life. isis has unleashed a campaign of sickening violence against shi'a muslims and fellow sunnis who do not share their radical beliefs. as well as against vulnerable religious and ethnic minorities. this includes public beheadings and executions and the selling of women and girls into sexual slavery. besides the human toll of isis' deplorable acts, we also mourn the loss of society's cultural heritage as the extremists a lot and destroy their way through ancient sites in the territories they conquer. . we've seen heartbreaking footage of isis breaking artifacts in mosul and bulldozing their way through the 3000-year-oldcy of nimrod. they claim the destruction of

these sites is to combat idolatry, but it's to eliminate all her -- it's to erase the multicultural past. they are paving the way for their own brand of extremism. what we are witnessing is a cultural genocide. for isis, however this looting of antiquities is big business. some reports indicate they're earning as much as $100 million annually from the sale of stolen artifacts which they often sell to middlemen who can peddle these treasures in old fashioned markets or online. earlier this year, the united nations security council unanimously adopted a resolution that urged member states to take steps to prevent the trafficking of iraqi and syrian cultural properties. just last week all 193 u.n. members agreed to step up the

prosecution of those engaged in this illegal trade. i want to commend the foreign affairs committee's ranking member, eliot engel for introducing this bipartisan bill that we have before us this evening and for his continued leadership on this critical issue. this bill, the protect and preserve international cultural property act, will help the u.s. do its part to counter the smuggling and sale of stolen syrian antiquities. specifically, the bill will improve coordination of u.s. efforts to protect cultural property and prevent these artifacts from being removed since the start of syria's civil war from being sold or imported into this country, into the united states. it's important to note that the legislation's emergency import restrictions are not designed to continue in perpetuity and can be waived under certain conditions for the temporary

safekeeping of cultural property within the united states. i also want to make clear that this bill only obstructs the import of certain syrian antiquities that have been removed from that country during the current conflict. nothing in this legislation is meant to interfere with the legal sale of antiquities that do not fall under this category nor with other aspects of the import process. i want to again thank eliot engel, the ranking member of our committee, for his work on this measure and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: thank you, madam speaker. i rise in strong support of my legislation, h.r. 1493 as amended, and yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. engel: madam speaker, we worked very, very hard on this bill. this is a very, very important bill. let me first thank chairman ed royce for his efforts to move

this bill forward. he's a good partner on the committee and we couldn't have gone this far without him. i also want to thank our other lead co-sponsors, representative chris smith, representative bill keating who have been champions on this issue i want to thank mr. chabot for his support and his eloquence in speaking for the bill. one of the things we do on the foreign affairs committee wherever possible is we work in a bipartisan fashion and this is a perfect example of working together in a bipartisan fashion for something that's really just so important. madam speaker, by now, we've all seen fooltage of isis extremists taking sledge hammers as chabot mentioned to ancient irreplaceable artifacts across the territory we control. these are not random acts of vandalism. we're witnessing a deliberate campaign to attempt to rewrite world history. from the tomb of jonah in mosul,

the aziti shrines, isis is leveling sites that preserve a record of the region's rich and diverse past. i think mr. chabot put it very well when he said the same thing. we've seen this tactic before. in afghanistan, the taliban wiped out the buddhas in march of 2000. who can forget that? during the holocaust, the nazis systematically targeted jewish property as part of their effort to wipe out an entire race. some people will say, why are we talking about the destruction of ancient ruins while so many people are suffering and dying at the hands of isis? that's not important. of course we need to stay focused on stopping the violence and relieving the dire humanitarian situation festering across the region. but the reality is we cannot separate these issues so easily. after all, before isis reduces these sites to rubble, the group

loots everything they can carry, traffics the artifacts on the black market and uses those resources to fund their violent rampage. so it is directly connected to the murder and killing of so many civilians and their brutality, they use these artifacts to get money so they can keep their war machine going, they keep the killings going, they keep the brutality going so the two are connected. isis has ransacked thousands of artifacts from dozens of world heritage sites, places like cities of amare and others that were virtually untouched before this crisis. these places are now lost to history and their destruction has funneled, as i said before, millions of dollars into isis' coffers. we need to cut off the source of funding and at the same time work to preserve this imperiled

