[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11718]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, it is our job to work on behalf of the 
American people, and in H.R. 4923, I am very pleased to note that two 
Jackson Lee amendments passed that I think will expand the 
opportunities for small businesses and promote the environment.
  One amendment, of course, increased funding for the Office of 
Minority Economic Impact to be able to reach out to small businesses, 
MWBEs, in order to create jobs, a challenge that the American people 
asked us to meet.
  My second amendment that was accepted in a bipartisan manner 
reprograms funds for the Department of Energy's departmental 
administration to increase support for environmental justice. That is 
very important to very many sites in the 18th Congressional District, 
from northeast to southeast.
  As you well know, Mr. Speaker, I also was able to get an amendment in 
the bill dealing with the Department of the Interior and set up an 
office on minority business and contracting and outreach for jobs.
  We must create more jobs. We must help create more jobs, and leading 
out by this Nation to create more jobs is very important.
  I am also pleased that the dredging funding that the Houston Port 
needed was put in this bill, joined by my colleagues from the Houston 
delegation. Now the Houston Port will be able to continue to serve as 
one of the largest ports in the world.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I am delighted that this legislation had 
these elements in it. I look forward to the bill going to the Senate so 
that we can come back and vote for this bill.

                          ____________________