| 00:00:00 | MINUTES. |
| 00:00:01 | MR. HOYER: THANK YOU, MR. |
| 00:00:02 | SPEAKER. I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND. |
| 00:00:04 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. |
| 00:00:05 | MR. |
| 00:00:06 | HOYER: I THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. |
| 00:00:07 | MR. SPEAKER, FOR OVER 40 YEARS, THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS HAS STRENGTHENED AND ENHANCED THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE. |
| 00:00:14 | IT DOES SO BY CARRYING INTO THIS CHAMBER THE VOICES OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO FOR TOO LONG IN OUR HISTORY WERE VOICELESS. |
| 00:00:25 | IT REPRESENTS MILLIONS OF OUR CITIZENS WHO CONTRIBUTE GREATLY TO BUILDING OUR ECONOMY, DEFENDING OUR HARD WON FREEDOMS AND FIGHTING FOR EQUAL JUSTICE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS. |
| 00:00:40 | THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS HAS BEEN RIGHTLY KNOWN FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AS THE CONSCIENCE OF THE CONGRESS. |
| 00:00:48 | AND, MR. SPEAKER, SINCE HE ARRIVED HERE SEVEN YEARS AGO, OUR COLLEAGUE AND MY FRIEND, EMANUEL CLEAVER, HAS BEEN THE CONSCIENCE OF THE C. |
| 00:01:00 | B.C. REPRESENTATIVE CLEAVER, AS MOST OF US WHO SERVE WITH HIM KNOW, BUT MANY AMERICANS MIGHT NOT KNOW, WEARS MULTIPLE HATS. |
| 00:01:09 | HE IS NOT ONLY THE FORMER MAYOR OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, BUT HE'S ALSO AN ORDAINED METHODIST PASTOR. |
| 00:01:18 | PASTOR CLEAVER IS FREQUENTLY CALLED UPON FOR WORDS TO DELIVER AT MY WHIP MEETING ON THURSDAY MORNINGS. |
| 00:01:27 | I HAVE SAID THEY ARE THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR WEEK, IN MANY RESPECTS. |
| 00:01:32 | EMANUEL CLEAVER SPEAKS TO US ABOUT HUMANITY, ABOUT CARING, ABOUT RESPECTING EACH OF OUR COLLEAGUES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE AISLE, OF RESPECTING AND HONORING OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO OUR FELLOW CITIZENS. |
| 00:01:50 | IN SHORT, EMANUEL CLEAVER ON A WEEKLY BASIS APPEALS TO THE BEST THAT IS WITHIN US, TO REFLECT THE BEST THAT IS AMERICA. |
| 00:02:02 | EMANUEL CLEAVER WILL SHORTLY BE SUCCEEDED AS PRESIDENT OF THE C. |
| 00:02:07 | B.C. BY MARCIA FUDGE FROM OHIO. |
| 00:02:11 | LIKE EMANUEL CLEAVER, A LEADER OF CONSCIENCE, A LEADER OF GREAT ABILITY AND A LEADER WHO WILL REACH OUT TO ALL OF US AS WELL AND CONTINUE TO LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION THAT WE KNOW IS THE CONSCIENCE OF THE CONGRESS. |
| 00:02:26 | AS WE TALK ABOUT CREATING JOBS, AS WE TALK ABOUT CARING FOR ONE ANOTHER, AS WE TALK ABOUT MAKINGING LIFE BETTER FOR ALL AMERICANS, THERE IS NO MORE COMPELLING VOICE THAN THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS TOWARDS THAT END. |
| 00:02:44 | AND THERE HAS BEEN NO COMPELLING VOICE THAN THAT OF MY FRIEND, EMANUEL CLEAVER. |
| 00:02:52 | EMANUEL, I EXPECT YOUR LEADERSHIP TO BE ENHANCED AS THE DAYS GO BY, BUT YOU HAVE SHOWN US AN EXAMPLE OF HOW ONE CAN SERVE WITH DIGNITY, WITH GRACE AND WITH EFFECTIVENESS. |
| 00:03:09 | THANK YOU. I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME. |
| 00:03:12 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM ARIZONA, MR. |
| 00:03:20 | QUAYLE, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:03:21 | MR. |
| 00:03:22 | QUAYLE: THANK YOU, MR. |
| 00:03:23 | SPEAKER. |
| 00:03:24 | MR. SPEAKER, I RISE TODAY TO THANK THE PEOPLE OF THE THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF ARIZONA WHO PUT THEIR TRUST AND FAITH IN ME TO REPRESENT THEM IN THE 112TH CONGRESS. |
| 00:03:35 | THE PEOPLE OF OUR DISTRICT ARE GOOD, HARDWORKING AMERICANS. |
| 00:03:39 | THEY VALUE THEIR FAMILY, THEIR COUNTRY AND THEIR FREEDOMS. |
| 00:03:43 | IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE HONOR TO SERVE THEM IN THIS CONGRESS. |
| 00:03:49 | . I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR THEIR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT MY LIFE. |
| 00:03:54 | WITHOUT THEM I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. |
| 00:03:57 | MR. SPEAKER, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY TIRELESS STAFF, BOTH HERE IN WASHINGTON AND BACK HOME IN ARIZONA, THEIR DEDICATION TO OUR DISTRICT AND TO OUR COUNTRY WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS AMAZING TO WATCH. |
| 00:04:07 | AND OVER THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS, WORKING DAY AND NIGHT, THEY BECAME A LOT MORE THAN PEOPLE I WORKED WITH, THEY BECAME EXTENDED FAMILY. |
| 00:04:17 | I THANK THEM FOR THAT. |
| 00:04:18 | MR. SPEAKER, I WANT TO FINALLY THANK, MOST IMPORTANTLY, MY WIFE, TIFFANY, WHO A FEW YEARS AGO MADE ME THE LUCKIEST MAN ON THE FAITH OF THE EARTH WHEN SHE SAID YES TO BEING MY WIFE. |
| 00:04:32 | I WANT TO THANK HER FOR ALL OF THE SACRIFICES THAT SHE HAS MADE SO THAT I COULD BE IN THIS HOUSE . |
| 00:04:38 | SHE HAS HELD DOWN A FULL-TIME JOB ALL THE WHILE PLAYING BOTH MOM AND DAD TO OUR DAUGHTER WHEN I WAS AWAY FROM HOME. |
| 00:04:48 | I CAN NEVER THANK HER ENOUGH FOR ALL THAT SHE HAS DONE. |
| 00:04:54 | MR. SPEAKER, THE PAST TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN AN INTERESTING RIDE. |
| 00:04:59 | PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT WAS HIGHLY UNLIKELY I WOULD EVER SPEAK ON THIS FLOOR. |
| 00:05:03 | YOU SEE, MR. |
| 00:05:04 | SPEAKER, IF YOU ASKED ME FIVE YEARS AGO IF I WOULD EVER RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, I WOULD HAVE SAID NO. |
| 00:05:09 | NOT BECAUSE I DON'T VALUE AND HONOR PUBLIC SERVICE, I CERTAINLY DO. |
| 00:05:17 | BUT THE ENVIRONMENT I GREW UP IN, I SAW THE BAD SIZE OF POLITICS, AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WANTED TO PUT MY FAMILY THROUGH THE SAME TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS. |
| 00:05:27 | HOW THAT ALL CHANGED AS I WITNESSED OUR COUNTRY CONTINUING TO STRAY FROM OUR ITS FOUNDING PRINCIPLES AND HOW WE DIDN'T REVERSE COURSE, THEN WE WERE GOING TO LOSE COUNTLESS GENERATIONS BECAUSE OF LOST OPPORTUNITIES. |
| 00:05:40 | SO, MR. SPEAKER, I RAN FOR OFFICE NOT FOR A TITLE, NOT FOR SOME UNHEALTHY DESIRE TO BE THE CENTER OF ATTENTION, BUT TO SERVE MY FELLOW CITIZENS AND TO BE A PART OF A MOVEMENT THAT WOULD RE-ESTABLISH THE BELIEF THAT OUR COUNTRY'S GREATNESS COMES FROM ITS PEOPLE AND NOT FROM THE GOVERNMENT. |
| 00:06:00 | AND TO MAKE SURE THAT AMERICA REMAINS THE LAST GREAT HOPE ON EARTH. |
| 00:06:04 | TWO YEARS AGO WE SET OUT TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE OBJECTIVES. |
| 00:06:08 | WE DIDN'T SUCCEED. |
| 00:06:10 | NOT FOR THE LACK OF TRYING, THOUGH. |
| 00:06:12 | WE DID TAKE STEPS TOWARDS SOLVING THE BIGGEST AND MOST SEVERE ISSUES THAT WE FACED. |
| 00:06:20 | WE MUST BUILD ON THIS AND NOT SHRINK FROM SOLVING THE FISCAL DISASTER THAT AWAITS US IF WE DO NOTHING. |
| 00:06:29 | MR. |
| 00:06:30 | SPEAKER, AS THIS CONGRESS COMES TO A CLOSE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS, I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE NEXT CONGRESS WILL RISE TO THE OCCASION AND PROVIDE THE SOLUTIONS TO A WORRIED NATION. |
| 00:06:42 | HOWEVER, MY CONFIDENCE IS NOT LIMITLESS. |
| 00:06:46 | IF PETTY POLITICS DRIVES POLICY DECISIONS, IF ONE GROUP IS PITTED AGAINST ANOTHER FOR POLITICAL GAIN, IF PERSONAL DESTRUCTION DROWNS OUT PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY, THEN SADLY, THE LEGACY OF OUR GREAT NATION WILL BE FOREVER ALTERED. |
| 00:07:03 | AND THE WORLD WILL BE A DIMMER PLACE. |
| 00:07:07 | I HOPE AND PRAY IT DOES NOT HAPPEN, MR. |
| 00:07:10 | SPEAKER, BUT AS I SAID, MY CONFIDENCE IS NOT LIMITLESS. |
| 00:07:15 | THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME. |
| 00:07:17 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM GEORGIA, MR. |
| 00:07:24 | SCOTT, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:07:25 | MR. SCOTT: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. |
| 00:07:26 | SPEAKER. |
| 00:07:27 | I RISE TO JOIN SOME OF MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES IN RECOGNIZING AND HONORING A DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN SERVING IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, AND THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE, REVEREND EMANUEL CLEAVER. |
| 00:07:47 | GOD HAS A WAY OF HAVING THE RIGHT PERSON SERVE AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT PLACE. |
| 00:07:56 | AND WE HAVE SUCH A PERSON IN OUR CHAIRMAN, CHAIRMAN CLEAVER. |
| 00:08:01 | FOR CHAIRMAN CLEAVER TOOK OFFICE AT A TIME OF GREAT TURMOIL AND TUMULTUOUS. |
| 00:08:11 | THIS -- TUMULTUOUSNESS. |
| 00:08:14 | THIS COUNTRY WAS EXPERIENCING AND AT THE HEIGHT OF PERHAPS THE MOST DEVASTATING FINANCIAL CRISIS SINCE THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AND CHAIRMAN CLEAVER TURNED THAT SITUATION INTO A TREMENDOUS POSITIVE. |
