[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 110 (Monday, July 26, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6029-H6035]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JOBS AND THE ECONOMY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 6, 2009, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Fudge) is recognized
for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
General Leave
Ms. FUDGE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be
given 5 days to revise and extend their remarks in the Record on this
topic.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Ms. FUDGE. Madam Speaker, the Congressional Black Caucus, the CBC, is
proud to anchor this hour on jobs and the economy.
Currently, the CBC is chaired by the Honorable Barbara Lee from the
Ninth Congressional District of California. My name is Congresswoman
Marcia L. Fudge, and I represent the 11th Congressional District of
Ohio.
CBC members are advocates for the human family, nationally and
internationally, and have played a significant role as local and
regional activists. We continue to work diligently to be the conscience
of the Congress, but we understand that all politics are local.
Therefore, we provide dedicated and focused service to the citizens and
to the congressional districts we serve. The vision of the founding
members of the Congressional Black Caucus to promote the public welfare
through legislation, designed to meet the needs of millions of
neglected citizens, continues to be a focal point for the legislative
work and political activities of the Congressional Black Caucus today.
I would now yield to our leader, our chairwoman, the Honorable
Barbara Lee from California.
Ms. LEE of California. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Let me thank the gentlelady, Congresswoman Fudge of Ohio, for
yielding and also for, once again, anchoring the Congressional Black
Caucus' Special Order tonight. We are talking about job creation and
how to turn this economy around, and I want to thank her for her
consistent leadership and for her really taking so many issues she
knows so well and for bringing them to the forefront so that the
country can recognize and realize the work that the Congressional Black
Caucus continues to do. I thank her for the way she represents her
district, which has been hard hit by the economy, by the foreclosure
crisis and by all of the issues that we all know so well. So thank you
very much, Congresswoman Fudge, for once again, on Monday night,
anchoring this Special Order.
We are trying to again bring some attention to some of the most
pressing issues confronting our country that often don't make
headlines. As the chair of the 42-Member-strong Congressional Black
Caucus, I rise this evening to continue sounding the alarm about the
urgent and vital need to create jobs in America, especially in those
communities that have been disproportionately hit, which are suffering
the brunt of this economic crisis and which, as a result, are in
desperate need of targeted, concrete and meaningful opportunities.
{time} 1950
The statistics are staggering. While the national unemployment rate
is about 9.5 percent, way too high, it is close to 16, 17 percent in
the black and Latino communities. For young people, the national
average is about 25 percent. Yet for black and Latino youth, it is
nearly 40 percent; unacceptable for anyone.
For many months now, the Congressional Black Caucus has been and
continues to be laser focused on stimulating the economy and creating
jobs, especially for the chronically unemployed. We have sought to
engage the Obama administration, House and Senate leaderships,
committee chairs and our coalition partners to develop a legislative
strategy to address the needs of millions of Americans who are
struggling in this tough economic environment.
During this period, the House of Representatives has passed a series
of bills that would move our economy from recession to recovery.
However, Senate Republicans have consistently and flagrantly stymied
passing similar measures. Just last week, 40 out of 41 Republican
Senators voted to block extending unemployment benefits for 1.2 million
Americans. Fortunately, there were enough votes in the United States
Senate to pass this measure, which was followed the next day by the
House of Representatives approving a similar measure once again.
But for several weeks, Republican Senators prevented Congress from
providing necessary relief for the unemployed. The nonpartisan Economic
Policy Institute recently released a report on the economic benefits of
unemployment insurance. The report concluded that expanded unemployment
benefits have added 1.15 million American jobs since 2007, promoted
spending resulting in longer work hours for the employed, and resulted
in a 1.7 percent boost in GDP. Economists have pointed to the economic
value of unemployment insurance benefits. For every dollar we invest in
unemployment insurance, there is a $1.60 return in economic output.
But people can't survive forever on unemployment. That is why the
goal, of course, is to create jobs, workforce training programs, so
that people who don't have the skills for the jobs of the new
industries that we are creating these jobs for have the requisite
skills and experience to get these jobs.
Fortunately, though, during the unemployment debate, we were really
able to break the impasse and develop a proposal and extend
unemployment so that many Americans now are receiving some relief. But
let me just say, Republican Senators continue to block the $1 billion
summer jobs program. Now, of course, it's the youth employment program
because summer is almost over. These kids need to work for the rest of
the year. We have $2.5 billion in emergency assistance for needy
families working in the public and private sectors. Also, we want the
Senate Republicans to really look at how to fund--and we found the pay-
fors for $1 billion--for the National Housing Trust Fund, which will
provide communities with funds to build, preserve and rehab rental
homes that are affordable for low-income families.
I can't tell you how shocked and disappointed I am that so many
Republican Senators with high rates of unemployment in their States are
blocking legislation that will create jobs. The members of the
Congressional Black Caucus went to the Senate several weeks ago to
deliver letters laying it out. We wondered if they knew how many people
in their States were unemployed, so we broke it down by unemployment
rates. We told them where the unemployment rates were in their States,
and we tried to convince them that these bills that are in the Senate
now, which are languishing, will put their constituents back to work.
