Congressional Record, Volume 154 Issue 52 (Thursday, April 3, 2008)

[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 52 (Thursday, April 3, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H1999-H2003]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

BE A PART OF THE CHANGE

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 18, 2007, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) is recognized
for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Thank you so very much, Mr. Speaker. It's an
honor to come before the House once again. I can share with you, as
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee just finished speaking about, the
wonderful ceremony that we had today, but sad ceremony, reflecting on
the life of Dr. Martin Luther King some 40 years later. To see
Democrats and Republicans standing side by side, to have reflection
from those that worked beside Dr. King, like our very own John Lewis
and Majority Whip Clyburn, who talked about his experience and first
meeting that he met with him in 1960 in Morehouse University, to
Majority Leader Reid reflecting on, the Senate reflecting on how he
worked here in the Capitol at that time as a part of the crowd outside;
and others that shared stories of their time when Dr. King walked the
Earth; his son, Martin Luther King, III, who reflected on his father's
death and his memory and charged the House and the Senate to carry out
efforts against poverty, also to deal with the issue of war and
conflict, and also looking at the very issue of making sure that we

[[Page H2000]]

stand up for the least of these, as many of us are very, very familiar
with. Mr. Speaker, I also believe that it's important in that light to
have Americans, and as leaders of this great country of ours, have
Americans remember the past, but look forward in a forward leaning way
to the future.
I had the opportunity to talk to the National Association of Black
Realtors or African American Realtors over at Union Station just about
30 minutes ago. It reminded me of a story, and I shared it with them,
of when my mother served here in the House of Representatives and I had
the opportunity as a State legislator to come up to see her sworn in
once again. While I was up here, I had a chance to run into one of my
good friends, Reverend Jesse Jackson.
He spoke to a group of folks that were here that day when his son was
sworn into Congress for the first time. He said that he could not help
but to get emotional. He got emotional when he was sharing with us how
that experience was a moving experience for him because he reflected on
the story of his father, who fought in World War II, and after World
War II was over, came back to the United States. But he was taking the
train going south and riding behind the prisoner of wars when they went
through Union Station. And his father couldn't help reflect that he saw
the United States Capitol, but even though he fought on behalf of his
country, felt that he did not move forward because he was behind
prisoners of war in his own country. And that God would have him live
long enough for his grandson to become a Member of Congress is an
example of how this country can correct itself over time. We still have
a long way to go and a short time to get there. I shared that with them
because many of us are professionals and have an opportunity to take
part in this democracy and be a part of the change in America.
I can say that tomorrow will be a day for the country to pause and to
recognize the contributions of one of the greatest Americans that ever
walked the Earth, and that's Dr. King. I look forward to participating
in that reflection like I did today.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to share just a few thoughts
with the House, as we have now broken for the week and will be back
next week and the business of the people of the United States of
America will continue. The New Direction Democratic Congress are about
working with some of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle
about solutions, Mr. Speaker, and not just conversation.
I think it's important for us to look at what has taken place under
the Capitol Dome. I was on the floor yesterday evening and I spoke to
the Members on how we are going to have to work together to be able to
help everyday Americans work through their real life issues that they
are facing now. Long ago, we knew of not only predatory lending
practices, but we also knew of the fact that there are a number of
Americans that are going to hit hard times, and many pieces of
legislation passed off of this floor riding on the backs of everyday
Americans, individuals that punch in and punch out every day, those
that try to carry out the American dream by purchasing a home and
getting their piece of the American pie.
For many Americans, that is the only savings they have. A home is a
way to be able to allow their blood line, wherever they may be in rural
America, urban America, wherever their background may be, if they are a
citizen or resident of this country, to be able to educate their
children, to be able to borrow money to be able to educate their
children, or to be able to allow their children to have something that
they can call a piece of the rock or a piece of the American pie.
I can tell you right now, Mr. Speaker, that a number of those
families, and I mean they are in the millions, are in jeopardy right
now of losing the very thing that they can hold on to. They may not own
their car, they may not necessarily have a lot of money. But what they
do have are homes. Many of these individuals are up in age. They have
fewer tomorrows than they have yesterdays. They are finding themselves
in a situation of not having the financial means to be able to protect
their home.