| 00:08:29 | BY BRINGING HIS INSIGHTFULNESS AND BY HELPING TO SHARE WITH THE ENTIRE NATION THAT WHILE WE DID HAVE GREAT ECONOMIC CALAMITY, FOR EVERY SECTOR IN OUR ECONOMY, NOWHERE WAS THAT DAMAGE AS GREATLY FELT AS IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. |
| 00:08:51 | AND WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE A CHAIRMAN THAT COULD ARTICULATE IT WITH THE SENSITIVITY AND WITH THE INTELLIGENCE AND WITH THE INTELLECT TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THOSE VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS THAT WERE IMPACTING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN A WAY AND IN A MANNER THAT ENVELOPED THE ENTIRETY OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF OUR COUNTRY . |
| 00:09:20 | CHAIRMAN CLEAVER BECAME CHAIRMAN AT A TIME OF THE HEIGHT OF THE TUMULTUOUS HEALTH CARE DEBATE, WHERE THERE WAS GREAT PASSIONS THAT WERE BROUGHT TO BEAR AND EXPRESSIONS OF DEMONSTRATION, WHERE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GATHERED HERE IN WASHINGTON TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS, BUT CHAIRMAN CLEAVER PROVIDED A CALMNESS, AN IMPACT THAT HELPED US TO NAVIGATE THOSE TROUBLED WATERS. |
| 00:09:52 | VERY, VERY SUCCESSFULLY. |
| 00:09:54 | AND WHEN IT CAME TIME TO LOOK AT THE DISPARATES -- DISPARITIES OF THIS ECONOMIC IMPACT AND JOBLESSNESS, HE INITIATED JOB FAIRS IN EVERY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY THAT HELPED PEOPLE BE ABLE TO GET JOBS. |
| 00:10:12 | HE ADDRESSED THE HEALTH DISPARITIES, PARTICULARLY AS THEY IMPACT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, IN A WAY AND IN A MANNER THAT EVERYONE WAS ABLE TO ACCEPT THE REALITY. |
| 00:10:24 | SO WE THANK YOU, CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER, FOR THE OUTSTANDING JOB THAT YOU HAVE DONE. |
| 00:10:32 | AND WE WANT TO THANK GOD FOR SENDING THE RIGHT PERSON TO US AT THE RIGHT TIME. |
| 00:10:39 | THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN CLEAVER, AND IT IS WITH MY GREAT HONOR TO SERVE WITH YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING SERVICE. |
| 00:10:47 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM NORTH CAROLINA, MR. |
| 00:10:50 | WATT, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:10:53 | MR. WATT: MR. |
| 00:10:54 | SPEAKER, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS. |
| 00:10:57 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. |
| 00:10:58 | MR. |
| 00:11:00 | WATT: AND I WANT TO JOIN WITH MY COLLEAGUES IN EXPRESSING THANKS AND GIVING PRAISE TO OUR OUTGOING CHAIR OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS. |
| 00:11:09 | HE'S NOT LEAVING CONGRESS, HE'S JUST LEAVING THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS. |
| 00:11:16 | I DON'T USUALLY COME OVER HERE FOR THESE FIVE-MINUTE SPEECHES OR ONE-MINUTE SPEECHES, BUT TODAY I THOUGHT I WOULD MAKE AN EXCEPTION TO SAY SOME THINGS ABOUT OUR OUTGOING CHAIR. |
| 00:11:31 | AND I WANT TO MAKE TWO POINTS. |
| 00:11:34 | FIRST OF ALL, CONTRARY TO THE PERCEPTION THAT'S OUT IN THE WORLD, THERE ARE NO BAD PEOPLE IN THIS BODY. |
| 00:11:44 | ALL OF US ARE GOOD PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TO SERVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND OUR CONSTITUENTS IN PARTICULAR. |
| 00:11:56 | I CHARACTERIZE US AS ALL GOOD GUYS AND THAT INCLUDES FEMALE IN THAT GOOD GUYS CATEGORY, TOO. |
| 00:12:09 | BUT THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO, BECAUSE OF THEIR PARTICULAR QUALITIES, I WOULD PUT IN A CATEGORY OF REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GOOD PEOPLE. |
| 00:12:26 | IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG TO DETECT THOSE PEOPLE. |
| 00:12:30 | IT COMES THROUGH IN THE MANNER, IN THE WAY THAT THEY DEAL WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES AND THE WAY THAT THEY CONSULT AND CONSOLE YOU WHEN YOU REALLY NEED CONSULTATION AND CONSOLATION, AND THE WAY THEY GIVE YOU ADVICE OR FAIL TO GIVE YOU ADVICE OR DON'T GIVE YOU ADVICE WHEN YOU EITHER NEED IT OR DON'T NEED IT. |
| 00:12:59 | THEY ARE NOT IN THE WAY, THEY ARE JUST REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GOOD PEOPLE. |
| 00:13:04 | AND THAT'S THE CATEGORY IN WHICH I WOULD PUT OUR OUTGOING CHAIR, CHAIRMAN EMANUEL CLEAVER. |
| 00:13:13 | SO I WANT TO JOIN -- HIS LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING, BUT I -- IT'S NOT THAT THAT I CAME TO PRAISE. |
| 00:13:22 | THE SECOND THING I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE ABOUT HIM IS THAT THE QUESTION I GET MOST FROM CONSTITUENTS IS, WHO IS DOING SOMETHING INSIDE YOU ALL'S INSTITUTION TO MAKE YOU-ALL MORE MORE COMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER? |
| 00:13:46 | AND SO EVERY WEEK I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING IN MY INTRACONGRESS MAIL THIS LETTER THAT OUR OUTGOING CHAIR SENDS TO EVERY MEMBER OF THIS BODY. |
| 00:14:05 | JUST ONE OR TWO OR THREE PARAGRAPHS, ONE PAGE, NEVER LONGER THAN ONE PAGE, JUST GIVING US SOME SAGE WISDOM AND ADVICE ABOUT HOW TO BE NICER TO EACH OTHER, HOW TO SOFTEN OUR EDGES, HOW TO WORK BETTER TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THE ASPIRATIONS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OF OUR NATION. |
| 00:14:40 | THOSE ARE THE LITTLE THINGS THAT PEOPLE OUT IN THE PUBLIC NEVER SEE OR HEAR ABOUT. |
| 00:14:50 | AND CHAIRMAN CLEAVER HAS SET THAT EXAMPLE, SOMETIMES I'M SURE HE FEELS LIKE HE'S A VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS BY DOING THAT, BUT EVERY SINGLE WEEK EACH OF US GETS THIS SPECIAL APPEAL FROM EMANUEL CLEAVER TO BE WHAT WE SHOULD BE, STEWARDS MUCH OUR COUNTRY AND TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT DEMEAN OUR INSTITUTION AND DEMEAN EACH OTHER AND TO ADVOCATE FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE, BUT TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT IS MORE HUMAN AND KIND. |
| 00:15:46 | I WANT TO JOIN WITH MY COLLEAGUES IN THANKING HIM FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, BUT MOST OF ALL I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR THE TREMENDOUS ROLE MODEL HE HAS BEEN FOR OUR INSTITUTION TO TRY TO MAKE OUR INSTITUTION A BETTER PLACE IN WHICH TO SERVE AND TO TRY TO MAKE EACH OF US BETTER MEMBERS OF THIS INSTITUTION. |
| 00:16:10 | I YIELD BACK, MR. |
| 00:16:12 | CHAIRMAN. THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS, MR. |
| 00:16:15 | NEAL, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:16:16 | MR. NEAL: I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS. |
| 00:16:19 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. |
| 00:16:20 | MR. |
| 00:16:21 | NEAL: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. |
| 00:16:22 | MR. SPEAKER, LET ME ALSO THANK REVEREND CLEAVER AT HIS REQUEST I CAN'T -- SERIES OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND SPENT THE BETTER PART OF TWO DAYS WITH HIM AND I GOT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE REGARD AND RESPECT THAT HE WAS HELD IN BY THE CITIZENS OF KANSAS CITY. |
| 00:16:42 | MR. SPEAKER, LET ME ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF EXTENDING NEW MARKETS TAX CREDITS. |
| 00:16:47 | I HAVE FOUGHT FOR THIS PROGRAM SINCE ITS ENACTMENT IN 2000 BECAUSE IT'S A COST-EFFECTIVE WAY TO CREATE JOBS AND DRIVE INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITIES WITH HIGH RATES OF POVERTY AND UNEMPLOYMENT. |
| 00:16:58 | I HAVE SEEN THE AMAZING RESULTS OF THIS INITIATIVE FIRSTHAND, LET ME HIGHLIGHT JUST SOME OF THOSE MASSACHUSETTS PROJECTS. |
| 00:17:06 | LET ME FIRST TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT. |
| 00:17:10 | IT WAS DESIGNED TO STIMULATE INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY OVERLOOKED BY CONVENGAL CAPITAL MARKETS. |
| 00:17:20 | -- CONVENTIONAL CAPITAL MARKETS. |
| 00:17:22 | SINCE ENACTMENT IT HAS GENERATED $145 MILLION IN PROJECTS THAT RANGE FROM THE FIRST SUPERMARKET IN A GENERATION IN SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON, D. |
| 00:17:31 | C., TO THE RESTORATION OF ONE OF THE GREATEST ACCOUSTICAL HOUSES IN THE WORLD, THE COLONIAL THEATER, IN PITSFORD, MASSACHUSETTS. |
| 00:17:39 | FURTHERMORE, NEW MARKET'S INVESTMENTS BETWEEN 2003 AND 2010 HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING OVER 500,000 JOBS IN ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. |
| 00:17:52 | THESE ARE REMARKABLE RESULTS. |
| 00:17:54 | LET ME SHARE WITH YOU ANOTHER SUCCESS STORE FROM BACK HOME THAT FURTHER EXPLAINS WHY I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF NEW MARKETS. |
| 00:18:02 | THE HOLY OAK PUBLIC LIBRARY. |