cultural history. there's already a good effort under way a global effort under way. in february, the u.n. security council passed a resolution calling on governments to prohibit trade of cultural property looted from syria and iraq. the security council found that this step would reduce isis' operational capability to organize and carry out terrorist attacks. our western allies have cracked down on traffickers trying to sell looted artifacts from iraq and syria. now is the time for the united states to do more and that's precisely what this bill does. first of all this bill takes steps to ensure the antiquities trafficing that is lining isis' pockets is not taking place within our borders this legislation would impose tough new import restrictions on cultural artifacts removed from syria, similar to restrictions we passed in 2004 with respect to iraq. we're doing the same thing that we did in iraq in 2004 with

syria, trying to prevent these looted artifacts from funding the terrorist machine. nothing in this legislation would interfere with the legal sale or exhibition of antiquities that were not smuggled out of syria in the current crisis and there are exceptions to allow artifacts to come here for protection and restoration. these new rules would remain in effect until the crisis in syria is resolved and america is able to work with the new syrian government to protect cultural property from trafficking under a bilateral agreement in accordance with america's national interests. secondly, this bill enhances collaboration among government agencies already working on this problem this bill would bring together programs from this -- from the smithsonian to the pentagon to homeland security to a new body with a single coordinator. it would improve congressional

oversight to make sure we're efficient in the way we're addressing this challenge. these steps will not replace the authorities of existing bodies but will help ensure their programs work together effectively. this bill represents the newest chapter in a long tradition. since world war ii, america has led the world in protecting historical property from those bent on its destruction. that leadership is needed today. we must act swiftly to confront this threat, to cut off a critical source of isis fund, to stand up this barbaric brand of psychological warfare and stop those determined to rewrite history. i urge all colleagues to support this legislation, i thank mr. chabot again and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from ohio is recognized. mr. chabot: we continue to reserve our time and also reserve the right to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: thank you, madam speaker.

i will close now. let me close by noting that with each passing day isis is selling looted artifacts to the highest bidder, further financing death and destruction. whatever is left behind they reduce to rubble leveling religious sites, digging up ancient cities and erasing the last traces of long lost civilizations whose 4ist i -- histories have remained preserved in soil and sand for thousands of years, and these people destroy that we must stand up to these acts. we must do more to cut off isis' funding and save cultural property. that's why it's so important to help achee this effort. we need to pass h.r. 1493. i urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from ohio is recognized. mr. chabot: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. chabot: i first ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative

days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on h.r. 944. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. chabot: thank you madam speaker. the whole world continues to recoil in horror at isis' depravity. the ancient cities that face destruction at its hands are considered the birth place of mod -- modern civilization. just weeks ago isis conquered the ancient city of palmyra the so-called jewel of the desert. recent reports that isis has not destroyed these sites may give some of us hope, but judging from their prior barbaric acts it's probably just a matter of time before they do the same thing there as they've done so horrifically in other places. the legislation before us today and i again want to thank mr. engel for introducing the legislation, and oversight of the u.s. agencies responsible for recognizing and protecting cultural property, ensuring that such treasures are protected to

the best of our ability. that's what this legislation would do. i appreciate the other committees of jurisdiction for working with the foreign affairs committee on this measure, particularly the committee on ways and means for its assistance on the critical report import restrictions on this bill. and as mr. engel mentioned, we want -- when one is looking at this, we are looking at cultural things which have been, let's face it, destroyed forever. some of these things are thousands of years old and you can't bring them back. and you can't help but think we're talking about physical things here, but we also see them do other horrific things. when they take a jordanian pilot and then in a particularly barbaric fashion set him on fire in a cage. when they take people out to a beach and one by one behead them. when they sell innocent women

and young girls into slavery. over and over again we've seen these horrific things happening and it's time the world stood up to this group both for the horrific things they're doing on historic artifacts which can't be brought back, but also the human lives that they have so callously extinguished. this group must be stopped and let's hope that this evening we're at least taking a step in that direction. i yield back and once again thank mr. engel. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1493 as amended? those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.

the chair will now entertain requests for one-minute speeches. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? >> madam speaker i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. olson: may 31, 2013. two years ago, yesterday at 12:08 p.m., a call is made to houston 911. a large fire was burning off the southwest freeway. at 12:11, three minutes later, station 51 arrived.

