Under the Clock

The best part of a very good week

2010-04-09T16:59:00.001-05:00

On the heels of a very challenging week before recess, I am happy to report a series of pieces of good news. But, first I cannot help but saying the highlight of my week was telling a story about my neck tie to a four year old who asked what it was. At the very gracious invitations of their teachers, I got to spend time this week with a group of very inquisitive, cute and energetic three and four year olds at Corporate Kids, the child care center at the downtown Federal Building. I was happy to talk with the little ones about the most important issues facing them: why it is so important to listen to their parents and why they should not run off or leave the house without permission.

We then topped a productive meeting with cake. Friends, sometimes this job can really be a struggle, and then there are visits like this and it makes it all worthwhile. Thank you to some of my youngest constituents for a fantastic afternoon!

This week, I also visited the students at Hickman Mills High School who presented a check for $1,600 for Haitian relief efforts to be delivered to UMCOR an international non-profit. The young men and women at Hickman who spent their time and effort in service of those in need is, frankly, inspiring. I know their school and parents are very proud of them. I can tell you that the next time I see Secretary Clinton I will absolutely tell her of the efforts of these outstanding students. Schools in the Hickman Mills C-1 School District have raised more than $10,000 in cash and supplies for those who still struggle in Haiti. Simply awesome!

Jobs Now

2010-04-09T16:58:00.000-05:00

National, state and local leaders representing government, business, labor and environmental groups convened today in Kansas City Wednesday for the “Clean Energy Roadshow.” The Roadshow was created to find ways to spur collaborative public-private investment in the clean energy economy and create quality green jobs for American workers. Kansas City is the Roadshow’s tenth stop in a multi-city, multi-state national tour that is expected to run through 2011.

I was pleased to highlight Kansas City’s Green Impact Zone initiative, which concentrates resources like federal and state weatherization funding into a low-income, high-unemployment neighborhood to create jobs and improve energy efficiency, as an example of success.

We know our nation must change the way we produce and consume energy, we must make our homes more efficient and we must get Americans back to work. The conversation we continued this week leverages once-in-a-lifetime federal resources to spur private commitments in remaking our economy for a sustainable future. The American labor movement has done more than any policy or politician to build the middle class. We are climbing out of a recession spurred, in part, by turning our back on the worker and valuing a quick buck over honest labor. It is time again for our economy to be based on hard work and fair pay.

The Roadshow is currently focused in large part on strengthening America’s energy efficiency retrofit industry. Part of the Kansas City Roadshow involved members of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 264 (pictured above) demonstrating elements of the home energy efficiency retrofits that will be done in the Green Impact Zone, including conducting an infrared scan for air leaks and blowing insulation into drafty walls.

Retrofitting energy inefficient homes in America will not only create tens of thousands of new jobs, but it will also save families an average of $440 to $600 a year on their home energy bills, and in some cases much more. In addition, it will reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, improve quality of life for homeowners and families and reduce U.S carbon emissions equivalent to taking 615,000 cars off the road in order to help mitigate climate change.

First new business opens in Green Zone

2010-04-09T16:57:00.001-05:00

This week I was very proud to announce some great news for the Green Impact Zone project. The Green Impact Zone is now home to ongoing research and development of new magnetic technology which will revolutionize the way we design and use electric motors and generators – providing more efficiency and power while helping consumers save money and energy.

It was my to join P.J. Piper president and CEO of QM Power to cut the ribbon on the first business to move into the Green Impact Zone since its inception less than a year ago. More than just opening the doors on a new business, Mr. Piper announced that he is moving his corporate headquarters from Boston to The Green Impact Zone. He literally could have chosen anywhere in the country to locate and he chose the Eastside of Troost. This is a huge win and one we should all be very proud of.

At the opening Mr. Piper said, “QM Power’s investment in innovative, game-changing clean technologies aligns well with Congressman Emanuel Cleaver’s Green Impact Zone. We look forward to bringing the world’s most efficient and power dense electric motor, generator and actuator technology to Kansas City.”

Friends, these are jobs where there were previously none, and is only the start. Currently QM Power employs six people and plans to hire an additional 20 employees within the next year. By 2013, Mr. Piper said the company will likely grow to 100 employees. Along with creating several highly-skilled, high-salaried jobs, QM Power plans to collaborate with the University of Missouri System, corporate development partners, government agencies, national research labs, suppliers and customers.

In addition to providing job prospects, QM Power will sign a Memorandum of Understanding to solidify research collaborations with UMKC. For the past year, the School of Computing and Engineering faculty and students have gained research experience by assisting QM Power with controller, power electronics, wind turbine, medical robotics and cryogenic development projects.

This is a huge win for the Green Impact Zone, UMKC and Missouri’s Fifth District. Thanks to all who have helped make it a reality!

Recognizing a job well done

2010-04-09T16:55:00.000-05:00

FRED BLOCHER/Kansas City Star

Wednesday, Congressman Barney Frank, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, and I recognized Kansas City’s own UMB and Commerce Bank for being named the highest rated banks in the continental United States.

Each year Forbes evaluates America’s 100 largest banks. The rankings are based on criteria that measured asset quality, capital adequacy and profitability. The rankings for 2009 name UMB the second-best bank in 2009 behind Bank of Hawaii while Commerce ranked third.

The Forbes rankings confirm what we have known here in Kansas City for decades. America’s strongest and most reliable banks are not on the coasts, they are in the heartland where common sense, hard work and exceptional service have been the foundations for UMB and Commerce Bank since the day they opened their doors.

Chairman Frank and I presented both bank Chairmen framed copies of Congressional Record statements delivered on the floor of the House of Representatives in honor of the employees, officers, directors and shareholders with congratulations on a job well done.

Health Care reform

2010-03-19T17:06:00.002-05:00

This weekend, the U.S. House of Representatives will accomplish something first proposed by Harry Truman in 1947. We will take a historic vote on health care reform legislation. This legislation will make health care affordable for the middle class, provide security for seniors, and guarantee access to health insurance for the uninsured – while reducing the federal deficit by over $138 billion over the next decade.

The Congressional Budget Office, our national independent, non-partisan “referee” that by law examines each bill considered by Congress to assess the cost, released its “scoring” of the bill we will vote on Sunday. Based on an analysis from CBO, the legislation the bill:

Cuts the deficit by $138 billion in the first ten years (2010 – 2019).
Cuts the deficit by $1.2 trillion in the second ten years.
Reduces annual growth in Medicare expenditures by 1.4 percentage points per year—while improving benefits and lowering costs for seniors.
Extends Medicare’s solvency by at least 9 years.
Expands health insurance coverage to 32 million Americans.
Helps guarantee that 95 percent of Americans will be covered.
$940 billion over a decade. (Americans spend nearly $2.5 trillion each year on health care now and nearly two-thirds of the bill is paid for by reducing health care costs).

But, let’s get specific to what this bill will do in our District. If passed the bill will:

Improve coverage for 369,000 residents with health insurance.
Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 171,000 families and 14,300 small businesses to help them afford coverage.
Improve Medicare for 98,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole.
Extend coverage to 58,500 uninsured residents.
Guarantee that 12,200 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.
Protect 1,500 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.
Allow 49,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents’ insurance plans.
Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 7 community health centers.
Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $68 million annually.

Affordable High-Quality Health Care for the Middle Class

Essential health insurance reforms. Approximately 59% of the District (369,000 residents) receives health care coverage from an employer or through policies purchased on the individual market. Under the legislation, individuals with insurance can keep the coverage they have now, and it will get better. The insurance reforms in the bill prohibit annual and lifetime limits, eliminate rescissions for individuals who become ill while insured, ban coverage denials for pre-existing conditions, and reduce the cost of preventive care. To rein in soaring insurance costs, the reforms also limit the amount insurance companies can spend on administrative expenses, profits, and other overhead.

Historic health care tax cuts. Those who do not receive health care coverage through their employer will be able to purchase coverage at group rates through new health insurance exchange. To make this insurance affordable, the legislation contains the largest middle-class tax cut for health care in history, providing middle class families with incomes up to $88,000 for a family of four with tax credits to help pay for coverage in the exchange. For a family of four making $50,000, the average tax credit will be approximately $5,800. There are 171,000 households in the District that could qualify for these credits if they purchase health insurance through the exchange or, in the case of households with incomes below 133% of poverty, receive coverage through Medicaid.

Coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions. There are 12,200 uninsured individuals in the District who have pre-existing medical conditions like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Under the bill’s insurance reforms, they cannot be denied affordable coverage.

Financial security for families. There were 1,500 health care-related bankruptcies in the District in 2008, caused primarily by the health care costs not covered by insurance. The bill caps annual out-of-pocket costs at $6,200 for individuals and $12,400 for families who purchase insurance through the exchange or who are insured by small businesses. It also eliminates annual and lifetime limits on all insurance coverage. These reforms ensure that no family will have to face financial ruin because of high health care costs.

Security for Seniors

Improving Medicare. There are 98,000 Medicare beneficiaries in the District. The legislation improves their benefits by providing free preventive and wellness care, improving primary and coordinated care, and enhancing nursing home care. The bill also strengthens the Medicare Trust Fund, extending its solvency from 2017 to 2026.

Closing the Part D donut hole. Each year, 9,300 Medicare beneficiaries in the District enter the Part D donut hole and are forced to pay the full cost of their prescription drugs. Under the bill, these beneficiaries will receive a $250 rebate in 2010, 50% discounts on brand name drugs beginning in 2011, and complete closure of the donut hole within a decade. A typical beneficiary who enters the donut hole will see savings of over $700 in 2011 and over $3,000 by 2020.

New Coverage Options for Young Adults

New lower-cost health care options for young adults. The legislation will allow young adults to remain on their parents’ policies until they turn 26. There are 49,000 young adults in the District who could benefit from this option. For individuals under age 30, the bill creates new, inexpensive policies that allow them to obtain protection from catastrophic health care costs.

Helping Small Businesses

Helping small businesses obtain health insurance. Under the legislation, small businesses with 100 employees or less will be able to join the health insurance exchange, benefiting from group rates and a greater choice of insurers. There are 16,400 small businesses in the District that could benefit from this provision.

Tax credits for small businesses. Small businesses with 25 employees or less and average wages of less than $50,000 will qualify for tax credits of up to 50% of the costs of providing health insurance. There are up to 14,300 small businesses in the District that could qualify for these credits.

Covering the Uninsured

Coverage of the uninsured. The legislation would extend coverage to 95% of all Americans. If this level of coverage is reached in the District, 58,500 residents who currently do not have health insurance will receive coverage.

Relieving the burden of uncompensated care. In 2008, health care providers in the District provided uncompensated care to individuals who lacked insurance coverage and were unable to pay their bills.

Under the legislation, these costs of uncompensated care will be reduced by $68 million.

Recovery Act dollars to improve classrooms

2010-03-19T17:05:00.000-05:00

I was pleased to announce this week with the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Department of Education that $16,274,000 in school construction bonds authority has been awarded to the Kansas City Missouri School District.

Nationally $11 billion was allocated for qualified school construction bonds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). Qualified school construction bonds can be used to finance the construction, rehabilitation or repair of a public school facility or for the acquisition of land where a school will be built.

This is money to help our local school districts continue to repair and invest in our schools, despite the economic hard times we are facing. At a time when the Kansas City School District is consolidating half its schools, this allocation will allow for much needed building and classroom improvements necessary to accommodate shifting thousands of students. This is a zero-interest loan authority to invest in Kansas City’s students as they adjust to their new situation.

This announcement comes at a time when the Kansas City, Missouri School District is embarking on a radical transformation plan for Teaching and Learning for a New Millennium. “This funding is just what we need to upgrade many of our facilities and provide students with the 21st century learning environments they deserve,” said John Covington, Superintendent of the Kansas City, Missouri School District. “The bonds will assist us in providing a safe, nurturing and improved educational environment that enhances and supports academic achievement.”

Created by the Recovery Act, qualified school construction bonds help state and local governments obtain low-cost financing for much needed public school improvements and construction. Investors who buy these bonds receive Federal income tax credits at prescribed tax credit rates in lieu of interest. These tax credit bonds essentially allow state and local governments to borrow without incurring interest costs.

The Recovery Act provided for the issuance of $11 billion of qualified school construction bonds by states and large local educational agencies in 2009 and $11 billion in 2010. The 2010 allocations include $6.6 billion of bonding authority to the 50 states and the remaining $4.4 billion was allocated the nation’s 103 largest local educational agencies, including Kansas City, Missouri.

Our Mobile Office

2010-03-19T17:03:00.001-05:00

Wow, after four years of using our Mobile Office in and around the District, have we ever got some attention! We are the third Member of Congress to serve the people of Missouri’s Fifth District to have a Mobile Office. Congressman Dick Bolling and Congressman Alan Wheat both leased Mobile Offices to help serve constituents.

I use the Mobile Office instead of renting another District office. It costs less than another office would.

It allows my staff to travel to nursing homes, senior centers, schools, fairs across the District. It is particularly helpful for those with disabilities because it has a wheel chair ramp.

It is outfitted with everything the staff needs to take care of constituents on the spot: printer, computer, Wi-Fi, scanner all inside.

Overall, our office spends less on operations than the surrounding Members, both Republicans and Democrats.

The Mobile Office is outfitted to run on recycled cooking grease and promotes alternative fuels as it tours the District.

It is an expensive lease compared to a personal vehicle, but this is not for personal use --- it is to help constituents and be accessible. It is unlike anything in the country.This is a unique approach which serves a unique need. A constituent suggested that we should have pictures of the Mobile Office serving people. I thought it was a great idea and we have put a link on our front page to a web page devoted to the Mobile Office. You can even request to have it come to your neighborhood from the page.

This is just a start, we have lots more pictures to add and we will keep updating the page. The Mobile Office webpage can be found here >>>

Check it out in person next week at our monthly "Coffee with Cleaver":
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Crossroads Coffeehouse
301 Southwest Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64108
8-10 am

Google KC

2010-03-12T17:14:00.001-06:00

I am an avid jazz fan. I suppose that is a bit like saying I am a Bar-B-Q fan. After all, I represent the world’s home of jazz, helped build the American Jazz Museum and spent a sleepless night on the phone to Paris securing Charlie Parker’s plastic sax for Kansas City. I love jazz.

Often my colleagues in New Orleans, New York and St. Louis speak fondly of their city’s jazz heritage. And each of them play a role in the history of jazz — none as important as Kansas City.
There are many reasons for that. I used to listen to the late great Jay McShann go on for hours about the differences. But, the key to Kansas City’s pivotal, preeminent and positively particular place in American jazz history is — the jam session.

Jazz became a collaborative community exercise here unlike anyplace before or since. Driven by the Great Depression, fueled by the wide-open atmosphere and mob money of the Pendergast machine, musicians from across the country gathered in Kansas City — and nowhere else. Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, Jay McShann, Joe Turner, Mary Jo Williams, Lester Young and hundreds more were in one place, at one time, perfecting their craft together.

Collaboration was the key to creativity.

During the time surrounding the Depression, the jazz greats had to physically come together. It is no mistake the song goes “Going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come!”

How times have changed. Today, a student in Kansas City can work with a student in Katmandu with the click of a mouse. What hasn’t changed is our unique rhythm and ability to come together to produce something singularly unique.

Friends, we have a chance to once again collaborate, to jam at a whole new kind of gig.

Google is planning to build and test ultra-high speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the country. Their plan is to deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with 1 gigabit per second connections.
As a first step, Google is asking communities to tell them what they would do with ultra-high speed internet.

A grassroots effort in Kansas City seeks to harness the power of Google's ultra high-speed broadband network to deliver the internet in a green way to close the digital divide — bridging the gap between those with the means to be connected and those who have been left behind on the information superhighway. This has always been the great promise of the internet: equality through universal access to information. Google’s ultra-high speed plan is an opportunity for every child in every home to have the world at their fingertips.

What is being developed is a plan that will leverage the Green Impact Zone and the unique talents and capabilities of the people of Kansas City to:

Install broadband fiber as part of every city, federally-funded, or Recovery Act-related public infrastructure project in Kansas City.
In addition to fiber to the home, deploy affordable, broadband connections to every library, research & bio-science institute, arts and cultural facilities, schools and educational facilities, community health care centers, public computing centers, and affordable housing developments in Kansas City’s center city.

Imagine the world’s fastest Internet in Kansas City. Imagine what our history of creativity through collaboration could do with these connections.

Now, do much more than just imagine…let’s make it happen.

Champion the cause, join the jam and sign the petition to bring Google ultra high-speed to Kansas City. Click here to take action>> http://www.googlekcmo.com/index.php?option=com_petitions&view=petition&id=7

Be sure to send your friends to www.googlekcmo.com

Mr. President

2010-03-12T17:12:00.001-06:00

Yesterday afternoon, I joined several of my colleagues at the White House. I have been to the White House many times over the years. In fact, I was on President Clinton’s transition team. I say none of that to brag, only to say that I realize what a unique opportunity it is each and every time. For an American, walking into the West Wing is a privilege and, particularly when times are rough, I am struck by the awesome responsibility of the person who sits behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.

I was there to talk with the President about job creation and concerns that I and others had about the pace and scope of efforts to put Americans back to work. As he always is, the President was thoughtful and serious about the matter and I think everyone came away from the meeting reminded of just how much work there is still left to do to turn the economy around.

As I said last week in this newsletter, the bill we just passed was much more a tax relief bill than it was a jobs bill. I expressed those concerns directly to the President. We are coming upon the summer months, when millions of high school students will be looking for summer work and finding none. A job market already flooded with unemployed workers looking for jobs will be joined by a tsunami of young people competing for much of the same work. It is a perfect storm.

There is a calm urgency about our President. His plate is full, the expectations are sky high and each of us, regardless of party needs him to succeed. The Washington Post wrote that I choked up a bit when I told them that, but it is true. Regardless of what you may hear, liberals are patriotic too. I want America to succeed no matter who sits in the Oval Office.

There may be special significance assigned to him because he is a historic first, but America needs him to succeed because the alternative is simply unfathomable. His programs have indeed brought us back from the brink, but the road ahead is still very long and dangerous. Now is not the time to let up.

Health Care Reform

2010-03-12T17:11:00.001-06:00

New York Times columnist and winner of the Noble prize for economics, Paul Krugman, had a piece in the Post yesterday that lays out the need for health care reform and takes issue with several myths that plague our national conversation on the critical issue.

Health Reform Myths
By PAUL KRUGMAN

Health reform is back from the dead. Many Democrats have realized that their electoral prospects will be better if they can point to a real accomplishment. Polling on reform — which was never as negative as portrayed — shows signs of improving. And I’ve been really impressed by the passion and energy of this guy Barack Obama. Where was he last year?

But reform still has to run a gantlet of misinformation and outright lies. So let me address three big myths about the proposed reform, myths that are believed by many people who consider themselves well-informed, but who have actually fallen for deceptive spin.

The first of these myths, which has been all over the airwaves lately, is the claim that President Obama is proposing a government takeover of one-sixth of the economy, the share of G.D.P. currently spent on health.

Well, if having the government regulate and subsidize health insurance is a “takeover,” that takeover happened long ago. Medicare, Medicaid, and other government programs already pay for almost half of American health care, while private insurance pays for barely more than a third (the rest is mostly out-of-pocket expenses). And the great bulk of that private insurance is provided via employee plans, which are both subsidized with tax exemptions and tightly regulated.

The only part of health care in which there isn’t already a lot of federal intervention is the market in which individuals who can’t get employment-based coverage buy their own insurance.

And that market, in case you hadn’t noticed, is a disaster — no coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions, coverage dropped when you get sick, and huge premium increases in the middle of an economic crisis. It’s this sector, plus the plight of Americans with no insurance at all, that reform aims to fix. What’s wrong with that?

The second myth is that the proposed reform does nothing to control costs. To support this claim, critics point to reports by the Medicare actuary, who predicts that total national health spending would be slightly higher in 2019 with reform than without it.

Even if this prediction were correct, it points to a pretty good bargain. The actuary’s assessment of the Senate bill, for example, finds that it would raise total health care spending by less than 1 percent, while extending coverage to 34 million Americans who would otherwise be uninsured. That’s a large expansion in coverage at an essentially trivial cost.

And it gets better as we go further into the future: the Congressional Budget Office has just concluded, in a new report, that the arithmetic of reform will look better in its second decade than it did in its first.