| 00:18:06 | HOLYOAK IS A CITY IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS WITH A POPULATION OF ABOUT 40,000 PEOPLE. |
| 00:18:10 | FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY UNTIL THE MID 20TH CENTURY, IT WAS THE WORLD'S BIGGEST PAPER MANUFACTURER. |
| 00:18:16 | IN FACT, AT ONE POINT THERE WERE 25 PAPER MILLS IN OPERATION IN HOLY OAK, AND THAT'S HOW IT GOT ITS NICKNAME, THE PAPER CITY. |
| 00:18:25 | HOWEVER THIS INDUSTRIAL CITY'S FORTUNES END WHEN THE PAPER MILLS CLOSED AND HOLY OAK NOW HAS 1/3 OF ITS POPULATION LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. |
| 00:18:35 | THE PUBLIC LIBRARY PROJECT IS CURRENTLY UNDER WAY AND INVOLVES RENOVATING AND EXPANDING THE 110-YEAR-OLD LIBRARY AND TRANSFORMING IT INTO A 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER. |
| 00:18:51 | . FOR MANY YEARS THERE HASN'T HAD FUNDING TO MAINTAIN ITSELF AND IT HAS DETERIORATED. |
| 00:19:00 | NEARLY 40% OF THE INTERIOR IS NEARLY COMPROMISED OR INACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. |
| 00:19:05 | BUT THANKS IN LARGE PART TO NEW MARKETS, TAX CREDIT FINANCING, THE HOLYOKE PUBLIC LIBRARY IS CURRENTLY BEING RENOVATED AND INOWE ADVISED AND WILL PROVIDE CRITICAL PUBLIC ACCESS TO COMPUTERS AND THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES. |
| 00:19:22 | NEW MARKET TAX CREDITS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT CAN BE USED TO SPUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION. |
| 00:19:29 | NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT EXPIRED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR. |
| 00:19:32 | IT'S CRITICAL THAT THE CONGRESS NOT LEAVE TOWN UNTIL WE ONCE AGAIN EXTEND THIS PROGRAM AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME WITH IT. |
| 00:19:46 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA, MS. |
| 00:19:54 | BASS. |
| 00:19:55 | MS. BASS: I RISE TO RECOGNIZE THE EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP OF MY COLLEAGUE, MR. |
| 00:19:59 | EMANUEL CLEAVER, WHO REPRESENTS WITH DISTINCTION MISSOURI'S FIFTH DISTRICT. |
| 00:20:02 | I WANT TO OFFER A SPECIAL WORD OF APPRECIATION FOR HIS MANY YEARS OF SERVICE, NOT MERELY FOR HIS CONSTITUENTS, BUT FOR HIS STEADY COMMITMENT TO EMPLOY THE POWER OF HIS OFFICE TO ENSURE OUR NATION IS SET ON A COURSE WHERE WE ALL SUCCEED. |
| 00:20:17 | AS CHAIR OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, MR. |
| 00:20:20 | CLEAVER USED HIS POSITION OF LEADERSHIP TO HELP ELEVATE AND EMBOLDEN US TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE GREAT SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OF OUR DAY, NOT JUST FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS, BUT FOR ALL AMERICANS. |
| 00:20:32 | WHICH REMINES ME OF THE EVENING IN NORTH CAROLINA AT THE -- REMINDS ME IN THE EVENING IN NORTH CAROLINA AT THE SDRATIC CONVENTION WHEN HE GAVE THAT FIERY SPEECH THAT BROUGHT EVERYONE TO THEIR FEET. |
| 00:20:41 | HE REMINDED US IN AMERICA THAT OUR STRENGTH IS ROOTED IN OUR NATION'S MOST PROFOUND GIFT, ITS DIVERSITY. |
| 00:20:47 | HE REMINDED US NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT TIMES MAY GET OR MAY BE THAT WE MUST HOPE ON. |
| 00:20:53 | THAT IS THE POWER OF OUR HOPE THAT DRIVES US TO NOT GIVE UP WHEN WE HAVE FAILED BUT TO TRY AGAIN UNTIL WE GET IT RIGHT. |
| 00:21:01 | AS I COMPLETE MY FIRST TERM IN CONGRESS, LET ME THANK THE CHAIRMAN FOR HIS COUNSEL, HIS GUIDANCE AND HIS FRIENDSHIP. |
| 00:21:09 | HE'S PROVIDED ADVICE AND WISDOM THAT AS A NEWCOMER TO WASHINGTON HAS BEEN INVALUABLE. |
| 00:21:14 | HE'S STEPPING DOWN AS HEAD OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUGS, BUT WE WILL ALL CONTINUE TO -- CAUCUS, BUT WE WILL ALL CONTINUE ENJOY HIS REFLECTIONS AT CAUCUS MEETINGS AND GETTING NOTES AND PROMOTING CIVILITY. |
| 00:21:26 | IT'S MY PERSONAL HOPE THAT ONE DAY HE WILL COLLECT ALL OF THESE NOTES AND REFLECTIONS AND PUBLISH THEM, BUT I DID THINK I WOULD END WITH WORDS FROM THAT FAMOUS NORTH CAROLINA SPEECH. |
| 00:21:39 | HOPE INSPIRES ME TO BELIEVE THAT ANY DAY NOW WE WILL CATCH UP TO THE IDEALS PUT FORTH BY OUR NATION'S FOUNDING FATHERS. |
| 00:21:46 | IT IS OUR HOPE AND FAITH THAT MOVES US. |
| 00:21:48 | IT IS OUR HOPE THAT TELLS US OUR LATTER DAYS WILL BE BETTER THAN OUR FORMER. |
| 00:21:53 | IT IS OUR HOPE THAT INSTRUCTS US TO MARCH ON. |
| 00:21:57 | I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE YEARS AND STRUGGLES AND SUCCESSES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US. |
| 00:22:04 | THANK YOU, MR. CLEAVER, FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. |
| 00:22:12 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLELADY FROM OHIO, MS. |
| 00:22:15 | FUDGE, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:22:16 | MS. FUDGE: I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND. |
| 00:22:22 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. |
| 00:22:25 | MS. FUDGE: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. |
| 00:22:28 | SPEAKER. |
| 00:22:30 | TODAY I RISE TO SALUTE EMANUEL CLEAVER, MY CHAIRMAN AND MY FRIEND. |
| 00:22:34 | THE CONGRESSMAN FROM THE GREAT STATE OF MISSOURI WHO WAS UNANIMOUSLY ELECTED TO LEAD THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS FOR THE 112TH CONGRESS. |
| 00:22:42 | AS WE MOVE CLOSER TO ADJOURNMENT OF THIS CONGRESS, I RISE WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO THANK EMANUEL CLEAVER FOR HIS STELLAR LEADERSHIP AND SACRIFICE DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS. |
| 00:22:55 | FROM COUNCILMAN TO KANSAS CITY'S FIRST FEARN MAYOR AND TO CONGRESSMAN -- AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR AND TO CONGRESSMAN, HE REPRESENTS AMERICANS WITH UNDENIABLE ZEAL AND PASSION. |
| 00:23:11 | THE LEADER OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS CARRIES THE BURDEN OF MODELING THAT WHICH MAKES US THE CONSCIENCE OF THE CONGRESS, AND HE HAS SUCCEEDED. |
| 00:23:19 | A MAN OF FINE INTELLECT AND UNWAVERING INTEGRITY WHO DAILY EXHIBITS HIS DEEP SEEDED BELIEF IN CIVILITY, CHAIRMAN CLEAVER IS FIRM IN HIS CONVICTIONS BASED ON WHAT IS RIGHT RATHER THAN WHAT IS EXPEDIENT. |
| 00:23:36 | AS AN ORDAINED MINISTER WITH MANY YEARS OF PASTORIAL EXPERIENCE, EMANUEL CLEAVER HAS NOT ONLY SERVED AS CHAIRMAN OF THE CAUCUS BUT HAS SERVED AS OUR SPIRITUAL ADVISOR AS WELL. |
| 00:23:47 | HE IS A FRIEND ON WHOM WE CAN ALL DEPEND. |
| 00:23:51 | HE IS SELFLESS AND UNASSUMING, YET POWERFUL, RESPECTED AND A TRUSTED LEADER ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE. |
| 00:23:59 | CHAIRMAN EMANUEL CLEAVER HAS EARNED THE RESPECT AND ADMIRATION OF CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THIS NATION AND MANY BEYOND OUR BORDERS. |
| 00:24:08 | TODAY I SALUTE CHAIRMAN EMANUEL CLEAVER. |
| 00:24:11 | TODAY THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS SALUTES HIM. |
| 00:24:13 | WE THANK HIM FOR HIS DEDICATION TO OUR PEOPLE, HIS DEVOTION TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS AND HIS UNDENIABLY EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP. |
| 00:24:24 | OUR CAUCUS THANKS CHAIRMAN CLEAVER, OUR COUNTRY THANKS HIM AND I THANK HIM. |
| 00:24:30 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA, MS. |
| 00:24:33 | RICHARDSON, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:24:34 | MS. |
| 00:24:35 | RICHARDSON: I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR FIVE MINUTES AND TO REVISE AND EXTEND. |
| 00:24:40 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. |
| 00:24:42 | MS. RICHARDSON: MR. |
| 00:24:43 | SPEAKER, I RISE TODAY TO PAY TRIBUTE TO A GREAT MAN, ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED MEMBERS OF THIS HOUSE, A LEADER OF UNPARALLELED ABILITY, A TRUSTED FRIEND AND ONE OF THE BEST CHAIRS IN THE 41-YEAR HISTORY OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS. |
| 00:25:01 | I'M TALKING ABOUT THE HONORABLE EMANUEL CLEAVER II. |
| 00:25:05 | THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS HAS LONG AND RIGHTLY BEEN KNOWN AS THE CONSCIENCE OF THE CONGRESS, AND IT'S NO EXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT EMANUEL CLEAVER IS THE CONSCIENCE OF THE C. |
| 00:25:16 | B.C. PRIOR TO BEING ELECTED TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, HE SERVED ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, BUT SINCE COMING HERE TO THE HOUSE IN 2004, EMANUEL CLEAVER HAS BEEN A CHAMPION FOR THE POOR, THE AINLED, THE INFERMED AND FOR THOSE STRUGGLING -- THE AGED, THE INFERMED AND THOSE STRUGGLING TO STAY IN THE MIDDLE CLASS. |
| 00:25:37 | HE'S EXTENDED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE LOOKING TO BUILD A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND TO REPRESENT GOD. |
| 00:25:45 | HE HAS DONE SO WITH DIGNITY, GRACE AND CIVILITY. |
| 00:25:51 | AS C. |
