This Week In Washington
Statement
On Saturday, I participated in Shelby County Commissioner Henri Brooks' Second Annual Faith-Based Community Know Your Government Day that was held at LeMoyne-Owen College. In the morning, I introduced Ms. Acacia Bamberg Salatti, Deputy Director of the Center for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services who spoke on how to increase community partnership with faith-based organizations. Later that afternoon, I was part of a panel discussion on federal funding for the Ninth District.
Before returning to Washington on Monday, I attended the swearing-in ceremony of A.C. Wharton as the new Mayor of Memphis and Joyce Avery as Acting Mayor of Shelby County. I look forward to working with each of them to help meet the needs of the Ninth District.
Health Care Bill Unveiled
H.R. 3692 the Affordable Health Care for America Act is a step-in-the-right direction to ensure access to comprehensive, quality and affordable health care and insurance for all those who need it, including the 17 percent of Ninth District residents with no health insurance at all.
I'm particularly pleased that my infant mortality proposal, the NEWBORN Act, has been incorporated into the legislation. We must do more to make sure that women have the resources they need to deliver healthy babies -- and that starts by improving access to health clinics and recruiting the best and brightest medical students to practice in underserved inner cities. At the same time, we need to expand outreach, education and research programs, and the NEWBORN Act will lay the foundation for that effort.
The House of Representatives is expected to debate and vote on the health reform bill next week. I've posted the text of the legislation on my website.
Addressing Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System
Whether they're intentional or unintentional, racial disparities in the criminal justice system exist. On Thursday, as a member of the House Judiciary Committee's Crime Subcommittee, I testified before my colleagues on the need for H.R. 1412, the Justice Integrity Act -- legislation that would examine the issues of racial profiling of potential suspects, prosecutorial discretion over charging and plea bargaining decisions, mandatory minimum sentences, and countless other policies and decisions that contribute to problem.
H.R. 1412, would establish a pilot program to study the real and perceived racial and ethnic disparities in federal law enforcement and the criminal justice system, and make recommendations to address any disparities or perceptions of bias that are found as a result of the study.
The Justice Integrity Act has been cosponsored by 30 of my House colleagues, including Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-MI), who gave moving testimony which provides an historical perspective on the issue. Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate, and the original Senate sponsor of the bill was then-Senator, and now Vice President, Joseph Biden. Additionally, the bill has been endorsed by numerous organizations, including the American Bar Association, the NAACP, the ACLU, and the Brennan Center for Justice.
Memphis Legal Services Executive Director Testifies Before Congress
As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law (CAL), I held a hearing Tuesday to examine the growing casework demands of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). I invited Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) Executive Director/CEO, Mr. Harrison McIver III, to testify and share his views on the importance of providing legal assistance to low-income individuals and families who are facing foreclosure, are the victims of predatory lending or dishonest landlords, or just need help navigating the civil legal system.
Last year, MALS, which receives funding from the LSC, handled nearly 5,600 cases. But with the downturn in the economy, and the resulting increased requests for legal representation, the agency has handled over 4500 cases through the first 6 months this year alone -- and will easily exceed the number of cases it handled in 2008.
I am committed to doing everything I can to make sure that all those who walk through MALS doors are able to get the assistance they need. That's why I'm a cosponsor of the Civil Access to Justice Act of 2009, legislation which would authorize an increase in funding for LSC, strengthen LSC's internal controls and corporate governance, and allow LSC-funded programs to utilize non-federal funds more efficiently. The bill is pending before the House Judiciary Committee.
Promoting Safe Communities
October is National Crime Prevention Month, and on Wednesday, I managed a House Resolution that recognizes the importance of citizen and community involvement in an effort to prevent crime.
In our own community, important work is being done by Memphian Stevie Moore and his organization Freedom from Unnecessary Negatives (FFUNN), which works with young people to prevent crime, and Sheriff Mark Luttrell, who was named National Sheriff of the Year, and District Attorney General Bill Gibbons. From National Nigh Out Programs that bring law enforcement officers and the community together through cookouts and events to help promote trust and communication, to Crime Stoppers to Neighborhood Watches, by coming together as a community we can reduce crime and make our streets and neighborhoods safer places.
To view the debate on the legislation and my remarks in support of the bill, click here.
President Obama Signs WISH Act Study into Law
Wednesday, President Barack Obama signed into law the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which requires the Department of Defense to report on the potential effects of my bill, the Written Intent of our Soldier Heroes (WISH) Act, to honor fallen services member's funeral requests.
Existing Pentagon policy does not allow for friends or comrades in arms to carry out those requests, and current law limits who can be designated by a service member to oversee the disposition of remains to a spouse, blood relative, or adoptive parent. Earlier this year, I was able to include the reporting language as an amendment to the NDAA.
While this study has come too late to help the Memphis soldier who helped inspire it, I am hopeful that it will lead to a change of military policy.
$5 Million for MLGW Electric Grid Upgrades
On Tuesday, I was pleased to announce that MLGW was awarded $5,063,469 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding as part of President Obama's energy grid investment proposal.
Our nation's electrical grid is in desperate need of modernization in order to meet the increasing needs of consumers. Making the transition to a smarter, stronger, more efficient and reliable electric system will result in significant savings for consumers.
MLGW will use the federal funding to install a high-speed data communication and control system to its electric distribution system, which will improve power quality, reduce maintenance costs, and serve as the backbone for future smart grid enhancements.
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