January 8, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H75 

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LILLY LEDBETTER FAIR PAY ACT 

AND PAYCHECK FAIRNESS ACT 

(Mr. BACA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 

minute.) 

Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 

in support of two critical bills: the 

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the 

Paycheck Fairness Act. 

More than 40 years have passed since 

the passage of the Equal Pay Act. Unfortunately, women still earn less than 

men for the same work, and that is unfair. Women earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by men. The pay gap is even 

more severe amongst minority women. 

African American women earn 69 cents. 

Hispanic women earn just 56 cents on 

the dollar. 

The story of Lilly Ledbetter is a case 

in point of the barriers faced by women 

today. It’s time for a change. Simply 

because of her gender, Ms. Ledbetter 

was paid 20 percent less for performing 

the same job that her male colleagues 

performed. It’s unfair. 

The gap doesn’t just affect women. It 

affects the Nation’s economy. Women 

represent 41 percent of the total heads 

of households and sole income earners 

in this country. We cannot afford to 

weaken the ability of our breadwinners 

to pay for the basics, like groceries, 

child care and health care, especially 

as we face a growing economic recession. 

I urge us to support this legislation. 

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HOUSE GOP TALKERS ON 

STIMULUS 

(Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) 

Mr. PENCE. As every American 

knows, this economy is hurting, and 

millions of Americans are anxious. 

House Republicans applaud our President-elect for focusing on legislation. 

Today, President-elect Obama will say 

that this Congress must act boldly and 

act now, and we agree. He has invited 

House Republicans to bring forward 

ideas to stimulate this economy, and 

we will gladly do so, but the American 

people know we cannot borrow and 

spend and bail our way back to a growing economy. 

In that vein, House Republicans will 

insist that tax relief go to taxpayers, 

that it be permanent and that it create 

jobs. We’ll demand a stimulus plan to 

be transparent and accountable and 

achieve its intended results. As this 

legislation is developed, there will be 

the need for competing interests and 

for compromise, but let this point be 

clear: 

In this cause, in the cause of stimulus legislation, House Republicans 

will be on the side of the people who 

will pay for the stimulus bill. House 

Republicans will be on the side of the 

American taxpayer and will demand a 

stimulus plan that will turn loose the 

inherent power of the American economy, a stimulus plan that will be accountable, transparent and will achieve 

the intended result. 

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AMERICA’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY 

PLAN 

(Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland asked 

and was given permission to address 

the House for 1 minute.) 

Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. 

Speaker, as we begin the 111th Congress this week, we are plagued by an 

economic crisis that continues to affect every family in America. We must 

act now to address these serious challenges or we could experience an even 

deeper economic downturn and continued job losses this year. 

Passing an economic recovery package that provides a short-term economic boost and that invests in America’s future is a priority for this new 

Congress. 

Rebuilding our crumbling roads, 

bridges and schools will create jobs 

today and will transform our economy 

tomorrow. Making public buildings 

more energy efficient will reduce our 

dependence on fossil fuels and will create high-wage jobs in all communities. 

We must invest in our aging water 

and sewer systems. Fifty- and 100-yearold pipes lack the capacity to support 

our growing population and to preserve 

and protect our Nation’s drinking 

water. 

Mr. Speaker, these problems are not 

partisan, and our solution should not 

be either. Democrats and Republicans 

must come together now to get our 

economy back on track and to reinvest 

in America’s financial future. 

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REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF THE 

LATE SENATOR CLAIBORNE PELL 

(Mr. BISHOP of New York asked and 

was given permission to address the 

House for 1 minute.) 

Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of 

the late Senator Claiborne Pell, who 

passed away last week after an inspiring career as a Senator from Rhode Island and as a strong advocate for higher education. Most famously, Senator 

Pell authored legislation in 1972 that 

created the higher education grant program that bears his name and that has 

allowed millions of low- and middle-income students to attend college. 

Senator Pell was known as a modest 

man, and he often shied away from the 

attention he received for creating the 

Pell Grant program, originally entitled 

the Basic Educational Opportunity 

Grant, and that was modeled after the 

GI bill. Senator Pell believed that the 

fastest way for Americans to prosper 

was through education and that making education accessible was essential. 

While grant awards under Senator 

Pell’s program have risen since it was 

first enacted, they have not kept pace 

with the rising cost of attending college. Despite the efforts of the 110th 

Congress through the reauthorization 

of the Higher Education Act to raise 

the Pell Grant maximum to $6,000 per 

year, many families are still burdened 

by the rising costs of higher education. 

In the 111th Congress, I hope we continue Senator Pell’s goal of educating 

our youth by working to ensure adequate funding for all forms of student 

financial aid such as the Perkins loan 

program and SEOG. Funding for these 

programs will help to ensure that higher education is affordable and accessible to all students regardless of one’s 

income or background. 

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RECESS 

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. 

HOLDEN). Pursuant to clause 12(a) of 

rule I, the Chair declares the House in 

recess until approximately 12:55 p.m. 

today. 

Accordingly (at 10 o’clock and 20 

minutes a.m.), the House stood in recess until approximately 12:55 p.m. 

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AFTER RECESS 

The recess having expired, the House 

was called to order at 1 o’clock and 1 

minute p.m. 

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COUNTING ELECTORAL VOTES— 

JOINT SESSION OF THE HOUSE 

AND SENATE HELD PURSUANT 

TO THE PROVISIONS OF SENATE 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1 

At 1:01 p.m., the Majority Floor Services Chief, Barry Sullivan, announced 

the Vice President and the Senate of 

the United States. 

The Senate entered the Hall of the 

House of Representatives, headed by 

the Vice President and the Secretary of 

the Senate, the Members and officers 

of the House rising to receive them. 

The Vice President took his seat as 

the Presiding Officer of the joint convention of the two Houses, the Speaker 

of the House occupying the chair on his 

left. Senators took seats to the right of 

the rostrum as prescribed by law. 

The joint session was called to order 

by the Vice President. 

The VICE PRESIDENT. Madam 

Speaker and Members of Congress, pursuant to the Constitution and laws of 

the United States, the Senate and 

House of Representatives are meeting 

in joint session to verify the certificates and count the votes of the electors of the several States for President 

and Vice President of the United 

States. 

After ascertainment has been had 

that the certificates are authentic and 

correct in form, the tellers will count 

and make a list of the votes cast by the 

electors of the several States. 

The tellers on the part of the two 

Houses will take their places at the 

clerk’s desk. 

The tellers, Mr. SCHUMER and Mr. 

BENNETT on the part of the Senate, and 


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