ms. jackson lee: madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from texas. ms. jackson lee: i ask unanimous consent to reclaim my five minutes. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for five minutes. ms. jackson lee: earlier this evening, madam speaker, colleagues came to the floor of the house to salute our late colleague, the honorable congressman charles wilson who made the people of the world happy because of his enthusiasm and leadership. congressman wilson was born june 1, 1933, in the small town of trinity, texas. he attended public school there is and graduated from trinity high school in 1951. while attending sam houston state university in huntsville, texas, wilson was appointed to the united states naval academy and received his b.s. degree, graduating eighth from the bottom of his class in 1956. however, that was not a testimony to how charlie wilson would serve this nation. he served in the navy, attaining the rank of lieutenant, he graduated, or graduated as a gunnery officer, he was a fine -- he was assigned to a

ms. jackson lee. the speaker pro tempore: ms. jackson lee of texas will be recognized for three minutes. ms. jackson lee: thank you very much. i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: so ordered. ms. jackson lee: madam speaker, i was one of those members who understood the horror of 9/11 and joined with then the president of the united states to respond to an attack on the united states. subsequently, in the iraq war i voted against that war knowing that it had nothing to do with the attack on the united states on 9/11. so i do not stand on this floor with a heart that is not heavy laydened and understanding the importance of this resolution. this resolution is grounded in the constitution and it has merit. for the question is, when we responded to 9/11, it was a war on troor. today we find -- terror. today we find this is a war on insurgence. there is no real documentation that al qaeda still lingers in afghanistan, but we do understand that we've lost 1,000 americans to date, 70 in 2010, 316 in 2009

ms. jackson lee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized for three minutes. ms. jackson lee: i want to thank the gentlelady from guam for doing such an excellent job in honoring our veterans and honoring our soldiers by managing legislation that truly deserves our honor and respect to the cold war veterans, many of whom are unsung heroes, i offer my greatest tribute as we honor the aviators and those marines who sacrificed their life as well. it is interesting when there is nothing good to say about something that is good, then my friends on the other side of the aisle begin to engage in misrepresentations and fairy tales and exaggeration. so i'm reminded of the words of thomas ed son that many of life's failures are peoplepeople who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. that's what they want us to do to give up. i appreciate the breadth and depth of the representation and the interest that is appearing on the east steps of the capitol. this is a democracy, this is america. when i see words like socialized medicine and obama care, letha

ms. jackson lee. ms. jackson lee: i request permission to address the house for five minutes. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlelady is recognized for five minutes. ms. jackson lee: i rise today to pay tribute to a fallen hero, my friend, the late congressman john murtha. during the time of his memorial services, and the special hour that was rendered on this floor, my statements were not able to be submitted because i wanted to speak directly on the floor in his honor. john murtha was, of course, a husband, a father, a loved one, a marine, and a patriot. what we loved most about john murtha was his love for the united states military. unwavering and always steadfast . he was a family man that loved his family. and a congressperson that loved his people. those he represented were so very important in his mind and in his heart he came to this floor and to this house recently from battle, having served in the vietnam war on everything occasions. knowing what it is to have been shot at and to be in battle on behalf of your nation. that true lesson gave him a ca

ms. jackson lee: address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. ms. jackson lee: mr. speaker, i'm pleased tonight to acknowledge that there is a lot of energy behind the engine of nasa and the constellation program. there is a lot of interest across america, not so much for the individual states that are impacted, but for the research enbegin of the international space station and the importance of space exploration. i will introduce along with 16 co-sponsors, h. res. 1650 that declares nasa a national asset, which emphasizes the importance of the work of nasa and as well indicates that the elimination of the constellation program will in fact create a national security risk to the united states and diminish the efforts to advance scientific research in space. we are asking and indicating there should be partnerships between universities and nasa centers should be established toll conduct research on behalf of the united states at the international space station. in addition, the legislation will ask for the full funding of the constellation program. w

ms. jackson lee. mrs. edy bernice johnson. -- eddie bernice johnson. under the speaker's announced policy of january 6, 2009, the gentlewoman from california, ms. chu, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader. the speaker pro tempore: under the speaker's announced policy of january 6, 2009, the gentleman from ohio, mr. boccieri, is recognized for the remainder of the hour. mr. boccieri: thank you, mr. speaker. sorry for the confusion this evening. but tonight i'm joined by several of my colleagues from around the country who want to talk to you about the economy and how we're working hard here in congress to set the record straight but also, more importantly, to put our people back to work. if you remember, when we took office, mr. speaker, we were suffering from one of the worst recessions since the great depression. in fact, many have called in the great recession. and there's a contemporary insurance ironically of all commercials, there's a temporary insurance commercial out on the airways today that says, how will we remem