We weren't sure if they really got that and so we wanted to make sure
it was documented. We took it over to them. We don't know if they read
the letters or not. We don't know if they really believe it or not, but
it's really crucial that the United States Senate act swiftly and pass
this legislation. It's appalling that they are opposed to providing
jobs for their constituents, for millions of Americans, in these tough
economic times.
The Congressional Black Caucus continues to fight for summer jobs and
employment programs for young people. We want to keep teachers in
classrooms. Of course the House passed in the emergency supplemental
bill to keep 140,000 teachers in classrooms throughout the country.
That still hasn't been voted on in the Senate. We want to increase
lending to small businesses. We passed a bill that would make $30
billion, mind you, available to loans for community banks at a 5
percent rate which allows community banks to lend to small minority-
owned, women-owned businesses that create jobs. We still can't get any
movement in the Senate on that.
There are many pieces of good legislation that are really just
sitting there. Madam Speaker, it's really shameful. It's really a shame
and disgrace. It's hard to even explain why the Senate won't move when
there are so many Americans who are hurting and need our help and we
can do something and we can do it now.
I am urging everyone to call their Senators and to tell them to pass
these bills so that we can get America back
[[Page H6030]]
to work. It's clear that we have a lot of work to do to get the economy
revived again. The legislation and many other bills that are sitting
over there need to be passed. Of course, this week local officials are
here, thank goodness, advocating for the Local Jobs for America Act,
the Miller bill, a comprehensive approach to creating jobs which the
Congressional Black Caucus has worked on in a big way. Local government
investment in transportation, water, sewer, and communications
infrastructure provides excellent vehicles and ways to create jobs as
well as helping to leverage the private sector by reducing private
sector costs and creating opportunities for additional investment.
Madam Speaker, as I close, I just want to say thank you again to
Congresswoman Fudge and to the Congressional Black Caucus and to all of
our colleagues and allies for staying vigilant on this, because it's
going to be a hard road ahead of us if we don't figure out now how to
create jobs for people who are unemployed. We're talking about
opportunities. We're not talking about welfare or public assistance.
We're talking about creating jobs. If you don't create jobs in this
country, then what are we doing in terms of shattering really the
American Dream for millions of Americans?
I think every member of the Congressional Black Caucus wants to see
every member of our society live the American Dream, and you have to do
that by creating jobs.
Ms. FUDGE. Madam Speaker, I would very much like to thank the
gentlelady from California, who has been a tireless advocate for the
jobless, the homeless, the helpless, the hopeless. This caucus is
better for her being a member.
At this time I would like to yield to my colleague from the great
State of Georgia (Mr. Johnson).
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Thank you, Congresswoman Fudge. It is indeed
an honor to serve in Congress with you ladies who are all champions of
regular working people and poor people of this country, regardless of
geographical boundaries, and I salute you, in this age of women that we
are living in.
I remember, Madam Speaker, just within the last 17 months, the leader
of the Republican Party said publicly that he hopes that President
Obama fails. Do y'all remember that? It was well publicized. It was not
coming from Minority Leader Boehner of the House, and it was not
uttered by Senator Mitch McConnell, the minority leader in the Senate.
It was uttered by the true leader of the Republican Party, and that is
my good friend, Rush Limbaugh, who for every day, 5 days a week, 3 or 4
hours a day, sends that same message out to Americans who are hooked on
that show, he sends it out to them relentlessly, and they remember it
and they act on it.
But they are not the only ones who have acted on it. It has been the
followers in the Senate who have acted upon it, and it has been the
followers here in the House of Representatives on the other side of the
aisle who have followed his leadership, and they have embarked upon
this strategy of obstruction: Just say no. I don't care who it hurts.
If it hurts the unemployed, fine.
{time} 2000
We won't let it happen where they can get some relief. If it happens
to a small business man or woman, we don't care on the other side of
the aisle, because what we want is failure.
And why do the folks on the other side of the aisle in both the House
and the Senate feel so strongly about that? It's just simply the naked
grab for power. They want to resume control of the House of
Representatives and the Senate, and they want to retake the White House
so they can continue to do all of the things that ran this economy into
the ditch; those things being characterized by trickle-down economics,
the old Ronald Reagan trickle-down economics plan. And trickle-down
economics resulted in eventually, over the last 10 years, 8 million
jobs lost in America, 495,000 of those jobs in manufacturing sent
overseas due to tax policies to benefit the rich and the wealthy.
So when President Reagan said it's morning in America, he was not
referring to the working men and women in this country. He was
referring to the gilded, the upper crust, the royalty, if you will. He
wasn't referring to all of the little people. He was talking about his
friends. And that policy has been followed relentlessly, and it has had
a devastating effect on the men and women who try to work for a living
in this country. So as a result, our economy has gone into, I don't
want to say a ditch, but in a deep, dark hole. And it didn't take us
long to get there, but it's taking us some time to climb out of.
That's why this discussion that we're having tonight is so important.
