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way it would happen. but it did not. it became a concrete life preserver for employees, employers and for the marketplace. mr. speaker, this health insurance tax advantage is but one of the ideas that is available to the american people and to the republican party as part of the world's greatest health care system. so, i believe that we need a

very disciplined approach. i believe that we need to be thoughtful. i believe that we need every single member of congress to understand what kind of health care system america deserves. not only for the physicians and the hospitals back home, but for the real-life people who are called constituents. and we as members of congress should know the day we pass a bill how we intend it to work. my colleagues, the democrats for six years have bumbled around and even today don't even understand, nor will they admit, what a disaster obamacare is. so, the american people did it for them. e american people voted in donald j. trump. they voted in republicans to the house and the -- house in the

majority. they voted in republicans to the senate. and now we are in washington and we are going to struggle. we're going to struggle mightily . we're going to throw ideas onto the wall. we're going to have committee hearings, we're going to have the best thought process. we are going to be able to go back home and to sell to the american people not only some of the ideas that i have, but some of the ideas that my colleagues have. and we are going to come up with a better health care system. so, what we're about is fixing a system before we repeal it. i believe it's wise to say that republicans owe it to the american people to say, before we go replacing something, let's -- before we repeal something, let's replace it. and more and more and more and more of my colleagues are saying

this openly. it only makes sense. we have nothing to fear with a republican option and an alternative that will be superior for the american people and every single person will be able to see that. we believe establishing a republican alternative that can be implemented this year is the best answer. this is my idea. my idea is, let's go get it on. we know what we're doing. let's go hold our hearings, let's go to the american people, let's sell the ideas that we've got. let's go move forward. and get this process on. secondly, we believe that what we've got to do is use reconciliation to repeal the most onerous mandates. what might those be? well, the individual and the business mandate. the cadillac tax. we believe that we've got to go

and use the processes, the leverage that we've got, and then we've got to count on what i hope will be the gentleman from georgia, tom price, who is today the chairman of the budget committee, but tomorrow has been nominated to be the secretary of health and human services. will count on dr. tom price actually sitting in the seat looking at the exact same law that was overwhelmingly voted by every -- by democrats and no republicans, and using those levers that he has that were expressly given to the head of h.h.s. to make wise decisions on how to implement the law as we move forward. i will tell you, chairman price is a physician with a long

history of understanding health care, as a provider of health care for years, as an awesome physician, tom price knows the problems. he will use those same opportunities that exist in the law today. instead of it being something that would be more difficult for a consumer, more difficult for a person on obamacare, more difficult for what might be an employer, more difficult and time consuming for a consumer, of costly to the consumers this country, but perhaps worst of all, making it harder to provide better health care for a patient, tom price will have that opportunity. so, this is a three-tiered process for republicans. for us to also bring the best

ideas. the american people should be checking with their member of congress, who will be able to understand the republican alternative. thths for the american people to know -- this is for the american people to know we're going to use the levers of law to change them, to repeal and take back the most onerous parts of obamacare, and we're going to work within the law that mr. price, as head of h.h.s., would be able to use exactly the same leskers that someone sat there, if -- levers that someone sat there, if they really wanted to fix health care, instead of making it harder for someone. we know that republicans have better ideas and that we want to benefit establish a tax system while allowing the

employer-sponsored insurance tax system to remain. that means that every single american will have parity on the opportunity to buy health care on january 1 of every year. no longer will we find that people lag behind because they can't afford or it's a rigged system or they have a disadvantage. republicans have an opportunity to level the playing field. this is why republicans openly, and any crowd can say, we have better ideas. we don't have to force anybody, we'll invite them to come be a part of what we do. and i guarantee you more people will flock to our system than fled and ran from obamacare. because it has to work for everybody, not just some of us. and the health care system that

we have today, obamacare, literally young people ran from the system. they could not afford it, but worst of all, they could not pay the high deductible. and if you have such a high deductible, it means by and large insurance is useless to you. so, mr. speaker, what republicans are doing is going to allow a tax benefit system. republicans are going to make h.s.a.'s available as an option, an alternative, so that people have a choice and a chance to buy what they need, but not pay for what they don't want. we want an opportunity for them to be to become consumers -- them to become consumers. we want them to be a part of a system where it's not use it or lose it, but rather they can, only through their own means, and their hard work, roll over

perhaps $1,000 a year, $1,000 at 21, $1,000 at 22, $1,000 at 23. and to allow private physicians to make sure they are in the system. lastly, as my time is moving forward, i want to say something to each and every american. because it seemingly has been a art of the lexicon in my democrat friends' viewpoint. and it is this. the republican plan has available to it, and i believe will accept, the rights that were noun none under obama -- that were known under obamacare, which were very bipartisan, coverage through age 26, republican plan, you bet. no lifetime annual limits. republican plan, absolutely.

