H54 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 7, 2009 

Citigroup, for example, was one of 

the big culprits that caused the financial meltdown; yet, they got paid $25 

billion from the public Treasury. But 

Ohio, where foreclosures are raging, 

got nothing. Instead, out-of-State 

megabanks are buying up Ohio banks, 

while more Ohio homeowners get booted out of their homes. 

Last year, in my home County of 

Lucas, another 4,100 homes were foreclosed. That’s a minimum of 10,000, 

10,000 more people who were not helped 

by Treasury’s failed TARP program. 

Ohio’s families alone need $20 billion to 

stop the real estate hemorrhage which 

is less than what Citibank received, 

and would go to real people, not ersatz 

and paper trades on Wall Street. 

In Toledo, Ohio, you can now buy a 

home for $4,500, but last fall, rather 

than local homeowners being refinanced in this Wall Street bailout bill, 

one California investor figured it out. 

He bought 137 foreclosed properties in 

Toledo at auction, an auction sponsored by the very Wall Street banks 

that caused the trouble in the first 

place. Houses are being auctioned at 

prices so low we could have put the 

original occupants back in. Even cities 

would be able to bid on these homes on 

behalf of their local homeowners, their 

property owners, but they’ve not yet 

received any funds from the $4 billion 

neighborhood stabilization program 

that we were told was supposed to keep 

local neighborhoods whole. 

But the Wall Street banks are cleaning up. They get the bailout money. 

They don’t have to manage those properties. They auction them to outsiders 

and then they’re just waiting for their 

taxes to be filed for 2008 at the IRS to 

get all those losses booked and get 

more back from the people of the 

United States. 

Something is very wrong and uncoordinated with the manner in which 

the Federal Government is allowing equity to be bled from local homeowners 

and from our communities at large and 

awarded to Wall Street whole. 

Wall Street banks that hold or sell 

mortgages on these foreclosed properties are not managing their property 

holdings. These holdings are then frequently stripped of copper, electrical 

wiring and other materials, further devaluing adjacent properties and decimating entire neighborhoods. 

The $300 billion FHA program designed to help modify troubled mortgage loans is as ineffective as the Wall 

Street bailout. The program has received fewer than 200 applications nationwide since taking effect October 1 

and not a single loan has been modified. 

A bank’s receipt of TARP funds 

should be conditioned on them lending 

money and engaging in mortgage workouts to ensure the program at least 

starts to work somewhat. Many banks 

and servicers are still reluctant to 

structure manageable workouts with 

their customers. Among them are JP 

Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo and 

Wilshire, who have received $65 billion 

among them in Treasury funds. 

What’s fair about that? May the 111th 

Congress pass more than just hollow 

legislation. Let’s pass a measure worthy of the oath we took yesterday to 

protect our Republic from all enemies, 

foreign and domestic. 

Jesse James robbed banks because he 

said that’s where the money is. Well, 

Wall Street just robbed the biggest 

bank of them all, the public Treasury. 

It’s time for Congress to blink and do 

what’s right in the 111th Congress of 

the United States. 

f 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. 

JONES) is recognized for 5 minutes. 

(Mr. JONES addressed the House. His 

remarks will appear hereafter in the 

Extensions of Remarks.) 

f 

b 1300 

HONORING THE LIFE OF FORMER 

SENATOR CLAIBORNE PELL 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. KENNEDY) is recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mr. KENNEDY. Today, Madam 

Speaker, I join my colleague Congressman LANGEVIN in this tribute to Senator Pell, the great statesman from 

Rhode Island. His name is well-known 

throughout this country, associated 

most notably with the Pell Grant, the 

grant that allows millions of young 

people in this country opportunity to 

get a higher education. 

But Madam Speaker, we wanted to 

pay tribute to Senator Pell not only 

for what he did to open the doors for 

millions in this country for economic 

and educational opportunity, we wanted to pay tribute to him for all that 

he’s done as a five-term Senator from 

Rhode Island and one of the most distinguished Senators ever to serve not 

only Rhode Island but this country. 

He was the author of the Humanities 

Act, National Endowment for the Humanities, which allows the arts to be 

accessible to the average person as 

well. 

He was really the founder and the 

person who really began the belief that 

we ought to work cooperatively around 

the world in terms of foreign policy. As 

the chairman of the Foreign Relations 

Committee, he was the one who led in 

diplomacy. 

And my friends, he was far ahead of 

his time as an environmentalist as 

well. 

Madam Speaker, we could talk about 

his policies and what they meant to 

our country, but to know him as a person is to really say the most about 

Senator Pell. He was the most self-effacing, genteel, kind-hearted man that 

you could ever know. And in a world of 

rough-and-tumble politics, it’s hard to 

find a genuine person such as that. And 

for that reason, on a personal level I 

was honored to know him and serve 

with him and today join my colleague, 

JIM LANGEVIN, in paying tribute to 

him. 