Jobs for the American people, closing tax loopholes that benefit the
rich and the wealthy and incentivize their movement of jobs offshore;
those things must come to an end.
I know we have additional time, but I am going to yield back now to
our anchor, the Honorable Marcia Fudge.
Ms. FUDGE. Thank you so much, my friend and colleague, Mr. Johnson,
who is always on top of issues. I so much appreciate you joining us
this evening. It is always a pleasure to hear your views on the various
topics that we cover. Thank you so much.
Madam Speaker, I would now like to take an opportunity to, as well,
yield to a person who has been very active in discussing the issue of
jobs, who understands very, very well some of the legislation that has
been passed by this House.
My friend and colleague from the State of Maryland has been active in
every single issue that we have addressed in this body to deal with
jobs and on the economy. And it's just, indeed, a real pleasure for me
to yield some time to her this evening, because she is always very,
very prepared and very knowledgeable, and I think very informative.
At this time, I would yield to my friend and colleague, the
gentlelady from Maryland (Ms. Edwards).
Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. I thank the gentlelady.
Madam Speaker, I have to tell you, it really troubles me to be here
this evening because once again we have to point to action by House
Democrats to bring jobs to the American people and inaction by our
Republican colleagues, particularly those who sit in the United States
Senate, who have failed to deliver on the promise of jobs to the
American people.
Now, when President Obama came into office, I think that month, Madam
Speaker, we lost something like 750,000 jobs that one month, after
having hemorrhaged for over a year thousands and thousands of jobs, not
creating a single job in this country. And so then the President comes
in and we have to deal with a financial crisis, also inherited from the
previous administration. Still, Americans are without jobs.
But this Congress didn't stand still. The Democratic leadership in
this Congress didn't stand still. We passed significant jobs
legislation. First, the stimulus package that created jobs across this
country, saved or created 3.5 million jobs around this country in every
single State, in every single congressional district, so that Americans
could continue working.
But we said that wasn't enough. We need to be on the progress of
building up our economy and creating more jobs for the American people,
creating jobs that are about the 21st century, making sure that
Americans don't just get extended unemployment benefits, which I agree
we ought to have done. It was the right thing to do.
And it was wrong for Republicans to say that people who receive
unemployment benefits don't deserve that because somehow that keeps
them from looking for a job. Those aren't the Americans that I know.
The Americans that I know get up every single day. They want to work
hard, and they do work hard to take care of themselves and their
families. And our job as Members of Congress is actually to deliver on
that promise.
So what have we done in this Congress? We have delivered.
Democrats in the House of Representatives, almost without any
Republican votes, have delivered jobs for the American people. But
where is it? Sitting over in the Senate. At least five jobs bills that
I can think of, and I know that there are more. Jobs for veterans, jobs
for teachers, jobs for first responders, jobs in the 21st century
economy and the green economy, all of these sitting over in the United
[[Page H6031]]
States Senate because Senate Republicans are standing in the way of job
creation for this country.
I will tell you, Madam Speaker, it's not that they're standing in the
way because these aren't good ideas. They're standing in the way
because they have let politics get in the middle of whether Americans
should have jobs or not. And so here we go. It's time for the Senate
Republicans to actually deliver a paycheck and a payday for the
American people, to stop standing in the way of job creation, to make
sure that Americans can get paid an honest day's wages for an honest
day's work, because Americans want to work.
Now, here we have bill after bill. We have House Resolution 5297,
passed on June 17; 5019, passed May 26, May 28, March 21. I mean, it's
been days and days and days since we have passed major jobs legislation
that sits to this day in the United States Senate. It is not right.
It's not right for the American people, and it's time for Senate
Republicans to stop standing in the way and filibustering jobs for the
American people because they believe in politics and not a paycheck.
So, Madam Speaker, let me just tell you something. We've done a lot
of things in this Congress, but we have to draw attention to this. And
I'm asking the American people, Madam Speaker, that they turn on their
television screens at 2 o'clock in the afternoon to make sure that they
know that House Democrats will be waiting on the Senate floor, waiting
moment by moment, 2 o'clock every single afternoon this week so that we
can bring jobs to the American people.
It's time for the Senate to get out of the way. It's time for Senate
Republicans to stop standing in the way of a paycheck for the American
people and to deliver the jobs that House Democrats have created over
in this body. And we need to move them forward over in the other one.
So, Madam Speaker, I would say to you it is time that we deliver a
paycheck for the American people, millions of jobs and a paycheck for
the American people, that we stop standing in the way of job creation.
Madam Speaker, here's what we've done. It's really payday for the
American workers. Small Business Jobs and Credit Act for small
businesses and tax incentives. Home Star Jobs, incentives for energy-
efficient homes and cutting energy bills and delivering jobs. America
COMPETES. That's about what we do in the 21st century. It's about
whether we're going to be competitive globally by creating jobs in this
new economy. Jobs for Main Street, so we can boost small business,
build highways, and hire and retain teachers, police, and firefighters.
You want to tell me that there are not police and firefighters and
teachers who need jobs in every single State in this country, whether
that State is led by a Senate Democrat or a Senate Republican? Of
course they need jobs.