at 12:16 p.m., five minutes after that, station 68 arrived. at 12:23 a mayday was heard over the radio. the roof had collapsed. that call was the last alarm for four firefighters. matthew ronald 35 years old, stationed -- station 51. robert bebe 41 years old station 51 as well. robert garner, 29 years old, station c-8. and a young lady from my

hometown andreas: sullivan, 24 years -- anne sullivan 24 years old, fire station 68. they are in god's hands and we will never forget them. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentleman from rhode island seek recognition? mr. cicilline: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. cicilline: madam speaker, i rise today to recognize rabbi les gutterman, a man who has served for more than 30 years as a senior rabbi in rhode island. rabbi gutterman's unique insight and his sharp sense of humor have served the members of his congregation magnificently during times of personal struggle and times of great celebration. as a member of the congregation, i've often relied on rabbi gutterman's wise council and spiritual guidance and i consider his friendship a great blessing in my life.

a native of flint, michigan, rabbi gutterman first came to providence 45 years ago after earning a bachelor's degree from the yoofer of michigan and a doctor of divinity from hue brew union college. at the time, just 27 years old he could not have imagined the impact he would have on our state and the families in his congregation. just three years later he would be appointed the senior rabbi for the temple, making him one of the youngest senior rabbis in the united states. today he's known to all of us as rhode island's rabbi, a humble, caring servant of god whoo has tended to the spiritual needs of this great community for nearly half a century. and while we'll miss he's presence at the temple, i know that all of us are wishing him his wife, janet, and his daughters, rebecca and elizabeth the very best as he embarks on a well deserved retirement. thank you, rabbi gutterman, for your devotion to our community and for the gentle caring guidance and love you have provided to us for so many years. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentleman yields back the balance of his time. are there any more requests for one-minutes? the chair lays before the house the following personal requests. the clerk: leaves of absence requested for mr. bishop of georgia for today. mr. castor of florida for today, mr. clyburn of south carolina for today and tomorrow, mr. green of texas for today, mexico jackson lee of texas for today and the balance of the week, mr. jolly of florida for today mrs. napolitano of california for today and mr. takai of hawaii for today. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the requests are granted. under the speaker's announced policy of january 6, 2015 the gentleman from oklahoma, mr. russell, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. russ russ thank you madam speaker. -- rullsrulls thank you mr.

speaker -- mr. russell: thank you madam speaker. with with the trade deal on the horizon, they're looking for a fast track. this would allow the president to pass sweeping trade partnerships without the input of the american people. through their elected representatives in the normal process. despite the various myths circulating about t.p.a. i sincerely believe that it is not in the best interests of our nation as written at this time. you've heard it said that a vote against t.p.p. is a vote against international trade. but actually a vote against t.p.p. is a vote for a better construct and trade agreement. i'm a strong supporter of trade when deals are negotiated strategically, in the best interest of the united states. economically. militarily. and diplomatically. but with the president leaving

office in just months i have serious concerns about the rapid pace and content of any deal that could have decades of implications. many have said t.p.a. will strengthen our international relationships and that may be, but while t.p.a. would fast track the trans-pacific partnership, in specific, currently being negotiated by the president with 11 other pacific nations, i'm not convinced that this is a partnership that must be done in haste. before the president leaves office. we currently trade with six of the 11 other members. our vital yell delicate relationship with china -- a vital, yet delicate relationship with china would likely be damaged by a rivalry for economic influence in the region. the trans-pacific partnership rewards nations with serious human rights rye -- violations while sliding trade partners

with shared values in europe. while i support the lifting of trade barriers and promoting better standards of living i believe we must do the right track, not the fast track. others have claimed t.p.a. will strengthen national security. on this point we should take careful note. the president has used dangerous and isolating language regarding china with words coming from the us who like -- white house like hedge moany and containment. to ask for the trans-- to zport t.p.a., the trade promotion authority. but we must note that china is not our enemy. therefore we should not put it on the path to become one. by isolating china we could easily transform our capabilities-based defense strategy to a threat-based one. with all of the implications and decades of effort that that would entail. it would affect all of our future defense spending and could even begin cold war ii. the trade promotional authority