modified guaranteed availability , renublet, just like what was in obamacare, you bet we'll have that too. prohibition on pre-existing condition exclusions. literally just the same. you have to buy in and if you don't, then you have a problem. but if you buy in, first time you get a chance, it's an opportunity, just like obamacare. prohibition on discrimination based on health status. absolutely. that's a republican idea too. it is not owned by just one party. it is a generally accepted idea. and would be a part, should be a part of the republican plan. and nondiscrimination in health care coverage. mr. speaker, what i've tried to do in this hour is to give the american people and my

colleagues the confidence, that what lies ahead will be an awesome debate, but it will be done in public. it will be done above board. it will be done where members of congress can go back home and explain to people not only what we want to do but be willing to take their own feedback also. it will be a system that will fix the inequities, the things that were unfair, about tax benefits. and it should be, and i hope will be, a system that will be available this next year. so that on january 1 of this next year, as we find the american people wanting eagerly to look at the health care that their families would want and need, that they will find a tax benefit that is consistent with

what any other american gets. now, the last point i'd like to say is a thank you. i'd like to say a thank you to some 500 physicians of the national physicians policy council, who have worked through, for two years, nine very large meetings across this country. the last one, the first week of december, here in washington, dr. john t. gill, national co-chairman and dr. marcy swelling, dr. gill is from dallas, dr. swelling is from los angeles, and our 16 vice chairmen who have devoted not only hard work but a belief that a health care change should be done with physicians, with the people who care about not only

patients, but care about the system that they would be engaged in. the system of health care in greatest t is the system that we know of. and they have sent me hundreds of ideas and hundreds of things which we have openly discussed, where we rubbed elbows trying to decide how do we hone this idea, and it has come down to every single american should end up with a better health care system than one that was designed that they could not explain and still leaves some 30 million people uninsured in america and that is called obamacare. . that we should not have a system that demands that a person be on that system or pay a huge fine.

no. we would want a system where people came to it, liked their health care system, became a consumer and were proud of what they got and perhaps more importantly, could go to the doctor of their choice instead of calling the number and being assigned or take the person that they were given. mr. speaker, there are lots of ways to get things done in this country, but republicans have for years have better ideas. and the idea on health care is ne that republicans are eager, eager not only to accept this challenge, but eager to say that we are going to work together. speaker ryan has pledged himself to our conference. we have members of the united states senate, mitch mcconnell, the other body, and there are a

number of numbers, dr. bill cassidy and dr. rand, who have come out with their health care bills, ways to attract not other co-sponsors but colleagues who are democrats also. so i would say to my colleagues, i would like for you to take just a minute and look at the world greatest health care plan. i would like for you to be concerned instead of the some 12 to 20 million people -- everyone has their own congressional district and there might be a large number, but by and large the vast number would not be on obamacare and each of our members owe them a better health care system also. but if we all get together, every single person can have the pportunity to have a non

discriminatory system where every hospital would take your coverage instead of only a few. obamacare is only a few, only a few doctors. and if we work together and form larger team sizes, we can make health care even better for all americans. so, mr. speaker, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to talk about better ideas to fix health care, but it would be done through a deliberate disciplined approach, one which every single member can describe what they want and say that only 24% of doctors will take their plan, then let them stand on that. but i want to be for a system where virtually every hospital and virtually every doctor would take the health care plan that i

would like my family to be on and them also and that is why i stand up tonight and speak favorably about the republican advantages of where we will head, specifically about the world's greatest health care plan that senator cassidy and i have sponsored and more specifically that the american people can be sold by every single one of us to make health care work for each and every american and thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. under the speaker's announced policy of january 3, 2017, the gentlewoman from virgin island, ms. plaskett is recognized as the designee of the minority leader. ms. plaskett: i ask unanimous consent to have members to

revise and extend their remarks on the subject of my special order hour. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. plaskett: i yield to the chairman of the congressional black caucus, sed rick richmond of the great state of louisiana. mr. richmond: the c.b.c. has led the charge in proposing solutions for the underserved and disadvantaged communities throughout this country. in its first remarks as president, donald trump remarks are petty and beneath the office of president of the united states. on day one, in his first official acts of his office was broad a page detailing a

set of civil rights commitments and accomplishments under president obama. it's fitting that president trump would take the public pledge to defend the civil rights of all americans. this is a continuation of the divisiveness that defines his campaign where he proposed a muslim ban, mass deportation and nationwide stop and frisk program. this is consistent with a jeffam that would nominate seeings. president trump didn't stop with change ig the web site. the department of justice is delaying a hearing on the relief for voter identification law. the you court of appeals for the fifth circuit of appeals ruled

that the law had a discriminatory effect and provisions must be made that the law requires to be able to cast a vote. every judge who is considered the texas law found it discriminatory but it has been used in elections there. unfortunately, president trump isn't willing to stand up to protect the voting rights. ince getting elected, he has instances of voter and spread alternative facts about voter fraud. they suspended a mortgage insurance rate to give relief to homeowners. according to the federal housing administration, the cut would have saved the average homeowner