ms. jackson lee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from texas is recognized for three minutes. red. the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. jackson lee: i thank the distinguished gentlelady from california. i rise to thank the rules committee. this is a tough business. they had to do their work in the backdrop of senator bunning who didn't care about the unemployed. thousands upon thousands and millions and held up this bill in the negotiateations for this bill for as long as he -- negotiations for this bill for as long as he thought it was relevant. so here bestand trying to address this question -- we stand trying a dress this question. i would like to say there are some good things. the fact that employers have a $1,000 income tax credit for every new employee that continues to work for 52 weeks. the fact there is an incentive to hire new employees and keep them hired. the fact that there is an extension of the small business expensing to allow small businesses the backbone of america to be able to write off certain capital expenditures so they can hire new people. the safetea-lu,

ms. jackson lee: mr. speaker, over the last two days human beings who happen to be members of congress have been called the n word, have been spat on and just recently someone asked me why my braids were so tight. but i know there is a better way and i know that because members of the congressional black caucus worship this morninged at the mount zion baptist church and pastor smith said to us, the call upon healing the land. we'll be able to heal the land by voting this evening on a health care bill that will help those who cannot help themselves. those single mothers, those people with pre-existing disease, and i have the dishonor of being a member of congress representing the state of texas that has the highest number of uninsured. and so today there will be no shame in my vote because i'll vote for those texans who are not here and cannot speak for themselves. and seniors will have insurance and 95% of americans will have insurance. this is a day. >> mr. speaker, the house is not in order. the speaker

ms. jackson lee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from texas is recognized for two minutes. ms. jackson lee: let me thank the distinguished gentleman from texas and i thank his good friend from florida for managing this bill and their leadership on these issues as well as the ways and means committee. just a few minutes ago the president of the united states signed a health care bill that many thought would not pass, that will save us $1.3 trillion over the next decade. today we come to the floor and address the concerns of many americans representing to america that this majority is both sensitive and able to address issues that are hurting the american people and the american economy. this bill does just that. and i'm very pleased to rise to support legislation that addresses the question of providing incentives for small businesses to hire people and to give them an incentive to do so. i'm very pleased that we will have the opportunity in our local jurisdictions to rebuild and to issue bonds dealing with bonds and sewage. the fact i was a former houston councilmember, i know w

ms. jackson lee: thank you. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from texas rise? ms. jackson lee: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. and the house is not in order. the speaker pro tempore: the house is not in order. the house will come to order. please take your conversations off the floor. the gentlelady from texas. ms. jackson lee: mr. speaker, thank you very much. as we reflect on the last 24 hours of the passage of this historic health care bill, more and more constituents are calling in recognizing that some aspect of this bill impacts them in a positive light. i said one time before that when we did the medicare bill in 1965, that bill was the start of revising and refinement of that legislation. i'm glad today that we can save 45 million americans have lived because of medicare and my mother, ivalita jackson, lived because of a medicare support system. that's why i'm so disappointed that greg abbott, the attorney general

jackson lee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from texas is recognized for 1 1/2 minutes. ms. jackson lee: this is a very historic occasion and i'd like to as well thank congresswoman waters for the continued and persistent leadership on debt relief for countries around the world. i thank the chairman of the subcommittee, mr. meeks of new york, and his persistence and guidance on passing this bill so quickly, mr. bachus and mr. miller, thank you for your commitment and your interesting and very good idea about putting americans to work. i rise today to support this legislation, to acknowledge that we're talking about a country right now that has 20%, only 20% of the revenue that it needs to rub its nation. they need seed, they -- run its nation. they need seed, they need fert lieser. they're living some -- fertilizer. they're living some 80% below poverty owing some $109 million in debt to multilateral institutions, $474 million to the inter-american development bank and to countries such as venezuela. this legislation will in essence help us clear the slate of all of those deb

ms. jackson lee: i ask unanimous consent to affirmatively support this bill for all of america. i ask unanimous consent the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. mr. miller: i ask unanimous consent to inrevise and extend my remarks. i rise in support of this truly historic and great legislation that addresses two of america's greatest troubles. the costs and high obstacles to obtaining high quality health care and quality college education. our nation has suffered from long-standing failures to make college accessible to all american people. americans have waited a long time for health insurance reform, nearly 100 years. today congress and president obama will deliver on a central promise. because of this legislation for the first time in america's history, never again will americans have to worry about losing their health insurance if they change or lose their jobs. insurance companies will not be able to jack up coverage or deny coverage because of pre-existing conditions and not drop peoples' coverage when they get sick or need it the most. with those with insura