can be granted and trade agreements inked without making china excluded. or worse, our enemy. we need to use the next 20 months to repair the relationships as we move towards better trade agreements. the trade promotional authority, some say, gives congress a seat at the negotiating table. but the t.p.a. allows congress to set broad objectives for negotiation and that comes at a high price. under the trade promotional authority, congress sacrifices its authority to any changes on the final deal and they are left with a simple, yes or no -- with a simple yes or no vote. i believe the american people deserve their voice in trade agreements which impact all of our livelihoods and affect all of our families a finances. while trade is vital to economic opportunity and our international friendships, i

cannot support granting the president permission in light of these concerns with trade promotional authority. madam speaker america has long been fascinated with china. from the time of columbus who sought to find a western approach to china and instead discovered america, we have been drawn to its ancient culture and its people. the earliest american vessel pulled into a canton port in 1748. 40 years later we began trade with the cantonese. the first mention of china obtaining a favored nation status was actually as early as 1844, when we signed the treaty of -- a treaty. the way seemed open to engage china in her market. but there were concerns. wrote one negotiating diplomatic guarding this treaty -- diplomat guarding this treaty, and i quote it is -- regarding this treaty, and i quote, it is the most

uncivilized and remote of all nations. it is in an isolated place outside the solitary and ignore ability. not only are the people entirely unversed in the forms of edicts and laws, but if the meaning be rather deep, they would probably not even be able to comprehend. it would seem that we must make our words somewhat simple. what is amusing is that the diplomat was chinese and his comments were directed toward the united states. china moved ahead slowly and cautiously with its relations with the west, the inner play of western covetousness with chinese reluctanceness kept the door to china at a mere crack. european attempts to force the crack with opium and acquisition of port cities broadened the natural distrust. under europe though, the united states wanted trade not territory. u.s. ambassador was able to

secure the first treaty that china ever made with any western nation in 1861. and china was regarded as an equal. chinese workers began to flock to the united states and literally began to move mountains in california as economic opportunity thrived. unfortunately the goodwill of lincoln faded in just one generation. the plundering of chinese port cities by european competitors changed how americans began to view china. the flood of chinese immigrants to california became an easy target for any setback on this economic assent. racism reached such a height that in 1882 the united states congress, this body, passed, and the president signed, first ever act that excluded a specific race on immigration. we did not even make any

pretense about it. calling it the chinese exclusion act. the provisions remain in effect for nearly 60 years. as these events played out, komondor pery of the united states navy, enter tokyo in 1850 and demanded that japan open up. the japanese obliged. japan embarked on a stunning modernization program where china was reluctant. in an incredible span of only 50 years, japan adopted western technology governance, law industry and military doctrines. her rise from the mystic futilism to world power alarmed the west. in response the goodwill of lincoln towards china would take hold again in the form of his youthful personal secretary john hey now an older, wiser and towering figure of respect serving as as the secretary of state in 1900's.

he saw the best way to compete with japan would be to open up china to trade while protecting her territory. hey's open door policy was widely heralded across the globe as the solution to imperial japanesedy sent densy. this would have long lasting implication but one important side effect was to restore u.s.-chinese relations. hay even secured a guarantee from japan in 1908 to respect china's open door. independence and territory. it would last only seven years. as china moved to become more enlightened to the west with the revolution to self-governance in china, imperial japan made what was known as its 21 demands during world war i. great britain and u.s. secretary of state william jennings brian moved quickly to prevent japan from attempting

to make china its own protector. american-chinese relations warmed even further when the united states declared china's right to autonomy with tariffs and trade in 1928. as once warm japanese relations with the united states turned sour over imperial japanese policy in china, regarding man churia, america established what became the stemson doctrine that thank refused to recognize japanese acquisitions in china and upheld china's rights to its own southernity. the 1930's saw an imperial japan plunder china, pull out of the league of nations and commit horrific atrocities in hong kong. the u.s. responded by calling for a global quarantine against japan in defense of china in 1937. china's own struggles internally with the communists

paled in comparison to losing its industrial heart and its coast to the imperial japanese army. by 1941, america was sending war material an economic aid to china in her defense. american volunteer pilots cut dashing figures as they flew american p-40 war hawks for the chinese air force, as famed flying tigers. ultimately america's defense of china led it to be attacked at pearl hauber and resulted in a -- harbor and resulted in a brutal pacific and chinese theater of war during world war ii. the united states committed an entire effort in china with a commander general the building of the road and by training, equipping and launching a chinese army to attack japanese forces. immigration that were imposed

in 1882 were now finally repealed. america had sympathy for china's struggle. by war's end, china was an important partner and ally. her struggle did not end, however. ripped again internally by civil war once the japanese were defeated, china would be led by the communist party. the united states did not recognize communist china but neither did it materially aid fleeing nationalist chinese on the continent. a period of isolation and strained relations with the united states began once again under mao. . the u.s. became embroiled in a deadly struggle with north korea and countered her assault in the south in an attack that pushed them north to the border. alarmed, china struck back. for the first time since 1900, americans and chinese were fighting each other.