$500. this will make it more difficult for middle-class americans to urchase a home and eliminate relief. according to the national association of realtors, this will prevent 30,000 to 40,000 new home buyers from purchasing homes in 2017. his move will affect african-american homeowners who re more likely to rely on an f.h.a. mortgage insurance. mr. speaker, we know who donald trump is and an inclination of what he intends to do. we plan on educating the president about the needs of underserved communities. i will take a moment to address a few of his points in his new deal for the african-american community which is a bad deal in terms of economic quality and

public education and hallow deal in temperatures of voting and civil rights. as a caucus, the congressional black caucus, 39 would like to inform that 39% of african-americans live in suburbs. the remaining 25% live in small rural communities. for more than 45 years, the congressional black caucus has worked to improve conditions for african-americans. collectively, our members represent 78 million americans, 17 million of whom are african-american. our districts are rural as well as urban. some of our members represent minority-majority districts. mr. speaker, you will hear from several members who will point to several pieces of legislation

that will address many of the issues that will face inner city communities and facing communities all across this community. and what i would like to reiterate and stress is the fact that we don't just talk about a problem but we offer solutions and we have sent to you, mr. president, a letter outlining all of the 10 points in your new deal with concrete solutions and legislation that we have authored that we think will go further and more comprehensive way of approaching the problem in those communities. we also sent you another document that details more than your issues, but highlight issues that are tasted by american families across this

country and our proposals that will solve them. and we would encourage you to step out of the white house and to listen to people who have done this for a long time and who live in those communities and offered viable solutions. so, i would just say that we don't need more talk or more rhetoric. what we need is action and action from 1600 pennsylvania, action from the white house and urge to you to look at the roposals that we have and give patrol solutions. ms. plaskett: thank you so much to the chair of the congressional black caucus for your leadership in our caucus as well as his continued fight on the issues impacting black americans and communities in underserved communities and

chairing veasey in this special hour and members of the congressional black caucus. we are here tonight as representatives of representatives to respond directly to president trump's inaugural address and specifically to his new deal for african-americans. he promised to address issues confronting african-americans and gave a 10-point plan. we have reviewed the issues outlined in the plan and have concrete suggestions for him. hile i acknowledge his issues, it does not go far enough to address the needs of the communities and rely heavily that african-american

communities are in the inner cities. just as the chairman talked bout, let's not talk about the stereotyping and diversity. african-americans live in the rust belt and rural areas, in suburbs and they live intertowers. my home district of u.s. virgin islands has a population of 100,000 american citizens. it is a majority minority and it has experienced the same slow recovery as many of the dispossessed communities across america. and the issues of the african-americans cannot be solved in 10 bullet points direct todd a small portion of the african-american community. we are here this evening to send a message, suggestions, thoughts, ideas, support to president trump that if he is serious about addressing the

issues, it would be wise to tap into the decades of experience held by the members of this caucus. the answers to those 10 points are very nuanced and we have been working on them for decades and happy to support positive improvements. for almost a half century, this caucus has advocated to improve the lives of millions of americans. african-americans and all americans. the 49 members of this caucus who sit in both houses of congress and the members before us tonight have offered solutions for decades that would not only help those african-american communities but those areas nation wid. we will continue to improve the lives of all americans in search of better opportunities and we will give you an idea of those

this evening. i would like to yield to mark veasey of texas, for his remarks on this matter. mr. veasey: i would like to thank the gentlelady from the virgin islands leading this special order and how president trump preview of what the african-american community can expect over the next four years. thousands of americans from all over the country traveled to washington, d.c., to witness the new president and what type of message he was going to deliver. . unfortunately, what we heard was an inaugural address that reminded us that the america he wants to build will leave many of the constituents that those of us who serve as members of the congressional black caucus, that he will leave those constituents behind. in his speech,

president trump: said -- president trump said that a nation serves to serve its citizens but for far too many of its citizens a different reality exists. he also painted another grim picture of mothers and children trapped in poverty in inner cities and rusted out factories scattered like tomb stones across the landscape of our nation. an education system flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of knowledge and crimes and gangs and drugs. en the lives of too many and rob -- that have stolen the lives of too many and robbed the nation of this unrealed potential. these are problems that need to be addressed. i don't think anybody will disagree with that. we need to make sure that our children have access to good public schools, good quality education, we need to make sure that as the nature of work changes in this country, that people are ready to get those new jobs and we must invest, we

must make sure that we invest in our communities so they prosper. yet, very little of what president trump propose wood actually address the root cause of any of those problems. yet very little -- not even his new deal for black americans provides real solutions for the problems that he outlined in his inaugural address. instead we see the same recycled broken promises. since the creation of the congressional black caucus, we've been fighting to uplift our communities. we have bold ideas to help really transform the lives of those individuals that were mentioned and real ideas that can really get going. with that i'm going to yield back to the gentlelady as we get prepared to have other speakers from the congressional black caucus share their remarks. >> thank you so much. i appreciate the remarks that you've given, particularly about

the grim view that was given of african-americans during the inauguration that really didn't expound on the great diversity that is here. we have someone from another part of our country who is now going to speak, one of our senior great leaders of the congressional black caucus, former chairwoman of the caucus, from california, conchwoman barb with a lee, who is going to give -- congresswoman barbara lee, who is going to give us her remarks and her thoughts on this topic this evening. ms. lee: thank you. let me first thank you, congresswoman plaskett, for yielding. but also for your tireless leadership, to protect our progress. but also for your vigilance and hard work on behalf of your district and the territories. and thank you and congressman marc veasey for co-leading our special orders. making sure that the drum is being beat very loudly throughout the country, with regard to what is taking place here in washington, d.c. for more than 45 years, the congressional black caucus has been the conscience of the