{time} 1415

One of the cornerstones of public service is to make sure that we
come up and we protect those individuals and that we make sure those
Americans are not left behind. I do know that this Congress in the
past, not this Democratic Congress, but Congresses before, have
attempted to stimulate the economy through tax breaks for the very
super-wealthy and the super-rich, saying it will trickle down to the
everyday American. That hasn't happened. This is a perfect example that
it hasn't happened.
This week the Senate worked very hard, Leader Reid and others, with
Senate bill 2636, the Keep Families From Facing Foreclosures in Their
Homes. This ``new direction'' Congress came here saying that we are
here to represent the American people; not just Democrats, not just
independents, not just Republicans, but the American people, and we
have done that. We have been able to enact measures into law expanding
affordable mortgage loan opportunities through the Federal Housing
Administration for families that are in danger of losing their home by
increasing the FHA loan limits up to $729,750 within the economic
stimulus bill which passed recently.
Also we have passed a measure to prevent homeowners from facing a tax
bill at the same time they are losing their homes through H.R. 3638,
the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Act. We also expanded Federal counseling
for families in danger of losing their homes through foreclosure
through the FY 2008 omnibus appropriations bill.
I think it is important for us to talk about what we have done in
this Congress versus what we haven't done. But I can tell you that
since I started out with what has already happened, and more has to
happen, because we still have individuals that are out there that are
hurting. It is not enough in my district, the 17th Congressional
District, that we are going to have a foreclosure prevention workshop,
where we are going to have lenders and counselors there to be able to
talk to them. My constituents need more than that. The American people
need more than that. By the fact they voted for me on a given Tuesday,
early one Tuesday, by federalizing me, allowing me to come to Congress
and other Members of Congress to come here, we are here to represent
their best interests. So we have to continue to move forward.
These are measures that have passed the House but have not become
law. Strengthening consumer protection against risky housing loans in
the future; H.R. 3915, the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending
Act; expanding affordable housing mortgage opportunities for families
in danger of losing their homes through the Federal Housing
Administration reform, which is H.R. 1852. This bill passed both House
and Senate and is supported by the White House, I must add, but has
been held up by one Senator due to his opposition to the temporary FHA
loan limit increase.
I think it is important that everyone understands that this has to be
a group effort. Back home in my district, folks don't understand one
individual having a problem with it, but that is going back to the
rules in one of our chambers here in Congress. Also it strengthens
regulations of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and raised the loan limits
and increased the amount of the loan through H.R. 1427. It goes on and
on and on of efforts that we have tried to pass here in the Congress
and become law, but for some reason, have not.
So next week the House, under Chairman Frank's leadership and the
Financial Services Committee, will work very hard to address these
issues through legislation. The act we are bringing forth will be
comprehensive legislation to address the housing crisis that we face
here in America, and the legislation will help stabilize the housing
market, which is the first step to rebounding our economy. The measure
will do many of the things that I just talked about that are held up
either in the legislative process or procedural maneuvers that have
taken place or objections by the White House.
It would also prevent the value, as it relates to homes, the value of
homes going down. It will work towards that. Chairman Frank's
legislation will loan $10 billion to States and localities to purchase
and rehab foreclosed properties.

[[Page H2001]]

This is very, very important, Mr. Speaker and Members. As we talk
about 1 million Americans losing their homes in the last year, with a
prediction that 2 million will lose their homes this year, imagine how
back home America is going to look, need it be small or large. Homes
that are vacant, Americans not able to receive loans to be able to buy
those homes. In rural America, homes vacant without having individuals
able to move into those homes. You know they will fall into disrepair.
This $10 billion will stimulate the economy, and that will increase
American jobs. They are not jobs overseas, but are jobs right here.
I think it is very important that we pay very close attention to
this. I want to commend the Democratic leadership for continuing to
push this measure forward in light of so many accomplishments that have
taken place since the Democratic Congress has been put into place.
I want to mention just a few of them so that my time on the floor
today just won't be about describing what our problem is in America,
but to talk about how we are making real change here in Washington, DC.
I have been here 6 years. I have seen more happen in the last year than
I saw in the 4 years prior to this time, the 4 years prior to this
Congress.
There was the minimum wage increase that was signed into law that
passed in 2007. There was stem cell research enhancement, which was
sent to the President's desk in June of 2007. Also we implemented all
of the 9/11 Commission recommendations, which were recommendations that
came out of a bipartisan commission. They were all implemented by this
House and by the Senate and sent to the President and he signed it.
Also repealing subsidies to big oil and reinvesting in renewable
energy.
I want to stop right there. That is a major accomplishment. Just
yesterday I noticed that a number of the independent truck drivers went
on strike. They went on strike because of the high cost of diesel fuel.
I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, if we were doing the kind of things that
this Congress has done 4 years ago, this country would not be as
dependent on Middle Eastern oil as we are now. The President's response
to what needed to happen 2 years ago or 3 years ago was ``America is
addicted to oil.''

