively on this House floor, on the Democratic side, about what students loans are doing to this country and the costs of a higher education. We know that a lot of people seek out higher education just because of the benefits that it can yield incomewise, and everybody is, again, always trying to see how they are going to live that American Dream. They want to be able to pay their taxes, pay their car payment, pay their house note, whatever it may happened to be. When you look at the fact that people won't be able to write off their student loans to help pay for their education anymore, that is really going to hurt and probably convince a lot of young people that they just shouldn't seek out higher education. We want young people to seek out a higher education. I mean, even the blue-collar jobs out there we know are becoming harder and harder to keep and maintain, and they require some form of education. Even going to community college for a couple years after they graduate from high school almost seems to be something that they have to do. The Center for American Progress found that 78 percent of Black students, in comparison to 57 percent of White students, took out Federal loans for their undergraduate studies. And again, just not being able to write those off means that dream that everyone has, regardless of race, being able to buy their first home, the American Dream, they are going to have to put that off because they can no longer pay off these very costly student loan interest payments. These tax deduction eliminations are going to be very troubling for so many people in the community in light of the fight just to build generational wealth. Again, these trickle-down tactics, we have been talking about trickle-down economics now for a very long time, but some of these trickle-down tactics are proving not to work, and it is disheartening to see the finish line just being moved again and again, just over and over again. Every time people seem like they are doing better, just to see that finish line moved once again and making it just hard on these families that I talked about earlier that fall in those lower middle class, working class, middle class tax brackets. You are talking about, when you look at this really closely, the restructuring of these tax brackets under the Republican plan would make it so that the lowest income earners' tax rates are going to increase from 10 to 12 percent, the lowest earners out there. Some of the poorest amongst us will have their tax burden increased, and it will make it so much more difficult for them to climb that economic ladder of opportunity. It is already hard to climb that ladder of opportunity. Just think about it for just a minute, if you have two kids and you have a 10 percent tax burden, and you are making a small amount of money a year but you are out there working hard every day. You are trying to get overtime. You are punching the clock as much as you possibly can. You are having Grandma watch the kids just so you can pull that extra shift to get those hours in, but you are a single mom and you are just really out there just busting it each and every day, week after week, and you still don't have any money in the bank. You are still having a hard time making ends meet. You are still getting rent notices put on the door once a month. It is just so tough, and just to know that we are not really going to be doing anything at all in this body. The Republicans aren't going to be doing anything to help these individuals be able to climb out of that hole and just be able to see the light. Just knowing that that mom and those kids are going to probably struggle under this tax plan until the kids leave the house, it is just really disheartening. In addition to that, even the tax provisions that are aimed at helping working families are actually reserved, again, for just the wealthiest few in the community. White House Republicans highlight their expansion of the child tax credit. Many of the lowest income parents who are in need of assistance will only be eligible to receive a partial amount of the tax credit, if any of the expansion at all. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the GOP child tax credit keeps the lowest income workers from benefiting from the expansion of the credit, despite numerous studies finding that the child tax credits benefit children by improving school performance, higher college enrollment, and increasing earnings in adulthood. Further, this tax plan refuses to take the interests of African- American communities as a whole into consideration, ensuring those who are striving to reach the American Dream will simply fall short. Again, there is just so much in this bill that is going to be tough. You are talking about repealing the estate tax. There are so many people whom I have heard--Rockefellers, Buffetts, Bill Gates, and others--who are saying that they are fine paying that, that they are absolutely okay with paying that. You think about what we are going to take away from people so they don't have to pay that estate tax. I mean, it is just amazing. You have heard so many of my colleagues talk about it earlier here, but when you start talking about the local and State tax deductions, when you start talking about the student loan deductions that people really count on, when you start talking about child tax credits, when you start talking about new market tax credits, so many programs and so many things out there that are really helping individuals, helping our economy, and we want to give it back so a few wealthy people don't have to pay estate taxes? I mean, it is just really sad, Mr. Speaker, when you think about that. One of the things that I think that we ought to do, instead of giving ultrarich people a pass on paying a billion dollars that they can pass down to heirs, is that we ought to start thinking about doing something to help grandparents who are raising grandchildren. I will never forget, when I was in the State legislature, I had a principal come up to me on the house floor, and I was showing the kids--I believe it was on the senate floor. We had walked to the other side. And there is a picture of the Battle of San Jacinto that hangs there in Austin at the capitol, and I was showing the schoolchildren, and the principal pulled me aside and she said: I want to thank you for talking about grandparents who are raising grandchildren. She said: Over 50 percent of the kids at the elementary school where I am principal are raised by someone other than their parent, and 99 percent of the time it is the grandparent. Instead of giving superrich people, ultrarich people a pass on paying the inheritance tax, why don't we give grandparents who serve as primary caregivers for their grandchildren out there a $500 refundable tax credit? That would help out so much, because you have to think about what these grandparents are facing. They didn't think that their Social Security check or their pension check was going to have to be used to help pay for school supplies, help pay for school clothes, help pay for backpacks, help pay for school uniforms, help pay for kids' haircuts, prom dresses. The grandparents of America out there are really balancing a lot now, more than any other generation of grandparents have. We could take the money that we are going to give away to the Bill Gateses and the Warren Buffetts and the Rockefellers and other folks like that, and we could give it to these grandparents, grandparents who represent people from every congressional district in this country. Oftentimes, you start talking about grandparents who are raising grandchildren, there has been some kind of issue with drugs or alcohol in the kids' parents' life or some other reason why the parents can't take care of the kids. We know that that is true, particularly with the issues that we have had with the opioid crisis. We know that this is an area that is growing in all congressional districts, all races, all backgrounds. Again, why not give our grandparents out there that are buying backpacks with their Social Security check, why not give them a $500 refundable tax credit to help them make ends meet? If we were to do that, these grandparents would be able to have a little bit more money to buy healthier foods instead of buying processed foods. They could buy fruits, vegetables, other things like that that could really go a long way in just helping them maintain their household. That is what I am eager to do. I want to sit down with colleagues and come up with something that is fair. I think that everybody here that I have talked to has said that they want to work in a bipartisan manner to be able to pass a tax reform bill that is fair, that is done under regular order, that is done with transparency and done in the light, but the way that this is happening, it is just not right. We know, again, that these trickle-down economics just simply do not work, and we need to start all over. We need to head back to the drawing board and sit down as Democrats and Republicans like they did back in the eighties when Reagan was President and Tip O'Neill was Speaker and work out some of these issues that the American public has. We know that people are very anxious about some of the things that they have been hearing about this tax reform bill, people from all congressional districts and, again, all backgrounds. We in the Congressional Black Caucus, we are concerned about the impact that this is going to have in the African-American communities around this country--and all of the communities, quite frankly, Mr. Speaker. Again, let's just sit down at the drawing board, talk about some of these things, and come up with something that is fair that the American public can feel good about, knowing that Members of Congress, that they are not trying to gain advantage over one another, that we are trying to come up with a fair way how to reform our Tax Code, keep our businesses here, and keep a little bit more money in people's pockets at the end of the week or the end of the month, whenever they get paid, so they can take care of their families and buy a home, take care of their grandkids, do whatever it is they need to do in order to make ends meet. Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for this evening, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, middle class Americans are sick and tired; sick and tired of footing the bill so that rich-folk millionaires and billionaires can get another tax break. The Republicans' proposed tax reform plan is nothing but a tax cut for rich folks. It translates to increasing taxes for the poor and middle class families in our country. That means that families already struggling to make ends meet will have a tougher time making that car note, that mortgage, and gaining nothing in return. As a country, the GOP billionaire tax cut plan steals hundreds of billions of dollars from the U.S. Treasury. That means that we can't make crucial investments in infrastructure, job training, or research and development that would help give people a good-paying job. Reducing our tax base also translates into cuts to popular programs like Medicare. You know how much everybody likes that. The American people want tax reform, but not a plan that would literally jeopardize families' livelihoods. We must put middle class families first in this country, and the GOP tax plan fails to do that. We can and must do better for the American people.