| 00:25:52 | B.C. CHAIR DURING THE 112TH CONGRESS, EMANUEL CLEAVER UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF DRAWING ATTENTION TO THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY WHERE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES WERE MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT OF WHITES. |
| 00:26:05 | AND UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, THE C. |
| 00:26:07 | B.C. LAUNCHED THE FOR THE PEOPLE JOBS INITIATIVE, HOSTING TOWN HALL DISCUSSIONS AND JOB FAIRS, ONE OF WHICH WAS IN LOS ANGELES IN MY HOMETOWN, AND FOUR OTHER URBAN AREAS HIT HARDEST BY THE RECESSION. |
| 00:26:19 | THE C. |
| 00:26:20 | B.C. TOOK THE FEEDBACK AND RECEIVED -- THE C. |
| 00:26:22 | B.C. TOOK THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS RECEIVED FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES AND ITS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CREATING JOBS TO THE PRESIDENT WHO INCLUDED THEM IN THE AMERICAN JOBS ACT. |
| 00:26:32 | FOLLOWING THE ASSAULT AND THE MURDER OF TRAYVON MARTIN, AN UNARMED AFRICAN-AMERICAN TEENAGER IN FLORIDA, THE C. |
| 00:26:41 | B.C. STOOD UP FOR HIS PARENTS AND MADE SURE THEIR PLEA FOR JUSTICE DID NOT GO UNHEEDED. |
| 00:26:48 | CHAIRMAN CLEAVER SAID THAT JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED AND WHEN THE PRECIOUS RIGHT TO VOTE WAS UNDER ATTACK THIS ELECTION SEASON, THE C. |
| 00:26:58 | B.C., LED BY CHAIRMAN CLEAVER, AND INCOMING CHAIR MARCIA FUDGE, WORKED OVERTIME TO OVERCOME THOSE OBSTACLES AND TO ENSURE THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS WERE READY AND ABLE TO VOTE WITH THE C. |
| 00:27:09 | B.C.'S FOR THE PEOPLE VOTER PARTICIPATION INITIATIVE. |
| 00:27:13 | AS A RESULT, AFRICAN-AMERICANS TURNED OUT IN THE 2012 ELECTION FAR EXCEEDED THE EXPECTATIONS AND WERE SUCCESSFUL IN RE ELECTING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA. |
| 00:27:26 | -- RE-ELECTING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA. |
| 00:27:27 | CHAIRMAN CLEAVER HAS LED THE C. |
| 00:27:30 | B.C. WITH SKILL AND PASSION AND AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY DURING THE MOST CRITICAL TIMES OF THIS NATION'S HISTORY. |
| 00:27:37 | I THANK CHAIRMAN CLEAVER FOR HIS SERVICE, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, FOR HIS FRIENDSHIP AND MOST OF ALL FOR HIS EXAMPLE OF BEING LED BY GOD HERE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. |
| 00:27:49 | THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. |
| 00:27:50 | I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME. |
| 00:27:53 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM ILLINOIS, MR. |
| 00:27:56 | DAVIS, FOR FIVE MINUTES. MR. |
| 00:27:57 | DAVIS: MR. SPEAKER, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS. |
| 00:27:59 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. |
| 00:28:00 | MR. |
| 00:28:01 | DAVIS: MR. |
| 00:28:03 | SPEAKER, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE, I RISE FIRST OF ALL TO COMMEND A MATRIARCH IN MY COMMUNITY WHO PASSED AWAY A FEW DAYS AGO, MS. |
| 00:28:16 | MAVIS DONAHUE, WHO CAME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FROM JAMAICA AND, OF COURSE, MUCH OF HER FAMILY CAME WITH HER AND THEY KIND OF STAYED TOGETHER AS A GROUP. |
| 00:28:31 | IT WAS HER DAUGHTER, CLAUDETTE, THAT I FIRST MET, AND WE WORKED TOGETHER FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS, BUT THEN HER SON-IN-LAW, BILLY, CLAUDETTE'S HUSBAND, TOOK THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPH THAT I EVER USED IN A CAMPAIGN BROCHURE. |
| 00:28:47 | THEIR DAUGHTER, AIRCRAFTA, WHO IS MY -- ERICA, WHO IS MY GODDAUGHTER, IS THE FIRST PERSON TO EVER APPEAR ON A CAMPAIGN BROCHURE WHEN I FIRST RAN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE. |
| 00:29:01 | I WANT TO COMMEND THEM AS THEY PREPARE TO TAKE THEIR MOTHER, THEIR GRANDMOTHER, THEIR AUNT, THEIR FRIEND, THEIR NEIGHBOR BACK TO HER HOME IN JAMAICA TO BE BURIED ALONGSIDE HER MOTHER. |
| 00:29:15 | BUT I ALSO JOIN MY COLLEAGUES IN COMING TO PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR LEADER, THE REVEREND CONGRESSMAN EMANUEL CLEAVER. |
| 00:29:27 | AND WE'VE ALL TALKED ABOUT HIS LEADERSHIP, AND I'VE BEEN TOLD TWO THINGS ABOUT LEADERSHIP THAT I ALWAYS TRY AND REMEMBER. |
| 00:29:35 | ONE IS THAT LEADERSHIP IS THE ABILITY TO GET OTHER PEOPLE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO, BUT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DO IT. |
| 00:29:44 | MEANING THAT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER YOU CAN CONVINCE THEM THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE THING TO DO. |
| 00:29:52 | THE OTHER THING THAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT LEADERSHIP IS THAT YOU CAN'T LEAD SUCCESSFULLY WHERE YOU DON'T GO, AND YOU CAN'T TEACH WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW. |
| 00:30:02 | I'VE BEEN ABLE TO FOLLOW THE LIFE OF EMANUEL CLEAVER LONG BEFORE HE BECAME A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. |
| 00:30:11 | HE GREW UP IN THE MIDWEST, KIND OF, BUT REALLY THE SOUTHWEST, IN A REAL SENSE, AS I DID, AND OUR SCHOOLS PLAYED FOOTBALL IN THE SOUTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE. |
| 00:30:25 | FIRST TIME WE DECIDED TO TELEVISE OUR GAME WE WENT OUT AND WASHED CARS AND DID ALL THE THINGS YOU DID TO RAISE THE MONEY THAT WE NEEDED, PLAYED PRAIRIE VIEW. |
| 00:30:39 | LO AND BEHOLD THEY BEAT US 28-0, WHICH WAS A REAL LETDOWN AFTER WE HAD PAID TO HAVE THE FOOTBALL GAME TELEVISED. |
| 00:30:49 | BUT I REMEMBER THAT ELIJAH -- EMANUEL CAME OUT OF SCHOOL, WENT TO WORK FOR THE SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE , BECAME A LEADER IN HIS COMMUNITY AS A YOUNG PERSON. |
| 00:31:03 | PASTOR OF A TREMENDOUS CHURCH THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT, AND THEY EVEN LET ME HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. |
| 00:31:13 | REVEREND CLEAVER, CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER, AMERICA HAS BENEFITED FROM YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR MANY YEARS. |
| 00:31:23 | WE KNOW THAT WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CAUCUS AND FOR THIS CONGRESS WILL STAND, BUT WE KNOW THAT YOU WILL KEEP DOING IT FOR MANY, MANY MORE YEARS TO COME. |
| 00:31:33 | GOD BLESS YOU, AND GOD KEEP YOU, AND I YIELD BACK, MR. |
| 00:31:39 | CHAIRMAN. |
| 00:31:40 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM MICHIGAN, MR. |
| 00:31:43 | CURSON, FOR FIVE MINUTES. MR. |
| 00:31:51 | CURSON: THANK YOU, MR. |
| 00:31:54 | CHAIRMAN. I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT ALL MEMBERS HAVE FIVE LEGISLATIVE DAYS IN WHICH TO REVISE AND EXTEND THEIR REMARKS AND TO INSERT MATERIAL INTO THE RECORD ON THE SUBJECT OF REPRESENTATIVE EMANUEL CLEAVER'S RETIREMENT AS CHAIR OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS. |
| 00:32:09 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. |
| 00:32:11 | MR. |
| 00:32:12 | CURSON: I, TOO, OFFER MY CONGRATULATIONS TO REPRESENTATIVE CLEAVER FOR HIS SERVICE TO ALL AMERICANS AS THE C. |
| 00:32:21 | B.C. CHAIR. |
| 00:32:22 | MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE OUT OF WORK THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN. |
| 00:32:26 | MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE RELYING ON FEDERALLY FUNDED BENEFITS TO MAKE ENDS MEET AND -- AS THE NATION STARTS RECOVERING. |
| 00:32:39 | THESE LONG-TERM BENEFITS FOR THE UNEMPLOYED WILL IMMEDIATELY AND COMPLETELY STOP ON DECEMBER 29, 2012, UNLESS WE IN CONGRESS ACT. |
| 00:32:48 | THERE IS NO PHASEOUT. |
| 00:32:50 | EVERY INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING THOSE BENEFITS NOW WILL BE CUT OFF COLD. |
| 00:32:54 | THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ESTIMATES THAT OVER TWO MILLION AMERICANS WILL LOSE THEIR EMERGENCY BENEFITS AT THE END OF THE YEAR, INCLUDING OVER 92,000 PEOPLE IN MY HOME STATE OF MICHIGAN. |
| 00:33:06 | CUTTING OFF BENEFITS FOR THE LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED WILL HAVE AS DEVASTATING IMPACT ON MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY OUT OF POVERTY. |
| 00:33:17 | THEY ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE -- RENT, GROCERIES AND UTILITY. |
| 00:33:24 | CUTTING OFF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WILL ALSO HURT AMERICA'S ECONOMIC RECOVERY AS ECONOMISTS PREDICT THAT ALLOWING THESE BENEFITS TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR WILL REDUCE ECONOMIC GROWTH NEXT YEAR BY $58 BILLION. |
| 00:33:38 | EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS PROVIDE A PARTICULARLY VALUABLE ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMY BECAUSE FINANCIALLY STRESSED UNEMPLOYED WORKERS TYPICALLY SPEND THE BENEFITS THEY RECEIVE QUICKLY. |