Well, to talk about something and blame the American people saying we
are addicted to oil is not an answer and not a solution. I can tell
you, this legislation that passed this house by 264-163 is the kind of
Congress that the American people voted for to be able to lead this
country in a new direction and to move this country in a new direction,
or, as a matter of fact, let me put this way, move this Congress in a
new direction, which has happened and will continue to happen.
We also are making college more affordable. I think that is very,
very important. It was one of the first pieces of legislation that we
passed in this new Congress, to cut student loan rates in half.
I think it is very, very important that we look at these measures as
accomplishments and not as wedges that will cut Democrats from
Republicans, because the American people ultimately are counting on us
to move in the right direction.
Since we know what is going to happen next week, and it will be one
of the major actions that will take place, when Chairman Frank will
have a chance to start considering the markup for his piece of
legislation out of this committee, we also have to reflect on the
reports that we will be receiving on the status of what is happening in
Iraq.
As many of the Members know, recently we had an uptick in violence.
That should not be shocking, because one of the leaders of one of the
insurgent groups over in Iraq said they were going to take 6 months off
to regroup.
The American people have put a lot of money, or this Congress has put
a lot of money on the ground in Iraq, and I am talking about outside of
the money that we have supplied to protect our troops and the men and
women that are over there that are civilians, but I am saying cash
money on the streets in Iraq.
Now, here is where the rub comes in and here is where the leadership
has to begin. We have to start not only having the discussion, we have
to take action and make sure that we bring our men and women home and
that we bring them home faster than what the President is looking to
bring them home, the timeline he is looking to bring them home. As a
matter of fact, he is not looking to bring them home any time soon.
There are members of the Senate that are talking about 100 years or
what have you.
But I had the opportunity, Mr. Speaker and Members, when we broke for
Easter to go and spend 2 days at Camp Pendleton, which is one of the
largest Marine bases we have in the country, over on the West Coast in
California. I stayed on base purposely so that we would have an
opportunity to interface with those that are in uniform and their
families.
Of course, the word gets around that there is a Member of Congress on
base. That is not an everyday event, because there are only 500 and
some Members of Congress. I think that it is important that we have a
chance to interface, because I think that this Congress needs to
understand and the Bush White House needs to understand that this is
not just about buying smart bombs. It is not just about buying MWRAP
vehicles. It is not just about making sure that they have the
ammunition that they need and the kevlar that they need to protect
themselves. All of those things that I mentioned are very worthy, and
they are the reason why we have the number one military on the face of
the Earth.
But I think there is also a human side to this and that we should be
just as excited about trying to assist those individuals, and that is
on the family side and the human side of what is happening to our men
and women in Iraq.
When I first got on the base, Mr. Speaker, I noticed a billboard that
was an electronic billboard that had on there, if you are in need of
counseling or if you are in need of group therapy, please call this
number. I was pleased to see that, because so many times we feel that
the only injury that could possibly happen when we see one of our
patriots come back is one of losing an arm or a leg, or those that have
Purple Heart tags that are traveling throughout America.
But many of those injuries from this conflict are between the ears of
the stress and also some of the concussion bombs that are going on over
in Iraq. And these Americans have fought more than any other American
soldier, marine, sailor, airman, Coast Guard, than any other time in
the history of the republic; longer than World War II, longer than
world World War I, longer than Vietnam, longer than Korea and the other
conflicts, and on and on. These Americans are special because they are
unique, and we have to make sure that we do what we have to do.
Now, let me just say this: The Democratic Congress has made sure that
the VA received the most money that it has ever received in the history
of the Republic, in the history of the VA, making sure that our men and
women get what they need when they come back. And as they continue to
come back, that is there for them. We have to make sure that we take
action as we look at this budget and as we have the debate about this
war in Iraq, that we bring our men and women home more sooner than
later.
Now, I have heard some Members on the floor talk about things that
Iraqi children and women and men and boys and what have you, that they
don't have the opportunity to do or they didn't have the opportunity to
do until we got there.