Mr. VEASEY

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Lawrence for her comments, which are very timely in light of everything that is happening right now. Mr. Speaker, before I close out, the one thing that I would like to make note of is that I think, with this COINTELPRO 2.0 that is going on right now, we should take this very seriously. And I just want to remind everybody that may be out here listening right now, we talk a lot about extremist groups. We talk a lot about alt-right and KKK and White supremacist groups, but one thing that we have to keep in mind is that, in the 1960s, when Dr. Martin Luther King came to town, he was not treated like he is now. I hear so many people--conservatives, liberals, Democrats, and Republicans--talk about how much they admire and respect Dr. King, and rightfully so, because he earned the respect and the admiration that he has now, posthumously, in this country. I don't think that anyone would argue that. But if we could travel back in time to the 1960s, we will find that he was not that welcomed. And let's just put aside the White supremacists. Let's put aside the alt-right. Let's put aside these hateful forces that, again, all of us agree on are bad people. But remember, when Dr. King came to some of these Southern towns in the 1960s, he was not welcomed. He was not welcomed by people at the Lions Club, people at the Elks Club, people at the First Baptist Church, people at the Methodist Church. People thought that Dr. King was bad, that he was stirring up trouble, that he was not ``keeping his place,'' and that he had come into these communities to stir up a lot of trouble. And because regular, everyday people--again, not the Klan, not the White supremacists, just regular, everyday, tax-paying shopkeepers in these little Southern towns--these conservative individuals who represented all segments of our society thought that Dr. King was out of place for doing what he was doing, because of that, the Nation reacted. And one of those people who reacted against Dr. King, against Malcolm X, and against other organizations like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, SNCC, which was the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and many, many others, they ran the domestic counterintelligence program that you have heard about tonight, this COINTELPRO, and it became a weapon that was used to spy on individuals. We heard mentioned earlier that our colleague, Barbara Lee, was one of these people who was monitored. But this was happening to everyday African Americans who were just out there trying to make sure that we can vote and that our water fountains and our schools weren't segregated. And these regular town folk--again, the ones that weren't in the Klan, that were just good old folks that went to Sunday school and went to church every Sunday--were trying to prevent this from happening, and J. Edgar Hoover stepped in and decided that he was going to discredit, disrupt, and neutralize these organizations, again, that were just trying to make sure that African Americans were no longer second-class citizens. I think these groups and these organizations and these individuals that I mentioned earlier within the Black community that were willing to be part of that circle, I know that I would not be here serving had it not been for that surveillance that they endured, and I know that I would not be here today were it not for them putting their lives on the line, quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, because of that. So what I would just like to say is it is important that we monitor everything that is coming out of the Justice Department in relation to any announcements that they are going to make about investigating these organizations that they disagree with politically because it is dangerous, and we don't want to go back to those times. We don't want to end up in a situation where the organization is doing any sort of domestic spying on people who are practicing their First Amendment rights of free speech. Mr. Speaker, I would like to inquire how much time is remaining on the clock.

Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.