And finally, Madam Speaker, I'll tell you, the other side does a lot
of talking about small business and infrastructure, but here we've
passed H.R. 4849, small business and infrastructure that we know are
going to create jobs, and who's sitting on that? Those Senate
Republicans sitting on jobs, playing politics with the American people.
{time} 2010
The American people want a job. American workers want to work, and
it's time for us to deliver that work. Thank you.
Ms. FUDGE. Thank you so very much.
Again, as I expressed before you began your remarks that you are
always informative and very accurate as to the situation we find
ourselves in the House. It is certainly always a pleasure to work with
you and for you to continue to fight for the American people because
indeed they do deserve a payday. And I thank you.
I will now yield to my good friend and colleague, the dean of the
Ohio delegation, a delegation of which I'm a member. It's always a
pleasure to see you. I will now yield to the gentlelady from Ohio (Ms.
Kaptur).
Ms. KAPTUR. Congresswoman Fudge, I want to thank you very much for
organizing this Special Order this evening, and especially from the
Buckeye State, being down here every week, using your voice, using your
talents to fight for the American people, particularly those who are
out of work. And don't we know that well in our beloved State of Ohio.
In fact, there was a billboard that was put up, paid for by anonymous
donors in Ohio, that read as follows: Recession. Your self-worth is
more important than your net worth. And what is happening around States
like ours where the unemployment rate is above even the horrendous
national unemployment rate, where we have 20 million people out of
work, directly out of work, those who have run out of benefits or those
who are working part time when they really want to work full time. This
is an enormous amount of people.
And Congresswoman Edwards, who was down here a while ago, was talking
about the fact that with the help of the Obama administration Congress
has begun to dig out of this deep job-loss hole that the last
administration left us. But the percents really don't tell the full
story.
Where people finally say, I just simply can't find work. They send
out 400 resumes--nothing back. They're told by some of our friends on
the other side of the aisle, Well, you can't find a job? Start your own
business. Create your own job. Where are they supposed to go for
capital? How are they supposed to do this when they can barely feed
their families at this point?
I mean there's a certain unreality and cruelty that attends those who
are consistently voting against even extending unemployment benefits,
which all of the studies show provide immediate consumer buying power
and are the biggest bang for the buck that the Federal Government can
actually provide out there in communities across this country to spur
purchasing and to allow people to hang on to their homes, to make their
car payments--barely, and to try to put food on the table for their
families.
The situation in States like ours is very, very precarious. One of
the communities that I represent has had a string of shootings that I
have no doubt when the crimes are solved will probably point to a
number of young people who just simply are idle.
There could be choices for them. There could be constructive work
that they could be doing. But instead, they're getting caught up in the
old expression, I guess, the idle mind and the idle hands are the
devil's workshop. And it's important for us to think about that.
In the major city that I represent, we have had a string of arsons
and fires--another one last night--across our community. Innocent lives
threatened as these abandoned homes are burned down. Imagine if those
who are doing this could be put to constructive ends. It isn't so
complicated because all of the destruction takes money, in one way or
another. And yet we could do something to help people reposition in
this very difficult economy.
I favor all of the programs, as a member of the Jobs Now Caucus with
my dear colleague Bobby Rush of Chicago and Congresswoman Candice
Miller of Michigan, all of those programs that we can't get through
here dealing with the re-creation of a Civilian Conservation Corps so
any person who'd want to make a positive contribution to our country
would be given that opportunity. They wouldn't make wages like the head
of those big banks on Wall Street. Nothing close to it. But they would
get a living wage. They could at least, like Peace Corps, like VISTA,
they could get a wage and maybe opportunity for education beyond. And
they could do something constructive.
One of the last images I had this morning as I drove through Toledo,
Ohio, we have a Mission right in the downtown area that tries to help
people who are just falling out of regular society. And right next door
they've now built an education and training center. It's small, but
they're dealing with some of the most challenged human beings that are
residing in our community now. But they're saying we're not giving up
on anybody because everybody counts. Everybody has self-worth.
Everybody should have self-worth. It isn't net worth, it's self-worth.
And America, after all, isn't that what we're supposed to be as a
country? We're supposed to be a place where every person matters.
Now I wanted to say on the jobs programs that are stalled over in the
Senate--and it was embarrassing to watch
[[Page H6032]]
the laborious effort that the Senate had to go through just to pass
extended unemployment benefits--which the people earned. These are
benefits they worked for. This is no manna from heaven. I mean, this is
something that people paid for.
In addition to the troubles they had over there, I'm getting a little
bit worried about the trade agreements that we hear rumblings about. If
we look back to agreements like NAFTA, China, we outsourced so many
jobs to foreign places. If every label in America read ``made in
America'' again, we'd have so many jobs we wouldn't know what to do. We
would be so full up with production, with purchasing.