congress. since its founding werg fought for robust ledge -- founding, we fought for robust legislative action to lift our constituents and the african-american community in, i guess in a way to ensure equal justice under the law so that everyone, including african-americans, will be able to live the american dream. now, make no mistake about it, we will continue to fight for justice and equality under president donald trump. the president's inaugural address, quite frankly, was appalling. in my nearly 20 years in the house, i cannot recall a darker, more pessimistic view of our nation from an incoming president. the president's inaugural address distorted the truth about our communities. he used dog whistles to paint a fright aning picture of our -- fright aning picture of our -- frightening picture of our neighborhoods. america is not the done ready toen nation president trump described. yes, we have much more work to do to ensure equal justice under

the law and to address the legacy of slavery, jim crow and segregation, but this means public investments in housing, education, jobs, not budget cuts and corporate tax breaks that just do the opposite. and also dismantle the safety net. within hours of taking office, the president already began to unravel the progress of the last eight years. with the stroke of a pen, the president stuck a dagger in the heart of the affordable care act that will take away health care for millions, and pull the rug out from under low-income families seeking to buy homes. these destructive policies are an attack on the most vulnerable in our society. it is clear that these executive orders will disproportionately harm communities of color, the african-american community, and the poor. repealing the affordable care act is just really the tip of the iceberg. we've seen the trump administration, what they're doing, they're planning a full scale attack on the most marginalized communities in our

society. last year, after continually insulting the african-american community, the trump new deal, actually is really a so-called new deal for black america, it really did just add insult to injury. instead of helping struggling families, this agenda would gut social security, repeal the affordable care act and abolish the safety net. we know that these cuts now will just lead to more poverty. this approach is dead wrong. instead of stepping on the most vulnerable to benefit special interests, president trump should follow the c.b.c.'s lead by supporting the national strategy to eliminate poverty and extend economic opportunity to all americans. he can start by supporting our half in 10 act, which would reduce poverty in half in 10 years. and if the trump administration really wants a new deal to benefit african-americans, they should look to our assistant leader, jim clyburn's, 10-20-30 anti-poverty plan, which would

direct at least 10% of funds in designated accounts to be spent in communities experiencing persistent poverty, those with a poverty rate of at least 20% over the last 30 years. these are just a few of the proposals that we have to address poverty and lift up our communities. what we won't do is allow president trump to roll back progress or push more families over the edge into poverty. we should be identifying the root causes of poverty and developing policies that lift americans up. instead president trump has shown he'd rather line the pockets of billions and advance that a -- those failed trickle-down economics. in president trump's new deal for african-americans, let me just read you very quickly what he said. he said, we will restore the civil rights of african-americans, this has to do with illegal immigration, we will restore the civil rights of all african-americans, hispanic americans and all americans by ending illegal immigration.

our response is, the c.b.c. will not buy into the divisive rhetoric that blames immigration for the social and economic problems in african-american communities. our members support comprehensive immigration reform. president trump will not roll back the clock on our progress or doom another generation to the crippling effects of poverty. let me be clear. this deal, this 10-point plan, it really is a slap in the face to african-americans everywhere. as co-chair of the c.b.c.'s working group on poverty and the economy, along with congressman cleaver and also as chair of the democratic whip's task force on poverty, income and opportunity, we will continue to work to make sure that the vital resources for low-income americans, for african-americans, and those struggling to make ends meet are there and whether he make sure that the country understands that the congressional black caucus continues to fight for a

real deal for the american community, for our entire nation, and that means lifting people out of poverty, creating good-paying jobs, and moving forward on the progress that has been made. thank you again for your leadership. ms. plaskett: thank you so much. i was really very interested in the discussion you had about the work that cruvee done to alleviate poverty -- you've done to alleviate poverty, particularly your words about immigration, not allowing immigration to be divisive. and used as a means to separate americans and not being able to realize the american dream. america is big enough to have immigrants under a comprehensive immigration plan that will allow all of us to be able to lift it up. i want to thank you so much for your leadership on that, particularly the fight that you have been fighting for so many years when it comes to alleviating poverty in the united states. at this time i'd like to yield time to the great congresswoman

of not only the state michigan but more specifically from the great state of detroit, where she has been a strong voice for the people of detroit, a strong voice for even the surrounding areas, your work on flint, michigan, and its water crisis and other areas. people who are in the inner city that need support in so many areas, thank you so much for that and i yield time to you to speak on those issues that are the topic for today. mrs. lawrence: i want to thank the congresswoman, my colleague, and thank you for your leadership. mr. speaker, the congressional black caucus, the conscience of the congress, stands strong to promote unity and fight against the divisive rhetoric. trump's inaugural speech included a lot of pledges and promises. pledges, and i quote, allegiance

to all americans. promises to the american people saying, and i quote, i will never let you down. even quoted -- he even quoted the bible. how good and pleasant it is when god's people live together in unity. but pledges and promises fall at when tweets, speeches and now actions are followed by reckless executive orders, thoughtless nominations for our nation's leaders, and attacks on the american health care system. the american people were led down -- let down when trump nominated, our president trump, nominated unqualified and unout -- out of touch candidates such s senator jeff sessions, betsy devos, and tom price. how can you pledge allegiance to all americans while threatening to leave so many without options

and access to health care coverage? this is not unity, it's hypocrisy. we need to focus on facts and not quotes or alternative facts. i have a question. do we have a replacement for the affordable health care act? is it a fact a repeal without a replacement would leave over 30 million people uninsured? yes, that is a fact. is it a fact that betsy devos, if confirmed, will be the first secretary of education without any prior experience in public schools, including early childhood education and higher education? is it a fact that jeff sessions has been nominated as the attorney general, but was denied

federal judgeship over accusations of racism? i support efforts that will bring more jobs to the american people. i fully support efforts to improve our country's a transportation and infrastructure. but only time will tell if our new president trump will follow through with the promises he's made to the american people on inauguration day. only time will tell if he will continue to act, speak and tweet in a manner that builds walls and not bridges. mr. speaker, the congressional black caucus intends to be a voice torque create bridges and work toward -- voice, to create bridges and work toward the real solutionses for the real challenges that face african-americans, minorities and the unheard and the disenfranchised.