ms. jackson lee: i rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in co-sponsoring h.con.res. 1150, which establishes nasa and all its assets as a national security interest. we need to work with the president in moving forward on restoring the funds of the constellation program and to re-emphasize and recommit ourselveses to human space exploration. in the current budget of the nasa program, funds have been increased, but funds have been taken away from the constellation program and in essence, it has been can smismed request is we have our task before us and the answer is simple. to reprogram the funds that are in the nasa budget to ensure that this great asset of nasa, nasa johnson, the nasa centers in alabama, mississippi, florida and elsewhere are maintained. the international space station has been built over the last 10 years. it's been built with the genius, intellect and research of the united states that research and genius and that kind of data requires protection as a national security interest. the funding of that -- that needs to be restored will help create this opportunity and save jo

ms. jackson lee. ms. jackson lee: i thank the gentlelady from ohio. let me bring you greetings from the component of the national league of cities of african-american city league council of mayors. and i know congresswoman lee and congressman cleaver have come. let me add to the cry and desperate need for the work for the unemployed. we must focus on this effort. i met with my local governmental agency that receives federal funding and they're begging not only for the chronicically unemployed but from the work of the congressional black caucus for those who have been left along the wayside. we understand the importance of making sure that everyone has a job. i stopped calling the recovery act a stimulus. i call it development in people. i don't want anyone to be called it a stimulating bill. it is putting people back to work. we want to make sure those people who have been unemployed for a long period of time, who still have hope and still have abilities, to make sure that those who have paid their time and helped rehabilitated and have families and wh

ms. jackson lee: mr.aker, this sin deed a sad day and a sol -- this is indeed a sad day and solemn day. as indicated by my colleagues on the floor of the house, however, it is an obligation of this body. i'd like to acknowledge the chairman of the impeachment task force, congressman schiff, for his leadership but also for his balance and temperament in a very serious challenge that we have in providing the guidepost -- the moral guidepost for a number of tough issues that deal with our federal judiciary and a number of other instances where impeachment is in fact the authority of this body and the constitution. i'd like to acknowledge the ranking member, mr. goodlatte, the chairman of the full committee, mr. conyers, and his ranking member, mr. smith. this is an instance where you would have hoped that we would have had a different outcome. but as my colleagues have so articulately expressed, there was a long pattern that many of us found very disturbing. judge mr. thomas: -- judge thomas porteous began t

ms. jackson lee: thank you. this is the week that we'll have an opportunity to provide expanded coverage for americans and i hope this will be the week of truth. not the misrepresentations that have been carried forward, i hope that those who are uninsured will understand now 31 million will have insurance. that medicare will be protected and in actuality expanded by the basic benefits plan. that medicaid will be reimbursed in all 50 states. there'll be no fixes for 100% and then going forward 95% and then 90% to protect those who are impoverished. that we will have a system of a pool of insurance companies to thwart the one insurance company per state, you'll be able to shop for the best plan. if you have your insurance, you'll be able to keep it. if you're a small business, you'll have subsidies. and as well, yes, we require companies to carry insurance. i believe this is the week, it is a good week for america to vote for health care reform. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gen

ms. jackson lee: may i make one final point? the final point is, what this bill will do as well is provide competition. i mentioned, a good friend came on the floor and talked about a state where there's only one company my state, a big state, soon to gain in population through the census, three. 10 this bill once it passes will open up the doors of choice for those who have insurance or those employer-based insurance, because we're not taking away employer-based insurance. i think we're moving in the right direction. i hope that this story will be told tomorrow in the right way. i yield back to the gentleman. mr. garamendi: i appreciate that. we should remember that in that competition model, we'll create exchanges in which insurance companies will be -- they'll have to come pete -- compete and they'll compete in a standard policy. let me call on our colleague from ohio, mr. ryan. mr. ryan: i appreciate the gentleman from california and our other colleagues here. i've got a nephew at home who is like 3 years old, i think. his n

ms. jackson lee, for three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized for three minutes. ms. jackson lee: ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. -- address the house. thank you very much, madam speaker, and to congressman grijalva. let me thank you for your leadership on this very important issue to congressman bishop as well for managing this legislation and acknowledging the concerns that may have been expressed. i offer maybe this rebuttal to some of the points that have been made in celebration of legislation that rell recognizes that we're not -- that really recognizes that we're not really here to support jobs and support the conservation association, if that's what it's been interpreted as, but part of fixing part of america's crumbling infrastructure. and certainly our public lands need fixing. years of inadequate funding have left our public land agencies with huge backlogs of labor-intensive work on national park lands, wildlife refuges, historic sites and indian lands.