by 1953, an uneasy line had settled on the chinese peninsula. relationships had cooled with the west but were not always promising with the soviet russia. when the u.s. fought in vietnam, china continued to arm and send troops to the communist government of ho chi minh. but then a sere rofse -- series of odd events brought american and china relations back in an unusual way. mao reassessed relationships with the united states he reasoned that china could not be isolated by both world powers. overtures from president nixon in his inaugural address and a series of ping-pong matches created dialogue for the first time in decades. in 1971, henry kissinger went on a secret mission to china

opening the way for nixon's visit with mao. who would have thought that the man that shunned the united states in favor of communism and the president that built his reputation on fighting communism would both come to realize that our nations, despite their differences, needed each other. mainland china was now officially recognized by the united nations. the u.s. set up diplomatic offices. trade agreements opened. relations warmed. by the 1980's, with state visits from both countries. as the horizon bright and the chinese people hoped, the chinese government cracked down on dissidents in tiananmen square. the u.s., alarmed, imposed sanctions and restrictions. tensions loomed through the 1990's, culminating with the u.s. bombing of the chinese embassy in bell grave, serbia, in 19 dmb in bell grade, serb --

in belgrave, serbia. by 2001, trade restrictions were loosened once again. china pledged to firingt the war on terror and committed material aid in great amounts for the effort. by 2006, china-u.s. relations deepened under the strategic economic dialogue. business in both countries increased as commerce offered great economic opportunity for both countries. on the verge of a bright future, we now see today with timidity and fear where we should see opportunity and favor with regard to china. china needs us we need china. yet we see in the last week, madam speaker a week of a barrage of negative press on china, covering everything from hedging them on trade to condemning them in the

development of island outposts in the china sea to framing them up as the new military threat that must be checked by the united states. die willing and diplomacy are cheaper than tanks and homthalk -- tomahawks. does the united states really wish to believe that we can leave a capabilities-based military to create some new threat-based military and it would be in our favor? while china is not our enemy, we could certainly set the conditions to make them one in the future. it would be a tragic mistake. it would devour our diplomacy, drain our defense and diminish our domestic prior sis. worse, it could set the course for some future horrific conflict between dozens of friendly nations that we currently trade with, including china. including china. where is the dialogue on

including china in the transpacific trade agreement? i have not heard it from this chamber or the white house. sure, we claim they can join if they meet the standard only after we use every anti-chinese statement in trying to make the case for the trade promotional authority. that is not very reassuring. some kay -- some say we must not include china at all in the transpacific partnership because of their human rights record. others object because they are a communist nation. others cite the fact that china has been our former enemy. here's some thoughts to ponder. if we can foregive germany and japan for horrific human rights violations in world war ii, can we not reach out to china? if we can embrace former enemies who reform their existing communist government, such as vietnam can we not reach out to china? if we can turn former enemies such as great britain, canada,

mexico, spain, the philippines, germany austria hungary italy, japan and vietnam into our top trading partners, can we not also reach out to china? china needs petroleum, natural gas, and we have plenty of it. we have both ready to export. china wants to lay thousands of miles of road and ambitious projects for her commerce. we have the raw materials for asphalt, industry, to make their road paving machines, and colleges to educate their engineers. madam speaker, we need china. three million chinese nationals live and work in the united states more than the population of my home state of oklahoma. china constitutes our greatest trading partner working with

thousands of businesses that bolster our economy and better our quality of life. our peoples are historically and deeply intertwined. we must proceed with wisdom and caution, and while we love trade, while we love economy, we can work out differences rather than magny fie them and deepen suspicion and concern. insteed, we can dialogue. the same standards that people often cite with regard to china and how she is stealing technologies or making shoddy goods were the same charges we leveled against japan in the 1960's and south korea in the 1980's and yet, we no longer have those concerns about those allies today with their incredible effort, economy and technology. our peoples are historically and

deeply intertwined, the united states and china. and we must work hard to maintain that. madam speaker, i would hope that our colleagues and our president would temper the rhetoric with regard to discussions on trade and using it as some new effort to hedge or contain china, rather to embrace and trade with that nation. whatever differences we may have can be worked out in the spirit and good will of lincoln. madam speaker, i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from oklahoma yields back.