we will be watching and we will be listening and we will continue to fight for equality, liberty and justice for all. and i yield back to you. ms. plaskett: thank you so much. and thank you for those words and your thoughts on these issues. at this time i would love to have the congresswoman, sheila jackson lee, who has been a stalwart for social justice, a stalwart on the judiciary committee, and is going to speak on the issue that is here before us this evening, the c.b.c. special order hour, a response to president trump's inaugural address, and his new deal for african-americans. thank you so much. ms. jackson lee: let me thank the gentlelady from the virgin islands and the gentleman from texas for their service to the nation and for leading the congressional black caucus special orders. it's always important for the voices of the congressional black caucus and the chairman of the congressional black caucus,

mr. richmond of louisiana, to be heard, and both ms. plaskett and mr. veasey have accepted the challenge and the call and i want to tell them or express to them my greatest appreciation for the leadership that they are showing. i want to start my remarks again with -- it may be hometown pride, but i like the headline of the houston "chronicle" that says, powerful together. the numbers have not yet been fully calculated, but we know upwards of a million and maybe over a million persons around the nation and then they added individuals from foreign ountries, foreign-wide, and and i would take this title that represents, mr. speaker, the peaceful protests and i want to say it again and say it again two times, peaceful, peaceful protests that occurred on

saturday, expressing the view of what america is really about. and i say that to my colleagues. they are about what the congressional black caucus is about. and i believe our chairman made the point that we come from diverse districts representing people of religious backgrounds and racial background and economic background that we are the voice of reason. we fight against poverty and we have lawyers, judges. we have business persons and they by and large, mr. speaker, are charitable individuals who believe in social justice. and that is why we come with a sense of privilege, if you will, to be able to speak what america truly is. yesterday at the community of fage under the leadership of bishop james dixon, i gathered for a prayer for the nation.

mr. speaker, i did not eliminate the white house. i did not point out members of congress, call them by name, i said a prayer for the nation and included the white house and included individual in the congress and senate. and we had international representation. the council of the general of pakistan and imama and individuals who worshipped on saturday, people who spoke spanish and english and we gathered to pray for the nation and that is what is represented in the message or the title of the new deal for black america. it needs prayer. because it is not reflective, although well intentioned. i'm not sure who may have advised the administration, but it does not speak to the of the of diversity

african-american communities in this nation. and so, i wan to speak very briefly on questions of health care and justice. and i would like to say that in the faith communities of which the administration or the president has offered his new deal, he says we will make our communities safe again. every poor african-american child must walk down the streets, safety in civil rights and invest in local law enforcement to remove the gang members and it is not merely a goal but a necessity. in that, there is no mention of ending gun violence or looking at sensible gun safety regulations or laws. i introduced gun violence resources act which answered

republicans' cry for enforcing the law to enforce the penalties against those who use guns wrong. in particular, the perpetrator in mother emmanuel, shouldn't be able to get the gun, but he does but because the gun dealer was ease eager to sell it. and i would argue it is because hey didn't have enough personnel. he also seems to cat gore rise a poor child has to walk down the streets and our communities are diverse. he says equal justice under the law, we will apply the law equally and not a two-tiered justice, equal justice means the same rules for wall street. so i quickly want to offer these points before i yield the floor.

number one, we're not all impoverished but i join my colleagues in ending poverty. barbara jordan said when asked what do people want? we want opportunities but we have to be more forceful. we have seen nothing in mr. trump's statement of a new deal for america to deal with sentencing reduction and ending mandatory minimums and nothing about working with police departments that have found themselves who have fallen on bad times and plague of bad actors even though we respect police. the act that john con years and myself has introduced has to do with the issue of training and improper action of police and community. and i would offer to say that the nominee for the attorney

germ is oppose todd addressing any questions of bad behavior on behalf of bad actors and bad officers and opposed consent decrees that were only positive, welcomed by the police department to help them do a better job. prison reform to change the matrix of prince and health care access that are truly crucial to all of us. let me also indicate a changing of the matrix of juvenile justice. we wan to change how we're dealing with juveniles and change from the idea of them being, if you will, punished versus incentive. finally let me say, two senators in the other body have offered a

new matrix on health care. i understand there are some proposals here. i would say that we see that we can have unity. we don't have any replacement and what is being offered by the senators is health savings accounts which isn't realistic particular. i offer to the president there are many ways of locking at serving america. it is not listening to your own voice but changing the mate trick of juveniles and mandatory minimums and respecting them and more importantly but listening to working with members who have real life experiences in some of the issues that will headache this country continue to be the greatest country in the world. and i yield back. ms. plaskett: thank you so much. and i want to thank you for all of the work you have been doing not just in terms of