But we keep handing off jobs to all of these other countries where
people work for slave wages. I just had another business person tell me
yesterday that he will no longer go back to certain parts of Asia
because he has to have a lot of protection when he goes there, and that
the products that people are making are of more inferior quality, but
they can't afford to buy what they make. Certainly in China, certainly
in Malaysia, certainly in Indonesia.
How can we as a country make lasting friends in these other places
when that stuff is sent over here, they don't even make a decent wage
there. And they undercut our markets, these companies, by outsourcing
our jobs and paying the people over there nothing. That doesn't seem
like a long-term recipe for success for our country as a Republic as it
makes its way felt in the world.
So I wanted to say to my dear colleague from Cleveland, we know what
Mr. Coffee's loss of jobs in Cleveland meant. We know what the loss of
jobs in Sandusky, Ohio, and Dixon Ticonderoga's move to Mexico, we know
what that means. We know when Whirlpool jobs are outsourced to Mexico,
we know what that means for Ohio's workers. And the list is endless of
all of these products and services that we've outsourced.
This Congress should be renegotiating trade agreements. We should not
be approving other trade agreements until we fix what's wrong with the
ones we already have. And that's part of the jobs agenda as well
because this year America will exact a $1 trillion trade deficit with
the world. All of those jobs gone. Somebody else making what we used to
make here. And this is costing us dearly.
So I want to thank the gentlelady for allowing us to put on the
record the number of unemployed, the difficulty we've had in trying to
get the Senate to pass its bills, the bills that we've sent over there,
the impact of the job loss on people's self-worth and what that means
to us as Americans. And finally, what this trade deficit means, over a
long, long, period of time with the continued outsourcing of jobs and
the efforts that we as a Congress are going to put forward even more
for made-in-America again.
I think the American people will cheer for that coast to coast
because they know that needs to be done.
So I want to thank the gentlelady for allowing us to convene this
evening. And I know the Cleveland area and Parma and areas that you
represent are just as challenged as those over in northwestern Ohio and
northern Ohio, the parts that I represent. And our people deserve more
fair treatment by their own government.
Thank you for allowing us this time this evening.
Ms. FUDGE. I absolutely agree with you 100 percent. If we don't start
to make things again in this Nation, we may, in fact, have a permanent
underclass of people who will never work again, people who grew up in
blue collar communities like mine who work with their hands and by the
sweat of their brow. It is going to be very difficult if we don't start
to make things again.
{time} 2020
It's going to be very difficult to come out of this recession if we
don't start to look at some of the mistakes we've made in the past and
try to correct them. We know how to create jobs. I know in the 8 years
of the Clinton administration we created over 20 million jobs, less
than 2 million under the Bush administration. We know what we're doing,
if they would just allow us to do the work that the people have sent us
here to do. I thank you so much.
Ms. KAPTUR. If the gentlelady would yield one second, there is one
figure I could put on the record, that is, during the first 18 months
of the Obama administration, we have already created more jobs than in
the entire 8 years of the Bush administration, 18 months versus 8
years. We're digging ourselves out of that hole, not as fast as we
would like in Ohio, but the damage was so great. We're moving in the
right direction, and we need to keep your shoulder to the wheel; and I
thank the gentlelady for yielding me the additional time
Ms. FUDGE. I thank you because we are making the right steps. We're
moving in the right direction, and it's going to take some time; but we
know that we're doing the right thing. So I thank you so much for being
here.
I would now yield to my friend and colleague who joins me just about
every week, who sheds new information and sheds light on things that
sometimes the rest of us don't quite think about, and that is my dear
friend, the gentlelady from Texas, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, let me thank the gentlelady
from Ohio, and I'm very glad to follow on the theme that Congresswoman
Kaptur of Ohio spoke to and the note that she ended on, recognizing
that we have to do more.
There is pain out there, but to actually say to the American public
that our President, President Obama and this administration with this
Democratic Congress has created more jobs in the last 18 months than
were created in the tenure of the last administration, I don't know how
many times we have to say that, but allow me to say it one more time,
that this administration, President Obama's administration with this
Democratic Congress, has created more jobs than the last administration
in their entire tenure, and that was 8 years.
Let me also cite for my colleague and let me as well express my
appreciation in joining the Congressional Black Caucus special hour
that we have participated in and educated really the American public,
and I thank you for your leadership.
Chairman Bernanke spoke last week in a number of hearings--and I
think it's important to note--I know that many of our colleagues are
either at hearings or they see the hearings. We try to twist and turn
on our questions. If we don't like the answer, we try to throw it back
at the witness. But the chairman of the Federal Reserve was very, very
definitive when he said: It is important to invest in the economy, and
if you want to use the term ``stimulus,'' I'd like to use the word
``investment,'' is the way to go, and all of those who are concerned
about deficit, all of us we want to keep a balanced budget in our own
personal homes. He said: The most important thing is to keep this
economy churning and to not be so concerned about deficits as opposed
to investing in our economy.
That investment has caused a churning of the economy, such that we
see the growth of jobs. We see the private sector working, but yet we
have obstacles. Those obstacles concern me, and that's why we've come
to the floor of the House to let everyone know that the Congressional
Black Caucus is fighting still on the cause of expanding job
opportunity.
