[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13983-13990]
[From the U.S. 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.

[[Page 13984]]

  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 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

[[Page 13985]]

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

[[Page 13986]]

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 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

[[Page 13987]]

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 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

[[Page 13988]]

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.
  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

[[Page 13989]]

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. 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.

[[Page 13990]]

  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 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.

                          ____________________