Date: 2011-11-15
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Before I talk about my topic of protecting our children. I want to acknowledge. first of all. the coming Thanksgiving and the many people who are impoverished in this Nation that we need to pay attention to and. particularly. our children. which is the largest percentage of those impoverished are children in the United States. For that reason. I think it is important that as we begin this discussion on the supercommittee and its responsibility. that we look at the responsibility to the American people. And if we cannot fairly bring in revenue and balance the cuts on the most vulnerable. we should go to regular order. Let me also welcome our troops that will be coming home. And I will be initiating in Houston an idea that every single school will have a welcome home troops all over the community. and not one tree will be left undressed. if you will. to make sure that none of our soldiers walk down any block in a lonely way and not know that they are welcomed and loved. Thirdly. Id like to say that as they are coming home. are we preparing to use their many talents that they have learned. particularly those who understand homeland security. putting them to work for the Homeland Security Department. I also want to create jobs. And one of my constituents is ExxonMobil. who has struck a contract with the Kurds dealing with oil and gas in Iraq. Lo and behold. the very country that weve shed blood for. no matter whether you were green energy or for or against fossil fuel. it is about jobs and about work here in the United States. The audacity of the Iraqi Government to suggest they want to intrude on that contract and to have a say on that contract. well. when lives were lost. American lives were lost. they didnt have too much of a say. Americans were willing to stand up and be counted. And Id hope the Iraqis would allow a fair contract to go forward. It seems that every time Americas involved in helping the Iraqi people through the Iraqi Government theres always a negative response. Some of us are a little tired of that. Mr. Speaker. I rise particularly today to talk about our children. As the cochair and founder of the Congressional Childrens Caucus. I noted already the disaster that children are experiencing. In my own home State. food stamps hit a record in Texas. We know that Governor Perry is running for President. but in his home State were facing a crisis with the number of people on food stamps. Were also facing a crisis because the policy agency for education. the Texas Education Agency. is deciding to go throughout the State of Texas and to save money on education by closing school districts. small school districts in particular. Theyre too fearful of closing the big ones. And I represent many of them. and I love them all and bring money to them and encourage them to educate their children. But theres something about school districts that are too big to fail. But the North Forest Independent School District. where hundreds of community leaders and children and parents and teachers came out on Sunday to stand up against a socalled revocation notice that would close down this school district that has all the need to survive. 7.500 students. a high school that they are putting together and repairing and getting children to learn. 1.200 students in this high school. middle schools. elementary schools. a preschool that is renowned and respected by all. But the TEA wants to cut the budget and save its own neck by cutting small school districts. And so my plea to my Governor. Governor Perry. join with me and the many citizens that you represent. and stand against the TEA to close a majority minority school district. the last remaining majority minority school district with great history in the North Forest Independent School District community. taxing themselves to ensure that their children have more resources. and are joined with the Houston Community College System so that their children are getting college preparatory credits. They want to live. They want to survive. Dont belt tighten and save your necks and your jobs on the backs of our children. Dont disregard and discriminate against small school districts which are all over America on behalf of large school districts. And Governor Perry. I think we can work together. As we worked together against the Confederate flag license plate. we can work together on this matter. Let me close by focusing on an issue that has taken this country by storm. And as I read the indictment I dont want to point out one name versus another. the alleged perpetrator in this Penn State fiasco. But I will say that this is a disgrace. I will be introducing legislation to have zero tolerance for sexual abuse of children and to stop any Federal funds going to anyone. any entity. any State that has a situation where children are sexually abused. Mr. Speaker. it is a disgrace. and the Federal Government must stand up against it. I. for one. am going to do so. Enough is enough. We have to protect our children.