Senator Pell left an extraordinary legacy that 

is appreciated by so many people around the 

world. 

He spent his life in service to our country 

from his start in 1960 as a U.S. Senator from 

Rhode Island to his retirement in 1997, and in 

the years beyond in which he remained active 

in our State. 

Our Nation has lost one of its most visionary 

and thoughtful legislative leaders, and his hallmark, the Pell Grant, exemplifies his efforts to 

promote education and opportunity for all 

Americans. So many families, though they 

may not know his name, were touched by the 

work and generous spirit of Senator Pell. 

There are so many areas in which he led 

our country to the forefront such as oceanography, foreign policy, and college tuition assistance. His commitment to public service 

and his notable contributions to Rhode Island 

and our Nation continue to inspire people of 

all generations. 

The magnitude and depth of his accomplishments may never be known because he let 

others take the credit and acclaim. His style 

was understated yet magnanimous and his 

work ushered in many essential policies that 

have shaped our world today. 

Earlier this week, President Clinton, Vice 

President-elect Biden, Senator KENNEDY, Senator REED and many of his other friends from 

around the globe paid tribute to his work and 

celebrated his life. 

He will be truly missed and my sympathies 

and prayers are with his family. He leaves behind his wife of 64 years, wonderful Nuala 

O’Donnell Pell; his son, Christopher T.H. Pell, 

of Newport; a daughter, Dallas Pell, of New 

York City; as well as five grandchildren and 

five great grandchildren. 

But those of us who will miss him extends 

much farther. It is our country’s sorrow to lose 

such a giant of the Senate and the Nation. 

And with that, I would like to yield 

the floor to my colleague and friend 

from the Second Congressional District, Congressman LANGEVIN. 

Mr. LANGEVIN. Madam Speaker, I 

thank my colleague for yielding, and I 

am honored to join with him today in 

paying tribute to our State’s former 

senior Senator, Senator Claiborne Pell, 

who passed away on the 1st of this 

year. He was an incredible public servant, and someone who I was proud to 

call a friend and a mentor. He was one 

of Rhode Island’s greatest statesmen 

and gentlemen, as I said, who passed 

away on the first day of 2009. 

Born on November 22, 1918 into a 

prominent and wealthy family, Senator 

Pell was better known as a champion 

for the common man and also the ‘‘Father of the Pell Grant Program.’’ After 

receiving a degree from Princeton University, he served in the United States 

Coast Guard during World War II and 

later traveled the world as a Foreign 

Service Officer of the State Department. In 1960, he was elected to his 

first of six terms as a United States 

Senator from Rhode Island. After retiring in 1997, he became our State’s longest-serving Senator. 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with HOUSE
January 7, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H55 

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease 

in 1994, he never let his physical condition diminish his spirit and he remained active in the Rhode Island 

community and the Democratic Party. 

In Rhode Island, the Pell name is legendary in politics and synonymous 

with the best attributes of public service, and his legacy endures. 

The esteemed Senator once stated, 

‘‘The strength of the United States is 

not the gold at Fort Knox or the weapons of mass destruction that we have, 

but the sum total of the education and 

the character of our people.’’ Believing 

that education was the great equalizer, 

he created legislation that passed in 

1972 establishing the Basic Educational 

Opportunity Grants—better known now 

as Pell Grants—that provide financial 

assistance to students who may not 

otherwise be able to attend college. It 

is estimated that a remarkable 54 million students have benefited from these 

grants. 

Due to his love of the arts, he also 

authored the legislation, as my colleague, Congressman KENNEDY, mentioned, creating the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He helped 

shape our country’s foreign policy and 

believed strongly in the power of diplomacy. He stood up to defend rights for 

all Americans, regardless of race, class 

or sexual orientation. 

Knowing him for more than two decades, I considered Senator Pell a friend 

and a mentor and had the opportunity 

of interning in his Washington, DC office during my studies at Rhode Island 

College. I found it to be one of the most 

rewarding experiences of my life and 

the beginning of a career path that led 

me here to Congress as a representative of Rhode Island’s Second Congressional District. 

As I began my own career in government, Senator Pell was always there 

for me, offering advice and support. 

f 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. BURTON) is 

recognized for 5 minutes. 

(Mr. BURTON of Indiana addressed 

the House. His remarks will appear 

hereafter in the Extensions of Remarks.) 

f 

HONORING SENATOR CLAIBORNE 

PELL 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. 

LANGEVIN) is recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mr. LANGEVIN. In continuing my 

tribute to Senator Pell, Madam Speaker, Senator Pell was and always will be 

a role model as I work to serve the people of Rhode Island just as he did, with 

courage and integrity. 