ms. jackson lee from texas. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. jackson lee: thank you very much, madam speaker. it's always a historic pleasure to be able to sign legislation that can change millions of lives. it is a rare opportunity for members of congress no matter how long they may serve to be able to serve the people and then to be able to grant the people privileges that they would not have had but for the acts of this congress. so i stand here today very proud of the fact that just a few hours ago the president of the united states, the vice president of the united states, the democratic leadership and members signed legislation that would provide opportunities for 32 million americans. polling over the last 24 hours have characterized americans as enthusiastic, uplifted, happy, quite contrary to some of the unfortunate drama that played out over last three or four days as we were debating on the floor of the house. today in "roll call," a local hill paper, the headline reads, "house decorum" and it cites a comment about house democratic le

ms. jackson lee from texas for five minutes. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. under the speaker's announced policy of january 6, 2009 and under a previous order of the house, the following members are recognized for five minutes each. mr. poe from texas. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas rise? mr. gohmert: ask to address the house for five minutes. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. gohmert: thank you, madam speaker. i continue to sound about a cry on this because since 1913, the states have had no way to prevent usurpation of states' rights or do anything about unfunded mandates that were crammed down their throats. the constitution provided for that, in that it said, the state legislatures would select the u.s. senators. and as long as that was the case, every u.s. senator knew if they created an unfunded mandate and took away states' rights or did anything to harm the states' powers that were granted to them under the united states constitution, this would yank that senator back and he would never come back to the u.s. senate and pr

ms. jackson lee of texas for today and wednesday, march 3, mr. rodriguez of texas for today, mr.kson of illinois for today, mr. again green of texas for today and mr. reyes of texas for today. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the requests are granted. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas rise? mr. poe: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that today following legislative business and any special orders heretofore entered into, the following members may be permitted to address this house, revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material, mr. harper for march 3, mr. paulsen for march 3, mr. poe for march 9, mr. jones for march 9, ms. ros-lehtinen for march 3 and 4. mr. moran for march 9 and mr. burton for today, march 3 and march 4. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california rise? wool wools i ask unanimous consent that todd -- ms. woolsey: i ask unanimous consent that any special orders heretofore entered into, the following members may be addressed to house for five minutes to revise and ex

ms. jackson lee: madam speaker, medicare will be expanded, medicaid will be expanded to allow more people to be insured, our children will have more health insurance, it will be a major change for america, a positive change. it is interesting that every time america makes a historic and catastrophic change for the better there is large voices of opposition, confused voices, voices without the facts. i'm reminded of the history of the 1964 civil rights act in 19 -- and 1965 voting rights ac. they did not pass in large margins. there were voices of opposition. african-americans should be second class citizens forever. it is time now for the courageous to recognize that americans cannot be second class and third class in the climate of needing health insurance, that they must be able to go to hospitals and not be kicked out, that they must be able to get insurance without saying you have a pre-existing condition, that women cannot be discriminated against. where's the courage to stand up as we did in a time when african-americans needed their freedom? it is now time to free others who do not

jackson lee of texas, which would amend the definition for high medicaid facility. .. [roll call] >> the clerk wilbert port the total. the motion is not agree to. >> before we turn to ms. foxx i would just like to say, while we have gone through an extraordinarily intense 13 hours here, that's i would like to have a light moment if ever be possible to say that in one hour, mr. sessions will be celebrating his birthday. i wanted everyone here to know that. [applause] thank you very much. now we can turn to ms. foxx. >> ms. foxx. >> thank you madam chairman. before i offer an amendment i would like to say in light of the discussion on the amendments we have had tonight, i would like to ask at the chair provide us with a number of amendments for the first session and this session so far that have been offered in person and those offered without the person testifying by majority party and minority party, and the percent of each of the amendments-- of those amendments that were accepted. i would like to see the statistics on this. when you all raise questions, i guess it is my academic background. you got me to thinking about things and i think it might interesting for the

jackson lee of texas, which would amend the definition for high medicaid facility. .. [roll call] >> the clerk wilbert port the total. the motion is not agree to. >> before we turn to ms foxx i would just like to say, while we have gone through an extraordinarily intense 13 hours here, that's i would like to have a light moment if ever be possible to say that in one hour, mr. sessions will be celebrating his birthday. i wanted everyone here to know that. [applause] thank you very much. now we can turn to ms. foxx. >> ms. foxx. >> thank you madam chairman. before i offer an amendment i would like to say in light of the discussion on the amendments we have had tonight, i would like to ask at the chair provide us with a number of amendments for the first session and this session so far that have been offered in person and those offered without the person testifying by majority party and minority party, and the percent of each of the amendments-- of those amendments that were accepted. i would like to see the statistics on this. when you all raise questions, i guess it is my academic background. you got me to@@@@%7r staff and considerable work. how long did you want to go