mr. meeks. >> thank you, madame chair. and in my estimation there's a number of issues that are concerning to me. first, we've gone historically from red lining where african-americans would deny loans period to the point where they were given loans, no dock loans or these adjustable rate loans which was devastating in the financial crisis. some were able to pay the mortgages for that first year. after that first year when rates went up they could no longer pay their mortgages. the fact that those who qualified for prime loans were steered away from them into another loan that was much more expensive. and quite -- and you know, what happens unfortunately in this society sometimes, individuals who are the poorest and need that helping hand are the ones taken advantage of. and it seems as though -- not seems. it was a fact that that's what took place in the financial crisis that we are recovering from. on the other hand you have individuals, like my parents, who struggled to own a home. it was their dream. i don't know today

i know we had a lengthy discussion a minute ago with mr. meeks who brought this issue up as well and indicated this is a very necessary area of lending. whether you like it or not, there's a lot of folks this is the only way they can get lending. and i think as long as they're regulated properly, it doesn't need to be out here with things like operation choke point, trying to choke it off. so could you respond? >> so i will say that much economic activity is gravitating online. that's the way of the world, it seems to be, in our society. a lot of commerce is going online. my wife orders a lot of things now online, and i do, that before we would have gone somewhere to get. it's natural that lending would gravitate there as well. there are issues, though, important law enforcement issues there, and i struggled with them when i was attorney general of ohio, and i hear from my colleagues, former colleagues that they struggle with them now. because, you know, online, the internet, you know, activity doesn't, isn't a respecter of jurisdiction, or there

mr. meeks: thank you, madam speaker. while i intend to support the omnibus appropriation bill, i wanted to voice my deep concern and disappointment that the omnibus bill fails to approach -- to address the unemployment insurance issue as well as it fails to address the rising flood insurance premiums facing millions of those who have been impacted by superstorm sandy. sflood an amend the insurance act in a comprehensive way, it delays flood insurance premium increase farce year and for just a segment of policyholders. after that year, flood insurance premiums could continue to rise exponentially for newer policies. this is crippling our housing market recovery in areas like noverbingt, new jersey, connecticut and other areas hard hit by superstorm sandy. though this may be better than nothing, it's not the certainty that the nation's 5.5 million flood insurance owners deserve and need. again, i call on congress to bring up a comprehensive flood insurance reform legislation quickly in order to provide economic certainty t

meek should suffer while the rich just get richer. thank you so much for this opportunity, i yield back the balance of my time. . mr. jeffries: i thank the gentleman from new york for his always eloquent observations. it's my honor and hi privilege, we have been -- and my privilege, we have been ginned by the representative from -- joined by the representative from texas who has been a fighter a voice for the voiceless, someone who is always on the front lines trying to deal with sose yo economic inequality wherever it might be found in america but certainly in her home district in houston, texas, let me now yield to representative sheila jackson lee. ms. jackson lee: i thank the distinguished co-leader of the task force for presenting our case to the american people, the distinguished gentleman, and i say it with great affection and respect, new york, and his co-leader, mr. horsford, the distinguished gentleman from nevada. i know our chairman of the agriculture committee is poised for a moment, i'll continue until that moment to raise the ag bill on the floor and certainly we know members work hard and we know tha