{time} 1430

Let me just share something with you. It is good to have goodwill and
all of those things throughout the world, but right here in America,
Mr. Speaker, and as a Member of Congress I think it is important that
we also understand, that there are Americans right now, women,
children, boys, men, girls, our seniors that don't have; because $70
billion, $100 billion, $200 billion are on the ground in Iraq and on
and on and on, and we are sitting here thinking, we have Members
running around here talking about we need earmark reform. Well, guess
what. Reform has happened. There are fewer earmarks than there were in
the previous Republican Congress and the Congress before that. And,
that we have disclosure. Americans can go on Members'

[[Page H2002]]

Web sites and can go and can see exactly what the request that they are
making.
You want to talk about reform. More has happened in the last 14
months in the Democratic new direction Congress than at any other time
since I have been in Congress. So when we look at these issues and they
stand here and talk about a $250 project, as Mr. Ryan talked about
yesterday, an EPA mandated project on the local government, complaining
about that; meanwhile, looking and not even paying attention to the
mountain of debt that we have in this country that was built up by the
Bush administration and his friends here in Congress on the Republican
side, but not even looking at the $70 billion that individuals voted
for to continue this effort in Iraq saying that we have to help the
poor people of Iraq.
Now, let me tell you something. I may feel a little warm and fuzzy
about the $70 billion, saying maybe that is right, if the Iraqi
government was working under the same light that we are working under
here. I think it is important that we reflect on what is happening
right here in America, what is happening two blocks away from this
Capitol; that we have individuals that are in poverty, we have
individuals that don't have health care. Not individuals, but Americans
that don't have health care. We have veterans that are sitting right
out as I speak now in front of the Lincoln memorial at the last outpost
that are in need.
I was out there, and sometimes, Mr. Speaker and Members, I take my
children and we ride our bikes down the mall here, and we pass by the
Washington monument, and then we move on and we go by the World War II
memorial, and then we go by, we go down to the reflection pool and go
down to the Lincoln memorial. And every time we are there, we stop to
talk to those veterans. And there is one, they are there, veterans from
Korea and veterans from Vietnam, and sometimes every now and then you
will get a Gulf War I veteran that is out there. And I start talking to
them about health care and many of them don't even know I am a Member
of Congress or what have you. What is happening at the VA? What is
happening with you in your everyday life? And you would be shocked how
many times I have been there, in that very short time talking to them
taking a break, and they pull pills out of their pocket into their
hands because it is time for them to take one of the cocktails they
have to take to be able to deal with those demons they have been having
to deal with all of those years.
Now, I am going to say, those individuals allow us to salute one
flag, those individuals allow me to sit here as an American congressman
and speak my mind in this democracy, and I salute them. Beyond
mentioning their commitment to this country and the fact that their
comrades, some of them did not make it back, which are also there in
the various memorials that are on the mall.
I say all of this because Members are taking this time lightly. And I
have shared many times that I have come to the floor, as I move towards
a close here, Mr. Speaker and Members, that this time in our country is
like no other time in the history of the Republic. We owe foreign
countries more money than we have ever owed them in the history of the
Republic, some of the countries that we have concerns about, security
concerns about. They have a part of the piece of the American pile
because we have had an administration and a White House that has said
we have got to give these tax cuts, even we can't even afford them, to
individuals that are not even asking for them. And that strategy
failed, because now we are in an economic downturn. And it ain't just
about housing. It is the fact that jobs have not been created here.
Jobs have been shipped overseas. And that seems to be the kind of
global piece of saying, oh, we need to do that, because there is this
importance that we have a strong global economy. I agree with that.
But, at the same time, we have to have a strong America.
So as we look at what our veterans are going through and the more and
more veterans that are going to be passed on because of some of the bad
decisions that have been made in the past doesn't mean that we have to
continue to make those bad decisions. It means that we should learn
from those bad decisions, and then have the kind of paradigm shift that
Democrats, Republicans, and Independents are looking for.
So, I feel that as we continue to look at our time here in Congress,
as we continue to look at our responsibility, we have to take every
living moment to make sure that we bring about that change.
When I first got here, we used to talk about not leaving the
responsibility on our children and grandchildren. Now, we can say not
leaving the responsibility on ourselves. There was a time we thought
that the debt, folks would, our children will have to bear the
responsibility of our bad decisions or inaction or lack of action. And
now, it is about those of us today bearing the brunt of the bad
decisions that were made in the past and decisions that are being made
today by some Members of Congress. Luckily, we have this new direction
Congress that are here to stand up on behalf of the American people and
not the special interests.
So I say that, Mr. Speaker. In the light of saying that, I hope, and
I want to commend some of my friends on the Republican side that have
saw the light, that have gone to the wizard, that have asked for
courage and they have stepped out and they voted with Members on the
majority side to bring about the kind of paradigm shift. But there are
some that are here that are not willing to do that. And that is fine.
Because, as far as I am concerned, the American people spoke in the
last election, and that is the reason why I can say I am a member of
the majority now.
And, guess what. Some of them were Republicans that were very
frustrated with the fact that fiscal responsibility was not carried
out, that decisions that should have been made as relates to the war in
Iraq were not made, that the economy was going south, that they didn't
have what they used to have in their bank accounts and investment in
their family and their bloodline and no longer had it, so they had to
bring about the kind of change. The American spirit will rise beyond
partisan politics every time when this country is in jeopardy.
So when we come around to the next election, Mr. Speaker and Members,
I want you to reflect on that individual that is going to go on a given
Tuesday to vote for the kind of representation that he or she expects
to have. And if they don't see when they look at the report card,
because we have four 24-hour channels that are dedicated to news or
close to the news, we have public television that is dedicated, gavel-
to-gavel coverage of county commission and city commission and State
legislators and also here in Congress, dedicated for the American
people to take an opportunity to take a look at it. We have our cyber
space that is available.