Furthermore, there’s good reason to believe that all such estimates are too pessimistic. There are many cost-saving efforts in the proposed reform, but nobody knows how well any one of these efforts will work. And as a result, official estimates don’t give the plan much credit for any of them. What the actuary and the budget office do is a bit like looking at an oil company’s prospecting efforts, concluding that any individual test hole it drills will probably come up dry, and predicting as a consequence that the company won’t find any oil at all — when the odds are, in fact, that some of the test holes will pan out, and produce big payoffs. Realistically, health reform is likely to do much better at controlling costs than any of the official projections suggest.

Which brings me to the third myth: that health reform is fiscally irresponsible. How can people say this given Congressional Budget Office predictions — which, as I’ve already argued, are probably too pessimistic — that reform would actually reduce the deficit? Critics argue that we should ignore what’s actually in the legislation; when cost control actually starts to bite on Medicare, they insist, Congress will back down.

But this isn’t an argument against Obamacare, it’s a declaration that we can’t control Medicare costs no matter what. And it also flies in the face of history: contrary to legend, past efforts to limit Medicare spending have in fact “stuck,” rather than being withdrawn in the face of political pressure.

So what’s the reality of the proposed reform? Compared with the Platonic ideal of reform, Obamacare comes up short. If the votes were there, I would much prefer to see Medicare for all.
For a real piece of passable legislation, however, it looks very good. It wouldn’t transform our health care system; in fact, Americans whose jobs come with health coverage would see little effect. But it would make a huge difference to the less fortunate among us, even as it would do more to control costs than anything we’ve done before.

This is a reasonable, responsible plan. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Secretary LaHood announces $50 million for Missouri’s Fifth District – 4,569 jobs

2010-02-19T16:30:00.003-06:00

Secretary Ray LaHood and Congressman Cleaver announce $50 million TIGER grant to the Mid-America Regional Council for Green Impact Zone and Regional Transit

TIGER roared into town on Wednesday, when I was proud to join U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to announce that the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) received $50 million as part of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant program. This money will create 4,569 jobs while providing neighborhood improvements in the Green Impact Zone of Missouri and key transit connections from the urban core to the rest of the Metropolitan area including Independence.

Last summer President Obama hailed the Green Impact Zone for “transforming a low-income community into a national model of sustainability by weatherizing homes and building a green local transit system.” Now the administration’s support of the concept is coming to fruition.

Within the Green Impact Zone, sidewalks will be constructed and repaired, street lighting improved, curbs installed and streets rehabilitated. At 39th & Prospect, bus turnarounds and shelters are planned to create a safer and more comfortable environment for residents waiting to board buses. Work will begin this spring on reconstruction of the Troost Bridge over Brush Creek which received money as part of this grant. In addition, funds are allocated for traffic signal upgrades throughout the Green Impact Zone.

This is the largest investment in infrastructure on the east side of Troost since the Bruce R. Watkins Drive and Brush Creek projects. It is far past time that these neighborhoods get what many other neighborhoods take for granted: well lit streets, curbs, roads that aren’t falling apart and sidewalks where their kids can play safely. These are essential building blocks for neighborhoods that are stable and sound. We are about 40 years overdue in installing these essentials in the urban core. With this money we will start to make amends for that injustice and put people back to work.

As Secretary LaHood said, “TIGER grants will tackle the kind of major transportation projects that have been difficult to build under other funding programs. This will help us meet the 21st century challenges of improving the environment, making our communities more livable and enhancing safety, all while creating jobs and growing the economy.”

In addition to the $26.2 million allocated to the Green Impact Zone, the TIGER award will invest millions in improved transit connections throughout the region, focused on connected urban core residents to jobs in a safe reliable way. These investments will include replacing two aging transit centers in the State Avenue corridor in Kansas City and approximately 80 bus-stop and related pedestrian improvements in the urban corridor network. The investments will focus on urban core revitalization, reinvestment to increase population and job growth. These projects will build on the success of the cost-effective bus rapid transit (BRT) service introduced on Main Street called MAX (Metro Area Express). The region’s second BRT corridor, Troost Avenue, is fully funded and currently under construction thanks to earmarks I was fortunate to have already secured.

Secretary LaHood told the crowd Wednesday that we should be very proud of our application as this was one of the most competitive grants in the entire recovery package. I can say we are very happy to be one of the 51 funded out of the more than 1400 submitted.

The Kansas City regional project was selected from more than $60 billion in requests submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Awards throughout the country totaled $1.5 billion. The Kansas City Regional TIGER application will be administered by the Mid-America Regional Council. The TIGER program required that projects be shovel ready and be able to generate short- and long-term economic impacts, generate added outcomes of livability, promote safety, and involve innovative technology and financing.

The Department’s selections were based on the ability of projects to provide economic benefits, improve safety and the condition of the existing transportation system, increase quality of life, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and demonstrate strong collaboration among a broad range of participants. Congratulations to all …now let’s go put some people to work!

Federal contracts for our small and minority businesses

2010-02-19T16:30:00.001-06:00

Continuing an exciting week focused on job creation, at my request, Chairman Bennie Thompson (MS-2) and the Homeland Security Committee staff were at Penn Valley Community College today. The capacity event focused on helping small and minority-owned businesses learn how to do business with the Department of Homeland Security.

The Chairman and I, along with 150 business owners, spent the day with one focus: connecting federal prime contractors looking for sub-contractors with local businesses looking for work.

One of the best moves I made after my election to Congress was to speak with the Speaker of the House about an appointment to the House Homeland Security Committee. I wanted an opportunity to work with this panel, and devote my time to the incredibly important agenda set forth by this Committee. In 2005, the Homeland Security Committee was made a permanent committee, and was given jurisdiction of Congressional oversight for the Department of Homeland Security. In his role as Chair, Bennie Thompson has unapologetically and repeatedly demanded that the major contractors of that huge Department, which spend billions of dollars annually with vendors, spread the dollars among small and minority businesses. This is about connecting federal dollars to local jobs and I was proud to host the Chairman.

This was truly a unique experience. We had 15 federal department procurement chiefs in one place talking to small businesses from our community. This never happens outside of Washington, D.C. and I am happy to say, because of today’s success there will be many more sessions like this.

Before today, exactly zero businesses in the Fifth District had contracts to do work for the Department of Homeland Security. As I told the crowd and the federal officials assembled, if the conversations and instruction that happened today do not lead to money contracts for Fifth District businesses, I am going to be one unhappy committee Member. We can do the work required and I hope now our businesses are first in line.

FEC Receives $5 Million Grant for Health Care Jobs

2010-02-19T16:28:00.001-06:00

U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (left), and FEC President and CEO Clyde McQueen (right) held a news conference last Friday announcing a major grant of nearly 5 million dollars coming to the metro. The two shook hands after announcing this will add more jobs and training in the healthcare field for the metro. (Picture from KC Hispanic News)

Reprinted from KC Hispanic News

By Joe Arce and Debra DeCoster
HISPANIC NEWS
FEBRUARY 18, 2010

Health care is a profession that is growing. As the population ages, predictions are that our society will need a large staff of health care workers to assist people who are living in managed care facilities, nursing homes, or who are in hospital. As the senior population grows, our society will have to have a growing workforce to care for their needs.

Last week, the federal government awarded a grant to the Kansas City Full Employment Council (FEC) to train the unemployed and under-employed for jobs in the health care field. “I was on the phone with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and she was very excited about making the announcement that a significant grant was coming to Kansas City,” said Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.

The FEC was awarded $5 million in stimulus money for a new program to train individuals in the health care industry. The FEC received one of 55 awards that were given nationally. “It was awarded competitively which means that the proposal developed by Clyde McQueen and his staff was superior to just about every other proposal in the country, and when you look at the proposal that was developed and the inclusiveness you can understand why it caught the attention of the federal government,” said Cleaver.

The grant is part of the Recovery Act Initiative to fund workplace development projects that promote economic growth by preparing workers for careers.

Although the FEC received the grant it is a bi-state program that will be available to those in Missouri and Kansas. The Labor Department awarded $200 million in health care and high growth stimulus grants last week.

The stimulus money is good news to citizens in Missouri as the FEC is beginning to take names of people who are interested in enrolling in the training program for future health care professionals.

“We have a lot of people who are aging and going into managed care facilities and we are trying to address that. We have the Kansas City region, it is known primarily as a major health care hub and we want to meet those needs, and most important, it is going to be a focus for all the unemployed in our region and this is a way for us to train them for the long term,” said Clyde McQueen, FEC CEO.

The training courses for health care jobs will be on demand courses. Individuals wishing to take the course will not have to wait for a semester to begin.

The time line for the courses will depend on the health care field the individual would like to enter. As a phlebotomist or a medical technician it could take six to twelve weeks for training. A person who is currently an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) and would like to become an RN (Registered Nurse) training could take two years.

The stimulus money will also help individuals that want a health care career with tuition. “We know that some people will have problems trying to keep their rent up or trying to figure out how they will pay their bills and care for their children. The bulk of the grant money will go to tuition payments for college or vocational schools,” said McQueen.

“This is a high growth area. What the labor department is doing is pumping $226 million into high growth areas. It doesn’t make sense for us to put money into something that is not going to be growing in the future. As Americans live longer there is going to be a greater need for health care workers and that is exactly what this project will do,” stated Cleaver.

Grant recipients are expected to work in conjunction with a diverse range of partners, including labor organizations, employers and workforce investment boards. The FEC has joined with partners Kansas City Metropolitan Health Care Council, the Kansas City Area Nurse Executives, the Kansas City Greater Chamber of Commerce, Health Care Foundation of Kansas City, the Collegiate Nurse Educators of Kansas City, and the United Services Community Action Agency Work Force and the Work Force Investment Board of Kansas City Local Area 3, along with the metropolitan area community colleges, to get the health care program rolling within a month of receiving the grant. Training will be conducted locally and it is tied to jobs that will be available to individuals entering the health care field.

“We have employers who have said we have jobs and we need to have people to meet the jobs that we have. We have employers identified, we just need to get people trained to enter the health care field,” said McQueen.

A special invitation

2010-02-12T14:28:00.000-06:00

One of the best moves I made after my election to Congress was to speak with the Speaker of the House about an appointment to the House Homeland Security Committee. I wanted an opportunity to work with this panel, and devote my time to the incredibly important agenda set forth by this Committee. In 2005, the Homeland Security Committee was made a permanent committee, and was given jurisdiction of Congressional oversight for the Department of Homeland Security. In his role as Chair, Bennie Thompson has unapologetically and repeatedly demanded that the major contractors of that huge Department which spends billions of dollars annually with vendors, spread the dollars among small and minority businesses.

On Friday, February 19, Chairman Bennie Thompson and the Committee staff, at my invitation, will visit the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri. You are invited to attend and participate in a workshop on how to do business with the Department of Homeland Security. The event is being held at the Penn Valley Campus of the Metropolitan Community College. It will begin at 9am, with a complimentary luncheon at 12:30pm, followed by the resumption of the workshop from 1:15pm to 2:30pm.

In order us to assure a place for you at this Congressional event, please register here or email your confirmation to dhsbizops@mail.house.gov. For further information, please call my Kansas City office at 816-842-4545 or my Washington, DC office at 202-225-4545.

Click here to go directly to the registration form >>>

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

2010-02-05T16:30:00.001-06:00

This morning, the Department of Labor released its unemployment report for January showing the unemployment rate improved slightly. The rate may have dropped, but the economy is still not producing a net gain in jobs. So, while a step in the right direction, these numbers are nothing to beat our chest about. There is far more to do. House has already passed a job creation bill and the Senate is debating additional measures. That too is progress. Here are a few press clips that have come across my desk in the last few days:

According to today’s report from the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for January was 9.7%, a slight improvement over December’s rate of 10%. And while the country lost 20,000 jobs in January, “aside from November's gain, January's job losses were the smallest since the recession began.” Today’s report included other indications that America continues on a path to economic recovery: “The report included more good news from the manufacturing sector, which is a key factor in the recovery. Manufacturers gained 11,000 jobs, its largest increase since April 2006. Retailers added 42,100 jobs, the most since November 2007, before the recession began. Temporary help services gained 52,000 jobs, the fourth month of gains in that category. That could signal future hiring, as employers usually hire temp workers before permanent ones.” [Associated Press, 2/5/2010]
President Obama announced plans for a new program to encourage small business lending, another important step in efforts to help businesses create jobs. “The administration's proposal would invest $30 billion from the government's Troubled Asset Relief Program in community banks to encourage them to lend to small businesses.... The lending program is part of a broad package of jobs-growth proposals that Congress will consider in coming days.” [Wall Street Journal, 2/3/2010]
A manufacturing report from the Institute for Supply Management indicates the U.S. economy is recovering: “a new survey showed that banks have stopped making it tougher for consumers and businesses to borrow, and manufacturing activity climbed to its highest levels in five years…. With manufacturing activity at its highest point since August 2004 and continued month-to-month gains, the sector's recovery appears more sustainable than many economists predicted just a few months ago. That bodes well for the overall economy.” [Wall Street Journal, 2/2/2010]
A report released by the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board indicates that the Recovery Act created 600,000 jobs in the last 3 months of 2009, “a figure in line with the administration's goals for job creation through the end of 2010.” [Washington Post, 2/1/10; White House, 1/6/10]

So the good news is that unemployment fell and temporary employment increased, which is a good sign for future job growth. This slowing of labor market losses, combined with last week’s positive GDP figures, all point to an economy that is beginning to recover. That’s the good news.
The bad news is that 20,000 jobs were still lost last month.

And the downright ugly news is that the deepest part of this recession, was even deeper than analysts thought. The reports show that the economy lost over 1 million more jobs during the recession than previously estimated. Over 14 million Americans are out of work, there are six job seekers for every available job, and 4 in 10 unemployed workers have been searching for a new job for at least six months.

PAYGO

2010-02-05T16:29:00.000-06:00

In the list of odd terms thrown around the halls of Congress, the word PAYGO has been used so much that many forget what it stands for. Yesterday, the House voted to put in statute the “Pay-As-You-Go” rule.

As a bipartisan fiscal responsibility group put it: ‘PAYGO requires anyone proposing tax cuts or entitlement expansions to answer the question: ‘How would you pay for it?’ Going through this process would force an explicit trade-off between spending, taxes and debt, which is exactly the priority-setting exercise that the budget process should facilitate.’

A New York Times analysis found that 90% of our deficit is due to the policies of the previous administration, the extension of those policies, and the economic downturn. But, this is our mess now, and as was proven in the Clinton administration, PAYGO is a proven deficit-cutting tool.

Under President Clinton, PAYGO helped turn record deficits into a $5.6 trillion projected surplus over ten years. PAYGO was allowed to expire under the previous administration when my friends in the other party controlled the Congress. This led to a series of bills like the Prescription drug benefit or tax cuts for the wealthy that were passed without a single dime to pay for them. My colleagues and I in the House have been obeying PAYGO since 2006.

It is not the perfect solution, but it is a substantial step in the right direction. PAYGO can’t get us out of our fiscal hole, but it can keep us from digging it any further.

It was once again sobering that we had to raise the debt ceiling yesterday and many rushed to the floor to complain about how high our debt was. It is simply not enough to complain. We have to actually do something to control spending.

For more about PAYGO my friend Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD-5) has put together an informative video on the policy >>>

Community Prayer Vigil

2010-01-15T17:11:00.005-06:00

Please join me for this community prayer vigil for the people of Haiti.

St. James United Methodist Church
5540 Wayne, Kansas City Mo.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010
at 7:00 pm

We encourage you to pass along this email to friends and family.

All are welcome.

Updates on Haiti

2010-01-15T17:11:00.001-06:00

Donate

Learn more about the William J. Clinton Foundation's Haiti Earthquake Relief efforts. Financial Donations

Donate $10 to the American Red Cross – charged to your cell phone bill – by texting "HAITI" to "90999."

Contribute online to the Red Cross

Find more ways to help through the Center for International Disaster Information.

Get Information about Friends or Family

The State Department Operations Center has set up the following phone number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747 (due to heavy volume, some callers may receive a recording). You can also send an email to the State Department.

Haitian citizens in the U.S. can also call the Haitian Embassy in Washington, D.C., (202)-332-4090, or the Haitian Consulate in New York City, (305)-859-2003.

Please be aware that communications within Haiti are very difficult at this time.

Our office can also be of assistance in contacting the State Department for residents of Missouri’s Fifth District: 816-842-4545

The Response

The first waves of rescue and relief workers are on the ground and at work.
Yesterday, a survey team worked to identify priority areas for assistance, and shared the results of that review throughout the United States government.
Search and rescue teams are actively working to save lives.
Injured Americans are being quickly moved out of Haiti and efforts are continuing to ascertain the status of all 45,000 Americans in Haiti.
The US military has now secured the airport and are restoring communications and air traffic control so heavy equipment and resources can be delivered as part of the international airlift.
The airlift has begun to deliver high-priority items like water and medicine.
Right now in Haiti roads are impassable, the main port is badly damaged, communications equipment is beginning to arrive.
Several Coast Guard cutters are already off the coast and are beginning to provide basic services.
Elements of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division arrived late last night.
The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit has now left port in North Carolina today aboard the ships USS Bataan, USS Fort McHenry and USS Carter Hall. Over 2,000 Marines and sailors will be on board as part of the deployment.
The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson will arrive in the early hours of this morning, it was outfitted with 19 additional helicopters and supplies while in route.
The Navy's hospital ship, the USS Comfort is underway from Baltimore to Haiti.
The President announced yesterday an immediate investment of $100 million to support our relief efforts.
Vice President Biden will meet in South Florida this weekend with members of the Haitian American community.

The latest on the health care negotiations

2010-01-15T17:10:00.000-06:00

There are many sticking points yet to be hashed out, but there does appear to be a plan emerging on how to deal with what has been called the tax on “Cadillac” health plans that the Senate added to its bill. All of us are just now reading the potential compromise, so this is a very early report on what I am hearing.

Essentially insurance plans that are a result of collective bargaining would be exempt through 2018. It is important to note, this is a tax on insurance companies that market and sell high-cost plans. The tax will hit only 3 percent of the premiums of the plans that they sell, and they can avoid it by selling a more affordable health care plans.

The threshold at which the tax on so-called “Cadillac plans” has been adjusted as a result of this deal — increasing from $23,000 a year for a family policy, to $24,000.

The threshold is even higher for certain plans with older workers and women, a move to benefit unions with a high proportion of female membership.

The agreement on the high-premium excise tax would:

Include permanent adjustments based on age, gender and high-risk professions – factors that affect the cost of health plans regardless of the generosity of the benefits they provide. This makes good sense, as it focuses the impact on plans that provide the highest-cost benefits – not those that happen to cover the highest-cost workers.
Exempts the cost of dental and vision plans from the cost of coverage. These benefits are outside the core health spending which this provision is aimed at slowing.
Provide transition relief to help employers, insurers and workers adjust to the permanent provision. This includes a transition period for high-cost states, as well as providing health plans for state and local workers and collectively bargained plans a 5-year transition window before being subject to the tax. This is similar to the approach in other areas of the bill – including insurance market reforms and the insurer fee – where transition periods are built in to give stakeholders time to adjust.

More talks on other elements of the bill are underway, but this was one of the large differences between the House and Senate plans.

UN Summit on Climate Change

2009-12-18T16:44:00.002-06:00

“EC from DC” today is actually “EC from Copenhagen”. Late Wednesday night, after the House recessed for the holiday, I joined a bi-partisan delegation who boarded a plane for Denmark. As climate change and the creation of green jobs have become a huge part of my agenda in Washington and back home in our District, it was my honor to be asked to represent the United States Congress during the UN Conference.

We have met with representatives from key countries involved in the negotiations and also with advocacy and business leaders to discuss job creation. This morning, the President joined our delegation as the Conference entered its final crucial negotiations. Unlike prior Climate Conferences, on the ground here in Copenhagen it is clear that the world is looking for American leadership on this issue of global significance.

We have worked to put our nation in a place where it can negotiate from a position of strength on the issue of climate change.

Earlier this year there was great excitement about the legislation that had been enacted in the latter part of May through the Energy and Commerce Committee and my Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming in the House of Representatives. While the Senate has failed to act, I do believe there is recognition around the world that our nation is finally taking the issue of climate change seriously, and that we are here to lead, not follow.

We have certainly been late to the table. As an example, Denmark was 99 percent dependent on foreign oil at the time of the 1973 embargo. Unlike in America, where we quickly forgot the lessons of fuel shortages and long lines at the pump, in 1976 the Danish public supported a massive effort to transform energy in Denmark. In the last 30 years the Danes have reduced their reliance on fossil fuels by more than 20 percent even though modernization, population growth, energy demand has remained constant.