the speaker pro tempore: under the speak ear -- speaker's announced policy of january 2015, the gentlewoman from illinois, ms. kelly is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. without objection, so ordered. ms. kelly: thank you. it's an honor and privilege to once again have the opportunity to stand on the house floor and anchor the congressional black caucus' special order hour with the distinguished gentleman from new jersey. today, we will discuss the many economic challenges facing so many everyday americans and

specifically tonight we want to examine some of the economic barriers, some of the policy possibilities and the outlook on job prospects for african-americans in districts that we represent across the country. it is worth beginning with the fact that we are now about six months removed, six years removed, excuse me, from the end of what historians and economists deemed the great recession. america's economy has rallied. we have inched our way closer and closer to full recovery. and in fact, the beginning of 2015 saw the most sustained period of job creation in this century. but the fact remains that in spite of the steady stream of progress, and even in the midst of our positive job numbers there are still too many people being left behind. many of these people live in communities like the ones i represent in cook county and kankakee. many of these people can be

found in urban, central, or rural america. but i guarantee we all know someone out there who is still in the midst of their own personal economic recovery. the fact remains that many communities of color are struggling mightily in their recovery and many black and brown -- and in many black and brown neighborhoods unemployment remains at a crisis level. this evening as our -- this even as our economy continues to rebound. i'm remounded by -- reminded by a -- of a quote that the hardest work in the world is being out of work. that's something i personally believe but so often i hear folks say that america's unemployed have made a choice to not work. that vulnerable american looking for work, doing so because they made poor decisions. we hear this time and time again, especially in this chamber about folks needing to pull themselves up by their boot

straps. i have seen -- i can tell you i have seen people tug in vain on their boot straps to no avail. many families still need help in their recovery and as representatives we need to hear their cry and do more. mark morial who followed on taking the leadership of the national urban league recently said it is clear to far too many blacks and latinos, the nation's economic recovery is only something they hear about. it's clear it's by passing large swaths of people in black and brown neighborhoods and that is zages, not only to those communities but to our nation. a recovery that leaves millions of its citizens behind will ultimately threaten america's sustained growth. even before the great recession, black unemployment has consistently been twice as high as white unemployment. i think congress -- i thank congressman payne -- i think

congressman payne and my colleagues gathered here would agree we have to address this now. to again quote mr. morial of the national urban league for blacks and latinos of america, the economic hardship of the recession is still as real today as it was when it began in 2007. consider these statistics on the economic reality of many african-americans, according to a bran dice university study. a typical black household has accumulated less than one tenth of the wealth of a typical white one and that number is getting worse. over the last 25 year, the wealth gap between blacks and whites has nearly tripled. this is large -- largely because home ownership among blacks is so much lower. housing is often americans' greatest asset and a major component of their overall wealth. african-americans typically have lower incomes than whites, which also makes it harder for them to save and build wealth. the median income for black

households is less than 60% that of white ones. and finally, the job of -- jobless rate for black americans is twice that of whites. mr. speaker, the time to act is now. the necessity of responding to this economic crisis should be an american imperative. we cannot be limited by far low -- narrowly focusing on a prehe re-session economy. we should be promoting a bold economy that propels taos a sustainable future. more can be done by us and this administration has proven to have beening with willing to take the positive steps necessary to put us on a more prosperous path. regardless of where some of the our -- some of our colleagues are when it comes to the president, i think wie all in agreement that more americans in the work force and more economic stimulation benefits all of us. the question is still relevant, how do we create a stronger economy and a more perfect

union? where do we go from here? i am very pleased again to be joined by my distinguished colleague from the congressional black caucus tonight as we discuss this analysis of the economy and job opportunity in our community. the insight and policy prescriptions are valuable in our continued march toward a more perfect union. let me first yield to my dynamic anchor, the honorable donald payne jr. i yield. mr. payne: thank you, mr. speaker. i first want to start by thanking my colleague congresswoman kelly, for co-anchoring this special order with me. thanks also to the members of the congressional black caucus that will be joining us. and a special thanks to everyone watching at home. it is wonderful to be here to talk about our shared priorities. tonight, as stated by my colleague, we are going to

