Date: 2010-05-28
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Speaker. this has been a whirlwind of a week. and I believe it is more than appropriate to summarize for the American people the real work that has been done. the triumphs. the challenges. but also the admitted courage of those who recognize that without heavy lifting. this country may not have been explored and stretched to the far reaches of the west coast. where many who traveled beyond the original settlements went West. young man. courage of Americans. This country would not have been great had Abraham Lincoln not stood up to a divided Nation. spoke against the evils of slavery. and unified this Nation. Although we have traveled a rocky road in the 20th century. moving to ensure the equality of all persons through the civil rights movement and womens movement. there have been many women of courage who made America different and better. I am grateful today that we left this place having voted on the American jobs bill that will provide for small businesses. that will create summer jobs. that will stop the moving of jobs overseas. that provide for the closing of tax loopholes. that provide for the physicians who nurture us. provide for our families. and it will create jobs. A position I have taken is on an amendment that I have written that would allow those unemployed to receive training and stipends without losing their unemployment insurance. Oh. yes. Mr. Speaker. we have work to do. I ask the governors of our States to stand up and be heard and provide for the FMAC. the Medicaid that is so much needed. I will fight with you. Of course. we need to work on the COBRA. But what we have done is to provide for jobs. Then we have said to the men and women of the United States military. we believe in you. providing for more benefits. more quality of life support for their family. more posttraumatic stress disorder counseling. providing for counseling of civilians that might have suffered a violent act on a military base such as those in Fort Hoodand an amendment that I offered will support itprovided opportunities for small businesses to do business with the Defense Department. To stand up for justice. to stand up for a young man by the name of Ensign Provo who lost his life because of his sexual orientation and the ugliness of hate. I believe we did the right thing in eliminating Dont Ask. Dont Tell. because the men and women in the United States military are well aware of what justice is all about. They are well aware of what political grandstanding is all about. They are well aware that this amendment will only move forward after we have scrutinized your opinion. Thank you to the men and women who are courageous enough to send us home. along with my own vote. to say to those who are an American in need that we believe in you and have fought for you. I close by thanking my beloved mom and acknowledging that her teaching gave me the grounding to be able to say that all men and women are created equal. She is no longer here. but I truly believe teachings of our mothers and fathers have always brought us to the higher calling of being able to help all people. On behalf of myself. my brother and our extended family. we are grateful to all who expressed their concerns. I just believe. with all seriousness. that what we must do is continue to help people to make their lives better and to change America for the best. I think we have got the best constitutional institution of democracy the world has ever seen. and that is the United States Congress. As we disagree. we still uphold this flag and the Constitution of the United States of America. We have now been sent home with a great amount of bounty for the American people and those who are in need. and we have gone home to say thank you to the men and women in the United States military and to acknowledge and to appreciate and to honor those who have fallen in battle. May God bless you as God blesses America.