There is much we can learn here, but also a great deal we can teach the world.

The day our delegation arrived in Denmark, I took great pride in watching my friend the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton announce that America will develop a fund over the next 10 years that will devote $100 billion to the developing world. The Secretary’s announcement signals that the United States is committed, serious and recognizes the needs of other countries in the world, especially the developing countries.

But as much as these talks are about partnering with the world, it is far more about what we can do for ourselves. We believe climate change is an issue of national and economic security. But also, as the Speaker of the House said, we come to Copenhagen with one word uniting us: jobs.

These negotiations are about changing the trajectory of a warming planet, but also about fundamentally shifting America’s workforce to once again be a supplier to the world. Over 100 years after the industrial revolution, the green revolution is upon us.

This is a singular and extremely rare moment. 193 representatives from every nation in the world are here dedicated to tackling an issue that is truly universally agreed upon will effect every man, woman, and child across the globe. We have a chance for different countries to agree to work together rather than work against each other. Perhaps it is a shame that it requires a global calamity to draw us together, but we must not waste this moment.

As we wrap up negotiations, there seems to be two large sticking points emerging:

1) China remains a stumbling block. They have put on the table a target of 40 to 45 percent intensity reductions, but they didn’t put in place any transparency standards to prove they are reaching those goals. Our position reminds me of the old Cold War adage: Trust but verify. It remains to be seen if this can be worked through, but barring verification of reductions from the world’s fastest growing polluter, the world will have real difficulties meeting its reduction targets — even with significant commitments from the United States.

2) One big debate at this conference has been setting a target for the limit on the global temperature rise between 2 degrees Celsius and 1.5 degrees Celsius. We believe that 2 degrees Celsius is the proper goal for this moment in history.

The targets that the United States set out in our legislation call for a 17 percent reduction of carbon emissions by 2020 and then an over 80 percent reduction by 2050. These goals are consistent with the science that will limit global warming.

The American goals were developed to avoid reaching the tipping point where dire consequences may be irreversible. The United States believes these are very important targets and we would hope that other countries would recognize that as well.

The bottom line is the next few hours will be difficult. For the first time, America and European nations have largely agreed on a series of carbon emission cuts and a package of financial aid for poor nations. However, developing nations, led by China, have refused to accept several key provisions.

It is an honor to be here. I hope that something good can come from this conference, but regardless of the final agreement, we are further along in this critical discussion than ever before.

UPDATE:
The President just briefed us on a tentative deal reached as a result of the Summit. Considering where negotiations were just hours ago, this announcement represents a herculean effort by President Obama.

According to the President he has reached a deal with China, India and Brazil that has broken the stalemate for an agreement that will be ratified by the full convention later.

BOTTOM LINE: It is not perfect, but what appears to be up for ratification is that developed and developing countries will agree to list their national actions and commitments, there will be a financing mechanism to assist poorer nations, the world will set a critical mitigation target of 2 degrees Celsius and nations will provide information on the implementation of their actions that will be analyzed under clearly defined guidelines.

Vietnam veterans: Thank you

2009-09-18T15:07:00.003-05:00

By Jeff Martin - The Examiner

Independence, MO — Congressman Emanuel Cleaver sounded more like a preacher on Saturday afternoon than a representative, calling on the hundreds of people sitting on the front lawn of the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum to honor Vietnam Veterans because they deserve it.

"This is the perfect event to honor those who should have been honored five decades ago," Cleaver said to a roaring applause.

While it's difficult to say with certainty when the Vietnam War began, most agree it was on Sept. 27, 1959, when the United States established the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Saigon to aid the French military. By the end, 58,000 American troops would lose their lives.

Cleaver, who organizers acknowledged Saturday has devoted his life to public service, expressed his disappointment that those who risked and gave their lives for public safety were treaty so poorly."These are the Americans who fought for the United States," he said, his voice sometimes booming over the loudspeaker. "These are the Americans who fought, who did not demonstrate."

Cleaver acknowledged that many of those gathered at the event carry difficult memories, but that those same memories could be forged into a sense of pride.

"You carried the memories of fighting and suffering," he said, "but you also carry with you a sense of courage and pride. If you look into the eyes of these warriors, you'll see pain, but you'll also see a sense of pride."

Cleaver was joined by several local and state officials, including Independence Mayor Don Reimal and his wife; members of City Council; Raytown Mayor David Bower and Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders; others in attendance included state Rep. Paul LeVota and state Rep. Gary Dusenberg.

The event was organized by Cleaver, and he said there was no better place to celebrate such sacrifice than at the Truman Library. He recognized Truman's service: serving in World War I and, as president, commanding the largest United States active military in history in World War II.

Many family members of those who served in the Vietnam conflict were honored with a certificate and special coin minted for the occasion. Siblings and mothers and fathers stepped up to the podium and, with cracking voice, offered a brief description of their lost loved one(s).

"My two brothers both served and died in Vietnam," one woman said, adding they graduated from Oak Park High School in 1966 and 1968 and gave their lives for their country.

Another man's son was killed in 1970 while leading an infantry patrol. He volunteered for the United States Army after graduating from Rockhurst College.

To demonstrate the military's might, Cleaver directed everyone's eye to the sky, where a B-2 bomber sailed over the crowd.

Speakers following Cleaver told of more and more veterans signing up for benefits and recognizing their worth. Approximately 25 percent more veterans, one speaker said, were treated last year because of increased awareness of veterans programs and services, as well as an increase and expansion in veteran service offices and treatment centers.

Trial by YouTube

2009-09-18T15:07:00.001-05:00

I would like to make a point about my vote not to end federal funding of the group ACORN. We are starting down a slippery slope into a culture where we react in knee jerk fashion to the daily whims of Fox News and its cast of characters. I would have been willing to vote for a suspension of ACORN’s funding pending an investigation. I would have liked to have been able to vote on that measure in a stand alone bill that addressed concerns and put in place a plan to evaluate the complaints. But instead, ACORN was tried on YouTube, convicted n Fox News and sentenced by the Congress. The same purveyors of truth, justice and the American way that continue to promote the myth of “death panels”, delivered the death knell to a national non-profit organization that serves the urban poor. I am not saying ACORN is innocent of wrong doing. I am saying YouTube is not the proper venue in which the Congress should decide guilt or innocence. It seems there are many who promote process and transparency when it suits their needs and then promptly abandon those noble needs when it’s convenient to a vendetta.

Even in our own community, the paper of record one day will boldly shout for transparency and a proper public process and the very next day criticize those who thought an amendment to the Student Aid bill, which had zero funding for ACORN, was not the place to address these YouTube concerns.

We have seen this pattern before. In 1950 Joe McCarthy stepped to the microphone in Wheeling, West Virginia and held up a piece of paper that he claimed listed 205 card-carrying communists in the US State Department.

There was no trial. There were no hearings prior to that accusation, just a Senator at a microphone making a claim to grab headlines. The same day, the Senator sent a telegram to President Truman, revising his figure to 57 known communists and demanding that Secretary Acheson dismiss these enemies within. The telegram to the President concluded, “Failure on your part will label the Democratic Party of being the bedfellow of international communism. Certainly this label is not deserved by the hundreds of thousands of loyal American Democrats throughout the Nation, and by the sizable number of able loyal Democrats in both the Senate and the House.”

Much like today’s calculus, the goal is to tar all who do not bend to the will of the righteous who make accusations. The current drum beat says I must be with ACORN because I did not vote to end their funding. The truth is no one in the chamber yesterday knew enough about this situation to make a truly informed vote. Most, including many of my Democratic colleagues and friends, voted because they did not want to be associated with ACORN and found themselves in the crosshairs of Beck, O’Reilly or Dobbs.

President Truman wrote a response that was never sent to Senator McCarthy that I found in the Archives. It seems almost naive compared to what we hear from the halls of Congress today. It read:

Dear Senator:

I read your telegram of February eleventh from Reno Nevada with a great deal of interest and this is the first time in my experience, and I was ten years in the Senate, that I ever hear of a Senator trying to discredit his own Government before the world. You know that isn’t done by honest public officials. Your telegram is not only not true and an insolent approach to a situation that should have been worked out between man and man but it shows conclusively that you are not even fit to have a hand in the operation of the Government of the United States.

I am very sure that the people of Wisconsin are extremely sorry that they are represented by a person who has as little sense of responsibility as you have.

Sincerely yours,

HST

On far too many subjects and issues important to our nation, reasoned discussion and passionate debate have been replaced by lies, distortions and a race to the bottom. Why debate, when one Member standing at a microphone can make whatever accusations he/she may like without evidence? Why have a conversation when all the proof one needs can be found on YouTube?

The Congress is letting itself be bullied by the purveyors of partisanship, and truth and fairness are becoming afterthoughts. The immediate satisfaction of a resignation or elimination has become intoxicating to some. It is not healthy for our institution, our democracy or our future.

There was a moment I had hoped the tone of Congress would make a turn for the better, but it seems the old tried and true ways of slash and burn politics prevail. Needless to say, it has been a frustrating week.

House rebukes Rep. Joe Wilson

2009-09-18T15:05:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House of Representatives voted this afternoon to admonish Rep. Joe Wilson over his “You lie’ comment to President Barack Obama.

The 240-179 vote on the resolution of disapproval reflected the sharp partisan divide over the issue. Democrats insisted that the South Carolina Republican take responsibility for what they said was a serious breach of decorum.

Republicans characterized the vote as a political stunt.

Wilson himself would not back down on his position that he owed the House no apology. Surrounded by Republican supporters, Wilson said Obama had “graciously accepted my apology and the issue is over.”

He’s not happy about it, but Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver intends to vote to ‘disapprove’ of Rep. Joe Wilson, who yelled, “You Lie!” at President Obama last week.

The Missouri Democrat said that he felt bound to do so because he voted last year to condemn the liberal anti-war group, Moveon.org, when it published a newspaper ad referring to Gen. David Petraeus as “General Betray Us.”

Petraeus was the military commander in Iraq at the time.

Cleaver, vice chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said that he feared the resolution would only sharpen the nastiness of the political mood that the debate over health care has unleashed.

“I think this will serve to further push the nation toward a partisan divide and will ultimately prevent the government from dealing with major problems we face,” Cleaver said.

Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina, interrupted the president when he was speaking about health care reform before a joint session of Congress last week.

He apologized later to the president. But many Democrats - and a few Republicans – said that he violated the rules of House and needed to apologize to his colleagues.

Speaking metaphorically, Cleaver said, “The nation is in trouble. It is in far more trouble than most people believe. I don’t think there are that many ready to put their guns back in their holsters. I think they're ready to fire. I wish we could get involved in some real civil debates on health care. The nation has not had that yet.”

House passes Animal Corridor Legislation

2009-09-18T15:04:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, I was pleased to join a bipartisan cross state effort with my friends Congressman Dennis Moore (KS-3) and Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins (KS-2) to achieve passage of a resolution, H.Res. 317, recognizing the region from Manhattan, Kansas, to Columbia, Missouri, as the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor. The resolution passed the House by a vote of 312-108-

The Kansas City Animal Health Corridor is all about leveraging partnerships and the delegation supporting it is a perfect example of the sort of diverse group an idea like this can pull together. I am proud to support the opportunities for high-paying jobs the Corridor represents. This is a great idea done very well. More information about the corridor can be found here >>>

5,312 constituents talk health care

2009-08-07T14:57:00.001-05:00

Last night, 5,312 households in Independence and Sugar Creek joined me for a telephone town hall and together we discussed the complicated issue of health care reform. I am proud to say that, while the questions were hard, our friends and neighbors were thoughtfully engaged and I think we both learned a great deal.

Unlike the divisive and disrespectful displays that have confronted my colleagues in other parts of the country, last night was a courteous conversation that showed just how seriously the people I am honored to represent take their responsibilities. It was my pleasure to hear their thoughts and concerns and will take their well reasoned suggestions back to Washington as we continue this crucial debate.

Telephone town hall meetings are a relatively new format to allow up to thousands of participants to talk together so families from across our district can share their views and hear my thoughts on issues of mutual concern. I have now used this tool twice. Last spring, I discussed the auto industry bail out with residents of Raytown. I have yet to find a better tool to reach a large audience and hear from a wide range of constituents. Thursday night the technology allowed me to speak with over 5,000 people and none of them had to leave their homes, find a sitter or even leave their arm chairs.

If you would like to hear the complete town hall, it is now posted on my website. Feel free to click here to listen anytime >>>

Thanks again to the people of Independence and Sugar Creek who took time out of their busy schedules to join me and their neighbors as we try to find an answer to one of our critical national needs.

Coffee with Cleaver tomorrow

2009-08-07T14:56:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow morning we will have our 52nd monthly Coffee with Cleaver in Lee’s Summit. The event, as always, is a chance for you to talk one-on-one with me about whatever issue is on your mind.

My understanding is that there will be folks at the Coffee representing views on both sides of the health care debate. Civil debate and vigorous dialogue are part of the fabric of our nation and I welcome all who will join me in Lee’s Summit tomorrow.

This coffee, like the ones before it, will be a chance for people to talk with me personally about whatever issue is concerning to them, whether that be health care or not. We have never had protestors at one of our Coffees, but I am sure they will be respectful. Civility is valued by the people of our District. I am confident that the importance we place on meaningful conversation is the reason our Coffees have been so successful all these years.

I hope to see you tomorrow for August’s Coffee with Cleaver:

Tomorrow, August 8, 2009
JP Coffee
3390 SW Fascination Dr.
Lee's Summit, MO
8-10 AM

$40 Million in Recovery funds come to our area

2009-08-07T14:55:00.002-05:00

Pictured from left to right: Bryan Hansel, CEO of Smith Electric; Congressman Cleaver; Mike Chesser, CEO of KCP&L; Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke

I was very proud to be on hand with Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke as two Kansas City vehicle-manufacturing plants received money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the production of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Smith Electric, a company which I was pleased to help to get into Kansas City just last year, won a $10 million grant to help produce electric vans, pickups and the company’s Newton medium-duty trucks. Kokam America Inc., a great battery-manufacturing company Senator Bond and I worked to locate in Lee’s Summit won $161 million for its Michigan plant. I think both announcements bode well for the Lee’s Summit plant’s bid for a significant Recovery Act grant to be announced later this year.

The men and women who make Ford trucks at the Claycomo Plant received part of a $30 million grant to produce hybrid vehicles in Kansas City.

The funds were announced as part of $2.4 billion in U.S. Department of Energy grants for the manufacturing and deployment of electric vehicles, batteries and components. Forty-eight projects won the competitive grants. The President and Vice President and four cabinet secretaries, fanned out across the nation to make the awards.

I am also pleased to say that our local utility, Kansas City Power and Light was on hand to announce that KCP&L has committed to buy three Smith Electric vehicles, two of which will be transformed into bucket trucks. Mike Chesser, CEO of KCP&L has also committed to put recharging stations for those trucks and future electric vehicles in the Green Impact Zone.

It is starting to happen, my friends, we are taking substantial steps toward transforming our local economy and leveraging green initiatives to help our environment and put people back to work. Congratulations to Smith, Kokam, Ford and KCP&L.

Federal Recovery Grant goes to Green Zone

2009-08-07T14:54:00.000-05:00

I am proud to say the Environmental Protection Agency awarded $1.6 million in Recovery Act money to clean up polluted land in the Green Impact Zone.

Most importantly, about half the money will be used to train 80 people in handling hazardous waste associated with cleaning up contaminated sites.

$560,000 will be used for grants to clean up brownfields, fund redevelopment and employ nearby residents of the sites.

The plan is to recruit unemployed and underemployed people within the 150-block Green Impact Zone in the urban core of Kansas City.

August Recess-Health Care FAQs

2009-07-31T19:51:00.002-05:00

Congress broke camp today for the August recess without passing health care in either chamber. This gives us more time to examine the proposals, listen to constituents and build bi-partisan support for something everyone in Congress knows has to happen. We must reform health care to control costs for many reasons, but the most basic and practical is that if cost continue to climb as they have been we simply will not be able to pay for two of our cornerstone social programs — Medicare and Medicaid.

While I am home working in the District, during this break from the heated rhetoric of Washington, I will be spending a great deal of time listening to you on this critical issue. Next week I will be doing a tele-town hall with thousands of you to get feedback, and next Saturday health care will be the subject of our monthly Coffee with Cleaver.

I did want to address many of the calls and questions we are getting in our office about this subject and have put together this group of Frequently Asked Questions. It is far more important to get this right than to do it right now, and so I am looking forward to hearing from you as we continue to work on this legislation.

Health Care Frequently Asked Questions can be found here >>>

Funding for 54 new Police

2009-07-31T19:50:00.001-05:00

It was my pleasure to announce this week that over $9 million in grants have been awarded to hire police in Missouri’s Fifth District. The grants come as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which allocated $1 billion to fund the hiring and rehiring of law enforcement officers all across the country. Nationwide, the announcement will fund 4,699 officers for three years. Kansas City was awarded $8.3 million to hire 50 officers. Independence received $543,393 to hire 3 officers and Sugar Creek received $158,847 to hire one additional officer. Police departments receiving the grants will then be required to retain the grant-funded positions for a fourth year.

While I was mayor of Kansas City, I helped write the original Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) hiring grants program with President Bill Clinton. After its passage, our nation experienced a significant drop in crime rates.

Almost 12 years ago, I remember standing with Mayor Rudy Giuliani and President Bill Clinton as he described the very first COPS program. The program encouraged mayors and police chiefs from around the nation to build a partnership with the federal government. I can tell you first-hand, the partnership really worked. This week’s announcement adds 50 more police to Kansas City’s streets at a time when they are desperately needed. To put that in perspective, in the first 10 years Kansas City was eligible for the COPS program we were able to hire 100 police officers. In other words, this is five times the number of officers we were ever able to hire in a single year before. As is always the case, a downturn in the economy requires cities to cut their budgets just as those same economic troubles lead to an increase in crime. This week’s award, and the cadet class that can be saved because of it, will go a long way toward making our streets safer.

The Recovery Act grants, will be administered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) through the federal agency’s COPS Hiring Recovery Program. These funds will provide much needed financial support to state, local and tribal governments, and will help the nation’s law enforcement agencies add and retain the workforce needed to fight crime more effectively through community policing. The Department of Justice received over 7,200 applications for more than 39,000 officer positions, representing a total of $8.3 billion in requested funding

Praise for Lee’s Summit’s first House Page

2009-07-31T19:49:00.001-05:00

This summer, I was very proud to nominate and sponsor the first House Page from Lee’s Summit Missouri, Ms. Abigail Allen. Her selection is full of firsts in that she is also my very first nominee to have served as a Page since my election to Congress.

In early July, Ms. Allen donned the navy blazer of the House Pages and joined the ranks of a very special group of students. Pages run errands, deliver flags, transport messages, raise and lower our flag over the Capitol to begin and end our daily business and every four years, they are entrusted with transporting the Electoral College ballots from the Senate to the House Chamber to tally the votes for our President. These juniors in high school get a firsthand look at the inner workings of Congress.

The Page Program is invaluable to our nation. Without the House Pages, the Capitol simply would not function. The nearly 100 high school students, who serve as pages for both the House and Senate, are an integral part of a system that keeps Congress running. Originally, Pages filled ink boxes and sand shakers for Members. They stocked the Chamber lamps with oil and kept candles on Member’s desks lit for night sessions. They started fires and filled the wood boxes to keep the offices warm.

Today, while their errands have changed, their importance has only increased. These young, bright Americans, like Ms. Allen, are part of an illustrious, rarified group, many of whom have gone on to become Congressmen, Senators, Governors, Cabinet Secretaries and captains of industry. As we see the Pages moving quickly through the complex in their navy blazers, we all wonder which of these young scholars will go on to be the next Congressman John Dingell, Bill Gates, Bill Owen or even Tiger Woods — all of whom served as Pages.

Tomorrow, Ms. Allen will return home to prepare for her senior year at Blue Springs South High School. She will be able to share with her classmates an in-depth knowledge of Congress few others have been able to acquire.

Ms. Allen is a member of her school’s cross country team, track and field team, Young Democrats and most importantly a member of the National Honor Society. She is also a member of the St. James United Methodist Church Youth Group in Kansas City, Missouri.

It has been my pleasure to have Ms. Allen as a House Page. I can say with zero hesitation that she has represented the Fifth District and her hometown well.