address two of the most pressing issues for african-american communities. jobs and economic development. since the recession ended much of the united states has experienced economic recovery. however african-american communities continue to face significant challenges to securing jobs and escaping poverty and accumulating wealth. it is a disturbing and unacceptable reality and a reminder that congress has a moral responsibility to create avenues of economic prosperity for african-american communities. our focus must be on the economic issues that most -- that matter most to african-american communities, including employment income and wealth. according to a report by the

u.s. congress joint economic committee, at 10.1% the unemployment rate for african-americans is double the rate for white americans. african-americans are 2.5 times more likely than white americans to face long-term unemployment and over 20% of african-americans in their early 20's are still unemployed. this hurts earning prospects and long-term employment. given the higher rates of unemployment in the african-american communities, it is no surprise that african-american communities also have lower incomes and less wealth. and african-americans are more likely to live in staying poverty. according to the april joint economic committee report, the median income of an african-american household is only $34,600, almost $24,000

less than white households in this country. african-americans are almost three times more likely to live in poverty than white americans. and african-american households have 13 times less wealth than white households. in my state of new jersey, the statistics are equally as grim. in new jersey the poverty rate for african-americans hovers at 22% and is three times that of white americans at 6.6%. the unemployment rate for african-americans is 11.1% and that is twice that of white americans at 5.5%. according to the u.s. census bureau, it estimates in new jersey, the 10th congressional district, the unemployment rate for african-americans is 19.1%.

which was 2.5 times that of white americans at 7.5%. these glaring disparities betray the american promise that working hard leads to economic stability. african-american women's unemployment today, more women are the primary bread winners for their families than ever. in fact, 38% of women earn more than their husbands. women make up nearly half of our nation's work force however, on average full time working women earn just 77 cents for every $1 a man earns. and african-american women earn just 54 cents for every $1 a man earns. african-american women have been hit particularly hard by

unemployment. according to the national women's law center in april, african-american women's unemployment was at 8.8%, which is higher than the peak of the total women's unemployment during the recession. compare that to 4.2% of unemployment rate for white women and to the national unemployment rate of 5.4%. we need a more widely shared recovery. we cannot strengthen our households or our economic -- or our economy when such large disparities exist. the congressional black caucus is committed to tackling this challenge. the c.b.c. has fought for much-needed investment in job training, in education and in employment opportunities to equip people of color and people from low-income communities with the skills needed to compete in today's economy.

education is definitely key to this prosperity. it is best when we invest in it and make it possible for all youngsters, all americans, to get a good education. education is the path to success, but many people simply can't afford it. african-americans lag sharply behind their white americans in educational attainment as well. so it is a consistent theme that we hear, whether it is poverty, education, wealth job opportunities, that these communities lag behind. we need a strong nation, irrespective of what community you live in. and here in congress and at the

c.b.c. we fight every day to make sure that all americans have an equal opportunity to prosper in this nation. and i see we've been very fortunate to be joined by several of our colleagues and so, madam co-anchor, i will yield back to you in order to acknowledge our members of the caucus that have joined us. ms. kelly: thank you. it is my pleasure to introduce congresswoman from oakland, congresswoman barbara lee, who always has great things to share with us. thank you. ms. lee: thank you very much. first, let me thank you, congresswoman kelly, and congressman payne for hosting this special order. both of you your leadership is so is important -- both of your leadership is so important for these critical conclusion discussions. we're trying -- critical discussions. we're trying to tell the truth

and let the entire country know exactly what the economic status is, what the job opportunities and educational opportunities are in the african-american community and how those disparities continue to grow and really how we need to do everything we can here to begin to close those gaps and daspy -- disparities. so thank you very much once again. we stand here tonight to discuss economic opportunity. i have to say the lack of opportunity in the black community. in recent months we have seen communities across this country, including baltimore and my hometown of oakland, california, in my congressional district, demand an end to the systemic and institutional racial biases that plague our society. people, especially young people, are calling for an end to centuries of oppression.