We used to have, Mr. Speaker, a digital divide in this country, so
that when I was in the State legislature, it was thought, where would
the DSL lines go? Where will the phone company allow those lines to be
put on by the cable company? And now we have moved to the technology of
Blackberries and I-phones and all of these things where individuals get
news like that.
When the report card is mailed to the home or when they look at
those, they go on-line or they look at television, they listen to the
radio or they read the paper to find out, where were you standing on
these very issues that are before Congress that are dealing with them,
the foreclosure of their home, the economy, health care for children as
we look at the SCHIP legislation which we call CHAMP here that provides
for children with health care; as we look at what happened with oil
subsidies, of bringing about alternative fuel to allow us to be able to
invest in the Midwest versus the Middle East. When we start looking at
biofuel that is, for instance, in my State, sugarcane that has already
been extracted of its sugar, but the leftovers of that turn into fuel
to run those sugar mills and to be able to go into tanks of Americans
that are trying to make a living. We start looking at that. We start
looking at why we are paying per gallon for fuel as we pay for a gallon
of milk.
When we start looking at those issues, I think they are going to look

[[Page H2003]]

at and they are going to say, listen, I am an Independent, I am going
to have to vote for the folks that are about the solution; I am a
Republican, I am going to have to vote for the folks that are about the
solution. In my house, I am a Democrat, I am going to have to vote for
the folks that are willing to move this country in a new direction. And
the evidence has spoken over the last 14 to 15 months that the new
direction Congress has moved in that direction; and, that through the
fact that we have been empowered by the American people to lead this
country in a new direction, the President on bills that he said he
would not sign had to sign because we kept that pressure on.
So I say all of this, Mr. Speaker, in closing that what we are facing
right now are real issues. Our responsibility is great. Historians will
write about this time in Congress. And I share with the Members, as a
matter of fact I beg the Members to be on the right side of history and
making the right decisions right now.
I will close with the information that I received as of April 3 as it
reflects in Iraq: 4,011 Americans that have died in the line of duty;
total number wounded in action and returned to duty 16,364; total
number of wounded in action and have not returned to duty is 13,264.
As we break for the next couple of days and over the weekend, come
back hopefully with the heart and the mind to be about the solution.
I yield back the balance of my time.

____________________