It baffles me how long we had to work to get the unemployment
extension to be passed by the other body. Clearly, unemployment
insurance is not a handout. It is a trust that is established with a
working American. When they work and they fall upon hard times, they
are due an unemployment insurance to carry them over the bridge of
difficulty.
This bill that we passed was focused on the unemployment extension
that finally got passed after constant advocacy by this caucus, after
meeting with Senate leaders over a period of time by Chairwoman Barbara
Lee, after calling and prompting, that bill was passed. However, the
component that would have added extra jobs, the component that would
have provided youth jobs or summer jobs--and what date is it today,
July 26. It saddens me; it saddens me. I remember us standing in the
heat of summer in the month of June, standing with the constituents of
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, teenagers from this region,
standing with us and making a simple plea, put us to work, let us work.
[[Page H6033]]
The other body has stood as an obstruction. When I say that, let me
clarify. The Senate Republicans have been very, very challenging.
But what we just had a chance to pass involved providing tax relief
to businesses and State and local governments to help them invest and
create jobs, provide important tax cuts to put money back in the
pockets of working families to help restore the flow of credit to
enable small businesses to expand and hire new workers by extending the
small business loan program; extending eligibility for unemployment
insurance, COBRA, health care tax credits and others; and close tax
loopholes for wealthy investment fund managers and foreign operations
of multinationals.
Work still to be done, and that kind of work will really provide for
enhanced opportunities for our small businesses.
Our colleague from Maryland was saying that why can't we pass this
small business lending bill that would make a huge difference coming
out of the summer months, getting our small businesses ready to be the
backbone of America and hiring those who need it.
But let me speak to the emotion of what is going on, if I may, to my
friend and colleague from Ohio, and if I may, Madam Speaker, just
comment a moment because it troubled me how long it took for the
unemployment insurance.
People actually fell off the flat Earth. They literally fell off, 2.5
million, before we were able to pass this insurance; but more
importantly, can you imagine as they were counting their dollars and
they were not getting any word that we had passed it, can you imagine
the stress that anyone who was having to be responsible for family
members and children felt, the pressure, the intensity. I don't know
why anyone doubts that people are looking for work.
Eight thousand people came to a job fair that I held last year;
10,000 came to another one that I held. But these are just pictures of
everyday Americans around America who have been standing in line for
jobs, for jobs. Does anyone have any sense that there is a need out
there, that people are not serious, that we shouldn't have extended the
unemployment as well as extend dollars to small businesses and provide
them with lending opportunities? Does anyone not see that this is a
serious issue when people are standing in the hot sun for long hours
when there is a job fair?
Many people will tell us that there are thousands that come out when
anyone has a job fair, when anyone has it; and what I focused on was
the government opportunities because in many instances we're hiring,
but let me just give some numbers that are so frightening.
The Houston Crisis Center is seeing a startling increase in the
number of suicide-related calls this year. The economy and job losses
are among the top reasons people say they need help. The Crisis
Intervention Center of Houston noticed more calls were coming in, many
of them related to unemployment. The executive director says they
compared calls from January to June of 2010 to the same time period
last year, 2009, and that it has been a 220 percent increase of
suicide-related calls, 1,446 suicide-related calls this year, people
saying I don't know where to turn.
Unemployment insurance that we fought so hard for, that could have
been passed over a month ago, the realism of them understanding that
people are impacted because they don't know how they're going to pay
their mortgage, their rent, their food, college education for those
whose children may still be in college, or other needs that they may
have, medical bills.
Let me just add this: according to foreclosure crisis on July 1,
online publication, the people are stressed out from layoffs, actual or
feared, and underemployment with salaries being slashed. The
foreclosure crisis has taken a toll on the mental health of the people
in no certain way.
{time} 2030
Take the story of Deanne Ross, for example, who was working full
time, and she was a counselor dealing with the unemployed and helping
them address their mental health situation. She was working with the
national alliance dealing with mental illness and was a field operator,
but she lost her job. Since that time, Ms. Ross, who is in her early
forties and suffering from bipolar disorder, is battling urges to
withdraw from social contact.
We found this story on a foreclosure crisis Web site. Apprehensions
about becoming homeless are haunting her, anxiety is crushing down upon
her. She has five children to care for. All her life she has been
hardworking and managing things, even with the physical challenge that
she has had, and, therefore, now she finds herself unemployed. Does
anyone get it?
We need to pass a jobs bill to complement the hard work that you have
already seen by this Congress and this administration in creating jobs.
This is a public and private partnership. The private small businesses
and large corporations who now are restraining themselves need to have
confidence to invest in making and creating jobs.
How do they do it? With the help of the Federal Government, by
focusing on what we Democrats will be leading with, making it in
America, emphasizing manufacturing, and that expands to other markets
to allow people to not be in foreclosure, to not be without rent money.
This is the way to go.
Finally, Dan McCarthy of Magellan Health Services said, for many
American workers, this financial stress, uncertainty, and anxiety can
be significant, and it is important that they have places to turn for
guidance and support. The services focus on managing benefits related
to mental health.