incarceration reform but pointing out to us the safety of children sm the safety of children includes gun violence and their communities and your real tireless work that you have n terms of juvenile justice. congresswoman jackson lee has been at the forefront of changing the dynamic of how we see jufenills and leads them into problems with the law with the solutions on the table and this is what we are speaking about. giving concrete legislation that has been drafted and worked on by members of the congressional black caucus that president trump can use. at this time, i would like to yield time to the congresswoman from wisconsin, gwen moore, who would like to speak on this

topic and doing work in her district of wisconsin and throughout the united states for communities, for children, for working mothers and women who are attempting to move ahead who are trying to be concerned about the things we are concerned about. and i yield time to her. ms. moore: i want to thank the congresswoman from the virgin islands and her counterpart, mr. veasey from texas, for really supporting this congressional lack caucus hour so we can discuss the proposals that president trump has made to as the new deal within the black community. i guess, mr. speaker and madam chairwoman, i guess i would like

to engage in kind of a colloquy th my good friend from pennsylvania, mr. eff advance, who has been -- evans, who has been a state propertyor before he joined this body for some 25 years. i hate to date him. but he has been a member of the prestigious appropriations committee. and therefore, he was tasked with taking federal funds and making those decisions at the state level. i wanted him to evaluate some of the proposals that president trump has made regarding the new deal for black america. one of the proposals that president trump has made is allow the conversion of funds for poverty programs to be

converted from those programs would ro loans that he hen provide to the poor. i'm feeling a little confused about and perplexed as to how this would work. and i fear that this is part of a double speak, alternative facts about the roots of and the solutions to poverty. m wondering as you now serve on the small business committee in the house and you have been an appropriator, i'm wondering if, number one, if converting funds from say, the temporary assistance to needy families act, which is comprised of poor women and children or social ecurity disability insurance

which is set aside for people with disabilities or snap who are out of the work force and waiting to go back and need to at that month, i'm wondering how, in your experience that converting programs set aside for poor people and providing micro -- how would a poor person use a micro loan -- and i have two questions, i want you to respond on what poor people would do, presumably, they would create their own jobs with these micro loans and how big these micro loans would have to be in order to establish their own businesses so they would be off welfare. and in fact, on any given day,

there are three million children who live in extreme poverty of less than $3 a day and i wonder how converting those funds, what those children who are not capable and eligible to work would work with such a proposal and i would yield to the gentleman from pennsylvania. >> thank you. the points that you are raising are very legitimate in terms of the experience that i have had. and the experience i have had is always the question is, is there enough availability of capital in any startup in any particular business. the experience has shown that this idea of micro loans has been sustainable or sufficient in terms of what it would mean and as a result, mr. speaker, i

would think this is like kind ofal pig in a poke, giving people some sense. it doesn't give them a sustainable sense of -- mr. evans: you have the necessary long-term investment. so i think this is like smoking mirrors and you are correct in what you are saying. ms. moore: and i thank you for that, because i thought it was maybe just me that thought that. and we live in a country with the largest economy and arguably the strongest and greatest technological economy and i wonder what these poor women who are on welfare would do. would they sell fruit on the street? how would that work in detroit or milwaukee? we're not talking about women who live in countries where

micro loans may work very well, n those limited economies? i'm also wondering how those people who are instruct yurelly unemployed would -- structurally unemployed would benefit from these microloans. what this does, madam chairperson of this initiative, what this really is saying, this is really perpetuating the persistent myth of people who are poor as the shiftless, lazy, welfare queens of poverty pimps and that the solution is to take away the safety net and force them to do some kind of work whether that work is sustainable enough for them. and so i would say as a member of the congressional black

caucus that we ought to have welfare reform that really honors our commitment as americans to make sure that we provide some kind of safety net for the majority of the poor who are in fact children. there are in fact people who are not capable or should not be responsible for providing for themselves through our very sophisticated economy. i would say, mr. speaker, that if we really want to help get people off welfare, we should not start the debate with taking away reproductive freedom from women. one of the major reasons that women fall into poverty is the lack of access to birth control, health care that would enable them to plan their families, plan their pregnancies, and so

say you're going to help people get off welfare and to snatch away funds from planned parenthood or their ability to control their reproduction is is a nonstarter and truly -- in ruly helping the truly poor. president trump's quest to help those who are truly poor will only come if the president and his team will actually listen to the voices of the poor. actually listen to solutions that have been tried and tested, like providing educational opportunity an upward mobility to poor people, by respecting women's reproductive rights to choose, by real rahy creating a

sense of congress that any goal of welfare reform ought to be to protect children, that any welfare reform ought to make sure that women are free from domestic violence, sex trafficking, and human trafficking, and that they be protected and that during these periods they not be cut off from public support. and so with that i would yield back my time. and thank you for this opportunity to speak to the american people. >> thank you, my colleague from pennsylvania, mr. evans did you have adegreesal thoughts on this after having that colloquy with ms. moore? mr. evans: yes, and i thank you for this opportunity to offer some comments on the fact that the congressional black caucus is taking this lead, i applaud

the leadership of chairman richmond. tonight i join with my colleagues this evening to speak to the plan of our new president has penciled the new deal for african-americans. this plan unfortunately does not meet the needs of our communities and focus on the same assumptions that are not worked for our communities over the years. in his inaugural address, president trump stated, the establishment protected itself but not the citizens of our country. their victories have not been your victories. their triumphs have not been your triumphs. while they celebrate in our nation's capital, there was little celebration for struggling families across our land. that was stated by president trump. well while individuals were celebrating last week, actions