Relgious Freedom Luncheon

2009-07-31T19:45:00.002-05:00

Pictured left to right: Ambassador of Iraq, Samir Sumaida'ie; Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II; Ambassador of Sudan, Akec Khoc; Ambassador of Bahrain, Ms. Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo; Ambassador of Uzbekistan, Abdulaziz Kamilov

Yesterday afternoon, I was very glad to Co-Chair the International Religious Freedom Caucus’s Luncheon in the Library of Congress. In the midst of a hectic week, Representative Trent Franks (AZ-02) and I were honored to have a very well attended luncheon. The lunch included many Ambassadors from nations around the world, Members of Congress, and staff who joined us to bring attention to, and to promote, the essential need for religious tolerance not only in the United States, but throughout the world.

The foundation of our democratic nation rests on the establishment of the freedom to practice one’s religion, express one’s beliefs, or abstain from involvement in religion if one so chooses. It is telling that the very first amendment drafted by our founders addressed religious freedom, emphasizing the fact that religious freedom is indeed a fundamental right. I think the worldwide interest in our work, represented by the crowd of foreign dignitaries who gathered for this luncheon, shows the eager and earnest way the world is looking to us to advocate for those rights around the globe.

We cannot afford to wait

2009-07-24T13:36:00.002-05:00

Wednesday night, the President came before the American people to talk about the plan we are working on to reform health care. This is no small task. In fact, we as a nation have been working on it since Harry Truman first proposed a plan 60 years ago. I wanted to share President Obama’s remarks with you to perhaps clarify some of what we are debating in Congress. But, let me be clear. There is no debate between the parties that something desperately needs to be done. Doing nothing is no longer an option. While we may not choose these economic conditions and this time to take on this task, the urgency of now has been thrust on us by 60 years of inaction. As the President put it, “if somebody told you that there is a plan out there that is guaranteed to double your health care costs over the next 10 years, that's guaranteed to result in more Americans losing their health care, and that is by far the biggest contributor to our federal deficit. I think most people would be opposed to that. Well, that's the status quo. That's what we have right now.” We literally cannot afford to wait any longer.

Here is an excerpt of the President’s remarks as delivered. Full text, including the question and answer portion of the press conference can be found here>>

“…we spend much more on health care than any other nation but aren't any healthier for it.

That's why I've said that even as we rescue this economy from a full-blown crisis, we must rebuild it stronger than before. And health insurance reform is central to that effort.

This is not just about the 47 million Americans who don't have any health insurance at all. Reform is about every American who has ever feared that they may lose their coverage if they become too sick, or lose their job, or change their job. It's about every small business that has been forced to lay off employees or cut back on their coverage because it became too expensive. And it's about the fact that the biggest driving force behind our federal deficit is the skyrocketing cost of Medicare and Medicaid.

So let me be clear: If we do not control these costs, we will not be able to control our deficit. If we do not reform health care, your premiums and out-of-pocket costs will continue to skyrocket. If we don't act, 14,000 Americans will continue to lose their health insurance every single day. These are the consequences of inaction. These are the stakes of the debate that we're having right now.

I realize that with all the charges and criticisms that are being thrown around in Washington, a lot of Americans may be wondering, "What's in this for me? How does my family stand to benefit from health insurance reform?"

So tonight I want to answer those questions. Because even though Congress is still working through a few key issues, we already have rough agreement on the following areas:

If you have health insurance, the reform we're proposing will provide you with more security and more stability. It will keep government out of health care decisions, giving you the option to keep your insurance if you're happy with it. It will prevent insurance companies from dropping your coverage if you get too sick. It will give you the security of knowing that if you lose your job, if you move, or if you change your job, you'll still be able to have coverage. It will limit the amount your insurance company can force you to pay for your medical costs out of your own pocket. And it will cover preventive care like check-ups and mammograms that save lives and money.

Now, if you don't have health insurance, or you're a small business looking to cover your employees, you'll be able to choose a quality, affordable health plan through a health insurance exchange -- a marketplace that promotes choice and competition. Finally, no insurance company will be allowed to deny you coverage because of a preexisting medical condition. I've also pledged that health insurance reform will not add to our deficit over the next decade. And I mean it. In the past eight years, we saw the enactment of two tax cuts, primarily for the wealthiest Americans, and a Medicare prescription program -- none of which were paid for. And that's partly why I inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit.

That will not happen with health insurance reform. It will be paid for. Already we've estimated that two-thirds of the cost of reform can be paid for by reallocating money that is simply being wasted in federal health care programs. This includes over $100 billion of unwarranted subsidies that go to insurance companies as part of Medicare -- subsidies that do nothing to improve care for our seniors. And I'm pleased that Congress has already embraced these proposals. While they're currently working through proposals to finance the remaining costs, I continue to insist that health reform not be paid for on the backs of middle-class families.

In addition to making sure that this plan doesn't add to the deficit in the short term, the bill I sign must also slow the growth of health care costs in the long run. Our proposals would change incentives so that doctors and nurses are free to give patients the best care, just not the most expensive care. That's why the nation's largest organizations representing doctors and nurses have embraced our plan.

We also want to create an independent group of doctors and medical experts who are empowered to eliminate waste and inefficiency in Medicare on an annual basis -- a proposal that could save even more money and ensure long-term financial health for Medicare. Overall, our proposals will improve the quality of care for our seniors and save them thousands of dollars on prescription drugs, which is why the AARP has endorsed our reform efforts.

Not all of the cost savings measures I just mentioned were contained in Congress's draft legislation, but we're now seeing broad agreement thanks to the work that has done over the last few days. So even though we still have a few issues to work out, what's remarkable at this point is not how far we have left to go -- it's how far we've already come.

I understand how easy it is for this town to become consumed in the game of politics -- to turn every issue into a running tally of who's up and who's down. I've heard that one Republican strategist told his party that even though they may want to compromise, it's better politics to "go for the kill"; another Republican senator that defeating health care reform is about "breaking" me.

So let me be clear: This isn't about me. I have great health insurance, and so does every member of Congress. This debate is about the letters I read when I sit in the Oval Office every day, and the stories I hear at town hall meetings. This is about the woman in Colorado who paid $700 a month to her insurance company only to find out that they wouldn't pay a dime for her cancer treatment -- who had to use up her retirement funds to save her own life. This is about the middle-class college graduate from Maryland whose health insurance expired when he changed jobs and woke up from the emergency surgery that he required with $10,000 worth of debt. This is about every family, every business, and every taxpayer who continues to shoulder the burden of a problem that Washington has failed to solve for decades.

This debate is not a game for these Americans, and they can't afford to wait any longer for reform. They're counting on us to get this done. They're looking to us for leadership. And we can't let them down. We will pass reform that lowers cost, promotes choice, and provides coverage that every American can count on. And we will do it this year.”

President Barack Obama
News Conference
White House, East Room
July 22,2009

New Green Impact Zone Director comes to to U.S. Capitol

2009-07-24T13:35:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, in my role as First Vice-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and Co-Chair of the Caucus’ Energy and Environment Task Force I was pleased to welcome Anita Maltbia, the newly hired director of the Green Impact Zone, to the U.S. Capitol Building. Anita was asked to participate in the CBC’s Inaugural Green Roundtable which I am proud to chair.

The purpose of the meeting was to develop a “green Agenda” for African American communities by gathering minority business, energy industry, faith, labor, research and elected leaders to discuss this critical issue. I am pleased to introduce my colleagues to Anita in her role as Director of the Green Impact Zone. She is an exceptional leader, and along with neighborhood and civic leaders in the Green Impact Zone I am confident she will demonstrate to the rest of the nation how green community revitalization is accomplished with a tide that raises all ships. Her insight and experience have been critical at today’s Roundtable and my colleagues from across the nation are excited to learn from the Green Impact Zone.

Anita will officially begin work Aug. 3. She will oversee a staff responsible for implementing and coordinating initiatives in the Green Impact Zone. She will work with neighborhood leaders to coordinate programs and outreach in the zone as well as build partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders.

A long time resident of the City’s eastside, Anita brings to the position many years of management and community experience, including eight years as Assistant City Manager for the City of Kansas City, Mo.

During her nearly 27 years working for the City of Kansas City, she worked closely with me in several roles. In 1993, I asked her to step in as interim director of the Convention and Entertainment Centers Department and to oversee the planning and execution of the grand opening of the 500,000 square foot expansion of Bartle Hall.

Anita is past president of the Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration, and served on the national board and as vice-chair of the Strategic Planning Committee of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators.

More local Funding Secured

2009-07-24T13:31:00.001-05:00

The Labor HHS Appropriations bill was approved by the House of Representatives today, and I am pleased to report that I was able to direct funding to several local education programs.

1.) $150,000 for Graceland University in Independence

The Graceland University School of Nursing in Independence graduates 40 to 50 new nurses every year in the medical profession, currently experiencing worker shortages. This funding will help build a simulation lab on the Independence campus to assist students in providing holistic care for their patients.

2.) $200,000 for Guadalupe Centers Culinary Arts Institute Job Training Center

Founded in 1919, the Guadalupe Centers, Inc. was established to assist underprivileged Mexican immigrants who had settled in the Westside community of Kansas City, Missouri. The Guadalupe Center was one of the nation’s first social service agencies for Latinos. Currently, the Guadalupe Centers is “the longest continually operating organization serving Latinos in the United States.”

The Culinary Arts Institute is a 12 week job training/employment program that provides everything from culinary instruction to case management services and job placement career services including a follow-up component. The purpose for establishing this program is to help individuals become financially stable. They are given tools to become successful in their chosen career path

3.) $500,000 for Metropolitan Community College Sustainability Training Center

Centered on the Green Impact Zone, Metropolitan Community Colleges is starting a program to train individuals in the Kansas City area to become technical experts in the green industry. This project will develop the Sustainability Training Center (STC). During the initial three years, the center will create a clearinghouse of resources related to sustainability and measurement and reduction of carbon footprints for small businesses. Faculty, research associates and student researchers will provide assistance in conducting sustainability audits for small businesses and help them find cost-effective solutions for reducing their carbon footprint.

4.) $100,000 for the Polycyclic Kidney Disease Foundation

The PKD Foundation is the only organization, worldwide, dedicated to fighting polycystic kidney disease (PKD). The mission of the PKD Foundation is to: "Promote programs of research, advocacy, education, support and awareness in order to discover treatments and a cure for Polycystic Kidney Disease and improve the lives of all it affects."

Over 10.5 million for local projects

2009-07-17T16:19:00.000-05:00

This afternoon the U.S. House of Representatives approved The Energy and Water Appropriations Act (H.R. 3183) appropriating funding for a series of regional flood control projects I requested. The bill also invests in new technologies that will create the next generation of vehicles with improved fuel efficiency, better and cleaner engines and longer-lasting batteries. It also helps modernize our electric grid by investing in “smart grid” technology which we are seeking to pilot with Kansas City Power & Light as part of the Green Impact Zone project.

The bill increases funds for weatherization grants to help struggling families improve their homes’ energy efficiency and save hundreds of dollars annually in electricity and heating costs. It also invests in the water infrastructure needs of our communities to improve water quality and spur economic development after years of neglect. These funds will be particularly valuable in accomplishing the goal of weatherizing every home in the Green Impact Zone.

I am proud of the funding I was able to secure for Missouri’s Fifth District in this bill. Not only does the bill make significant investments in a new green economy and support our work locally in the Green Impact Zone, it also funds important flood control projects. I was Mayor of Kansas City during the Flood of 1993 and understand very well that funding our area’s flood control plans and systems is key to protecting life and property. These are earmarks that save lives, and build on projects I have secured funding for in previous years. I think it is clear these levee, basin and channel improvement projects will continue to significantly reduce our major flood events in the District.

H.R. 3183 provides:

Authorization to the U.S. Corps of engineers to fund the Blue Valley Wetlands Restoration - Jackson County (amount to be determined after study)

$2,500,000 for the Turkey Creek Basin - City of Kansas City ($15.2 million in Recovery Act dollars also allocated)

$5,600,000 for the Blue River Channel - City of Kansas City/Independence ($13.5 in Recovery Act dollars also allocated)

$750,000 for the Blue River Basin - City of Kansas City

$700,000 for the Kansas Citys, MO & KS (Seven River Levees) - City of Kansas City

$300,000 for the Brush Creek Basin, MO & KS – City of Kansas City

$700,000 Missouri River Degradation, MO & KS – City of Kansas City

The Energy and Water Appropriations Act builds on the investments in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to move toward American energy independence and rebuild our infrastructure – major tenets of the long term economic plan that President Obama laid out and this Congress approved.

H.R. 3183, which was approved in the House by a vote of 320 to 97, now moves to the Senate for approval.

President Obama dispatches his Cabinet to Green Impact Zone

2009-07-17T16:16:00.000-05:00

In a sign that the hard work of neighborhood leaders is getting noticed at the highest levels, President Obama has directed his Cabinet to visit Kansas City as part of a three city national tour. Denver and Philadelphia will also be visited. I am proud to say David Warm, Executive Director of the Mid-America Regional Council was at the White House at the invitation of the Office of Urban Policy to promote Kansas City’s urban needs including the Green Impact Zone. Warm was on hand for the announcement delivered by the President.

“Instead of waiting for Washington, a lot of cities have already gone ahead and become their own laboratories for change and innovation, some leading the world in coming up with new ways to solve the problems of our time.

So you take an example like Denver. Their metropolitan area is projected to grow by 1 million residents over the next 15 years or so. But rather than wait for a congestion crisis, they're already at work on plans to build and operate a public transit system up to the challenge, and to surround that system with smart new housing, retail, and office development near each stop.

Philadelphia is an example of what's been called ‘urban agriculture.’ It may sound like an oxymoron, but one proposal is trying to make a situation where fresh, local food supplies are within a short walk for most city residents, which will have a direct impact not only on the economy and on the environment, but also make an immeasurable difference in the health of Americans.

Or Kansas City. One idea there focuses on transforming a low-income community into a national model of sustainability by weatherizing homes and building a green local transit system.

Three different cities with three unique ideas for the future. And that's why they're three of the cities that are members of my -- that members of my Cabinet and Office of Urban Affairs will visit this summer as part of a ongoing national conversation to lift up best practices from around the country, to look at innovations for the metropolitan areas of tomorrow. Forward-looking cities shouldn't be succeeding despite Washington; they should be succeeding with a hand from Washington. We want to hear directly from them, and we want to hear directly from all of you, on fresh ideas and successful solutions that you've devised, and then figure out what the federal government should do or shouldn't do to help reinvent cities and metropolitan areas for the 21st century.”

President Barack Obama
July 13, 2009
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT URBAN AND METROPOLITAN POLICY ROUNDTABLE

This announcement from the President is confirmation that the work being done by the neighborhoods, MARC, the city and all the partner agencies is getting noticed by the Administration. When the President is citing your initiative as a model for the nation, you have done something right. My thanks and congratulations go to the neighborhood leaders and community groups who continue to work hard to make this vision a reality. The nation is looking to us to lead.

The White House said more details about the visit will follow.

Complete remarks can be found here >>>

I would also like to thank the City Council of Kansas City and particularly Council members Circo and Riley who achieved passage of a $1.5 million dollar operating budget for the Green Impact Zone which will be designated for the Mid-America Regional Council to hire staff to administer the Zone, open a service center, and support data collection and planning activities in the Green Impact Zone.

Health-Care Reform: What It Means For You

2009-07-17T16:10:00.000-05:00

The Ways and Means Committee and Health, Education and Labor Committee passed a health care reform bill that, for the first time in our nation’s history, will guarantee health care for all Americans. The proposal is complicated but seeks to reign in the spiraling cost of health care while allowing those who like the health care they have to keep those plans.

The proposal will provide for a group of private plans as well as a public plan that will be offered as part of an “exchange” where all Americans can compare and choose a plan that best suits their needs.

To participate in the “exchange” and have the opportunity to enroll some of the millions of Americans that are currently uninsured, private insurers would have to cover all pre-existing conditions. On this “exchange” Americans could also select to be insured by a public health insurance option. That option would help drive down costs across the board.

This bill is still evolving, but the Washington Post put together a few bullet points that outline potential benefits under the proposal now moving through the House (see below). And

If you are Uninsured- Currently 46 Million Americans
-How you could benefit from reform:

If you have a low income, you could have an easier time qualifying for Medicaid, a program funded by the state and federal governments.

In addition, based on your income, you could receive federal aid to purchase private insurance and vouchers for preventive care.

The proposal gives you the option of buying insurance through “exchanges” which lay out all of the options, benefits and price points available.

Insurers would be prohibited from denying coverage for preexisting conditions or taking into account your medical risk when setting your premium.

Insurers in the” exchanges” would offer a minimum set of benefits. For example, an annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses and end co-payments and deductibles for preventive care.
Older people could pay relatively lower premiums, because age-based variations in rates could be restricted.

Along side private options you would also buy coverage from a public option whose scale would enable it to pass along savings.

If you are on Medicare and Medicaid- Currently 42 million and 37 million Americans
- How you could benefit from reform: Medicare

The “doughnut hole” for prescription drug coverage, which leaves you responsible for the cost when you’ve racked up $2700 to $6100 of annual prescription expenses, would be closed.
You can obtain preventive services without paying anything out of pocket.

You can qualify for drug subsidies with more assets than current recipients are allowed.
Income from the sale of your primary residence could be excluded from determinations of who pays higher premiums for outpatient coverage.

Premiums would be reduced for seniors who enroll in wellness of disease-management programs.

Payments to primary-care doctors could be increased, paving the way for them to play a larger role in your care.

Your annual out-of-pocket expenses could be capped, protecting you from catastrophic bills.

- How you could benefit from reform: Medicaid
Increased reimbursements for physicians could make it easier to find doctors. You could also gain access to private health plans.

For individuals buy their own insurance- 15 million Americans
- How you could benefit from reform:

You would have the option of buying insurance through “exchanges”, with an annual cap on out-of-pocket expenses, an end to co-payments and deductibles for preventive care, and no more annual or lifetime limits on coverage.

Insurers in the “exchanges” could be barred from denying coverage based on your medical history. Insurers would be required to cover your preexisting conditions.
Older people could end up paying relatively lower premiums, because age-based variations in rates could be restricted.

You could gain the option of buying coverage from a public plan whose scale and purchasing power could enable it to pass along savings.

Based on your income, you could receive federal aid to purchase insurance.
Your employer would be required to provide health benefits or pay a penalty, increasing the odds that you would receive coverage at work.

If your employer pays for your insurance-sponsored: 158 million Americans
- How you could benefit from reform:

If you’re employed at a small business, you and your employer would gain the option of buying coverage through the “exchange”, in which insurers would have to offer a minimum set of benefits and factors such as health status would not count against you. The government might help your employer pay for health benefits.

The proposal will increase the quality of care as a result of efforts to increase coordination among providers, identify and encourage best practices, automate medical records, avoid unnecessary tests and procedures, and reduce medical errors.

With expanded coverage for the uninsured, you and your employer would experience a reduction in hidden health tax you now pay to cover the cost of care that hospitals provide without compensation.

If you leave or lose your job and have to buy your own insurance, you would have much better options than those now available to you. Having new alternatives could make it easier for you to leave a job in which you feel trapped; if you get laid off, it could save you from joining the ranks of the uninsured.

America draws the line here

2009-06-26T16:36:00.000-05:00

I have spent a great deal of time in the last few weeks working with my colleagues on the Energy Independence and Global Warming Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee on a measure that will curb greenhouse gas emissions. This legislation, which is being debated as I write this, is designed to reduce America’s contributions to global warming. This is not an easy task nor will it come with zero cost.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454), includes a cap-and-trade global warming reduction plan designed to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020. Other provisions include new renewable requirements for utilities, studies and incentives regarding new carbon capture and sequestration technologies, energy efficiency incentives for homes and buildings, and grants for green jobs, among other things.

Not passing a measure that curbs greenhouse gas emissions is simply not an option, and while this is not a perfect bill it strikes a balance between aggressive environmental regulations and protections for consumers. Not everyone is happy, both the environmental lobby and advocates for the poor think the balance should shift their direction. However, with Chairmen Markey and Waxman’s guidance, the bill is frankly as good as anyone could reasonably hope for.

The time for action is now. In fact, had we heeded warnings twenty years ago, we would be in a much better position today. The scientific consensus is that greenhouse gas emissions contribute to global warming, and that warming will result in rising seas and more violent weather and shorter growing seasons. Inaction will cause global catastrophe.

