[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 107 (Monday, July 18, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H5133-H5134]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         IN SUPPORT OF CHURCH PLAN INVESTMENT CLARIFICATION ACT

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, flying in today, our plane 
was delayed. I didn't have the opportunity to advance my support for 
H.R. 33, the Church Plan Investment Clarification Act of 2011. I want 
to acknowledge the sponsorship of Congresswoman Biggert and indicate 
that under current law thousands of church pension plans are denied 
participation in collective trusts, rendering them unable to pull their 
assets or reap the benefits of collective buying power. Many churches, 
as a result, experience difficulties and incur expenses when 
diversifying pension plans.
  Our churches, our houses of worship provide invaluable service, and 
many of those in my own community--the Bellfort Seventh Day Adventist 
Church, the New Life Christian Church, Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, 
St. John Missionary Baptist Church on Dowling, Brookhollow, and many 
others, work throughout our community. We are blessed to have Lakewood 
Church in our community, as well, that works very hard, a church 
leadership that I've known for many, many years.

[[Page H5134]]

  So this bill has been supported by the Church Alliance, the Seventh 
Day Adventist Church, the YMCA Retirement Fund, the Church Pension 
Group, and others. And I thank my friend from Illinois, as I said. 
Churches do missionary work. Their workers need to have the ability to 
have their pensions.
  And I close by saying there are those suffering in Kenya, they are 
dying, the Somalians who left because of the devastation of the 
drought, and I know our faith community wants us to do something about 
it.

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