[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4905-4908]
[From the U.S. 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 
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

[[Page 4906]]

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.
  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

[[Page 4907]]

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' 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

[[Page 4908]]

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 
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.

                          ____________________