Carbon based emissions that result from our dependence on coal and oil for energy cause health and environmental problems and deadly consequences for the health of humans and our planet.

If that weren’t enough reason to act, or to those who still doubt the science of global warming, there is more than enough reason to break our addiction to oil in the gigantic additional costs on taxpayers to support our military and political operations in the Middle East.

The system Congress is debating called “cap-and-trade” would be America’s first comprehensive effort to combat the threat of global warming. There is zero doubt it will limit harmful human-generated emissions, accelerate development of renewable energy sources, create "green economy" jobs and help reduce dependence on oil.

This cap-and-trade has wide support among environmental groups and many industries. It is not perfect, but it is a policy that I think we have the votes to pass and certainly is a bold first move to curb the damage we have sown on our planet.

However, there are certainly those who have legitimate concerns about this policy and bill. I received this letter yesterday from the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and it is a good demonstration of 1) the misinformation that is surrounding this debate and 2) how some natural allies are turning against one another because of these falsehoods and fear.

Dear Representative Cleaver:

I am writing to urge your strong and vocal opposition to the so-called Waxman-Markey climate tax bill.

For the past 60 years, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) has worked and fought in the trenches of public policy to defend the interests of working class and poor families across America. In my 40-plus years as CORE's Chairman, I have seen few federal bills that would do more harm to America's working class and low-income citizens and families than the Waxman-Markey climate tax bill.

This bill represents an immoral assault on poor Americans because it is designed to purposely raise the cost of energy in order to force the working poor to reduce their standard of living.

By making the use of fossil fuels more costly, it will have a disproportionate and negative impact on those who now benefit most from the affordable and reliable power that fossil fuels provide: poor and working-class families.

The underlying goal of this legislation is the morally repugnant concept that constricting sources of domestic energy and raising energy costs is a good thing because it will force conservation by consumers. That elitist view assumes that poor, working class families have the ability to bear that 'social cost.'

The plain truth is this: the poor and working families we represent cannot bear that luxury.

Americans don't want 'energy welfare' payments from the government to help ease the sting of these government-driven cost increases. They want continued affordable and reliable energy, which this bill will constrict.

This is an explicitly anti-consumer package that will have huge impacts - both direct and indirect - on the struggling families we represent. On behalf of CORE's more than 100,000 members nationwide, I urge you to announce your public opposition to it today.

Thank you very much for your consideration of this urgent request. We are today sending alerts against this bill to thousands of citizens across the state of Missouri and to news media outlets nationwide.

Sincerely,
Roy Innis
Chairman, Congress of Racial Equality

Before a bill comes to the floor, the Congress uses an independent agency to “score” the bill and provide an authoritative, nonpartisan opinion on the cost associated with passage of a measure. This group, called the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), provided its assessment on the average household implementing the proposed American Clean Energy and Security Act.

The CBO concluded the act would result in a net cost to the average American household of $175 per year by 2020. The CBO estimated that the poorest American households would, in contrast, see a net annual benefit of $40. (see attached scoring document)

The CBO's estimates of net costs are substantially lower than the predictions offered or feared by critics of the bill.

I do not blame people for being confused. Again, this is a complicated bill. What has happened is that many of the numbers being used in the debate are good examples of what we call apples-to-oranges comparisons. I have seen many estimates that rather than estimating the cost to 2020, they extrapolated beyond the CBO’s accounting to 2035 using who knows what matrix.

The CBO has a good reputation for providing accurate and independent assessments -- and based on their report the average cost to an American household is $14.58 per month.

That's a relatively small price to pay over a long term. The letter I received from CORE, did not address some of the work I have been heavily involved in the final negotiations with the bill.

I was please to be a part of establishing five programs to protect consumers from energy price increases: one for electricity price increases; one for natural gas price increases; one for heating oil price increases; one to protect low- and moderate-income families; and one to provide tax dividends to consumers. In combination, these programs substantially reduce the impact of ACES on American consumers. Confirming the CBO estimate the EPA has assessed that ACES would cost the average household $80 to $111 per year, less than a postage stamp per day. According to EPA, families would actually spend less on utility bills in 2020 than they would in the absence of legislation because of the energy efficiency provisions in ACES.

Here is an example of the average cost of this bill per household that included a series of tax credits that assist those in the lowest income levels pay for rate increases.

Income bracket: Cost to consumer after credits applied
Lowest Quintile -40
Second Quintile 40
Middle Quintile 235
Fourth Quintile 340
Highest Quintile 245
Average per household 165

But we should also focus on what was not included in the CBO's assessment and estimates by most other analysts.

The report from the CBO says its cost estimates do "not include the economic benefits and other benefits of the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and the associated slowing of climate change." And CBO didn't include the economic "effect of other aspects of the bill, such as federal efforts to speed the development of new technologies and to increase energy efficiency by specifying standards or subsidizing energy-saving investments."

These are huge potential economic generators and encourage America to use this essential change to how we power our nation as a means to restart our economy and get people back to work.

Inaction is simply not an option. We have done a great deal to mitigate the impact this bill will have on the pocketbooks of the poor, but there is one last point I would like to make about allegations about the burden on those less fortunate. The poor, unfortunately, have been the canaries in the mineshaft on the effects of global warming. They have been the first to feel the impact of global climate change and it will continue to affect them without mercy.

The cost of the increased fury of Gulf hurricanes was borne by the poor in New Orleans to a much higher degree-and that trend will continue globally.

More intense weather, more intense heat waves, less productive crop seasons, and coastal flooding globally-all are costs borne more by the poor than any other.

A half-degree increase in global temperature will have, and has already had, catastrophic effects on the poor of Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.

It has been an honor to be a part of crafting this monumental bill that has the potential to change the course of history. We are drawing the line in the sand here and saying we must go no further polluting our environment. The time has come to cease inflicting damage and heal our planet.

Coffee with Cleaver

2009-06-19T14:53:00.000-05:00

It is that time again. Tomorrow’s Coffee with Cleaver will be at the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library in the Truman Forum. The Plaza Library is at 4801 Main and there should be plenty of parking and, as always, coffee will be provided.

It has been a busy few weeks and I look forward to updating and seeing you tomorrow!

Coffee with Cleaver-TOMORROW
June 20, 2009
Kansas City Public Library-Plaza Branch
4801 Main, Kansas City, MO
8 a.m. – 10a.m.

Keynote at Religious Liberty Dinner

2009-06-19T14:52:00.002-05:00

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II delivers the keynote address of the Religious Liberty Dinner in Washington [photo: Megan Brauner]

Last night I was honored to be the keynote speaker for the 7th Annual Religious Liberty Dinner in Washington D.C. I told the hundreds assembled that while much has been done to further religious freedom, more needs to be done.I was invited to speak to this group both as a minister and as the co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Caucus.

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, yet persecutions and atrocities are still taking place. In tyrannical governments around the world, frightened despots cling to power by restricting religious practice. As we are seeing in the streets of Iran this week, those policies often backfire.Worldwide, hundreds of millions of people are still mistreated because of their faith now more than 60 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The choice to privately or publicly practice a religious belief or the choice to abstain from a religious belief or the choice to change one's own religious beliefs is unmistakably fundamental to human rights.

I asked the group to focus on commonalities instead of differences. I think our International Religious Freedom Caucus is a good example. Unlike most House Caucuses which are made up of members usually from a single party, ours is co-chaired by Trent Franks a Republican and me, a Democrat.

By the same token, we should celebrate our differences along side our common human connections. The world and its people are a bouquet made all the more stunning because we are not the same. Freedom — and particularly religious freedom — is just that: recognizing and building on the things that unite us all, and respecting and embracing those things that make us different.

It was my great privilege to speak to this group that daily fights for one of mankind’s basic rights — the ability to worship, or not, in our own way. Previous speakers to the group have included Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senators John Kerry and John McCain — it is my honor to have been added to this distinguished list.

Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations

2009-06-19T14:49:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was one of those days in the House Chamber that just makes you shake your head. At the end of it all, we had set a new record, and passed the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill.

Members on the other side of the aisle were upset that only two-dozen amendments to the bill had been ruled in order. Recall that several times this spring I have proposed amendments that have also not been allowed to the floor. I have some sympathy; however this was a fairly typical number of allowed amendments and certainly in-line with the number allowed when they were in power. However, the past is quickly forgotten in the world of partisan politics and so my friends in the Minority party undertook their version of a filibuster.

For every one of the 24 amendments they required the maximum number of procedural votes, thus keeping the House in chamber all day and establishing a new record of 52 recorded votes in one day.

The next busiest day, according to House parliamentarians, was October 4, 1988, when 40 votes were cast.

It was within their rights to do so, but there are consequences to these sorts of games. The Financial Services Committee, where I serve, was scheduled to hear and question Secretary of the Treasury Geithner yesterday and that was cancelled. With the White House proposing a new financial regulatory structure it was an important hearing.

At the end of the day, the bill passed (which was never in doubt) and I was able to secure funding for three earmarked projects in this bill.

1.) $100,000 for the City of Kansas City Community Justice Program
2.) $250,000 for the Mattie Rhodes Latino Youth Crime Prevention Program
3.) $100,000 for the Jackson County CASA Legal Child Advocate program

Provided the Senate agrees, these important community projects will receive some much needed federal dollars in FY 2010.
Also included in the bill:
Law Enforcement

· State and Local Law Enforcement Overall: Provides $3.4 billion, $671 million above the President’s request and $197 million above 2009, for state and local law enforcement and crime prevention grants overall, in order to keep our communities safe.

· COPS: Provides $802 million, $41 million above the President’s request and $252 million above 2009, for the COPS program. This includes $298 million for COPS Hiring Grants. When combined with the $1 billion provided in the Recovery Act for COPS Hiring Grants, this will enable the hiring of more than 7,000 police officers.

· Byrne Justice Assistance Grants: Provides $529 million for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, $10 million above 2009 and the President’s request. These grants are used by local law enforcement agencies for a broad range of activities to better fight and prevent crime.

· State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP): The President’s budget proposes eliminating funding for the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), which assists state and local governments with the costs of jailing undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes not related to their immigration status. The bill rejects this elimination – instead providing $300 million.

· Violence Against Women Programs: The bill provides $400 million, or $11 million above 2009, for Violence Against Women programs. These programs are designed to prevent and prosecute violence against women and strengthen services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

· Juvenile Justice: The bill provides $385 million for juvenile justice programs, $11 million above 2009. This includes funding for such items as $80 million for competitive youth mentoring grants; $75 million for delinquency prevention grants; and $55 million for Juvenile Accountability Block Grants.

· Second Chance Act Offender Reentry Programs: The bill provides $100 million, $75 million above 2009, for demonstration programs and other activities to reduce recidivism and the future costs of incarceration.

· Adam Walsh Act and Child Exploitation: The bill provides $325 million, $41 million above 2009, for the Adam Walsh Act (better protecting children from sex offenders) and other sex offender and child exploitation prevention and enforcement programs.

· Department-Wide Southwest Border Initiative: The bill provides $1.5 billion, $345 million above 2009, for activities to combat violence, stop the flow of illegal weapons and drug trafficking, bring dangerous criminals to justice, and improve law enforcement capabilities along the Southwest Border.

· FBI: The bill provides $7.7 billion, $654 million above 2009, for the FBI, to address national security needs, including cyber crime, WMD incidents, and surveillance, as well as criminal law enforcement priorities such as financial fraud.

Commitment to American Innovation

· Science Overall: The bill provides $30.6 billion, $1 billion above 2009, for investments in science, technology, and innovation – as part of an Innovation Agenda to keep America competitive in the global marketplace.

· National Science Foundation (NSF): The bill provides $6.9 billion, $446 million above 2009, for the NSF – supporting the most promising scientific research at America’s colleges and universities. This funding level continues to put the NSF budget on track to double over the next seven years, as called for under the America COMPETES Act (PL 110-69).

· National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): The bill provides $781 million for NIST – to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by investing in scientific and technical research services. This funding level continues to put NIST on track to double over the next seven years, as called for under the America COMPETES Act (PL 110-69). The funding includes:
o Manufacturing Extension Partnerships: $125 million to help small and mid-size manufacturers compete globally by providing them with technical advice and access to technology, as well as leveraging private funds to save and create jobs.
o Technology Innovation Program: $70 million to fund high-risk high-reward research into areas of critical national need done by U.S. businesses, colleges and universities, and national labs.

· National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): The bill provides $18.2 billion, $421 million above 2009, for NASA – recognizing that the science and research conducted at NASA is also critical to the nation’s science enterprise. It includes funding for scientific research in space; aeronautical research; manned exploration in space; and education programs that use space science to inspire our youth.

· National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): The bill provides $4.6 billion, $238 million above 2009, for NOAA, to increase important ocean, weather, and climate research activities and for satellite and ground-based measurement systems acquisitions.

· Science Education: The bill provides $1.08 billion for science education, $36 million above 2009, for science, technology, engineering and math – or STEM – education. This funding is designed to give our young people the education and training they need – from elementary school through graduate study -- to become the innovation workforce of the future.

Global Climate Change Research

The bill provides over $2 billion, $120 million above 2009, to study global climate change, one of the greatest challenges facing our country. This includes:

· NASA: $1.3 billion, including nearly $150 million to develop and demonstrate space-based climate measurements identified by the National Academy of Science and the science community.

· NOAA: Almost $400 million to enhance climate change research and regional assessments; climate data records, data access and archiving requirements; and climate change educational programs.

· National Science Foundation: An estimated $310 million for climate change research, modeling and education.
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· Economic Development Administration: $25 million for green building initiatives.

· National Institute of Standards and Technology: $15 million for the development of greenhouse gas emission standards.

A New Beginning

2009-06-05T15:19:00.001-05:00

Yesterday morning the world watched as our American President reached out his hand and asked for peace. Saying he came to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, President Obama told the audience at Cairo University that the cycle of suspicion and discord that has defined, deluded and destroyed the relationship for so long must end.

The President asked for a new beginning — “one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles, principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.”

“There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground,” the President said. “So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, those who promote conflict rather than cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.”

There are 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, and while directed at them, the President sounded the call for peace in all corners of the globe.

The President said that problems the United States and Muslims worldwide confront must be dealt with through partnership and progress, and must be shared. Sources of tension must be addressed directly — and plainly.

He rightly asserted that America will confront violent extremists who pose a threat to U.S. national security because we “reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women and children.”

“None of us should tolerate these extremists,” he said.

But, then the President went further and acknowledged to the world that military power alone will not solve problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan. To that end, Congress has approved the investment of billions of dollars each year over the next five years to partner with Pakistanis to build hospitals, schools, roads and businesses, and help those who have been displaced by the war.

Then the President took on the 800-pound gorilla that so many before him have ignored — the difficult, if not near impossible, task of finding a peaceful and just end to the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. “The only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security,” he said. “I will personally pursue this outcome. For peace to come, it is time for them — and all of us — to live up to our responsibilities.”

I was proud to hear balance and nuance in the voice of an American President. He acknowledged our unbreakable bond with Israel — one forged by President Truman and born of a need for a Jewish homeland that is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.

Today, the President is visiting Buchenwald, which was part of the Third Reich’s final solution for the Jews of Europe. Six million Jews were killed. As the President said, “denying that fact is baseless, it is ignorant, and it is hateful.”
He went on to turn to the equally legitimate needs of the Palestinians who have also suffered in pursuit of a homeland. He said, “ So, let there be no doubt: The situation for the Palestinian people is intolerable. And America will not turn our backs on the legitimate Palestinian aspiration for dignity, opportunity, and a state of their own.”

The President said we can both be for democracy and still respect every nation’s sovereign right. He said that, while no form of government should be imposed on any nation by another, he believes strongly in a system of government that gives voice to the people, and that respects the rule of law and the rights of all.

“Governments that protect these rights are ultimately more stable, successful and secure,” he said. “Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away.”

In an audience of students, he called for greater religious freedom as necessary for peoples of the world to be able to live together and said, “a woman who is denied an education is denied equality. And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well-educated are far more likely to be prosperous.”

I watched the President in Cairo, yesterday, express the feelings so many Americans have wished to express to the world. He concluded by quoting simply from each of the three great religions’ holy writs and said:

“We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written.

The Holy Koran tells us: "O mankind! We have created you male and a female; and we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another."

The Talmud tells us: "The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace."

The Holy Bible tells us: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's vision. Now that must be our work here on Earth.”

Amen.

Please take a moment this weekend to read the full text of the speech. It can be found here>>

Greening our Schools

2009-05-15T16:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I voted in favor of legislation that will improve our public schools, create clean energy jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and lower energy costs for taxpayers. The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act, which passed the House on a vote of 275 to 155, will invest in our schools in order to boost our economy now and help prepare our children for the jobs of the future.

This bill uses federal dollars to begin transforming America’s aging schools while at the same time putting our nation back to work. This is a smart investment that leverages the power of the new green economy to inspire a new generation of workers. This measure reduces operating costs of schools allowing our struggling districts to devote more money to educating our students. This is the perfect time to inject these federal dollars into our local school districts. Green will be the engine that turns our country’s economy around. There is no better way to set a course for a greener future than investing in our kids.

I was able to sponsor an amendment that will encourage school districts to link their green construction efforts with curriculum that explains the new technology to students at the school. The amendment, which I sponsored with my friend Congresswoman Giffords (AZ-8), passed on a vote of 334 to 97.

The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act could provide over $6 billion in federal funds to upgrade school buildings to make them more energy efficient and more reliant on renewable sources of energy. The State of Missouri will receive approximately $97,833,000 in funding. Locally, the approximate allocations for Missouri’s Fifth District School Districts would be:

Belton:$303,000
Center: $322,000
Grandview: $494,000
Hickman Mills: 1,165,000
Independence: $977,000
Kansas City: $7,855,000
Lee’s Summit: $405,000
Lone Jack: $17,000
Raymore-Peculiar: $161,000
Raytown: $596,000

Total for Fifth District: $12,295,000

The bill also generates long-term savings for schools by reducing energy expenses. Green schools reduce pollution by using about 30% less water and energy than conventional schools, and emit almost 40% less harmful carbon dioxide.

This bill is common sense. It saves money for our schools, creates jobs and helps us educate our students better. At the same time, it modernizes our schools and prepares our workers for a new, clean energy American economy.

According to calculations by the Economic Policy Institute, this legislation’s construction funding would support as many as 136,000 new jobs – many in areas that will give workers the valuable skills they need to excel in a clean energy economy. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

High Priority Projects now online

2009-05-15T16:05:00.000-05:00

Reauthorization of federal surface transportation programs is required September 30, 2009. During the reauthorization process, I have an opportunity to include requests for High Priority Projects (HPP) to improve the transportation infrastructure in Missouri’s Fifth District.

To be more transparent in this important national policy and to ensure that projects that receive funding in this surface transportation authorization act result in tangible transportation and safety benefits, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure requires that Member-designated High Priority Projects be available online.

My requests can be found here >>>

More recognition for the Green Impact Zone

2009-05-15T16:02:00.001-05:00

Van Jones has been on a crusade to, in his words, "green the ghetto" by killing two birds with one stone: reducing poverty and saving the environment — exactly the goals of the Green Impact Zone.

Recently Mr. Jones, who headed the non-profit “Green for All” was appointed as President Obama's special adviser for green jobs, enterprise and innovation. Jones now has an opportunity to implement his vision and once again cited the efforts underway here in Kasnas City as a model program the nation should be watching. This time, he used an interview on NPR’s Morning Edition to highlight our initiative.

Listen here >>>

Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights passes House

2009-05-01T17:22:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act of 2009 (H.R. 627) which I Chairman Barney Frank (D-NY), and Subcommittee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) cosponsored, passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 357-70. This comprehensive credit card reform legislation is aimed at leveling the playing field between credit card companies and consumers and abolishes industry abuses that are unfair, deceptive and anti-competitive.

I was sorry to see this important legislation die in the Senate last year and proud that it is one of the first pieces of legislation passed in this new Congress. In this economy, when far too many are relying on their credit cards for survival, we cannot tolerate abusive and unfair practices that exploit these difficult times.

First came the housing crisis, then the crisis in the financial institutions. The next shoe to drop is the credit card crisis. Yesterday’s action helps give teeth to the meeting the President held last week with the major Credit Card companies at the White House. Specifically, the bill protects cardholders against arbitrary interest rate increases, empowers them to set limits on their credit and requires card companies to fairly credit and allocate payments. It also prohibits charging fees just to pay a bill by phone, charging over-the-limit fees unless a consumer opts-in in advance or issuing credit cards to minors.