| 00:33:53 | . IT WOULD HURT SMALL BUSINESSES AND ADD TO THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL OF A FAILING ECONOMY. |
| 00:33:59 | THE CENSUS BUREAU REPORTS THAT UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL, REDUCE THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS LIVING IN POVERTY LAST YEAR BY 2. |
| 00:34:07 | 3 MILLION, INCLUDING OVER 600,000 CHILDREN. |
| 00:34:12 | THE CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE ESTIMATES THAT IN 2011, UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS REDUCED THE POVERTY RATE FOR FAMILIES RECEIVING THEM BY 40%. |
| 00:34:23 | CUTTING OFF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR TWO MILLION AMERICANS WILL ONLY SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE HARDSHIP AND POVERTY IN OUR NATION. |
| 00:34:31 | NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO DEPRIVE THESE AMERICANS OF A CRITICAL LIFELINE. |
| 00:34:35 | FEDERALLY FUNDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS SHOULD BE EXTENDED BY THIS CONGRESS. |
| 00:34:44 | WE CAN CREATE JOBS BY INVESTING IN REBUILDING OUR NATION'S INFRASTRUCTURE, CREATING REAL JOBS AND REAL REVENUE BY PEOPLE WORKING FOR A LIVING. |
| 00:34:52 | THANK YOU. |
| 00:34:56 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM MISSOURI, MR. |
| 00:34:58 | CLEAVER, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:35:10 | THE GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA, MISS SPEHR -- MS. |
| 00:35:16 | SPEIER, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:35:17 | MS. SPEIER: THANK YOU, MR. |
| 00:35:19 | SPEAKER. |
| 00:35:20 | I, TOO, RISE TO PAY MY RESPECT AND HONOR REPRESENTATIVE CLEAVER. |
| 00:35:26 | I AM ONE OF THOSE MANY MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE WHO EACH WEEK WAITS FOR THAT LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER, AND EACH OF THESE LETTERS HE TELLS A LIFE LESSON. |
| 00:35:40 | TYPICALLY ONE TO INSPIRE US TO BE MORE HOPEFUL, TO BE MORE WILLING TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE FROM SOMEONE ELSE'S PERSPECTIVE, TO BE MORE COMPASSIONATE, TO BE MORE LOVING. |
| 00:35:52 | SO I, TOO, SHARE IN HIS COMMITMENT TO MAKING THIS PLACE A MORE RESPONSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL. |
| 00:36:02 | I THANK MR. |
| 00:36:03 | CLEAVER FOR HIS GREAT LEADERSHIP AS THE CHAIR OF THE C. |
| 00:36:07 | B.C. OVER THE LAST YEAR. |
| 00:36:09 | I NOW, MR. |
| 00:36:10 | SPEAKER, WOULD LIKE TO TURN TO MY PREPARED REMARKS FOR THIS MORNING. |
| 00:36:15 | I'D LIKE TO READ YOU SOME SONG LYRICS THAT AIR FORCE TECHNICAL SERGEANT JENNIFER SMITH FOUND ON HER GOVERNMENT COMPUTER AT SHAW AIR FORCE BASE. |
| 00:36:25 | THE LYRICS OF THE SONG ARE CALLED, "THE S AND M MAN," AND THEY GO LIKE THIS. |
| 00:36:32 | WHO CAN TAKE A MACHETE, WHACK OFF ALL HER LIMBS, THROW HER IN THE OCEAN, AND WATCH HER TRY TO SWIM? |
| 00:36:44 | THE S AND M MAN. |
| 00:36:47 | JENNIFER SMITH REPORTED THIS SONG AND OTHER SEXUALLY EXPLICIT DOCUMENTS TO HER SUPERIORS IN THE AIR FORCE. |
| 00:36:54 | THE S AND M MAN IS OFFENSIVE, IT'S HOSTILE, BUT TO HER MALE COLLEAGUES AND SUPERIORS, THE SONG IS JUST TRADITION. |
| 00:37:06 | A TRADITION THAT IS ALIVE AND WELL, CELEBRATED IN SONG AND PATCHES, OFFENSIVE PICTURES, AND BEHAVIOR, AND THE TACIT APPROVAL OF COMMANDING OFFICERS. |
| 00:37:19 | A MILITARY TRADITION OF DEMEANING WOMEN IS NOT ONLY SICKENING BUT CONTRARY TO THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF AN INSTITUTION FOUVENDED IN RESPECT -- FOUNDED IN RESPECT AND HONOR AND IN DISCIPLINE, AND IT UNDERMINES OUR MILITARY'S READINESS AND COHESION. |
| 00:37:41 | SIMPLY PUT, IT GRAVELY DAMAGES THE MILITARY. |
| 00:37:46 | THIS IS THE 24TH TIME THAT I HAVE COME TO THE FLOOR TO SHARE THE STORY OF A SERVICE MEMBER, EITHER MAN OR WOMAN, WHO HAS BEEN RAPED, SEXUALLY ASSAULTED, OR HARASSED BY FELLOW SERVICE MEMBERS. |
| 00:37:59 | BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE'S OWN RECORDS AND ESTIMATES, THERE ARE 19,000 RAPES AND SEXUAL ASSAULTS EACH YEAR IN THE MILITARY, AND THE V. |
| 00:38:11 | A. REPORTS THAT HALF A MILLION VETERANS ARE AFFECTED BY MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA. |
| 00:38:16 | STILL, LESS THAN 14% OF THESE VICTIMS ACTUALLY REPORT THE CRIMES. |
| 00:38:22 | AND WHY IS THAT? |
| 00:38:25 | BECAUSE SO FEW ARE PROSECUTED, LESS THAN 9%. |
| 00:38:28 | AND THE MINUSCULE NUMBER ENDS IN CONVICTION. |
| 00:38:33 | AIR FORCE SERGEANT JENNIFER SMITH HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO THIS CULTURE FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES. |
| 00:38:40 | SHE FINALLY HAD ENOUGH. |
| 00:38:41 | SHE FILED A LAWSUIT, AND IN HER LAWSUIT SHE CHRONICLES 17 YEARS, 17 YEARS OF ABUSE AND A TOXIC CULTURE. |
| 00:38:53 | FROM 1995 UNTIL THE PRESENT TIME. |
| 00:38:57 | A CULTURE THAT SPEAKS OF REPULSIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR BY SERVICE MEMBERS AND THE TACIT APPROVAL OF THEIR COMMANDERS. |
| 00:39:05 | JENNIFER SMITH JOINED THE AIR FORCE 17 YEARS AGO WHEN SHE WAS JUST 18 YEARS OF AGE. |
| 00:39:11 | HER CAREER HAS BEEN FILLED WITH PROMOTIONS, WITH MEDALS, AND COMMENDATIONS BY HER COMMANDING OFFICERS. |
| 00:39:18 | SHE IS ONE OF THE SOLDIERS THAT WE SO HIGHLY REGARD IN THE MILITARY. |
| 00:39:22 | SHE HAS A RECORD OF ASTONISHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS. |
| 00:39:28 | IN MANY OF THE COMMENDATIONS SHE HAS BEEN TOLD THAT SHE IS, QUOTE, A GIFTED MENTOR, QUOTE, GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND, QUOTE, PROMOTES -- PROMOTE HER NOW, EXCLAMATION POINT. |
| 00:39:42 | HER CAREER HAS ALSO BEEN FILLED WITH SEXUAL HARASSMENT, ASSAULT, AND COMPLACENCY OR WORSE FROM HER COMMANDING OFFICERS. |
| 00:39:51 | DURING HER FIVE DEPLOYMENTS IN IRAQ, KUWAIT, KOREA, AND GERMANY SERGEANT SMITH HAS ENDURED ASSAULT BY A MASTER SERGEANT WHO PUSHED HER INTO A ROOM, DROPPED HIS PANTS, AND TRIED TO FORCE HIMSELF ON HER. |
| 00:40:05 | HARASSMENT BY A VICE COMMANDER WHO TOLD HER TO RELAX AND TAKE HER TOP OFF DURING A MEETING. |
| 00:40:11 | CONSTANT EXPOSURE TO PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT FLIGHT SONGS, AND AN ATTEMPTED RAPE SHE WAS TOO SCARED TO REPORT. |
| 00:40:22 | SERGEANT SMITH HAS ENDURED SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR 13 YEARS. |
| 00:40:28 | WHEN SHE DECIDED TO SPEAK UP. |
| 00:40:30 | IT'S TIME FOR ALL OF US TO SPEAK UP. |
| 00:40:33 | IT'S TIME FOR ALL OF US TO EXPECT FROM THE MILITARY WHAT WE EXPECT FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, NO HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT. |
| 00:40:42 | I YIELD BACK. |
| 00:40:43 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM PENNSYLVANIA, MR. |
| 00:40:47 | MURPHY, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:40:48 | MR. |
| 00:40:49 | MURPHY: THANK YOU, MR. |
| 00:40:51 | SPEAKER. |
| 00:40:52 | WHILE OUR NATION STILL GRIEVES THE LOSS OF SO MANY CHILDREN AND TEACHERS AND OTHERS IN CONNECTICUT, IT IS A TIME FOR CONGRESS TO BEGIN A THOUGHTFUL DIALOGUE ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO DEAL WITH THESE MASS CASUALTY INCIDENCES IN OUR COUNTRY. |
| 00:41:15 | THEY HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME, BUT PERHAPS WHEN WE SEE THE FACES OF CHILDREN, PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, AND OTHERS THAT BURNS UPON OUR HEARTS AND MOTIVATES US TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION. |
| 00:41:30 | I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, MR. |
| 00:41:32 | SPEAKER, THAT CONGRESS TAKES THE APPROPRIATE ACTION IN A THOUGHTFUL, WILLFUL, DETERMINED WAY, AND NOT JUMP TO QUICK CONCLUSIONS AS IF SIMPLE FIXES WILL PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. |
| 00:41:47 | FIRST, TO THE PARENTS OF CHILDREN ACROSS AMERICA WHO ARE ASKING QUESTIONS, MR. |
| 00:41:53 | SPEAKER, I'D LIKE TO OFFER SOME OF THIS ADVICE AND ALSO IN MY BACKGROUND AS A PSYCHOLOGIST, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THIS, PARENTS SHOULD BE ASKING THEIR CHILDREN WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE INCIDENT. |
| 00:42:06 | WE SHOULD LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS AND THEIR EMOTIONS. |
| 00:42:09 | WE SHOULD ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS WITH AGE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION. |
| 00:42:14 | WE SHOULD SUPPORT AND COMFORT AND REASSURE THEM OF THEIR SAFETY AT HOME AND SCHOOL. |
| 00:42:19 | WE SHOULD OBSERVE AND WATCH FOR SYMPTOMS OF PROBLEMS SUCH AS CHANGES IN APPETITE, SLEEP ISSUES, WORRIES, AGGRESSION, ANGER, AND SADNESS. |
| 00:42:29 | WE SHOULD PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM OTHER MEDIA EXPOSURE AND INFORMATION THAT CREATES MORE FEAR AND PROBLEMS. |