My key point is to dispel the myth that these are people who don't
care, are not looking for work, don't need any resources. These are
hardworking Americans, and it is important to note that they should
look for support systems. Don't go this alone. Don't be alone when you
are struggling to pay bills. There are many support systems in your own
community, from the faith community to United Way, to various mental
health associations, to your State unemployment offices. Don't handle
this alone. Don't go it alone.
But while you are working to survive, we in the United States
Congress should do so.
Let me close, Madam Speaker, by suggesting that there is much work
left for us to do: creating public job initiatives involving the
Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, the
Corporation for National and Community Service, locally directed
programs for youth summer jobs.
To my disappointment, it is almost an embarrassment to stand on the
floor of the House. This House passed it, and we cannot get the Senate
that doesn't understand that the families of youth are standing in
unemployment lines, and we can't pass a simple summer youth program or
youth jobs of a billion dollars to put young people to work who may be
providing for some extra income to these desperate families, locally
directed funding, as I indicated, for our summer youth; enforcing the
minority contracting requirements under the National Significance and
National Corridor grants in an extension of the SAFETEA-LU; and
strengthening apprentice and training programs, which I am working with
in the city of Houston; expanding unemployment insurance, which we have
done, and COBRA benefits; providing access to capital and technical
assistance for capital for small businesses from SBA and MBDA.
There is work to be done, and I would simply say that this effort
tonight is important to educate our colleagues to call upon our Senate
Republicans to think about people and to care about those who
desperately need our help.
I hope that we are inspiring our colleagues to be renewed in their
vigor to fight for the jobless, and I hope that we are challenging
Senate Republicans to recognize that they have a responsibility as well
to the thousands and millions of individuals who are calling out to get
jobs.
Ms. FUDGE. I want to thank my friend for being here. She always does
bring a different view. Just to see those photographs says an awful
lot, you know. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and it's
just important for people to understand that these are real people that
we are talking about.
You talked about we need a jobs bill. We just don't need one; we need
it now.
[[Page H6034]]
So I thank you for saying to our colleagues in the other body,
especially the Republican Senators, it is time for them to understand
that the American people need them now more than ever, and I thank you
so much for being here.
Madam Speaker, in the fall of 2008, our economy was in its worst
shape since the Great Depression. Predatory and subprime lending were
at an all-time high. The housing bubble had just burst and many of our
largest financial institutions had gone bankrupt. Retirement and
savings accounts were cut in half, forcing many to stave off retirement
and continue working well into their golden years. Over 200,000
American workers were being laid off each month. In the State of Ohio,
unemployment was growing rapidly, quickly approaching double-digit
numbers. In my district, the unemployment rate was even higher.
In October of 2008, I arrived in Congress with the goal to help
struggling Americans. My number one priority has been to promote
policies that create jobs and spur economic development. I have
consistently advocated for such policies. The Congressional Black
Caucus and the Democratic leadership made it our duty and our
responsibility to advocate for jobs.
Earlier this year, the House passed H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and
Closing Congress Tax Loopholes Act. In Ohio alone, Madam Speaker, this
legislation would have extended unemployment and COBRA benefits to
86,000 workers. It would have provided college tuition deductions to
153,000 students and allocated over $42 million for youth summer jobs.
For the Nation, H.R. 4213 would have provided $500 million to restore
credit to small businesses, the same small business that are creating
most of the jobs in this Nation. It would extend the research and
development tax credit. And, finally, it would have granted $25 billion
in bonds for infrastructure development. However, Madam Speaker, there
has been no action on the part of the Senate while Americans continue
to suffer.
In May of 2010, the House Appropriations Committee drafted a war
supplemental that included necessary funding that protected our
soldiers abroad and our workers at home. This thoughtful legislation
included $23 billion to save jobs for teachers, $5.7 billion for Pell
Grants, $1.2 billion for COPS grants, and $500 million to save
firefighter jobs. However, once again, Madam Speaker, the Senate passed
the legislation without any of these necessary job creation measures.
The Senate must act now to help hardworking Americans.
The Congressional Black Caucus and the House Democratic leadership
fought to keep creation and job-saving measures in this bill. We fought
back and sent legislation that included $10 billion to save teachers'
jobs, almost $5 billion for Pell Grants, $4.6 billion for settlements
of the Pigford and Cobell discrimination cases. On Thursday, this past
Thursday, the Senate once again rejected these measures.
I have always believed that it is the job of government to help its
people. If we are not helping the people that we represent, I don't
know why we are here.
I asked the Senate, Where is your job creation legislation? What are
you doing to help teachers, to help police officers and firefighters?
What are you doing to get the American people back to work?
We cannot allow American families to suffer through these difficult
times any longer. They are counting on job creation measures, and we
cannot let them down. I urge the Senate, Madam Speaker, to move quickly
to help create jobs to get Americans back to work.
If we do not allow Americans to go back to work and make people
believe that because you are unemployed you are lazy, to make people
believe that because you are unemployed that you don't want to work, it
is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard in my life. The people I
meet in my district every day, every weekend that I am home, they talk
about wanting jobs. They talk about how they have been laid off. They
talk about wanting to get jobs for the young people.