It is issuing credit cards to minors I have been particularly concerned about. The average college student has more than $3,000 in credit card debt on four or more credit cards. It is a horrible way to begin adult life and has contributed to the average age of bankruptcy continuing to get younger. I am pleased this bill tries to safeguard our young people.

Greensburg was amazing

2009-05-01T17:21:00.000-05:00

My thanks to everyone who spent 11 hours on the bus Saturday to travel to Greensburg. As we were leaving one of the residents of the town came up to me and said, “This just feels right.” Indeed it did. The commitment they have to green was inspiring, and I think the only downside to the trip was that those who participated returned even more eager to start working than they were before.

I would like to extend a very special thanks to Mayor Dixson, the city administrator and school superintendent for hosting our group and spending the afternoon with us.

Truly, it was a helpful trip.

Councilwoman Cindy Circo, who was on the trip along with Council Members Jan Marcason and Sharon Sanders Brooks, wrote a great article about the trip and pictures on her blog. Please take a moment to visit the Councilwoman’s blog site found here >>>

Q&A on Swine Flu

2009-05-01T17:16:00.002-05:00

This week, the world began to feel the impact of the H1N1 “Swine Flu” and I wanted to pass along some frequently asked questions and answers from the Centers for Disease (CDC). These answers are particularly important in light of CDC confirmed today that a woman in Platte County contracted the same swine flu virus that has sickened at least 141 people nationwide. In scary times like these, having accurate information is key.

The case is Missouri’s first confirmed incidence of swine flu. The woman is in her 30s and recently traveled to Mexico, where the virus is thought to have first emerged.

What is swine flu?

HIN1 Influenza is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people.

Is this H1N1 flu virus contagious?

CDC has determined that this H1N1 influenza A virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

What are the signs and symptoms of H1N1 flu in people?

The symptoms of H1N1 flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with H1N1 flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with H1N1 flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, H1N1 flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

How does H1N1 flu spread?

Spread of this H1N1 influenza A virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Can I get H1N1 influenza from eating or preparing pork?

No. H1N1 influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get H1N1 influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

How can someone with the flu infect someone else?

Infected people may be able to infect others beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 7 or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

What should I do to keep from getting the flu?

First and most important: wash your hands. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Are there medicines to treat H1N1 flu?

Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these H1N1 influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).

How long can an infected person spread H1N1 flu to others?

People with H1N1 influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to 7 days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can be spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface like a desk and then touches their own eyes, mouth or nose before washing their hands.

How long can viruses live outside the body?

We know that some viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces like cafeteria tables, doorknobs, and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?

There is no vaccine available right now to protect against H1N1 flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.

If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?

If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?

Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. We recommend that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you live in areas where H1N1 influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact their health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed.If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting

Credit Card bill advanced out of Committee

2009-04-24T16:28:00.000-05:00

This week, we were able to achieve Committee passage of the Credit Card Bill of Rights, which I am proud to co-sponsor. The bill will be considered on the House floor next week.

The President sat down with credit card executives this week at the White House to ask them to voluntarily change some of their aggressive and unfair policies. This bill puts teeth to that request. The Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights protects all of us against abusive practices of credit card companies. The bill addresses the most egregious policies like excessive credit card fees, sky-high interest rates, and unfair, incomprehensible agreements that credit card companies revise at will.

These practices are never acceptable, but are particularly horrible during these hard times when so many families are in economic peril.

For decades the government has let the credit card companies take advantage of their customers. I am proud to stand with Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY-14) who has worked to advance this legislation despite opposition from corporate interests.

This is a very good bipartisan and common-sense bill. I look forward to its passage by the full House next week.

Going to Greensburg

2009-04-24T16:27:00.000-05:00

This is an exciting time for Kansas City. In order to recover from the current economic downturn, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to stimulate job creation, with much of the focus on environmental sustainability and energy efficiency. As you are probably aware, Kansas City has taken the bold and innovative step of creating a Green Impact Zone in the heart of the urban core to concentrate and deepen the impact of the ARRA funds in a particularly hard-hit area of Kansas City. These funds will help these neighborhoods rebuild green, saving energy and creating a more sustainable environment.

You may remember seeing stories in the news two years ago about Greensburg, Kansas, which was almost completely destroyed by a powerful tornado in May 2007. Greensburg took the historic step of committing to rebuild the entire town using green principles. I am convinced that we, as individuals working to rebuild the Green Impact Zone, can benefit from the wealth of experience and knowledge that the people of Greensburg now have.

And so tomorrow morning, bright and early, I will be leading a delegation of Green Impact Zone residents and community leaders to Greensburg. This fact-finding trip will, I hope, help build a comfort level with “green” and allow local residents to talk with the residents of Greensburg about the advantages of green.

I truly believe the problems faced by urban core, primarily African American and poor residents of the Green Impact Zone are remarkably similar to the issues faced by the rural residents of Greensburg. I think we will find a great deal of common ground, and join these plains pioneers as believers in green.

I have never been to Greensburg either, and so I am excited to see this model first hand.

Wish us luck!

Climate Center takes its first step

2009-04-24T16:26:00.001-05:00

Today, I was proud to officially announce that the City of Kansas City, Missouri, through its Parks and Recreation Department, has been awarded a grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to study and plan for the development of a Climate Sustainability Center.

It is exciting to stand on the site and think about the opportunity to both change the way the world thinks about green and change the way we have historically seen the Eastside.
While was standing next to the yet undone piece of Brush Creek, it occurred to me that this creek was why I got involved in politics in the first place.

Specifically, it was September 17, 1977 that prompted my entrance in the race for City Council. Many of you can remember that a storm caused flash flooding as Brush Creek quickly spilled its bounds and flooded this entire area. In the morning, twelve people were dead and 5 feet of floodwater covered where we were standing this afternoon. I couldn’t understand how in a major metropolitan area 12 people could die due to rain.

And so I ran for City Council. And I was fortunate as Mayor to secure funding to nearly completely reconstruct Brush Creek and build the Bruce Watkins Drive.

Because of the stimulus we now have money to finish this portion of Brush Creek and replace the aging bridge that spans it now.

And if you drive on the Watkins, while the road is beautiful the neighborhoods along it are still crumbling.

But with the Green Impact Zone we hope to turn around those neighborhoods, reinvest in people and jobs and turn the corner we have long been looking to turn. Right here. Right now.

And on top of completing these long over due projects, today we stood on a cluttered piece of land to announce a project that represents the largest investment east of Troost since the Brush Creek Project and the Bruce Watkins Drive.

As you all know, I like big projects.

This, my friends, is a big project.

National Attention on Green Impact Zone

2009-04-24T16:25:00.000-05:00

On Monday, Van Jones, the President’s Special Counsel for green jobs praised the Green Impact Zone plan on CNN’s Larry King Live. In a conversation with Robert Redford about grass roots efforts to go green with stimulus money, the founder of Green for All said:

“One of the things I think is important for people to understand, when you talk about grass roots, let's look at Kansas City right now. There is a tremendous effort right now, Representative Emanuel Cleaver said let's take stimulus money from the Obama recovery plan and give it to ordinary people. They decided in Kansas City to take 150 blocks, blighted, tough neighborhoods, weatherize every home there that needs it, fix mass transit and put people to work. Those are green solutions. They're going to save people money as well as helping planet Earth.” -Van Jones President’s Special Counsel for Green Jobs

The nation is taking notice and this is well deserved praise for the great deal of hard work everyone is doing in the Impact Zone. Congratulations!

Busy Weekend

2009-04-17T16:33:00.000-05:00

Coffee with Cleaver tomorrow

After a snow storm last month that fell short of the hype, we are back in Grandview tomorrow for our rescheduled monthly Coffee with Cleaver. I always enjoy coming to Grandview and this is our fourth Coffee in town.

I hope to see you at Harry’s Mug, 12222 Blue Ridge Ext. in Grandview from 8-10 a.m. tomorrow morning. As always, looking forward to it.

Art contest tomorrow

Tomorrow afternoon please come help celebrate the talent of some of the District’s best young artists as we open the gallery at the beautiful Kansas City Public Library Central Branch in downtown Kansas City.

This year we have over one hundred entries in the Congressional Art Contest: A Voyage of Artistic Discovery. The judges have already selected those who will be honored tomorrow, and I am excited to announce the finalist and winner at tomorrow’s opening.

The winner will receive a plane ride for their family to Washington where they will be on-hand for the unveiling of their work of art in the U.S. Capitol. Every Member of Congress walks past the artwork representing each Congressional District every day, and I am always proud to point our winner out to visitors and colleagues.

The gallery viewing begins at 1:00 p.m. and the program will begin at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow, Saturday, April 18 at the Kansas City Public Library Central Branch, 14 West 10th Street in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Hope to see you there!

A Plea for Tips

2009-04-17T16:32:00.000-05:00

Joined by former Kansas City Mayor Pro-Tem Alvin Brooks and Chief Fred Mills of the Raytown Police Department
PHOTO FOR THE KANSAS CITY STAR BY FRED BLOCHER

On Wednesday, I was asked by the Raytown Police Chief to help refocus our community on four of our neighbors who were brutally killed last month. I, sadly, had the burden of burying three of these murder victims, and I will not forget the feeling of looking over a casket holding two little boys who will forever lie together.

The boys Amir and Gerard, ages 10 and 7 were found dead on March 16 in the apartment of their aunt, Precious Triplett, who was also killed. The fourth victim was Precious’s boyfriend, Andre Jones. The murderer left Precious’s 18-month-old son an orphan alone in the apartment.

Someone knows something, and anything I can do to encourage someone to come forward, I will do. The criminal who left that baby alone in the world is an animal and needs to be caged.

Anyone with information should call Raytown police at 816-737-6016 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Health Care listening tour

2009-04-17T16:30:00.001-05:00

Conferring with Representative JoAnn Emerson (R-MO-08) at the Health Care Listening Tour event
PHOTO FOR THE KANSAS CITY STAR BY FRED BLOCHER

Monday, I joined my colleagues Congresswoman JoAnn Emerson (R-MO-08) and Congressman Dennis Moore (D-KS-03) to listen to a group of health care providers, advocates for the uninsured and experts on reform at the Liberty Memorial. The nation has 47 million uninsured and the entire system is in need of a major overhaul. We simply cannot afford to continue down the path of skyrocketing costs. Health care is not a privilege; it is a fundamental right.

I am proud to say that this listening session, unlike many around the country, was bi-partisan and part of an effort to actually identify solutions as opposed to grand standing on promises. Congresswoman Emerson is a Republican and dear friend who represents the boot-heel of Missouri. I think all of us left the forum with a better idea of the complexity of the issue and some ideas on how to untangle the web.

We cannot afford to be partisan when it comes to health care. The need is great and the price tag huge, but we have to solve this problem. As I heard at the forum, we all know the system is broken, now we need to take the bold steps necessary to fix it.

Green Impact Zone updates

2009-04-17T16:26:00.003-05:00

Meeting with with community leaders about the Green Impact Zone at the Mid-America Regional Council

A couple of things moved this project forward this week. I was able to attend the planning meeting on Monday at MARC, where I was proud to see nearly one hundred community leaders, neighborhood organizers and city officials reporting on their exciting progress and charting out their next steps. Later that day I joined Steve Kraske on his KCUR program Up to Date to talk about the program. You can hear the interview here (it’s in the second half of the show)>>>

I was also very glad to introduce the program at a Third City Council District community meeting Tuesday night. The idea was warmly received and the conversation focused on delivering what was promised in a timely and organized fashion. There were lots of questions after the meeting and also a great deal of excitement.

This morning, I was happy to read an endorsement of the plan from the editorial board of the Kansas City Star. They write, “The initial plan contains excellent ways to improve a part of the city — roughly 39th to 51st streets, and Troost to Prospect avenues — that has many low-income residents.”

You can read the whole editorial here >>>

Take me out to the ball game

2009-04-17T16:25:00.004-05:00

I joined County Executive Mike Sanders at the ribbon cutting ceremony on Opening Day at the new “K”

I was proud to spend some time last Friday at the new Kauffman Stadium. It is beautiful. I remember when we opened the then-Royals Stadium and to see the park now, it is even better than it was then.

To be able to stand behind the outfield wall near the famous fountains and smell the bar-b-que pit smoking behind the bullpen is frankly…awesome.

Green Impact Zone passes 13-0

2009-04-03T16:37:00.001-05:00

I am pleased and proud to say that yesterday the City Council of Kansas City, Missouri unanimously adopted Resolution No. 090245 to establish the City of Kansas City’s participation both financially and operationally in the “Green Impact Zone” Initiative.

My thanks goes to the Members of the Council and Mayor who all spoke in favor of the idea and voted to make an area that is usually last, first. Please understand that the Council, by acting unanimously, put their own interest aside for the good of this project. I think their faith is well put in people in these neighborhoods and that their willingness to advance this idea gives Kansas City the chance to shine on a national stage.

Special thanks to Councilwoman Cindy Circo, the chief sponsor and Councilwomen Sanders Brooks, Curls, Marcason, Jolly and Councilman Riley for their extraordinary efforts to move this cause forward.

With all that thanks up front, I would like to take a moment to gush a bit about the neighborhood and community groups that have come together around this project. At every challenge as they have urgently pressed forward with this plan, these leaders have chosen unity. Instead of asking, "what's in it for me" they have asked "how can this work for everyone". They have personified community and commitment.

I am both very proud and very happy for these people who have worked so hard to have this opportunity. Congratulations and thank you to all.

Now we begin the hard work of making this a reality that people can see and feel. It is time to give President Obama a poster child for the stimulus on steroids.

The plan in a nutshell:

As a result of meetings with community leaders, city staff, elected
officials locally and Cabinet and administration officials in Washington, D.C.
an idea has advanced that will target stimulus investments in a way that
maximizes and deepens the impact of every dollar in a hard hit area of Kansas
City.

This designated section of the City is bounded by 39th Street on the
north, 51st Street on the south, Troost Avenue on the west and Prospect Avenue
to 47th Street over to Swope Parkway on the east. Directly affected are the
neighborhoods of Ivanhoe, Blue Hills, 49/63 and Manheim and Town Fork Creek,
some of the City’ strongest neighborhood organizations. The area is called the
“Green Impact Zone of Missouri.”

Through community discussions convened by the Mid-America Regional
Council, an overarching goal of training and putting residents of these
neighborhoods to work weatherizing every home that is eligible within the Zone
has been suggested. This is no small task, but has the potential of reducing
utility bills, conserving electricity and creating sustainable jobs for a
portion of the City where unemployment is hovering between 20-50 percent.

As the discussions of the Green Impact Zone have progressed, excitement
has built and partnerships have been forged. Kansas City Power and Light has
stepped up to the plate and committed that, if the city is willing to adopt this
plan, KCP&L is willing to invest and deploy a “Smart Grid” in the Zone. A
Smart Grid provides enhanced reliability and efficiency through real-time
information about electricity supply and demand. It also allows consumers to
manage their electricity use, and save money, by providing useful information
about electricity prices. Perhaps most importantly, a Smart Grid allows for
renewable energy sources, such as the power that will be produced in the Green
Impact Zone, to seamlessly feed into the energy grid. KCP&L’s commitment is
to create a model of the energy grid of the future unlike any in the
country.

Committing to making neighborhoods east of Troost that have been
historically last now be first is long overdue.

I just received word that we should be receiving additional very good news next week that will play a major role in the Green Impact Zone. Stay tuned…

Mission to Cuba

2009-04-03T16:36:00.001-05:00

This week, I joined the Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-9), and a bipartisan host of Members to introduce H.R. 874, the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act. The bill calls for lifting of the ban on travel to Cuba from the United States.

In a sign of thawing relations and at the invitation of the Cuban government, I have joined six of my colleagues on a mission to Cuba. I left Andrews Air Force base this morning and landed in Havana early this afternoon.

Cuba is the only country in the world to which our government bans travel. It has enforced this ban for 46 years. We have an ineffective and incredibly disjointed policy toward Cuba, born of a different era and incredibly outdated today.

Americans can legally visit North Korea and Iran, Vietnam and China, but Cuba, which lies a mere 90 miles from U.S. shores is off limits. This policy has hurt both our nations for too long.America has long recognized that its people and commerce are our best diplomats. Cuba should be no exception.

This mission was encouraged by President Obama and upon returning from this fact-finding mission, we have been asked to deliver a report to the White House and Secretary of State. I look forward to both speaking with the President and you about the mission when I return next week.

While there is some benefit to the Fifth District in opening up ties with Cuba, this mission is more in my role as Vice-Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. There are certainly many upsides for our community as my colleagues entrust me with more responsibilities, but there is one significant downside. More responsibility means less time in the District.

Technology provides some great opportunities, like this newsletter and the telephone town hall, to stay in touch with you and deal with the increasing demands of a leadership role. But nothing replaces face to face contact, and I certainly know that.

I know you will be patient and understand as I try to adjust to my changing role. For that I thank you.

Coffee cancelled due to weather

2009-03-27T16:24:00.001-05:00

Remarkably, in what has been close to 40 “Coffee with Cleaver” events, this is the first time we are cancelling due to weather. Perhaps more remarkable is the foot of snow they are predicting for tomorrow. For those I am looking forward to seeing in Grandview, we have tentatively rescheduled tomorrow’s Coffee for April 18th at the same location 8-10 a.m., Harry’s MUG, 12222 Blue Ridge Ext.

Be safe tomorrow, and thank you for understanding.

The Green Impact Zone

2009-03-27T16:22:00.000-05:00

Since the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), I have spent a great deal of time trying to help our community position itself in the best possible place to take advantage of this huge federal investment.

To that end, I have been meeting with community leaders, city staff, elected officials locally and Cabinet and administration officials in Washington, D.C. to advance the idea of targeting stimulus investments in a way that maximizes and deepens the impact of every dollar.

As a result of these meetings, Resolution No. 090254 has been introduced to the Kansas City Council that will target a portion of millions in stimulus funds to a hard hit area of Kansas City. We are calling the area the “Green Impact Zone.”

Under this resolution the City Council commits to use a significant portion of the funds received under the ARRA for a focused area of the City bounded by 39th Street on the north, 51st Street on the south, Troost Avenue on the west and Prospect Avenue to 47th Street over to Swope Parkway on the east. Directly effected are the neighborhoods of Ivanhoe, Blue Hills, 49/63 and Manheim and Town Fork Creek, some of the City’ strongest neighborhood organizations.

Through community discussions convened by the Mid-America Regional Council, an overarching goal of training and putting residents of these neighborhoods to work weatherizing every home that is eligible within the Zone has been suggested.

This is no small task, but has the potential of reducing utility bills, conserving electricity and creating sustainable jobs for a portion of our community where unemployment is hovering between 20-50 percent.

In a community where every dollar counts, reducing utility bills by half would be a significant achievement. Creating thousands of jobs would be a godsend and making neighborhoods east of Troost that have been historically last now be first should bring us all to our feet.

As the discussions of the Green Impact Zone have progressed, excitement has built and partnerships have been forged. Kansas City Power and Light has stepped up to the plate and committed that, if the city is willing to adopt this plan, KCP&L is willing to invest and deploy a “Smart Grid” in the Zone. In addition to making investments to put solar panels on newly weatherized homes, a “Smart Grid” would allow each home to receive a credit for unused solar energy that can be stored in batteries to be used for the rest of the grid. Their commitment is to create a model of the energy grid of the future unlike any in the country.

From Public Works to Parks and Recreation, both government and private dollars will be leveraged to create green sustainable jobs, enhance the neighborhoods and create a model for the rest of the nation.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and business as usual will not be good enough. For too long — and I am certainly guilty of perpetuating the problem — our City has drawn down federal dollars divided equally by six Council Districts and weakened the effect of the investments. We must target our funds. This Resolution No. 090254 will do just that. Those throughout the country who have the plans and are ready to go will receive the most funding. The Green Impact Zone puts us at the front of the pack.

Thus far “green” investments have been reserved for those who can afford the upfront cost. In neighborhoods like these, where the median income is less than $20,000 a year, “greening” is simply not possible. This plan removes that burden and reduces the utility bills for those who need it most. With job training, neighborhood stabilization and infrastructure investments targeted here, “green” is no longer an academic concept for someone else — it becomes a means to change peoples lives right here in our urban core.

Let us seize this giant opportunity to create a better future and show America, when it comes to “green” we are in the lead.

