host: bill pascrell is our guest, a democrat from new jersey, member of the budget committee, a memberthe ways and means committee. bill on our republican line, you are first up. caller: could you tell the american people how much the congress makes per year and how much the senate makes per year? and i have another comment. guest: our salaries? caller: yes, sir. guest: mine is $172,000. it has been frozen for the last three years and will be frozen for the next year. caller: and what is the senate? guest: same thing. host: what is your question? caller: this man thought it was $140,000 -- host: he thought it was $174,000. caller: i think he will not have to worry about debt -- the debt deal after that date. host: i think he is referring to 2012 end of the year -- world issues. let's move on. caller: i watch avidly. i wish you would allow your guests to receive more callers instead of letting them go on and on and doing their spiel. guest: try me. go ahead. caller: yeah. now, i am really upset with the people on the left because you really do not listen to the president. the president

bill: thanks for coming back, bill pascrell, democrat out of new jersey.own there. alisyn: new jobless numbers out this morning and for the first time in almost four months less than 400,000 people filing for first-time benefits, but for millions of jobless americans the situation, of course, remains bleak. in the african-american community, the unemployment crisis is bordering on great depression levels. john roberts is live in atlanta with more. apparently, the divide is getting bigger, john. >> reporter: it's a vast gulf now, allison. the urban league this week found that this recession has literally erased 30 years of economic gains among african-americans. we found the problem was particularly acute in the city of charlotte, north carolina, where now 20% of african-americans are out of work. >> our last day was july 29, 2009, i've been out of work two years. >> reporter: derek fox is the face of an unemployment rate that has reached deep into charlotte's black middle class. since he was laid off, he has contacted more than a thousand companies looking

new jersey representative, bill pascrell, co-founder of con graegsal brain injury task force is askingssential under the patient affordable care act. the department of health and human services is considering his request. jenna: we'll keep viewers up-to-date on her developments. laura, thank you. >> reporter: thank you. jon: and this fox news alert. the rocket is in the hospital. nolan ryan, the texas rangers ceo and president has been hospitalized in houston apparently since yesterday. although we're just getting word of it now after experiencing discomfort we're told at his home. he has had some heart problems in the past and it is thought that this is an offshoot of that. we're told he is resting comfortably. reports are he is feeling better. nolan ryan,Ñi hospitalized at least for now. we'll be right back. mine was earned over the south pacific in 1943. vietnam, 1967. i got mine in iraq, 2003. u.s.a.a. autonsurance is often handed down from generation to generation, because it offers a superior level of protection and because u.s.a.a.'s commitment to serve the military, veterans, a

and bill pascrell. also, a potential of the u.s. debt downgrading. "washington journal" begins live at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. >> this weekend on booktv on c- span2, from the libertarian freedom fest, matching leaders to their counterparts. several oat authors. also, on it "afterards, -- afterwards," the triple agent. also, how a teddy roosevelt lead was shaped as a rancher. look for the booktv schedule. you are watching c-span, bringing you politics and public affairs. every morning is "washington journal," connecting with elected officials, policymakers, and journalists. weekdays, watch the house and during the ninth congressional hearings. also, supreme court or arguments. on the weekend, you can see our signature interview programs. on saturday, "the communicators," and on sunday, "q&a" and "prime minister's questions." you can also watch anytime at c- span.org, and it is odd searchable at our c-span video library. c-span, a public service, created by american cable companies. >> the house rules committee approved roles tonight for a new def

bill. mr. pascrell: thank you, mr. chairman. i yield back to mr. platts of pennsylvania. mr. platts: thank you for yielding. i would like to add my words of great thanks to chairman young who has been a great lead for the doing right by our brave men and women in uniform especially those who have suffered traumatic brain injury. we are indebted to you and your staff for your great leadershipism yield back. the chair: the gentleman from new jersey yields back. for what purpose does the gentlelady from north carolina rise? ms. foxx: i have an amendment at the desk. the chair: the clerk will designate the amendment. the clerk: amendment number 61 printed in the congressional record offered by ms. foxx of north carolina. the chair: the gentlelady is recognized for five minutes. ms. foxx: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, what sets the united states apart from many other countries that have lots of resources are our values and that we are a nation of laws. we may not agree with all of our laws but they are the laws of our land and not even the president can decide which laws to

pascrell: mr. chairman, i rise today in strong opposition to the underlying bill, 2584, a bill which irresponsibly slashes funding for many of our nation's most important environmental and infrastructure programs. if it's passed, the overall legislation would cause grave harm to the health and safety of our communities and additional removing protections for our wildlife and environment. i'll take a few issues at hand. clean water infrastructure. ensuring our families have clean water is under attack in this bill. it cuts 55%, almost $1 billion from the clean water state revolving fund. this program enables the states to invest in much-needed repairs and improvements to aging water infrastructure. mr. chairman, an estimated 25% of all treated water in the united states of america is lost due to leakage from water systems that are in disrepair. 25% of the water that's already been treated. what a waste of money. and supposedly an austere congress. we're facing a $500 billion funding gap to bring aging water and wastewater infrastructure back to par. our pipes are literally crumbling beneath our fee