Do you know, this may be the first summer in history where young
people's jobs may, in fact, be feeding their families, but yet we can't
pass a jobs bill that will allow young people to work for the summer.
If young people have things to do, maybe we wouldn't have the kinds of
issues that Marcy Kaptur talked about.
We have to find a way to say to the American people that we do, in
fact, hear you; that we do, in fact, know that you are our neighbors,
our friends; that we know that you are the people who are in most need.
If we can't help those who need it the most, we really are a group of
people who has lost sight of what our role is. I mean, yes, there are
people doing very, very well here. Corporations have made more money in
the last year, I think it's something like 43 percent, their profits
are running 43 percent higher than they did the year before, but yet we
can't take care of the everyday person on Main Street? They are getting
richer and the poor are getting poorer, and something needs to be done.
{time} 2040
And so I would, at this time, Madam Speaker, yield back my time with
the caveat that I expect that the Senate will do its job because
certainly those of us in the House will continue to do ours.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, thank you very
much, for allowing us the opportunity to give a statement on this very
important issue this evening. I am very glad to be joined by a number
of colleagues over the next hour to discuss the importance of putting
Americans back to work. Unfortunately, we cannot override the
devastating consequences that followed eight years of Republican with a
simply snap of a finger. However, the Democratic Caucus is on its way
to restoring this country's economic well-being.
I think it is very appropriate that we commence this Special Order
hour in the midst of an incredibly important and critical debate about
the short and long term economic future of this country. This evening
we will address the fact that the economy has been on a downward spiral
long before the crisis of this past summer. Millions of once
financially sound American families and businesses--small and large--
have been teetering on the edge of poverty and bankruptcy.
Prior to the Obama administration, our economy was set on a path of
destruction never experienced by this generation. We were losing over
700,000 jobs a month and most families were struggling just to pay
their bills. But, yes, what a difference a year has made.
This Democratic Congress, working with President Obama, has chartered
a new direction. Americans are now paying the lowest amount of tax
rates since the 1950s, deductions on property taxes are available,
States are receiving help with bonds to rebuild critical infrastructure
such as hospitals and sewers, students are receiving tax relief for
tuition and teachers are eligible for tax deductions for their out-of-
pocket expenses. Finally, we must protect our coasts and increase the
oil spill liability trust fund.
The newest job numbers indicate that over 419,000 jobs were created
last month. According to a recent Associated Press release, Texas has
the greatest amount of job creation in 2010.
Texas employers expanded payrolls by 43,600 during the month of May,
making it the State's largest monthly gain in more than three years.
Companies like American Airlines, AT&T, and Texas Instruments are
creating jobs in my district because North Texas is a good place to do
business.
This Spring, the House passed the Small Business and Infrastructure
Jobs Tax Act. This legislation will create 160,000 jobs and extends
successful Build America Bonds for schools, roads and bridges. We also
passed the Summer Jobs Act which creates 300,000 summer job
opportunities for our youth. We have seen an increase in GDP, an
increase in manufacturing, and a significant increase in economic
indicators. As President Obama said, this is the Nation where anyone
with a good idea and the will to work hard can succeed. Dallas, my
hometown, is no stranger to good ideas, hard work, or small businesses.
I commend Dallas' small businesses which have created hundreds of jobs,
provided valuable goods and services, and helped drive our local
economy.
Madam Speaker, on May 28, 2010, the House of Representatives passed
the America COMPETES reauthorization Act of 2010, which authorizes
nearly $86 billion over the next five years to strengthen our nation's
competitiveness in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM).
Our Nation is being outpaced by our competitors in graduating
scientists and engineers. It is so important to invest wisely in
programs
[[Page H6035]]
that truly make a difference in the achievement of our young people.
It's about ensuring we are taking the right steps towards increasing
American competitiveness and innovation.
We have an obligation to the future of our Nation to assure every
segment of our population has equal access and opportunity to pursue
careers in Science and Math. According to the Census Bureau, 39 percent
of the population under the age of 18 is a racial or ethnic minority.
Yet, in 2003, only 4.4 percent of U.S. science and engineering jobs
were held by African Americans and only 3.4 percent by Hispanics.
Further, women represent only little more than one quarter of our
science and technology workforce.
As a senior Member of the committee on Science and Technology, I have
attended hearings where recommendations were made to rapidly increase
the number of federal undergraduate and graduate scholarships to
persons from underrepresented groups in the sciences. Jobs created in
the fields of science and engineering are the fastest growing and the
highest paying. These are the jobs of the future.
I want to commend the Congressional Black Caucus for working with me
to include many provisions authorized in America COMPETES which strives
to achieve social and economic justice.
As a country, we are getting stronger and stronger, but we still have
a long way to go. We must continue to invest in American businesses and
in the American people. I urge my colleagues both in the House and
Senate to come together to enact policies that create and encourage
sustainable job creation for America's workforce.
____________________