Turn out the Lights

2009-03-27T16:20:00.001-05:00

In what promises to be the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change ever attempted, tomorrow, citizens around the world are encouraged to turn out the lights for an “Earth Hour” on Saturday, March 28, at 8.30 p.m. Billions could be flipping the switch with you across the globe.

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.

For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, races and backgrounds have the opportunity to use their light switches as their votes – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. I urge you, of course to VOTE EARTH and help reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.

A year ago, I encouraged you to do the same thing and an estimated 50 million people worldwide joined in turning off their lights. This year, U.N. headquarters in New York will turn off the lights, along with landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Here in Kansas City the lights on City Hall and the Convention Center space stations will be turned off. Special thanks to Cathy Jolly and the City Council for leading the effort at the City.

I have asked that the federal buildings in Missouri’s Fifth District turn off their lights during this year’s Earth Hour, and the General Services Administration has answered the call. Federal property managers will turn off as many lights as possible from 8:30 to 9:30. Only in cases where the lights are on for security measures or building safety will they be left on.

I am very proud our GSA will cast its vote for the Earth, and prouder still of their commitment to energy efficiency. According to Charlie Cook at our GSA, their energy conservation program began in 1973. Since then, cost-avoidance and energy-conservation measures have delivered more than $2.25 billion in savings nationwide. Between 1985 and 2005, GSA successfully reduced energy consumption in federal buildings by 30 percent, and their efforts are continuing. The ARRA committed $4.5 billion for GSA to spend on turning existing federal facilities into high-performing green buildings.

So, remember to cast your vote for the Earth tomorrow and turn off your lights from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Thank you!

MODOT adopts flawed plan

2009-03-20T16:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday evening in Springfield, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MoDOT) gave approval to their final list of transportation projects to be funded by economic recovery funds. MoDOT estimates it will directly or indirectly support 22,000 jobs. I think there could have been more.

The project package totals $577 million, $52 million more than the $525 million MoDOT was allocated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The department built in additional money in its proposal that assumes it will qualify for redistribution of funds from other states if they become available. It may be ambitious to think that that much money will be returned from states who do not utilize their funds.

I will say that MoDOT’s urgency is well placed. The bill, approved by Congress, dictated that 50 percent of the stimulus funds must be obligated by June 30 (90 days), and all money must be obligated by March 2, 2010.

In addition, the allocations became even more complex because projects also had to meet all federal regulations, including environmental clearances, contracting requirements and air quality rules.

But there were additional requirements that MoDOT seems to have read as merely suggestions. The release from MoDOT that came out last night reads:

“Once those requirements were met, ARRA said consideration should be given to projects that could be completed within three years. It also said consideration should be given to projects that would maximize job creation and economic benefit. Additionally, it said that improvements located in economically distressed areas should be considered.”

Actually, the bill does not just require “consideration” it requires that “priority” be given to projects that can be completed in three years and are located in economically distressed areas. (P.L. 111-5, pages 92-93 reads: “that in selecting projects to be carried out with funds appropriated under this heading, priority shall be given to projects that are projected for completion within a 3-year time frame, and are located in economically distressed areas as defined by section 301 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965.”)
Giving priority and merely considering are very different things.

It is yet to be determined if MoDOT’s adopted plan violates the letter of the law, but it certainly violates the spirit of the law. Currently, of the $577 million MoDOT has discretion in programming, $199 million is being spent in 14 'non-distressed' counties. The other 100 'distressed' counties are sharing the remaining funds. If Missouri doesn’t follow the intent of the law, a couple of concerns arise. The Secretary of Transportation could say they need to redraw the plan which will make it hard to get the money out in 90 days. But the underlying concern is that if money doesn’t go to the parts of the state most in need the stimulus may not work.

For all the games and pontificating on this issue on both sides of the aisle, we all need the stimulus to work or we'll be staring at 10-plus-percent unemployment. Today MARC announced we are already at 8.2% unemployment. That is my main concern. Yes, I want MoDOT to follow the law and be fair and equitable, but more than that, the money should be spent where it is needed most because I want it to actually stimulate the economy as it is designed.

The plan announced yesterday represents some progress. When the initial list was released, Missouri's Fifth District was slated to receive $44 million in stimulus dollars for two major projects. Since I raised concerns about intent and equity, the district is up to $69 million and five major projects. It is progress, but I think distressed areas, like ours, should still be getting more and I am making that case.

There are very few things I would ever say we have in common with St.Louis — they have annoying sports teams, sub-par barbeque and a foreign owned beer-maker. However, on the issue of distressed areas being shortchanged in favor of non-distressed with stimulus money we are in agreement. Since Mayor Slay took to the airwaves his city's allocation has gone up by $12 million and my complaints have led to $25 million more for us. I cannot speak for Mayor Slay, but I am not done fighting.

My staff and I have attended meetings and spoken with MoDOT multiple times during their process leading to this point. When asked to give input, we have raised our concerns, among them is at first read it does not appear that appropriate priority has been given to distressed areas or job creation as directed by the law.

Let me be crystal clear. It is not my money and it is not MoDOT’s money. It is your money. I am concerned the people I represent are not seeing their federal tax dollars being used for their benefit. If the state of Missouri is going to gain public money to stimulate the economy the money should be used in the way it was originally prescribed to fulfill the obligation they assumed by accepting it.

Our economic crisis is not a game and the actions of MoDOT do not serve the people of Missouri or my district well. Wednesday, I met with Attorney General Holder to discuss this matter and will be meeting with Secretary of Transportation LaHood next week.

Return the bonuses

2009-03-20T16:23:00.002-05:00

This week saw a disturbing trend continue as we were once again confronted with extraordinary abuses of the public trust by companies rewarding employees with excessive compensation while receiving billions in taxpayer assistance. In response, yesterday the House passed H.R. 1586 to hold companies, including American International Group (AIG), accountable for the bonuses that were paid to their executives.

In a move that just leaves us all shaking our heads, after receiving more than $170 billion in taxpayer funds, AIG paid $165 million in retention payments to executives – most of whom have mismanaged their company into near bankruptcy. The top recipient received more than $6.4 million and more than 73 of these executives were paid over $1 million in retention bonuses. After receiving their retention bonuses, at least eleven recipients left the company.
There is plenty of blame to go around for how this happened. Congress should have restricted this behavior in law. The Treasury should have seen the contracts before they were approved. But let’s take a moment to marvel at the sheer audacity of AIG. After receiving $170 billion in taxpayer dollars, they appear to have learned no lessons and continued to succumb to the greed that led to their failure in the first place.

There is an argument that we should have anticipated their callous disregard for the taxpayer, but it is hard to imagine this level of arrogance.

The bill passed in response to the actions of AIG does the following:

HR 1586 recovers the bulk of these bonuses by applying a separate income tax rate of 90 percent to bonuses received by individuals from companies which have received at least $5 billion from TARP. It would also apply to bonuses paid by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

For this purpose, bonuses will be defined as any retention payment, incentive payment, or other bonus which is in addition to regular employee compensation payable on a periodic basis
The special tax rate only applies to individuals and families with income (including bonuses) in excess of $250,000
The bill applies to bonuses paid after December 31, 2008
Any individual who received a bonus from a qualifying company who repays the bonus during the same tax year it was given would not be subject to the 90 percent rate.

You can read the full bill text here >>>

Change Via Amendment

2009-03-13T13:45:00.001-05:00

This week, on top of the passage of the Omnibus Appropriations bill, I worked on two amendments to the Water Quality Investment Act that would help our community. The way that the Congress works makes it often difficult to pass stand alone bills unless one is on the committee of jurisdiction for an issue. In this case, while we have large water quality needs in the District, I am not on the committee that oversees the issue. Thus, my work has to come by way of amendment. You may remember that the CLEAR Act, requiring that Members of Congress lease only low emission vehicles, was passed as amendment as well.

I point this out to highlight the impact a small change in the law can make. This week, one of my proposed amendments passed and moves to the Senate as part of the bill and the other was ruled out of order. Now, I will begin the work of making sure the Senate retains the one that passed and think about another way to do the one that did not.

Earlier in the week I was able to announce nearly $37 million in earmarks, but the amendment that passed makes available hundreds of millions for Kansas City for their Combined Sewer problem — the largest public works project in the city’s history.

It is a bit frustrating, with so much focus on earmarks and the city’s local budget problems, this huge bit of news and stream of funding gets overlooked.

Amendments are not sexy and the process is complicated and hard to explain. But, with a little creativity and perseverance big change can happen with small adjustments.

Amendment means more money for ‘green’ sewer plan

2009-03-13T13:43:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I was able to win approval of an amendment that would designate 20% of the $2.5 billion dollars devoted to funding municipal Combined and Sanitary Sewer Overflow plans in the Water Quality Investment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1262), to green solutions.

This strikes a reasonable balance between green infrastructure and traditional control systems, as both have a role in creating a sustainable and workable solution to sewer overflows.

Chairman James Oberstar (MN-08) of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-03) of the Water Resources & Environment Subcommittee agreed to incorporate the amendment into the manager’s amendment offered on the Floor of the House. Inclusion in the manager’s amendment increased the chances of passage and I would like to thank Chairman Oberstar and Chairwoman Bernice Johnson for embracing this amendment and advocating for its inclusion in the bill. Their help was crucial in achieving passage of this important measure.

As many of you know, in order to comply with the Clean Water Act of 1972, the City of Kansas City has developed a plan that will cost $2.4 billion over 25 years. The Combined Sewer Overflow plan represents the largest capital project the city has ever undertaken. Last May, I was very public in urging the Mayor and City Council to adopt the “greenest plan possible.”

When I encouraged the City to include more ‘green’ solutions in its Combined Sewer Overflow Plan, I promised the City that the path to ‘green’ would yield more opportunities for federal funding. This is the first step in keeping that promise. I said I would fight tooth-and-nail for money if the City advanced the vision of a healthier, more sustainable and greener future. This amendment makes Kansas City’s commitment to green pay off with a better chance at millions of federal dollars. I would like to thank the Kansas City Council, and particularly the hard work of Councilwoman Jan Marcason, for leading the City towards a greener future.

The Water Quality Investment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1262), including my amendment, passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 317 to 101 and now moves to the Senate for approval.

Fighting for an innovative Jackson County funding stream

2009-03-13T13:41:00.001-05:00

This week, I also introduced an amendment that proposed an innovative and, I am sure my colleagues thought, unique solution to help budget strapped Jackson County. The amendment had the potential of contributing nearly $10 million ($9,596,611.61) to improvements and maintenance at Blue Springs and Longview Lakes. Sadly the Rules Committee ruled the amendment out of order.

Most of you are probably not aware that the two lakes, while operated by Jackson County Parks and Recreation, are actually leased from the Corps of Engineers for a period of 50 years. In short, the amendment ordered that half of the County’s future payments to the Corp of Engineers be redirected to capital improvements, flood control, maintenance and upkeep on the properties.

Even with the redirection, the plan would have provided the Army Corps with over $6.5 million ($6,504.447.80) in surplus over cost during the remaining course of the lease. From this reinvestment, Longview Lake would receive $5.3 million ($5, 294, 483.88) of redirected payments and Blue Springs Lake would receive $4.3 million ($4,302,127.74) as part of the plan.

I think this idea is a win-win. The Corps of Engineers is fully reimbursed for its initial outlay of funds with interest, and the County gets to re-invest some of the funds it is contractually obligated to pay into these two great Jackson County assets. While the Rules Committee may have ruled this attempt out of order, I am going to keep trying. The idea just makes a great deal of sense.

Under the plan we proposed:

Longview Lake:

Total Balance Remaining on the Lease: $10,588,967.77

With Amendment Total to be Paid to Corps: $12,962,357.10

Reinvestment in County with Amendment: $5,294,483.88 (50% of balance)

Surplus to Army Corps Over Costs: $3,852,664.10

Blue Springs Lake:

Total Balance Remaining on the Lease: $8,604,255.46

With Amendment Total to be Paid to Corps: $9,575,703.70

Reinvestment in County with Amendment: $4,302,127.73 (50% of balance)

Surplus to Army Corps Over Costs: $2,651,783.70

Though the Rules Committee ruled the amendment out of order, I look forward to working with my fellow Members and my local County Executive as we continue to think outside the box to make this idea work.

Over $36 million in federal earmarks for local priorities

2009-03-13T13:39:00.001-05:00

Tuesday, Congress passed the Omnibus Appropriations bill for the federal government. This $410 billion budget funds the functions of the federal government for FY 2009. This bill was not completed last year like it should have been because of disagreements with the prior administration.

This bill does a great deal of good that you have probably not heard about because so much time has been devoted to earmarks. It is sad; far more time has been spent talking about the less than one percent of the budget that is earmark spending than the 99 percent in the rest of the bill. The portion of the bill not covered on CNN includes investments in:

Energy Security: Increases funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency efforts, to increase the production of clean, efficient, American energy key to our long term economic security.

Scientific Research: Makes strong investments into cutting edge science so that our nation will maintain its preeminence in the global economy.

Healthcare Access and Affordability: Improves access to quality, affordable healthcare.

Education to Promote Opportunity: Promotes our future economic strength by investing in K-12 education and helping families send their kids to college.

Workers: Helps American workers in the tough economy train for and find good jobs in safe workplaces.

Safe and Healthy America: Protects Americans by investing in programs to ensure clean air and water, and the safety of our food, medicine and consumer products.

A Critical Look: The bill cuts and eliminates programs that haven’t performed the way they should, and includes strict accountability measures to ensure American tax dollars are spent wisely. It invests in oversight efforts carried out by the Inspectors General and the Government Accountability Office.

Regulation for an Economy in Chaos: Strengthens regulatory agencies that had been neglected, to beef up their efforts during the economic crisis.

But, since so much time was spent on the one percent that earmarks represent, before I tell you about the projects I was able to fund, I want to say a few more words in their defense. The same thing Newt Gingrich famously did in the Republican Revolution of 1994 is being done now when it comes to earmarks. It is expedient for some to pit the people against their own government, to wear the cloak of an outsider while telling the mayors of our cities and volunteers of our not-for-profits that Washington knows best. Please forgive me for being skeptical we will get our fair share if we leave this to people who couldn’t find Sugar Creek on a map.

Earmarks are simply a part of a Congressional process to allocate funding for particular purposes. Eliminating the allocation does not decrease the appropriation; it simply leaves the allocation decision to a federal department or agency rather than to Congress. In other words, taking away earmarks takes your tax dollars and puts the choice to spend them in the hands of someone you did not elect to represent you.

I know it is unpopular to publicly say earmarks are needed. However, if not for earmarks, where would Kansas City, struggling with an $85 million shortfall, find the money to repair its levees to protect lives and property? At a time when charitable giving is down, I was able to secure federal dollars for battered women’s shelters and homeless assistance. If not in this bill, where will that money come from? If I can’t find money for the historic building that is crumbling on top of the players at the Mutual Musicians Foundation, where will it come from?

Megan Cloherty at Fox 4 did a very nice piece on some of this years recipients and I encourage you to take a look if you missed it. >>

So, here is the complete list of projects in our community I was able to secure funding for. I think they are worthy causes and good uses of federal tax dollars. I stand behind each of them.

$380,000 for reStart in Kansas City. The funds will provide for facility improvements. Congressman Cleaver secured these funds in conjunction with Senator Bond and Congressmen Graves.

$5.106 Million for the Missouri River from Rulo to Mouth. Funds will provide repairs to the Missouri River dikes and revetments. Nearly 300 structures are deficient and need repair to ensure reliable navigation within the river and to provide protection of the high bank of the river. Congressman Cleaver secured these funds in conjunction with Senators Bond, Harkin, Grassley, Hagel and Congressmen Cleaver and Hulshof.

$1.627 Million for Blue River Channel Modification. The funds will continue construction of channel modification and grade control structures on the Blue River. Funds will also construct the final mile of channel modification and initiate construction of grade control structures. Congressman Cleaver secured these funds in conjunction with Senator Bond.

$84,000 for the Missouri River Bed Degradation. Funds will be used to investigate Missouri River bed degradation from above Kansas City through Jefferson City and recommend economic and environmentally friendly solutions. Congressman Cleaver secured these funds in conjunction with Senators Bond, Brownback, Roberts and Congressmen Graves and others.

$100,000 for Line Creek Watershed. Congressman Cleaver secured these funds in conjunction with Congressman Graves.

$9.57 Million for Turkey Creek in Kansas City Kansas and Missouri. Funds will provide for completion of the Turkey Creek Tunnel, two railroad substructures critical to channel improvement, complete the adjacent levee, and continue design of the channel modifications. Periodic flooding within the lower two miles of Turkey Creek Basin impacts a significant industrial and commercial corridor along SW Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri. Congressman Cleaver secured these funds in conjunction with Senators Bond and Roberts and Congressman Moore.

$2.871 Million for the Blue River Basin Dodson Industrial District. The funds will continue construction of flood damage reduction features. Construction is of an earthen levee to connect floodwalls to achieve flood damage benefits. Congressman Cleaver secured these funds in conjunction with Senator Bond.

$1.196 Million for the Feasibility Study of a Phase II Levee in Kansas City. The funds will continue a feasibility study. Levees currently protect more than $16 billion of commercial and residential infrastructure in Kansas City. Congressman Cleaver secured these funds in conjunction with Senators Bond and Roberts and Congressmen Graves and Moore.

$638,000 for Swope Park Industrial Area. The funds will begin construction for flood damage reduction features. Congressman Cleaver secured these funds in conjunction with Senator Bond.

$262,000 for the Brush Creek Basin. Funds will provide a study to examine structural and nonstructural measures to reduce recurring flood damages in the Brush Creek Basin, considering environmental ecosystem restoration, water quality improvement, bi-state watershed cooperation, and compatible recreation development. Congressman Cleaver secured these funds in conjunction with Senators Bond, Brownback and Congressman Moore.

$381,000 for the Full Employment Council for “green collar” job training.

$95,000 for the Black Health Care Coalition to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among inner city residents of Kansas City, Missouri. This Community Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program will link community outreach workers promoting awareness of modifiable CVD risk factors and screening to appropriate evaluation and treatment. The program’s success will be evaluated for not only referral success but follow up attention and remediation of initial risk factors.

$143,000 for the Historic Jazz Foundation/Mutual Musicians Foundation Musical History Project. The Foundation has been working to properly display and archive their still photos and has been collecting live performances on film for the benefit of future generations of jazz enthusiasts. Work needs to be done on both the facility and collection.

$190,000 for Newhouse, a domestic violence shelter for women and children in Kansas City to renovate and upgrade the 86-bed facility to make the building more inhabitable, to lengthen the life of the building, and to comply with health and safety standards; and implement an energy efficient plan that will reduce the cost of utilities for years in the future.

$200,000 for the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation/LISC Neighborhood Safety Program. The requested funding will assist with community organizing and crime and safety initiatives in 4 targeted KCMO neighborhoods, working with community policing and residents to reduce elements of crime and to assist in ensuring safe neighborhoods for residents. This resident-led initiative will provide tools and training to neighborhood leaders, including Neighborhood Watch programs, and apply technology such as cameras and neighborhood wi-fi capability to identify high crime areas and criminal traffic patterns, and other innovative programs/tools which are identified as needs within 4 neighborhoods through their Quality of Life Planning.

951,500 for the National Nuclear Security Administration Kansas City Plant, operated by Honeywell for their Multi-Disciplined Integrated Collaborative Environment (MDICE) Project. Continues work begun In FY08 to develop a collaborative environment to enable robust management and visualization of electrical and mechanical data types at the systems level. The project reduces cost and waste.

$300,000 for YMCA of Greater KC, Youth Summer Prevention Programs. The Hot Summer Nights program is designed to provide a safe alternative to life on the streets for teenagers and young adults in five communities in Kansas City, Missouri. Its purpose will be to equip youth with self-confidence and skills which will help them meet life's challenges. The program will focus on building self-confidence and self-image while serving the Linwood, Southtown, Independence, Raytown, and Gladstone areas of Kansas City.

$475,000 for the City of Kansas City for improvements at Brush Creek and Troost.

$285,000 for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority Bus Replacement Program.

$125,000 for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to complete the Troost Bus Rapid Transit project.

