[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 14, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E915-E916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 14, 2008

  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to explain both my leave of absence 
from the House of Representatives on May 8, 2008, and how I intended to 
vote with respect to the legislation that was before the House on that 
day. I was unable to be in Washington on May 8 because I was serving as 
a pallbearer at the funeral of Thomas Boggs--a close friend of mine for 
over 30 years and an outstanding citizen of Memphis, Tennessee--at the 
request of his widow.
  While Thomas made a name for himself by rising from humble roots to 
become a highly successful restaurateur in Memphis, his mark on the 
city goes much deeper. He used his success in business to contribute 
generously, both in terms of his money and his time, to causes that 
have enriched Memphis. His contributions to the community have 
benefited all Memphians, and his death leaves Memphis in grief. As a 
reflection of how much esteem the Memphis community held him in, the 
Memphis Commercial-Appeal ran a front-page, above-the-fold article 
concerning his death, an almost unprecedented tribute.
  I agonized over whether I should remain in Washington to vote on the 
bills that the House was to consider on the day of Thomas' funeral. I 
take my responsibilities as a Member of Congress very seriously, 
particularly with respect to voting on legislation. In the end, I 
decided that I needed to join the rest of the Memphis community as our 
dear friend was eulogized and honored for one last time.
  Had I been able to be in Washington on May 8, I would have voted for 
final passage of H.R. 5818, the ``Neighborhood Stabilization Act of 
2008,'' as amended. This legislation requires the Department of Housing 
and Urban Development to provide loans and grants to States, 
metropolitan cities, and urban counties to carry out housing stimulus 
activities. Such activities include the purchase of or financing the 
purchase of foreclosed homes for resale as housing, rental of such 
homes, or rehabilitation of such homes. These measures are designed to 
ensure that neighborhoods do not deteriorate as a result of a high 
foreclosure rate caused by predatory lending. In short, this bill will 
help to mitigate some of the negative effects of the foreclosure 
crisis.
  I also would have voted in favor of agreeing to the Senate amendment, 
with House amendments, to H.R. 3221, the ``Foreclosure Prevention Act 
of 2008.'' This bill helps homeowners

[[Page E916]]

who are in danger of losing their homes to refinance into lower-cost, 
government-insured mortgages they can afford to repay. It also expands 
affordable mortgage opportunities for families who might otherwise turn 
to subprime mortgages to buy a home. The bill, as amended by the House, 
will also expand tax benefits for homeowners and first-time home 
buyers. This bill, when combined with H.R. 5818, presents a 
comprehensive package for addressing the predatory lending and 
foreclosure crises that our country faces.
  In addition to the housing-related bills, I also would have voted in 
favor of H.R. 4279, the ``Prioritizing Resources and Organization for 
Intellectual Property Act of 2008'' (PRO-IP Act.) I am an original 
cosponsor of this bill and spoke in favor of its passage when it was 
being debated on the House floor a few days before the vote. As I noted 
then, this legislation makes important improvements to intellectual 
property law to help protect against counterfeiting and piracy, 
including enhanced penalties for intellectual property crimes, 
additional resources for law enforcement efforts at every level of 
government, and the creation of a new organizational framework at the 
Federal level to better combat international piracy and counterfeiting. 
This bill enjoys widespread support, and everyone from the U.S. Chamber 
of Commerce to the Teamsters supports it. I am glad that it passed with 
strong bipartisan support.
  Finally, I note that I would have voted against the Flake and Cantor 
Motions to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 2419, the ``Farm, Nutrition, and 
Bioenergy Act.''

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