was taken for people all over our nation to lose their care coverage. and the federal housing administration mortgage insurance rate was cut an hour after president trump took office. which would have reduced insurance premiums for borrowers for each year. this does not help the men and women and children of our great nation. in the new deal for black america, president trump asserts that there will be tax reform to create jobs and lift our people and communities. just in my community alone, mr. speaker, at temple university hospital, which has 8,000 jobs, there are jobs that will be lost due to the repeal of the affordable care act. which president trump signed an

executive order to dismant they will day he was sworn in as our president. this is counter to any notion of job creation. and as our chairman so elegantly stated in the letter expressing the views of the caucus on january 19, the new administration should target investment to those communities that need it the most and support programs that support small and medium-sized businesses and address the ccess to capital crisis in the african-american entrepreneurship community. and president trump's inaugural address, he called for a new national pride which will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our division. i assert we already have a national pride. s the pride that those in our there is eel when

unity, when they understand that individuals here in congress are fighting for them. s the pride the communities feel when they understand that the group such as the congressional black caucus zealously represents and advocates to improve lives over the course of the existence. those in rural and urban communities. an additional point in the new deal for black america asserts that fbsrble reform -- financial reform to expand credits to have new job creation an specifically called out the dodd-frank reform set forth and protected through the leadership of our ranking member waters. those financial reforms and protections are absolutely essential to protect our community. with the racial wealth gap reaching an unfortunate and

historical level with white households maintaining 13 times the wealth of african-american households, we must work to ensure the protection of dodd-frank in place. dditionally, as representative richards chair such as small program administration which provides capital and assistance to minority-owned businesses must be bolstered. i've spoken directly with my constituents about the need for access to capital. thus my statement is not hypocritical or speculative in nature. there's an actual need in our communities so that all small businesses can grow and flourish. our new president asserts we are transferring power from washington, d.c., and giving it back to you, the american people. i assert that the american people have always had the

power. i see this power as i walk through my district as through communities. as i walk through westbrook lane on part of my district, through north philadelphia, lankster avenue on main line and baltimore avenue in west philadelphia. the faces in my community let me know that the power has always belonged to the people. it is now all up to us to do what is in the best interest of our community. to work collectively and address the issues that plague our community. i yield back the balance of my time. thank you. >> thank you so much to my colleague, dwight evans, of pennsylvania. i know that you are new to this congress but you are so far have worked for so many year on the issues we are talking about today and i look forward to our continued collaboration in supporting so many communities through the our -- thraut our

community. ms. plaskett: at this time i yield to my colleague from ohio, joyce beatty who has been a stalwart voice in so of the issues that the congressional black caucus has brought here this evening and is here to share some of her thoughs on the things that have been spoken about earlier today. mrs. beatty: thank you so much to my colleague, congresswoman stacey plaskett, for leading tonight's special order hour, joined by her co-chair, congressman marc veasey, and also my classmate. let me say to the chairman of the congressional black caucus, mr. speaker, i want to thank congressman cedric richmond for bringing this special order here tonight. so much has been said already. but let me say how honored i am to join my colleagues as we address and talk about the response to president trump's inaugural address and his new

deal for african-americans. like so many of my colleagues tonight, mr. speaker, and countless of american whors watching at home tonight, i remain deeply concerned and troubled about several of the statements that mr. trump made and also about the stances of mr. trump's cabinet members. comments about minorities and women and immigrants and of course comments about our own colleague, congressman john lewis. unfortunately, mr. speaker, and congresswoman plaskett, in trump's inaugural address , he did nothing to ease those concerns or to unite us. heard on trary, all i friday was another campaign speech and more of the same divisive rhetoric and recycled ideas from his campaign trail.

ideas like the new deal for black america he mentioned on the campaign trail. the proposal that you've heard a lot about tonight, that embraces the same trickle down economic assumptions that didn't work for african-americans in the past and certainly won't work today. mr. speaker, during his campaign speech, trump talked about gangs roaming the street and how african-american communities are being decimated by crime. , went so far as to say overwhelmingly the majority of black people living in inner cities in the united states are, quote, living in hell, end of quote. well, mr. speaker, i want president trump to know that i am black. i grew up in the united states inner city. but i didn't live in hell.

and here i stand now, educated in the public schools, attended a historically black university in college and i'm a member of the united states congress. mr. trump said that we are one nation and their pains are our pains and their dreams are our dreams and their successes are our successes and he was referencing, quote-unquote, the mothers and children strapped in poverty in inner cities. he was referencing rusted out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation. an educational system flush with cash but leave our young students deprived of knowledge. well, mr. speaker, i want to see his plans for public education. i want to see his plans for inner city students. i want to see his plans flush

with all that cash that he talked about, going into our public school. i want us to unite, to help eradicate the cycle of poverty, eliminate the too often traveled pipeline from unperforming schools to overcrowded prisons. i want to see mr. trump's plan on criminal justice reform. i want to -- i want a fair attorney general. vetted and confirmed because they will stand up every single day for equal rights for all americans. for freedom of speech. for freedom to vote and much more. not an attorney general who lacks the ability to represent disenfranchised groups. not someone who failed to champion the least of us. i've not seen those things in nominee sessions. lastly, i want cabinet members who will be champions for our

seniors. people like my 92-year-old mother. i want cabinet members who will stand up for minorities and minority businesses. see, we need greater assistance in minority businesses and funds for minority business. i want cabinet members who will build on and strengthen our health care system. yes, to make it greater. not take away health care to 30 million people. and let me just say, i want a plan for work forest development programs, for -- work force development programs, for retraining programs for laid off factory workers, i want to see plans for mothers and families because we know when women succeed, america succeeds. so yes, mr. speaker, i dare ask that women get equal pay for equal work. i don't want recycled failed policies that will do nothing to heal our community.