they're fighting for equality of opportunity, the opportunity for every american to live the american dream. too many places in our nation are tales two of cities. one city is bright shiny and new, it's home to new condominiums and fancy restaurants. the other city is left with boarded-up stores, abandoned homes and too many people without a job and without hope. i know congresswoman kelly and congressman payne, congressman jeffries, myself, all of us represent these cities. these two cities within one context, one environmental, one framework, one boundary. we all know that the inequality of opportunity really is not a new phenomena. we've lived in these structural -- we lived -- excuse me, with these structural injustices for centuries. it wasn't until the race riots erupted in chicago and detroit in 1968 that our government

began to take some notice. after the riots president johnson convened the commission to investigate the root causes of the unrest. the report clearly showed a nation moving towards two societies. one black, one white, separate and unequal. while the report identified the problem, our nation faced a truly need to address it. there still is not liberty and justice for all. the report also called for better training for police, new investments in jobs and in housing and the end of de facto segregation. now, this report really could have been written last month. sadly, nearly 50 years later, we still live in a country where the color of your skin and the zip code in which you were born determines your future. but i'm proud to be working with members of the congressional black caucus to continue to address these

persistent inequalities in our nation by working on policies and programs to create economic growth, educational opportunities and job opportunities. for example, we know that black children are disadvantaged from day one. more than one in three black children are born in poverty. that's one in three. in the world's richest and most powerful nation, 1/3 of all african-american children are forced to grow up with the harsh reality of poverty day in and day out. this is outrageous, it's unacceptable. and the cycle of poverty continues in the school systems that institutionalize this discrimination. while black students represent just 18% of preschool enrollment, they account for 42% of preschool student expulsions. can you believe that? preschool student expulsions. that's really a disgrace. we're talking about kids ages 2 to 5 years old. these kids don't even get a

start, let alone a head start. what in the world are children that young doing being expelled from school? from preschool? then in high school, the graduation rate for black students is 16 points lower than the rate for their white peers. black students are far less likely than their white counterparts to obtain a four-year college degree and the crisis and inequality extends from education to the economy itself. over the past four decades, unemployment rate for blacks has remained nearly double the rate for whites. today the unemployment rate in the black community stands at 10.1% that's reported. to put it in context, the current african-american unemployment rate is higher than the national average was at the height of the great recession. in addition to higher unemployment rates, african-americans are also nearly completely locked out of some key economic sectors

especially the tax sector. only one in 14 technical workers in silicon valley is african-american or latino. that's one in 14. that's why the c.b.c. has launched the tech 2020 initiative to work with the tech sector to increase work force diversity and investments in stem education and to expand the market opportunities for businesses to ensure that the jobs of today and tomorrow are open to all. for african-americans in the work force, our nation's inequalities are also evident in their paychecks. and congressman payne just laid out the statistics for women. while women earn 77 cents on the dollar that a man earns, it's just 64 cents for african-american women. the median income for blacks is a mere $34,000. that's nearly $24,000 less than the median income for whites. most black families hold their wealth in home equity. so the great recession hit the black community particularly hard.

too many families lost everything and many more black families are struggling as home prices failed to keep pace with the stock market. and so of course the net worth now of african-american families is about six cents to the dollar for white families. so the time for action is now. these communities, our communities, cannot wait until -- any longer. we must together like never before to address the inequalities in our nation that leave black families behind. in my role as co-chair of the c.b.c.'s task force on poverty and the economy and chair of the democratic whip's task force on poverty, income inequality and opportunity, we're working hard to give black families a fair shot. we're talking about all families. not leaving any family behind. i'm proud to be working with more than 100 of my colleagues to advance policies that build pathways out of poverty into the middle class for everyone for all americans.

yes, black lives, like all lives do count. we've introduced the act to develop a national strategy to cut poverty in half in the next decade. this bill would lift more than 22 million americans out of poverty, into the middle class in just the next 20 years, by doubling down and coordinating proven anti-poverty programs. the congressional black caucus also took a stand on poverty in its alternative budget proposal. we called for robust investments in education, infrastructure and affordable housing, programs that would ensure opportunity for all. we must keep up this fight until congress makes these long overdue investments. we need to strengthen the social safety net and invest in proven anti-poverty programs such as the earned income tax credit and the supplemental nutrition assistance program. these were initiatives begun 50 years ago under president lyndon johnson's great society programs and they are working. .