This past Monday, Senator Pell was 

remembered by his family, colleagues 

from the Senate, President Clinton, 

Vice President-elect Biden, and many 

others. It was a fitting tribute to his 

years of public service and his life-long 

vision for our country. 

Madam Speaker, it is an understatement to say that his presence will be 

forever missed, but his enduring legacy 

will live on in his many accomplishments that have enhanced our country 

greatly, and especially the past, 

present and future students who have 

achieved a higher education because of 

Pell Grants. And it will live on in the 

people of Rhode Island, who have benefited greatly from his life’s work. 

My thoughts and prayers are with his 

entire family, especially his beloved 

wife of 64 years, Nuala Pell, during this 

very difficult time. 

I join with my friend and colleague, 

Congressman KENNEDY, to say that 

Senator Pell had a tremendous impact 

on our careers. And again, we extend 

both our sincerest condolences to the 

entire Pell family. 

f 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia 

(Ms. NORTON) is recognized for 5 minutes. 

(Ms. NORTON addressed the House. 

Her remarks will appear hereafter in 

the Extensions of Remarks.) 

f 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. KIRK) is recognized for 5 minutes. 

(Mr. KIRK addressed the House. His 

remarks will appear hereafter in the 

Extensions of Remarks.) 

f 

ISRAEL AND HAMAS CONFLICT 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. ROGERS) is 

recognized for 5 minutes. 

Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam 

Speaker, I rise today to speak about 

the devastating situation in Gaza. 

Each of us in this Chamber knows 

what it’s like to deal with a terrorist 

attack on our soil and against our people. Over the last several years, the 

Israeli people have been constantly 

bombarded by terrorist attacks on 

their soil and against their people. 

Since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 

late 2005, more than 6,000 rocket and 

mortar attacks from Hamas and other 

terrorist groups were fired into their 

territory. 

The Government of Israel has a right 

and a responsibility to defend and protect its people. To stand idly by while 

hundreds of bombs explode on Israeli 

territory would have indeed been an irresponsible position for Israel’s government to take, and continuing to do 

nothing could cause long-term detrimental implications to Israel’s security in the region. 

So Madam Speaker, critics who have 

said that Israel responded to Hamas in 

a disproportionate or indiscriminate 

way are wrong. Madam Speaker, I ask, 

what amount of force would have been 

necessary to stop the brutal attacks, to 

put an end to the terrorists’ rocket 

launching pad in Gaza? 

Hamas has repeatedly targeted 

school yards and hospitals filled with 

children and civilians in Israel. And 

the militants have been deliberate in 

operating from places where Gazan civilians have sought shelter, jeopardizing innocent lives in Gaza. Only 

Hamas is responsible for the massacre 

of the people in Gaza. Hamas is responsible for this conflict. 

Today marks the 12th day of this 

conflict, and I think we all hope for a 

cease-fire to take place soon. However, 

even if the parties can reach an agreement to a cease-fire, it remains to be 

seen whether it will be durable. 

Therefore, I strongly urge support for 

Israel’s right to self-defense and its efforts to protect itself militarily. I also 

urge the United Nations and our European allies to do the same. 

f 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a 

previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. WOOLSEY) 

is recognized for 5 minutes. 

(Ms. WOOLSEY addressed the House. 

Her remarks will appear hereafter in 

the Extensions of Remarks.) 

f 

ECONOMY IN AMERICA 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under 

the Speaker’s announced policy of January 6, 2009, the gentleman from Texas 

(Mr. GOHMERT) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority 

leader. 

Mr. GOHMERT. Madam Speaker, it is 

a pleasure to be here as we start another 2 years in a new Congress, the 

111th Congress. It is an humbling honor 

to get to follow in the footsteps of so 

many giants. 

I come today to talk a bit about the 

economy and what’s been done so far 

and what is being proposed to be done 

in the future. Now, there is so much to 

be learned from people who have been 

around this place and been on this 

Earth for many, many decades. A fellow down in Nacogdoches had the wisdom, when he was told by a young reporter on his 95th birthday, ‘‘Congratulations on your 95th birthday, I hope 

you’re not offended, but I hope I never 

turn 95,’’ and the gentleman said, 

‘‘Well, son, that’s because you’re not 

94.’’ But a man over 90 approached me 

there and said that he was sick and 

tired of hearing people say, oh, this is 

the worst day since the Depression, 

some people saying it’s as bad as the 

1930s Depression. And he said, let me 

tell you about the Depression. I was 

there. Sometimes we went for 2 days 

without eating. And I look around nowadays and I see people offended if they 

don’t have three cars in their family. 

They’ve got a computer, they’ve got 

cell phones, they’ve got all these 

things, and they’re trying to tell me 

that this is as bad as the Depression 


wwoods2 on PRODPC68 with HOUSE