i am proud to be a member of the congressional black caucus. we are the conscience of the congress. so so let me end by saying there are so many programs, we have as task force on poverty led by congresswoman barbara lee. i won't repeat the program that assistant democratic leader clyburn has already introduced, the 10-20-30 plan. let me again thank my colleague for bringing your powerful voice to this floor, and let me say, mr. speaker, it is incumbent upon all of us to join the members of the congressional black caucus, the entire house democratic caucus, and all americans of every color, to stand up to president trump and to continue to let him know as our preamble of the constitution said, to form a more perfect union for all americans.

thank you and i yield back. ms. plaskett: thank you very much. at this time i would like to yield one minute to the congresswoman from texas, ms. sheila jackson lee. ms. jackson lee: thank you. i'll take a moment, i was struck by some information that i just received, congressman veasey and congresswoman plaskett. is is a summary of the new deal for african-americans, new deal for black americans, excuse me, mr. speaker. nowhere in the new deal for black america is a commitment to protecting voting rights, which really is one of the achilles heel of the nominee for the attorney general, is he does not have a history of protecting voting rights. and particularly i want to acknowledge president george w. bush, because i worked or the congress, both house and senate, worked extensively with him in

the re-authorization of the voting rights act of 1965, including section 5, which is preclearance. lo and behold, the shelby case imploded section 5. we no longer have it. and a popery, a flourishing, a garden of weeds of voting i.d. laws, one where my colleague, mr. veasey, was a plaintiff, was promoted. so the last point that i want to make is, in addition to not having anything on voting rights, we just had breaking news that the white house has indicated that the president would have had the popular vote if he had not had happened to him three to five million illegal votes cast. this is being reported. and like-wise, what is being reported is there is absolutely no evidence that there were three to five million illegal votes cast in the 2016 election. i think we need to have focus on

voting rights and the protection of those who vote. i yield back. ms. plaskett: thank you very much. mr. veasey: thank you. i want to thank all the members tonight that have participated. we are about to run short on our time here. but there's just so many other areas that need to be addressed and the congressional black caucus is going to continue those. we talk about safe communities, when we start talking about great education and some of the issues that we see with the nominee for secretary of education that threatens to really cripple and hurt our public schools. equal justice for all. how we're going to work with the justice department to try to foster some of the good initiatives that president obama put forward in dealing with community policing. all of those things, mr. speaker, and members -- ms. plaskett: education and work force development. mr. veasey: exactly. our changing work force, steam jobs and stem jobs. ms. plaskett: at this time, mr.

speaker, we want to thank you for the time to address the house during this special order hour. and i yield back. we yield back the remainledser of our time -- remainder of our time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the chair lays before the house a communication. the clerk: the honorable the speaker, house of representatives, sir. this letter is to inform you that i have sent a letter to kansas governor informing him that i am resigning my position as the united states representative for the fourth congressional district of kansas, effective upon my confirmation as director of the central intelligence agency. in november, i was nominated by then president-elect donald trump to serve as director of the central intelligence agency, and have now been confirmed to have the privilege to serve in that role. i am truly honored that president trump has given me the opportunity to lead an amazing organization filled with men and women who put their live on the line for the safety and security of every american. i want to thank all -- thank you for all you have done to make the house of representatives

live up to its constitutional duty to represent all americans. thank you too for your personal assistance in working with me on the what issues that impact all -- on the issues that impact all americans, but especially those who i have had the privilege to represent from southcentral kansas. there's much work to do legislatively. i will miss being a part of this historic opportunity. i look forward to continuing to work with all of you as we strive to keep america safe. my commitment to keeping you and the house permanent select committee on intelligence fully informed on important intelligence matters is sincere and continuing. signed, sincerely, mike pompeo, member of congress. the speaker pro tempore: under clause 5-d of rule 20, the chair announces to the house that in light of the resignation of the gentleman from kansas, mr. pompeo, the whole number of the house is 434. the chair announces the speaker's appointment, pursuant

to clause 11 of rule 10, clause 11 of rule 1, and the order of of house of january 3, 2017, the following member of the house for the permanent select intelligence committee on intelligence. he clerk: mr. hurd of texas. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlelady from the virgin islands rise? ms. plaskett: mr. speaker, i move that the house do you know you a journal. the speaker pro tempore: the question is on the motion -- ms. plaskett: mr. speaker, i move that the house do now adjourn. the speaker pro tempore: the question is on the motion to adjourn. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes have it. the motion is adopted. accordingly, the house stands adjourned until 10:00 a.m. tomorrow morning for one-hour debate.