| 00:42:36 | IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS TO CALL FOR PROFESSIONAL HELP FOR THEIR CHILD IF THEY ARE SHOWING SOME CONCERNS AND SYMPTOMS OF THIS BEYOND SIMPLE ADJUSTMENT, BUT ALSO FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE CHILDREN WHO ALSO HAVE ANGER DISORDERS. |
| 00:42:52 | IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS TO REVIEW WITH SCHOOL PERSONNEL LOCALLY HOW THEIR SCHOOL IS HANDLING SECURITY AND PROVIDING COUNSELING ASSISTANCE AT SCHOOL. |
| 00:43:01 | IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR OWN CONCERNS AND WORRIES, AND KEEP WATCH AS CONCERNS AND SYMPTOMS MAY COME LATER, EVEN FOR THOSE WHO ARE FAR DISTANT FROM THE LOCATION WHERE THIS OCCURRED. |
| 00:43:13 | BUT FOR MY COLLEAGUES, MR. |
| 00:43:16 | SPEAKER, I RECOMMEND THAT WE REMOVE THE STIGMA SURROUNDING MENTAL ILLNESS AND OUR TALK ABOUT IT. |
| 00:43:22 | WE FIRST AND FOREMOST ADDRESS THIS AS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. |
| 00:43:26 | WE MUST COMMIT TO EXPANDING ACCESS FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO RECEIVE TREATMENT. |
| 00:43:31 | IF PARENTS ARE NOT SURE WHAT TO DO, WE NEED TO PROVIDE THEM WITH INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE TO GET THEIR CHILDREN HELP. |
| 00:43:36 | WE HAVE TO HE REVIEW A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS SUCH AS TELEVISION VIOLENCE, VIDEO GAMES LACED WITH VIOLENT BEHAVIOR, WE HAVE TO BE SURE WE ARE REVIEWING RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE WITH NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH AND UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. |
| 00:43:54 | WHAT WE DO NOT YET HAVE IS AN ANSWER TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN ACCURATELY PREDICT THOSE WHO PERFORM VIOLENT ACTS. |
| 00:44:01 | IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT MENTALLY ILL PERSONS, IT IS A DIAGNOSEABLE AND TREATABLE CONDITION, THAT IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF CASES THERE IS NO VIOLENCE INVOLVED, AND AS A MATTER OF FACT THOSE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS ARE 11 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE THE VICTIMS OF AGGRESSION RATHER THAN THE SOURCES OF AGGRESSION. |
| 00:44:22 | WE CAN'T UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE RISKS THESE OFFENSE TIMES -- THESE OFTENTIMES PEOPLE BETWEEN AGES 15, AND 25 TEND TO BE MALES AND INTELLIGENT, BUT WE NEED TO BE SURE WE ARE IDENTIFYING AND PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES TO HAVE FOR CARE. |
| 00:44:39 | ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL I ALSO RECOMMEND THAT CONGRESS USE A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO REVIEWING EVERY SINGLE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM THAT WE FUND. |
| 00:44:48 | IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, WE NEED A THOROUGH AND THOUGHTFUL REVIEW HOW WE SPEND, HOW IT IS SPENT, AND IF IT GETS DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITIES. |
| 00:45:02 | UNDERSTAND, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROGRAM, IT WAS FUNDED AT $117 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 2012, THE PRESIDENT PROPOSED A CUT OF NEARLY $29 MILLION, AND WITH THE SEQUESTRATION IT WILL BE CUT BY A FURTHER $8 MILLION. |
| 00:45:16 | SHOULD WE MAKE THOSE CUTS? |
| 00:45:17 | IS THAT A PROGRAM THAT IS USING ITS MONEY EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY? |
| 00:45:22 | LET'S TALK ABOUT THESE IN A CANDID AND HONEST WAY WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THE COMMUNITY. |
| 00:45:28 | LET'S ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT ABOUT 58 MILLION AMERICANS SUFFER FROM A MENTAL DISORDER IN A GIVEN YEAR, ABOUT ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE WILL HAVE A DIAGNOSEABLE ILLNESS, AND IF THEY SEEK TREATMENT THEY CAN GET HELP. |
| 00:45:41 | WE ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WITH MEDICATION OVER 70% OF THE TIME THAT IT IS PRESCRIBED BY A NONPSYCHIATRIST. |
| 00:45:49 | PERSONS WHO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THAT, DRUG INTERACTIONS, OR OTHER PROBLEMS NOT QUITE DEALT WITH, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO MAKE SURE THAT INSURANCE PLANS, BOTH FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, STATE GOVERNMENT, AND PRIVATE INSURERS, ARE APPROPRIATELY ALLOWING PEOPLE TO BE TREATED FOR THIS. |
| 00:46:04 | WE HAVE MANY DIRECTIONS WE NEED TO GO ON THIS. |
| 00:46:05 | LET'S MAKE SURE WE DON'T GO DOWN THE WRONG DIRECTION. |
| 00:46:09 | I YIELD BACK. |
| 00:46:10 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLELADY FROM CALIFORNIA, MS. |
| 00:46:13 | LEE, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:46:14 | MS. LEE: I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR ONE MINUTE -- ADDRESS THE HOUSE FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:46:18 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. |
| 00:46:19 | MS. |
| 00:46:20 | LEE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. |
| 00:46:21 | SPEAKER. I RISE IN HONOR OF OUR OUTGOING CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS CHAIRMAN, CONGRESSMAN REVEREND EMANUEL CLEAVER. |
| 00:46:27 | CHAIRMAN CLEAVER HAS BEEN A TRULY UNDERSTANDING LEADER OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS DURING THE 112TH CONGRESS. |
| 00:46:33 | WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIS WISDOM AND STEADY, MIND YOU STEADY LEADERSHIP AS WE NAVIGATED THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST CONTENTIOUS DEBATES I HAVE WITNESSED DURING MY TIME IN CONGRESS. |
| 00:46:49 | UNLIKE ANY WE HAVE SEEN IN RECENT HISTORY, CHAIRMAN CLEAVER INSTITUTE ADD VERY SUCCESSFUL JOB INITIATIVE. |
| 00:46:55 | WITH UNEMPLOYMENT AT RECORD LEVELS, WITH THREE TO FOUR UNEMPLOYED PERSONS FOR EVERY SINGLE JOB OPENING, WITH 50 MILLION IN POVERTY, AND WITH UNEMPLOYMENT DISPARITIES LIKE NONE WE HAVE EVER SEEN, WE UNDER STOOD IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NOT TO ONLY TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR JOBS, BUT TO TAKE ACTION TO BRING JOBS TO THE PEOPLE. |
| 00:47:15 | AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT CHAIRMAN CLEAVER AND THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS DID WITH LAST YEAR'S JOB TOUR, BY LAUNCHING JOB FAIRS IN DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. |
| 00:47:25 | AND WE ACTUALLY CONNECTED PEOPLE WITH REAL JOBS. |
| 00:47:28 | CHAIRMAN CLEAVER ALSO HELPED LEAD THE FIGHT AGAINST THE EFFORTS TO DISENFRANCHISE MILLIONS OF VOTERS. |
| 00:47:34 | HE HAS BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR PROTECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US, ENSURING THAT THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET STAYS IN PLACE AND PUSHING FOR A BUDGET THAT IS BALANCED AND FAIR. |
| 00:47:46 | AND NOW AS WE ALL ARE TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF THIS SO-CALLED FISCAL CLIFF, I AM REMINDED OF WHAT HE SAID SO SUCCINCTLY LAST YEAR -- AS A RESULT OF LAST YEAR'S DEAL, HE CALLED IT QUITE FRANKLY A SATAN SANDWICH. |
| 00:48:00 | HE'S BEEN ABLE TO TAKE LEADERSHIP ON THESE ISSUES BECAUSE AS A PERSON OF FAITH HE UNDERSTANDS THE MORAL AND REALLY I THINK EXTREMELY DEEP ETHICAL IMPACTS OF OUR DECISIONS. |
| 00:48:15 | HE PICKS OUR CONSCIENCE AS WE APPROACH OUR DELIBERATIONS. |
| 00:48:20 | INDEED, IN WHAT HAS MANY TIMES AND OFTENTIMES BEEN THE MOST DIVISIVE, POLARIZED, AND POLITICAL CLIMATE MANY OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED, CHAIRMAN CLEAVER HAS USED HIS PASTORAL SKILLS, HIS ABILITY TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE TO HELP US ALL THROUGH TIMES OF TROUBLE. |
| 00:48:38 | HE IS TRULY A MEMBERS' MEMBER. |
| 00:48:41 | HE HELPED REMIND US EXACTLY WHY WE ARE ALL HERE, AND, YES, HE IS A BRILLIANT LEGISLATOR, BUT HE IS ALSO A PROPHETIC LEADER. |
| 00:48:53 | . CHAIRMAN CLEAVER VISITED MY DISTRICT AND HE BLESSED ME AND MY CHURCH. |
| 00:49:01 | IT WAS A SPIRITED SERMON. |
| 00:49:04 | HE'S TRULY AN ANOINTED PASTOR AND HE'S DEMONSTRATED THIS GIFT IN HIS WORK AND HIS LEADERSHIP HERE IN CONGRESS. |
| 00:49:12 | ALSO, CHAIRMAN CLEAVER IS A STRONG ENVIRONMENTALIST, AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO VISIT HIS DISTRICT WHERE AS MAYOR OF KANSAS CITY HE LED THE WAY IN GREENING OF HIS CITI. |
| 00:49:24 | HIS PRESENTATION AND CLARITY ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND HOW IT IS AFFECTING GOD'S PLANET AND ITS INHABITANTS, IT'S BRILLIANT AND IT'S CLEAR. |
| 00:49:34 | COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES OWE CHAIRMAN CLEAVER A DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR TACKLING THIS TOUGH ISSUE WITH PATIENCE AND WITH CLARITY. |
