Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 112 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 112 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 157 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2011 No. 39 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was empty because some employers won’t lion Americans that we represent as called to order by the Speaker pro tem- even consider them for openings. Members of Congress who are looking pore (Mr. TURNER). Recently, The New York Times re- for the opportunity to pursue the ported that one employer listed a job f American Dream. They are looking for that included the caveat: ‘‘No unem- Washington and to Washington for DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO ployed candidate will be considered at leadership and to keep things from get- TEMPORE all,’’ and a Texas electronics company ting any worse. The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- said that it won’t ‘‘consider/review They are writing our offices begging fore the House the following commu- anyone not currently employed, re- us to help them jump-start America. nication from the Speaker: gardless of the reason.’’ It is reminis- They are not just looking for a hand cent of a time when signs read: Blacks out. They are looking for a way out, WASHINGTON, DC, need not apply, or Women need not March 15, 2011. just a chance so that they can take I hereby appoint the Honorable MICHAEL R. apply. care of the rest. They are hoping that Mr. Speaker, I think it’s high time TURNER to act as Speaker pro tempore on the next interview will mean a new this day. that we fix that. How are the unem- start. JOHN A. BOEHNER, ployed supposed to find work if they Mr. Speaker, the job market is trou- Speaker of the House of Representatives. don’t even get considered for a job? blesome; but we cannot allow compa- f How do we expect the unemployment nies to arbitrarily pick who will come rate to go down when the unemployed MORNING-HOUR DEBATE out of the economic crisis by disquali- aren’t even available or allowed to fying unemployed workers. It should The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- compete for a job? not be their right to discriminate this Along with Congressman JOHN LEWIS, ant to the order of the House of Janu- way. I’m introducing legislation that will ary 5, 2011, the Chair will now recog- We, as a Nation, face triumphs and amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to nize Members from lists submitted by challenges together. It seems to me make it illegal for employers to dis- the majority and minority leaders for that to allow such a practice is criminate against applicants because morning-hour debate. counterintuitive to everything that they are currently or were currently The Chair will alternate recognition Congress is working towards. Why cre- between the parties, with each party unemployed. The Civil Rights Act of 2011 will not ate jobs if those Americans currently limited to 1 hour and each Member without jobs are not eligible? other than the majority and minority give a job to those who are unem- ployed, but it will give those who are Just because an individual was un- leaders and the minority whip limited lucky to be laid off or had the misfor- to 5 minutes each, but in no event shall unemployed through no fault of their own the opportunity to compete for a tune to graduate into a jobless market debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. job on the merits of their ability. does not mean that we should just cast f Mr. Speaker, we talk in pleasantries them aside. This employment practice adds in- THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 2011 and political correctness about ‘‘these difficult economic times.’’ We debate sult to injury for Americans who are The SPEAKER pro tempore. The policy and hold hearings on how to desperately looking for jobs, for college Chair recognizes the gentleman from move America forward, but recently graduates who debate if their edu- Illinois (Mr. JACKSON) for 5 minutes. the Bureau of Labor Statistics had to cation was worth the cost, for families Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speak- modify its current population survey who are trying to make more on less. er, the greatest threat to our democ- to be able to include responses report- Those who live on Main Street of racy is unemployment. We all know ing a duration of unemployment over 2 America had very little to do with the the numbers. We all have far too many years. onset of our economic crisis. In re- constituents who don’t have jobs and We are making room for the reality sponse, they are doing what genera- can’t provide for their families. of chronic unemployment in America tions before us have taught, carrying Too many Americans are without in very real ways, while promising it on, hoping that the darkness will give work, and more and more of them are will get better. I think we need to do way to light. losing hope. Unemployment benefits more to make sure that people have op- Mr. Speaker, if we allow employers are running out. Fear is creeping in. portunities. to block consideration for those who But for some of the unemployed, their Nearly 9 percent of Americans right are unemployed, we let that light get a tireless job search has been coming up now are unemployed. That’s 13.9 mil- little dimmer. We allow the American b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H1799 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:14 Mar 16, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A15MR7.000 H15MRPT1 smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with HOUSE H1800 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 15, 2011 Dream to be tarnished. We send a mes- States since the arrival of the earliest who remain wrongfully imprisoned in sage to the American people, those who Cuban settlers more than 400 years ago Castro’s gulags. are currently unemployed and those in St. Augustine, Florida. I am proud to say that despite the who are one bad break away from un- According to the 2007 census survey, challenges and the passing years, employment, that we will bail out 251,000 Cuban American-owned busi- Cuban Americans remain undeterred in banks but not support them as they nesses generated $51 billion to our our fight for freedom, justice, and de- fight to take care of their families. economy. Several local south Florida mocracy. The Civil Rights Act and the amend- municipalities have recognized the im- Mr. Speaker, I join in the support of ments that have followed demonstrate portant contributions that the Cuban these resolutions and again urge that a what makes America exceptional. American community has made to the date be set to honor the courage, the Here, regardless of the color of your economic and cultural development of achievements, and the legacy of Cuban skin, the god you pray to, your eth- our great Nation. Americans in the glorious United nicity, your age or sex, you will be Cuban Americans have become dedi- States. judged on your performance. We cated public servants, having held f haven’t always lived up to our prin- posts at the highest levels of govern- THE COST OF THE ENERGY TAX ciples, but it is the collective momen- ment. PREVENTION ACT tum towards these values that makes Cubans settling in the United States America great. look at this Nation, our wonderful The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Discrimination against any Amer- United States of America, with grati- Chair recognizes the gentleman from ican is an affront to the very idea of tude; and many have risked life and Illinois (Mr. QUIGLEY) for 5 minutes. America. A new class of citizen now limb to defend this bastion of freedom Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, Colstrip, needs protection from the superficial and democracy. Countless Cuban Amer- Montana, is home to the second largest bias that is not based on the ability to icans have served bravely in all coal plant west of the Mississippi. One perform. Using current employment branches of the United States Armed boxcar-full of coal is burned every 5 status as a requirement for application Forces and have fought honorably in minutes. or consideration is shameful. many wars. The burning coal creates sodium, There are 13.9 million Americans cur- One such hero is Armando Alejandre, thallium, mercury, boron, aluminum, rently unemployed; that means 13.9 who voluntarily enlisted in the United and arsenic, which is pumped out of the million Americans are considered by States Marine Corps and served two factory and into the air. The chemicals some employers to be no longer viable tours of duty in Vietnam. Armando was that are pumped into the air are for employment. They are dismissed also a volunteer for the Brothers to the caught in the factory’s scrubbers and out of hand. Rescue, a pro-democracy organization then dumped with coal ash into giant But, Mr. Speaker, I refuse to believe whose mission is to promote and sup- settling ponds. These ponds are shallow that every unemployed individual is port the efforts of the people of Cuba to artificial lakes of concentrated tox- unqualified for a job. It is an arbitrary free themselves from the Cuban dicta- icity which leach this poison into wells way of narrowing an applicant pool by torship through the use of active non- and aquifers.