| 00:49:45 | BUT I KNOW THAT CHAIRMAN REVEREND CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER DOES NOT STAND ALONE. |
| 00:49:49 | HE HAS AN AMAZING SUPPORT SYSTEM WITH HIS FAMILY AND WIFE. |
| 00:49:54 | DIANE, WHO HAS BEEN A FRIEND TO ME AND THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS. |
| 00:49:57 | DIANE IS A BRILLIANT AND BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WHO WAS TAUGHT, LIKE MYSELF, BY THE SISTERS OF LAUREATE EA. |
| 00:50:03 | SHE HAS BEEN BY HIS SIDE OFFERING HER ADVICE, COUNSEL AND LOVE. |
| 00:50:08 | I THANK CHAIRMAN CLEAVER FOR HIS FRIENDSHIP, MY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, MY PASTOR, JAY SMITH, SENIOR AND JR. |
| 00:50:18 | , THE BAPTIST CHURCH IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, MY ENTIRE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT DEEPLY APPRECIATES CHAIRMAN CLEAVER'S GENEROSITY AND HIS ATTENTION NOT ONLY TO HIS REPUBLICAN CONSTITUENTS AND HIS DISTRICT, BUT TO MY DISTRICT, TO ALL OF OUR DISTRICT, TO OUR GREAT NATION AND TO OUR COUNTRY, THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN REVEREND CONGRESSMAN EMANUEL CLEAVER FOR YOUR TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP, FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUING WORK TOGETHER FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE. |
| 00:50:52 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLELADY FROM TEXAS, MS. |
| 00:50:55 | JACKSON LEE, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:51:18 | MS. |
| 00:51:19 | JACKSON LEE: I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS. |
| 00:51:21 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. |
| 00:51:22 | MS. JACKSON LEE: LET ME BE CLEAR, EMANUEL CLEAVER IS NOT RETIRING FROM THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS, BUT WE ARE HERE TO THANK HIM FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS AS CHAIR BUT REALLY TO THE NATION. |
| 00:51:35 | LET ME THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR GATHERING THIS MORNING TO RAISE A VOICE OF CRESCENDO FOR THANKS AND APPRECIATION FOR THIS MAN CALLED EMANUEL CLEAVER. |
| 00:51:50 | HIS PROGINY AND HIS ANCESTORS ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE MARK THAT HE'S MADE ON BEHALF OF AMERICA. |
| 00:51:57 | HE SPEAKS ELOQUENTLY FROM HIS ORIGINS OF HAILING FROM TEXAS AND MANY RELATIVES WHO REMAIN THERE, EVEN THOSE IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS OF THE 18TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. |
| 00:52:12 | HE'S A PROUD GRADUATE OF PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY IN TEXAS, IN THE SURROUNDING AREA OF HOUSTON, PRAIRIE VIEW, TEXAS. |
| 00:52:22 | HE HAS A GREAT HERITAGE AND CONNECTEDNESS TO THE BLACK POWER MOVEMENT, AND HE'S A GOOD COMBINATION OF PEACE, GENTLENESS, FIRMNESS, LEADERSHIP AND COURAGE. |
| 00:52:35 | AND I MIGHT SAY THAT HE WAS A MAN FOR THESE TIMES. |
| 00:52:39 | JUST AS THE BIBLE DICTATED THATTESTER WAS A WOMAN FOR HER -- THAT ESTHER WAS A WOMAN FOR HER TIME. |
| 00:52:47 | OUR CHAIRMAN OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS FOUND HIS ROLE IN A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES THAT WE FACED. |
| 00:52:54 | AND IF I MIGHT PARAPHRASE A BIBLICAL STORY, HOPEFULLY I HAVE IT NEARLY RIGHT, BUT I CALL THIS CHAIRMAN A MODERN DAY JOSEPH, WHO WAS ABLE TO WEAR THE MULTICOLOR COAT, REPRESENTING CONSTITUENCIES FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND GOING TO REPRESENT HIS PEOPLE IN A FOREIGN LAND. |
| 00:53:18 | CHAIRMAN CLEAVER WOULD GO TO PLACES WHERE OTHERS HAD NOT GONE OR RAISE HIS VOICE TO ISSUES THAT WERE UNPOPULAR AND HE DID SO WITH THE CONSENSUS AND COLLABORATION OF THE ASTUTE AND COMMITTED MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS. |
| 00:53:32 | I WENT TO HIS DISTRICT, AS MANY OF US DID. |
| 00:53:35 | WE'RE PROUD TO SEE THE AFFECTION AND FRIENDSHIP GIVEN TO HIM AND LOVE BY HIS CONSTITUENTS, BUT I WAS SO INTERESTED IN WHAT WE CALL THE GREEN CORRIDOR, SO MANY ARE LOOKING TO INSTILL AND IMPLEMENT THAT IN THEIR OWN DISTRICT. |
| 00:53:50 | THANK YOU, REVEREND CLEAVER, FOR COMING TO HOUSTON, TEXAS, ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION BUT PARTICULARLY AT THE NAACP BANK WET WHEN I WAS RECIPIENT OF THE HUMANITARIAN AWARD, BUT IF IN FACT WE GO TO THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR, IF WE DON'T RAISE OURSELVES TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CHALLENGE, THEN IT BECOMES A DIMINISHED RETURN, IF I MIGHT PARAPHRASE HIS WORDS. |
| 00:54:16 | IT LIFTED PEOPLE OFF THEIR FEET AND IT CAUSED US TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO. |
| 00:54:22 | FINALLY, AS OTHERS HAVE SPOKEN ON HIS WORK OF CREATING JOBS ALL OVER AMERICA, PARTICULARLY AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHERE THE JOB UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WAS SO HIGH, HE WAS A CHAMPION DURING THE DEBATE AND THE CHALLENGE OF PASSING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, NOW PROUDLY CALLED OBAMACARE. |
| 00:54:39 | WHEN WE CAME TOGETHER THAT SUNDAY, MARCH 19, BEFORE WE HAD TO GO AND VOTE, IT WAS CHAIRMAN CLEAVER THAT LED US TO A PRAYER SERVICE WHERE WE WORSHIPED AND WERE RENEWED, CAME BACK READY TO CAST OUR VOTES, TO PUT THIS GREAT LEGISLATION THAT IS GOING TO SAVE LIVES OVER THE TOP. |
| 00:54:57 | WE DID IT AS A BODY, A COLLECTED BODY AND AS A GROUP OF MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS. |
| 00:55:03 | SO EVEN PROCEEDING HIS TIME AND LEADERSHIP, HE LED. |
| 00:55:07 | SO FINALLY, MR. |
| 00:55:08 | SPEAKER, LET ME OFFER MY THANK YOU TO THE NATIVE SON OF TEXAS, TO THE GRADUATE OF PRAIRIE VIEW A&M. |
| 00:55:19 | LET ME CONGRATULATE HIS WIFE AND EXTENDED FAMILY AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN HAD HIM THE WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE FOR OTHERS. |
| 00:55:27 | THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. |
| 00:55:28 | THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT YOU'RE NOT RETIRING FROM THIS BODY AND YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR AMERICA WILL CONTINUE. |
| 00:55:35 | I YIELD BACK. |
| 00:55:36 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLELADY FROM NEW YORK, MS. |
| 00:55:39 | CLARKE, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:55:40 | MS. |
| 00:55:47 | CLARKE: THANK YOU, MR. |
| 00:55:49 | SPEAKER. |
| 00:55:50 | I RISE TO CONGRATULATE THE OUTGOING CHAIRMAN OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, THE REMPED AND REPRESENTATIVE EMANUEL CLEAVER II OF MISSOURI, WHO IS MY COLLEAGUE AND GOOD FRIEND. |
| 00:56:00 | REPRESENTATIVE CLEAVER HAS GRACIOUSLY SERVED WITH DISTINCTION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE FIFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF MISSOURI FOR NEARLY EIGHT YEARS. |
| 00:56:10 | HE'S BEEN AN OUTSTANDING CHAIRMAN TO THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, USHERING THE CAUCUS TO ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY. |
| 00:56:17 | HE CARES DEEP LOAR FOR ALL AMERICANS, CHILDREN, SEEN -- DEEPLY FOR ALL AMERICANS, CHILDREN, SENIORS. |
| 00:56:23 | WHO COULD FORGET HIS DEMONSTRATIVE LEADERSHIP ON THE C. |
| 00:56:28 | B.C. JOBS TOUR WHERE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS LINED UP FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEMSELVES TO EMPLOYERS? |
| 00:56:36 | FROM CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, SUPPORTING QUALITY EDUCATION TO OUR CHILDREN, FOR CREATING EQUAL ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FOR ALL AMERICANS, CHAIRMAN CLEAVER IS TRULY -- HAS TRULY BEEN THE EMBODIMENT OF THE CONSCIENCE OF THE CONGRESS. |
| 00:56:53 | AFTER THE SHOOTING OF OUR COLLEAGUE, GRABRY ELL GIFFORDS, HER STAFF -- GABRIELLE GIFFORDS, HER STAFF IN TUCSON OCCURRED, CHAIRMAN CLEAVER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO CALL FOR CIVILITY AND THE END TO THE TOXIC RHETORIC HERE IN WASHINGTON. |
| 00:57:09 | CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER LED THE EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT ALL CITIZENS REGISTERED TO VOTE ON NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY, WHICH WAS AN INITIATIVE TO RAISE AWARENESS TO BLOCK THE VOTER SUPPRESSION EFFORTS WITH THE ENACTING OF VOTER I. |
| 00:57:24 | D. LAWS BY NUMEROUS STATES DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS THIS YEAR. |
| 00:57:29 | THIS OUTSPOKEN MINISTER AND SOFT SPOKEN MINISTER CAN BRING THE FIRE WHEN NEEDED. |
| 00:57:36 | I CANNOT FORGET HIS LEGENDARY AND ENTHUSIASTIC SPEECH TO DEMOCRATS ON THE ISSUES, PRESSING ISSUES THAT AFFECT ALL AMERICANS AS DEMONSTRATED IN THE 2012 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION SPEECH IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. |
| 00:57:52 | HE IS NOT AFRAID TO DISPLAY HIS PASSION FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. |
| 00:57:57 | CHAIRMAN CLEAVER IS TRULY A MAN ON A MISSION FOR HIS CONSTITUENTS IN KANSAS CITY AND ALL AMERICANS ACROSS THIS NATION, A CRUSADER FOR JUSTICE. |
| 00:58:08 | I AM PROUD TO HAVE -- TO SERVE ALONGSIDE HIM IN THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS AND LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED FRIENDSHIP IN THE 113TH CONGRESS. |
| 00:58:20 | I WISH HIM GOD'S BLESSINGS AND CONTINUED SUCCESS AND I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME. |
| 00:58:28 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK, MR. |
| 00:58:31 | ISRAEL, FOR FIVE MINUTES. |
| 00:58:33 | MR. |
| 00:58:34 | ISRAEL: THANK YOU, MR. |
| 00:58:37 | SPEAKER. |
| 00:58:38 | I RISE TO JOIN MY COLLEAGUES IN HONG CHAIRMAN EMANUEL CLEAVER. |
| 00:58:42 | I HAVE NEVER HAD TO WAIT SO LONG TO SAY SOMETHING NICE ABOUT OUR COLLEAGUE OF OURS, AND THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF HOW WONDERFUL CHAIRMAN CLEAVER HAS BEEN AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE C. |
| 00:58:52 | B.C., AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND AS A HUMAN BEING. |
| 00:58:55 | THIS IS A PLACE OF HARD ELBOWS AND HARSH TONGUES, AND CHAIRMAN CLEAVER HAS ALWAYS WORKED TO MAKE US BETTER, A BETTER CONGRESS AND BETTER AS INDIVIDUALS. |
| 00:59:05 | HE AND I FOUND COMMON GROUND VERY EARLY ON IN OUR TENURE TOGETHER. |
| 00:59:10 | I CREATED THE HOUSE CENTRAL AISLE CAUCUS AND HE REACHED OUT TO ME AND WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WAYS OF INJECTING RESPECT AND TOLERANCE AND SENSITIVITY INTO OUR DISCOURSE ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE. |
| 00:59:23 | WE SHARE THE VALUE THAT LISTENING IS BETTER THAN SHOUTING AND THAT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER IS A MORE VALID TRADITION THAN DRIVING THEM APARTICIPATE. |
| 00:59:31 | HIS LEADERSHIP IN THE C. |
| 00:59:32 | B.C. HAS INSPIRED SO MANY OF US. |
| 00:59:34 | HIS ABILITY TO DRIVE THE C. |
| 00:59:37 | B.C. FORWARD AND AT THE SAME TIME TO REACH EVEN HIGHER. |
| 00:59:40 | AND I KNOW THAT THE INCOMING CHAIRPERSON, CHAIRWOMAN FUDGE, WILL PURSUE THOSE GOALS WITH EQUAL TENACITY AND EQUAL VISION. |
| 00:59:50 | FINAL WILL HE, MR. |
| 00:59:51 | SPEAKER, I WOULD SAY -- FINALLY, MR. |
| 00:59:53 | SPEAKER, I WOULD SAY THIS. |
| 00:59:56 | ALTHOUGH EMANUEL CLEAVER ASCENDED TO THE HIGHEST POSITION IN THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, ALTHOUGH HE'S BECOME A SENIOR MEMBER OF THIS CONGRESS, HE'S NEVER FORGOTTEN OUR FUNDAMENTAL ABILITY IS TO WORK FOR THOSE WE SERVE AND HE'S REMINDED US EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT NO MATTER HOW HEYER AT ANY GIVEN TIME, -- HOW HEYER AT A GIVEN TIME, THERE -- HOW HIGH YOU ARE AT A GIVEN TIME, THERE IS ALWAYS A HIGHER CALLING. |
| 01:00:27 | WE THANK CHAIRMAN CLEAVER FOR CONTINUING TO SERVE THIS BODY. |
| 01:00:37 | WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH HIM. |
| 01:00:41 | I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME. |
| 01:00:43 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES MR. |
| 01:00:49 | PAYNE FOR 2 1/2 MINUTES. |
| 01:00:50 | MR. PAYNE: I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS. |
| 01:00:52 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. |
| 01:00:56 | MR. PAYNE: MR. |
| 01:00:57 | SPEAKER, TODAY I RISE TO HONOR MY GOOD FRIEND AND MENTOR, CHAIRMAN OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, REPRESENTATIVE EMANUEL CLEAVER, THE OUTGOING CHAIRMAN OF THE C. |
| 01:01:09 | B.C. AN ACCOMPLISHED AND ESTEEM LEGISLATOR, CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ORCHESTRATING THE C. |
| 01:01:16 | B.C. FOR THE JOBS PEOPLE INITIATIVE, WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR ENTITIES ACROSS THE NATION TO HELP THE UNEMPLOYED AMERICANS GET JOBS. |
| 01:01:25 | HE ALSO SPEARHEADED VOTER PROTECTION EVENTS TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE STATE VOTER SUPPRESSION POLICIES DESIGNED TO DISCOURAGE AND PREVENT AFRICAN-AMERICANS FROM EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE. |
| 01:01:38 | PERSONALLY IT WAS MY PLEASURE TO GET TO KNOW CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER THROUGH HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH MY FATHER, THE LATE CONGRESSMAN DONALD PAYNE SENIOR. |
| 01:01:47 | HOWEVER, I BECAME MORE ACQUAINTED WITH MR. |
| 01:01:50 | CLEAVER WHEN I WAS A CANDIDATE FOR THE 10TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY. |
| 01:01:55 | THROUGHOUT THE MANY ENCOUNTERS WITH CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER, HE'S ALWAYS SHOWN TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP, INTELLECT, KINDNESS AND POISE. |
| 01:02:04 | THESE CHARACTERISTICS WERE ON FULL DISPLAY DURING THE PASSING OF MY FATHER. |
| 01:02:08 | MY FAMILY AND PRI HONORED TO HAVE MR. |
| 01:02:11 | -- WERE HONORED TO HAVE MR. |
| 01:02:13 | CLEAVER DELIVER AN UPLIFTING SPEECH THAT WAS FELT THROUGHOUT THE CHURCH DURING MY FATHER'S SERVICE IN MEAMP. |
| 01:02:21 | HIS ADVICE AND WORDS OF COMFORT WERE OF TREMENDOUS HELP AND I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR HIS UNWAVERING SUPPORT. |
| 01:02:27 | DURING MY TRANSITION TO CAPITOL HILL, HE OFFERED A GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT OFTENTIMES STOPPING ME IN THE HALLWAYS ASKING ME HOW AM I DOING AND HOW CAN HE HELP. |
| 01:02:38 | HIS ASSISTANCE HAS EASED MY TRANSITION CONSIDERABLY, AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE PROFOUND IMPACT THAT CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER HAS HAD ON ME. |
| 01:02:47 | IN JUST A FEW MONTHS, I HAVE COME TO KNOW WHY MY FATHER CONSIDERED HIM A GREAT COLLEAGUE AND AN OUTSTANDING LEADER. |
| 01:02:55 | TODAY I CANNOT THINK OF A BETTER FRIEND AND MENTOR. |
| 01:02:59 | THANK YOU. |
| 01:03:00 | MR. SPEAKER, I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME. |
| 01:03:03 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK, MR. |
| 01:03:06 | RANGEL, FOR 2 1/2 MINUTES. |
| 01:03:07 | MR. RANGEL: I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REVISE AND EXTEND MY REMARKS. |
| 01:03:10 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: WITHOUT OBJECTION. |
| 01:03:11 | MR. |
| 01:03:13 | RANGEL: I DON'T RISE TO TALK ABOUT AND TO GIVE ACCOLADES TO CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER BECAUSE HE HAS SERVED THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS SO WELL. |
| 01:03:26 | AND THE REASON I DON'T IS BECAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT HE WON'T CONTINUE TO SERVE AS HE HAS THIS CAPACITY TO DO. |
| 01:03:39 | I KNOW THAT CONGRESSWOMAN JUDGE FUDGE IS GOING TO DO A REMARKABLE JOB, BUT THERE IS A UNIQUENESS ABOUT REVEREND CLEAVER, PASTOR CLEAVER, CITY COUNCILMAN CLEAVER, MAYOR CLEAVER, CONGRESSMAN CLEAVER, THAT GOD HAS GIVEN THESE TERRIFIC ASSETS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE COMPLEX EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS AND TO TALK TO YOU LIKE HE'S KNOWN YOU ALL OF YOUR LIFE AS HE HELPS YOU TO WORK WITH HIM TO TRY TO FIND SOME SOLUTION. |
| 01:04:22 | . EVERY TIME I HEAR HIM GIVE A TALK, I ENVISION HIM AND HIS CHURCH TALKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS THAT GIVE INSPIRATION TO SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST HOPE, AND ESPECIALLY NOW AS MANY HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES AND LOST JOBS. |
| 01:04:44 | AND AS WE STRUGGLE IN THIS CONGRESS TODAY IN TRYING TO BRING SOME BALANCE IN TERMS OF OUR NATIONAL DEFICIT, SPENDING AS WELL AS OUR RAISING THE REVENUE, I CANNOT HELP BUT LOOK AT THE REVEREND CONGRESSMAN CHAIRMAN IN TERMS OF THE WORDS OF MATTHEW WHEN JESUS MADE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR, THAT ALTHOUGH THE RICH WERE NOT ASKING JESUS FOR COMFORT AS RELATED TO PROVIDING FOR THE SICK AND THE NAKED AND THE POOR AND THE UNDERPRIVILEGED, BUT SOMEHOW JESUS HAD SAID WHEN EMANUEL CLEAVER FOLLOWS, THAT IS NOT WHAT WE DO HERE IN THE CONGRESS AS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. |
| 01:05:45 | INDEED, IT'S NOT WHAT WE DO FOR THE RICH AND THE MIDDLE CLASS, BUT THE BASIC QUESTION WE ALL HAVE TO DECIDE IS, WHAT DID WE DO FOR THE LESSER AMONG US? |
| 01:06:00 | THE VULNERABLE, THE SICK, THE AGED, AND THE POOR. |
| 01:06:05 | CERTAINLY EMANUEL CLEAVER PROVIDES A CONSCIENCE FOR ALL OF US THAT ARE PRIVILEGED TO SERVE IN THIS AUGUST BODY. |
| 01:06:17 | I TURN BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME. |
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