$11.5 Million for the National Rural Water Association which provides technical assistance, source water protection and ground water protection efforts small communities. The need for rural water on-site technical assistance continues to increase with the expansion of federal drinking water regulations and more stringent waste water permits. The main source of assistance for compliance with these mandates has been and will continue to be the efforts of state rural water associations including Missouri’s. Congressman Cleaver secured these funds along with Senators Bond, Barrasso, Biden, Bingaman, Brown, Brownback, Bunning, Cantwell, Chambliss, Clinton, Coleman, Collins, Conrad, Cornyn, Craig, Dodd, Dole, Dorgan, Durbin, Ensign, Enzi, Grassley, Hagel, Harkin, Hatch, Inhofe, Johnson, Kennedy, Kerry, Landrieu, Leahy, Levin, Lincoln, Lugar, Murkowski, Murray, Menendez, Nelson, Pryor, Reed, Roberts, Salazar, Sanders, Schumer, Shelby, Smith, Gordon, Snowe, Specter, Stabenow, Sununu, Tester, Thune, Voinovich, Webb, Wicker, Wyden and Representatives Aderholt, Arcuri, Etheridge, LoBiondo, McHugh, Murphy.

TOTAL: $36,379,500

Helping Families Save Their Homes Act

2009-03-06T16:24:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, I voted for a key piece of anti-foreclosure legislation, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 (H.R. 1106). The bill passed the House by a vote of 234 to 191.

The Helping Families Save Their Homes Act will put in place a key first piece of President Obama´s comprehensive Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. I believe it will help a great many families in our community stay in their homes. Before I go too much further on this bill, I would like to urge those of you who are in trouble with your mortgage to visit www.financialstability.gov to take an eligibility quiz for homeowners struggling to make their payments. It went live yesterday and should serve as a good first resource.

I have come to you each week for the last 6 months in this newsletter to talk to you about the dire economic situation we find ourselves in. The housing crisis is the root of the problem and until we stop the hemorrhaging we cannot hope to stabilize and rescue our economy.

On the floor yesterday, I told the story of one of our neighbors who was robbed by mortgage brokers behaving like criminals. Please take a moment to read about Sherrita Richardson here >>

Sherrita, a Kansas City bus driver with four children, found out that her home in the 3400 block of East 60th Street is worth half or less than half of what she paid for it because of an inflated appraisal.

Every 13 seconds, another American family loses their home to foreclosure. As of this morning, there were 5,228 homes in foreclosure in Jackson County, and another 523 in Cass County. Foreclosures uproot families and destroy neighborhoods. There are certainly plenty of people who knowingly got in over their heads, but foreclosures depress all our property values. You can be current on your loan and be doing all the right things, but each foreclosed home in the U.S. reduces nearby property values by as much as 9 percent.

The Helping Families Save Their Homes Act seeks to help the estimated 7- 9 million households facing possible foreclosure by including key incentives that encourage lenders to renegotiate affordable mortgages for homeowners who are underwater, at risk of foreclosure, and those nearing bankruptcy.

Specifically, the bill fixes the Hope for Homeowners program, implemented October 1, 2008, which was designed to get more families into affordable mortgages by reducing current fees that have discouraged lenders from voluntarily participating and offering new incentives for lenders to negotiate loans.

To further encourage participation in this program, the bill protects lenders from lawsuits for modifying loans. This will make reasonable loan modifications available to many more homeowners at risk of foreclosure.

To help families who have exhausted options for relief, the bill also allows bankruptcy judges to modify the terms of a loan for existing primary residence mortgages. This is what is known as the “cram-down” provision.

Currently, the mortgage for a primary residence cannot be modified in bankruptcy—unlike every other secured debt – including debts secured by second homes, investment properties, luxury yachts, and private jets. It gives families who own one home the same rights to keep their home as someone who owns two or three houses.

Stabilizing the housing market is central to restoring the American economy. We all stand to lose if we do not stop the steep decline in home prices.

An estimated 14 million homeowners in America owe more than their home is worth and many cannot refinance into an affordable mortgage.

Some homebuyers were able to make their mortgage payments until they lost their job or their income dropped. Others were victims of predatory lending by banks and are now stuck with unaffordable subprime mortgages, in danger of losing their home, through no fault of their own.

Either way, these homeowners now face foreclosure—a devastating event for a family and one that has negative implications for neighbors through depressed housing values, vacant homes, and a loss of tax revenue for local schools. Anything we can do to stop this cycle we have to pursue, or we will not find the bottom of this economy and begin our recovery.

My earmarks in the 2009 Omnibus bill

2009-03-06T16:20:00.001-06:00

Last week the House passed the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations bill for the federal government and forwarded it to the Senate, where it has stalled. The current operating budget is set to expire at midnight tonight, and without action to either pass the 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill or pass yet another Continuing Resolution (CR), the U.S. Government will grind to a halt.
Because of the continuing deadlock in the Senate, a short-term continuing appropriations resolution was introduced this morning in the House. The measure is now H. J. Res. 38, and provides funding through Wednesday, March 11, for programs and agencies normally covered by the nine regular FY 2009 appropriations bills that have not been enacted.

The House passed the CR this afternoon. The measure is intended to provide time for the Senate to complete action on H.R. 1105, Omnibus Appropriations for FY 2009. After spending the weekend thinking on the bill, the Senate is expected to continue consideration of H.R. 1105 on Monday.

At the heart of the Senate deliberations are earmarks. As you know, since they were submitted to me, each of the earmarks requested from my office has been on our website. In fact the new site has a whole page devoted to the Appropriations process, and every project we received a request for can be found there >>>

I am as transparent and open as any Member of Congress on this issue, and as straightforward as I can be about my desire to bring home federal dollars. As you can see by the sheer scope of the requests I received, there are serious budget shortfalls in our community, and the need for federal money is greater than ever.

I will, and have, proudly defended my requests on the floor, have answered questions from my colleagues, and have welcomed a public vote on each of them. In fact, Senator John McCain questioned my request for funds for the Mutual Musicians Foundation. I welcomed the discussion and the Senate saw fit to retain the funding for one of our city’s oldest and most storied gems.

The Constitution gives the Congress the responsibility of appropriating and finding revenue to fund the priorities of the nation. The Constitution allows for a mechanism to discuss, enact and amend legislation, including the budget.

Apparently the same mechanism of committee hearings, debate, and approval followed by debate and votes in both chambers and signature by the President that prevails when Congress decides how many stealth fighters and armored vehicles to purchase is inadequate when it comes to deciding if a domestic violence shelter in Kansas City should be funded. I have no idea why, according to those who rail against earmarks, the Congress is capable of deciding funding priorities of 99 percent of the nation’s budget, but is somehow unable to discuss and decide the funding for that last 1 percent called earmarks.

This is a representative democracy. We elect people to represent our needs and concerns and advocate for those needs and concerns in Congress. As a body, the Congress examines request for funding and either votes to fund or decline to fund projects across our nation.

I have little sympathy for those who will fight against earmarks on the floor and gladly take them home to their districts. And I have little understanding of those who will pick earmarks apart on the floor of the chamber and then claim they have not been examined.

I say this. The people I am proud to represent have submitted their needs and desires in a public process. I have advocated for their priorities and asked that those priorities be funded with their tax dollars. I have debated anyone who has challenged the merits of these projects publicly. If I can convince a majority of the Members of the House and Senate that the priorities of my constituents are worth funding, then that, my friends, is democracy as defined by the Constitution.

I have been able to secure $35,428,000 in federal funds for specific projects for our community in the Omnibus Appropriations for FY 2009 as passed this week by the House of Representatives. Early next week I should know if they will remain in the Senate version and be passed into law.

An Honest Budget

2009-02-27T16:57:00.002-06:00

I am afraid this week’s “EC from DC” is slightly shorter than usual. It has been a very busy day on the heels of a very busy week. Please do not take that as complaining in any way, shape or form. This has been an exciting week and a week that great progress has been made for the American people and the people of Missouri’s Fifth District.

Yesterday, before returning home to Kansas City, I met with the President and Vice President at the White House. I do not take that sentence lightly, and always get overwhelmed and moved when walking over the threshold of the Executive Mansion.

This meeting, of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the first President to come from our ranks, was to talk about the American Recovery Act and the Budget he had just released. As he always is, the President was an active listener, but full of resolve. You get the sense being around him that he thrives under pressure and sees this burden as an extraordinary opportunity.

It was an honor to be asked to the White House and I did not pass up the chance to ask him to visit our District in the coming year to see first hand how well we were using the stimulus money. The Vice President seemed particularly interested in our plans (perhaps in part because my old Legislative Director is now his).

My friends, the old adage, “Of whom much is given, much is expected,” applies directly to our community right now. My pledge to the President was that he could depend on us. I know he can.

The President outlined his budget to us at the meeting, a budget that puts us back on a road toward economic and fiscal health. These are the highlights of his presentation to us:

Being honest. If this Budget used the gimmicks employed in recent budgets, it would show a bottom line that would appear about $2.7 trillion better over ten years. For example, prior budgets didn’t include the likely cost of natural disasters or the cost of permanently continuing the temporary patch that prevents millions of Americans from paying the Alternative Minimum Tax. Americans have gotten used to gimmicks in budgeting, a habit I am pleased to say this budget breaks. The good is presented with the bad.

We will cut the deficit in half by the end of the President’s first term. President Obama inherited a deficit of $1.3 trillion or 9% of GDP in fiscal 2009. Even though the stimulus plan increases the 2009 deficit to give the economy a desperately needed boost, over subsequent years the deficit is reduced by more than half by 2013. This budget predicts a 2013 deficit of $533 billion or 3.0% of GDP. On its current trajectory the deficit is projected to add up to $9 trillion over the next ten years –the President’s will reduce those projected deficits by more than $2 trillion.

Reforming health care. The President made health care reform a centerpiece of his campaign and while I am not sure how we can do it all at once, he has begun the process of doing a line-by-line review of the Budget. One of the lines they have started with is health care.

Health care is the key to our nation’s fiscal future – and there are substantial improvements that are possible to deliver better results at lower costs in the health system. In the Recovery Act, and in this Budget, we are beginning to make the investments electronic health records — and also identify more immediate saving measures to slow the growth of Medicare and Medicaid spending. We have assigned these savings to a health reserve fund, which will be available as we work through the legislative process on health care reform this year.

Making key investments. The Budget also makes substantial investments in education, energy, and infrastructure — investments we began with the Recovery Act. It expands investments in early childhood education; makes Pell Grants for college into a reliable source of support for students and indexes their value above the ordinary rate of inflation so as to better keep up with the rapidly rising cost of college tuition; and helps at-risk students complete college. The Budget also lays down a comprehensive approach to transform our energy supply and slow global climate change. And it makes infrastructure investments that will provide our nation a foundation for long-term economic growth.

I invite you to read in more detail about the President’s Budget, which can be found here >>> http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/.

President Obama’s Plan for Housing

2009-02-20T15:49:00.003-06:00

On Tuesday, the President proposed a new plan to deal with the underlying housing crisis plaguing our economy. The plan both helps those at risk of foreclosures and provides assistance to those who would like to refinance their homes at a lower interest rate. The White House posted this list of questions and answers that homeowners might have about President Obama's new mortgage plan. I hope you find it helpful.

Borrowers Who Are Current on Their Mortgage Are Asking:

What help is available for borrowers who stay current on their mortgage payments but have seen their homes decrease in value?

Under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan, eligible borrowers who stay current on their mortgages but have been unable to refinance to lower their interest rates because their homes have decreased in value, may now have the opportunity to refinance into a 30 or 15 year, fixed rate loan. Through the program, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will allow the refinancing of mortgage loans that they hold in their portfolios or that they placed in mortgage backed securities.

I owe more than my property is worth, do I still qualify to refinance under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

Eligible loans will now include those where the new first mortgage (including any refinancing costs) will not exceed 105% of the current market value of the property. For example, if your property is worth $200,000 but you owe $210,000 or less you may qualify. The current value of your property will be determined after you apply to refinance.

How do I know if I am eligible?

Complete eligibility details will be announced on March 4th when the program starts. The criteria for eligibility will include having sufficient income to make the new payment and an acceptable mortgage payment history. The program is limited to loans held or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

I have both a first and a second mortgage. Do I still qualify to refinance under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

As long as the amount due on the first mortgage is less than 105 percent of the value of the property, borrowers with more than one mortgage may be eligible to refinance under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. Your eligibility will depend, in part, on agreement by the lender that has your second mortgage to remain in a second position, and on your ability to meet the new payment terms on the first mortgage.

Will refinancing lower my payments?

The objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to provide creditworthy borrowers who have shown a commitment to paying their mortgage with affordable payments that are sustainable for the life of the loan. Borrowers whose mortgage interest rates are much higher than the current market rate should see an immediate reduction in their payments. Borrowers who are paying interest only, or who have a low introductory rate that will increase in the future, may not see their current payment go down if they refinance to a fixed rate. These borrowers, however, could save a great deal over the life of the loan. When you submit a loan application, your lender will give you a "Good Faith Estimate" that includes your new interest rate, mortgage payment and the amount that you will pay over the life of the loan. Compare this to your current loan terms. If it is not an improvement, a refinancing may not be right for you.

What are the interest rate and other terms of this refinance offer?

The objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to provide borrowers with a safe loan program with a fixed, affordable payment. All loans refinanced under the plan will have a 30 or 15 year term with a fixed interest rate. The rate will be based on market rates in effect at the time of the refinance and any associated points and fees quoted by the lender. Interest rates may vary across lenders and over time as market rates adjust. The refinanced loans will have no prepayment penalties or balloon notes.

Will refinancing reduce the amount that I owe on my loan?

No. The objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to help borrowers refinance into safer, more affordable fixed rate loans. Refinancing will not reduce the amount you owe to the first mortgage holder or any other debt you owe. However, by reducing the interest rate, refinancing should save you money by reducing the amount of interest that you repay over the life of the loan.

How do I know if my loan is owned or has been securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac?

To determine if your loan is owned or has been securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and is eligible to be refinanced, you should contact your mortgage lender after March 4, 2009.
When can I apply? Mortgage lenders will begin accepting applications after the details of the program are announced on March 4, 2009.

What should I do in the meantime? You should gather the information that you will need to provide to your lender after March 4, when the refinance program becomes available. This includes:

-information about the gross monthly income of all borrowers, including your most recent pay
-stubs if you receive them or documentation of income you receive from other sources
your most recent income tax return
-information about any second mortgage on the house
-payments on each of your credit cards if you are carrying balances from month to month, and
-payments on other loans such as student loans and car loans.

Borrowers Who Are at Risk of Foreclosure Are Asking:

What help is available for borrowers who are at risk of foreclosure either because they are behind on their mortgage or are struggling to make the payments?
The Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan offers help to borrowers who are already behind on their mortgage payments or who are struggling to keep their loans current. By providing mortgage lenders with financial incentives to modify existing first mortgages, the Treasury hopes to help as many as 3 to 4 million homeowners avoid foreclosure regardless of who owns or services the mortgage.

Do I need to be behind on my mortgage payments to be eligible for a modification?

No. Borrowers who are struggling to stay current on their mortgage payments may be eligible if their income is not sufficient to continue to make their mortgage payments and they are at risk of imminent default. This may be due to several factors, such as a loss of income, a significant increase in expenses, or an interest rate that will reset to an unaffordable level.

How do I know if I qualify for a payment reduction under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

In general, you may qualify for a mortgage modification if (a) you occupy your house as your primary residence; (b) your monthly mortgage payment is greater than 31% of your monthly gross income; and (c) your loan is not large enough to exceed current Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan limits. Final eligibility will be determined by your mortgage lender based on your financial situation and detailed guidelines that will be available on March 4, 2009.
I do not live in the house that secures the mortgage I’d like to modify. Is this mortgage eligible for the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan? No. For example, if you own a house that you use as a vacation home or that you rent out to tenants, the mortgage on that house is not eligible. If you used to live in the home but you moved out, the mortgage is not eligible. Only the mortgage on your primary residence is eligible. The mortgage lender will check to see if the dwelling is your primary residence.

I have a mortgage on a duplex. I live in one unit and rent the other. Will I still be eligible? Yes. Mortgages on 2, 3 and 4 unit properties are eligible as long as you live in one unit as your primary residence.

I have two mortgages. Will the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan reduce the payments on both?

Only the first mortgage is eligible for a modification.

I owe more than my house is worth. Will the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan reduce what I owe? The primary objective of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan is to help borrowers avoid foreclosure by modifying troubled loans to achieve a payment the borrower can afford. Lenders are likely to lower payments mainly by reducing loan interest rates. However, the program offers incentives for principal reductions and at your lender’s discretion modifications may include upfront reductions of loan principal.

I heard the government was providing a financial incentive to borrowers. Is that true?

Yes. To encourage borrowers who work hard to retain homeownership, the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan provides incentive payments as a borrower makes timely payments on the modified loan. The incentive will accrue on a monthly basis and will be applied directly to reduce your mortgage debt. Borrowers who pay on time for five years can have up to $5,000 applied to reduce their debt by the end of that period.

How much will a modification cost me?

There is no cost to borrowers for a modification under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan. If you wish to get assistance from a HUD-approved housing counseling agency or are referred to a counselor as a condition of the modification, you will not be charged a fee. Borrowers should beware of any organization that attempts to charge a fee for housing counseling or modification of a delinquent loan, especially if they require a fee in advance.

Is my lender required to modify my loan? No. Mortgage lenders participate in the program on a voluntary basis and loans are evaluated for modification on a case-by-case basis. But the government is offering substantial incentives and it is expected that most major lenders will participate.

I'm already working with my lender / housing counselor on a loan workout. Can I still be considered for the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

Ask your lender or counselor to be considered under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan.

How do I apply for a modification under the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan?

You may not need to do anything at this time. Most mortgage lenders will evaluate loans in their portfolio to identify borrowers who may meet the eligibility criteria. After March 4 they will send letters to potentially eligible homeowners, a process that may take several weeks. If you think you qualify for a modification and do not receive a letter within several weeks, contact your mortgage servicer or a HUD-approved housing counselor. Please be aware that servicers and counseling agencies are expected to receive an extraordinary number of calls about this program.

What should I do in the meantime? You should gather the information that you will need to provide to your lender on or after March 4, when the modification program becomes available.

This includes:

-information about the monthly gross income of your household including recent pay stubs if you -receive them or documentation of income you receive from other sources
your most recent income tax return
-information about any second mortgage on the house
-payments on each of your credit cards if you are carrying balances from month to month, and
-payments on other loans such as student loans and car loans.

My loan is scheduled for foreclosure soon. What should I do?

Contact your mortgage servicer or credit counselor. Many mortgage lenders have expressed their intention to postpone foreclosure sales on all mortgages that may qualify for the modification in order to allow sufficient time to evaluate the borrower's eligibility. We support this effort.

Ray-Pec High School visit

2009-02-20T15:46:00.002-06:00

Yesterday morning, it was my honor to speak at the Black History Month celebration at Ray-Pec High School. I always enjoy visiting the students at Ray-Pec and have been there several times to teach civics and honor their dominating football team, but this was the first time I was there to present on the subject of diversity. I was very happy to see my friend, former Mayor Pro-Tem Alvin Brooks, on stage with me.

My message was one we all need to hear from time to time, I think. Though we may have all come to America on different ships, we are all in the same boat now. Bigotry and division hurt us all regardless of race.

I told the students of my dad’s father, my grandfather, who was a white man in a small Texas town married to my black grandmother with 18 children in tow.

When I was 8 years old, Grandpa Barton got sick. His daughter, my Aunt April, attempted to visit him in the “white” hospital. After hearing a ruckus in the hallway, my grandfather came out of his hospital room to see the doctors telling Aunt April she could not see her father, and further she needed to leave the building. After my ailing grandfather confirmed that April was indeed his daughter, she was given 3 minutes to visit and then forced to leave.

Working for racial harmony has not only been a life-time civic crusade, but is my personal family reality. It was my privilege to share with the students of Ray-Pec.

Highlighting a “green” stimulus

2009-02-20T15:38:00.002-06:00

Congressman Cleaver visits the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City. Pictured from left to right are Greg Walker, owner of Magic Touch; Greg Graves, President of Burns and McDonnell; Dr. Stephanie De La Torre, HCC Board President; Congressman Cleaver; Jeanette Hernandez Pranger, Past HCC Board President; Carlos Gomez, HCC Executive Director

Congratulations to the Hispanic Chamber

This week I have tried to highlight some of the “green” opportunities that can be found in the President’s stimulus plan.

Yesterday, I spoke to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City (HCC) to announce the kick-off of the first “green” initiative for the Chamber. The HCC has recently been awarded a grant from MARC Solid Waste Management Division to educate small business on reducing Land Fill waste.

For those communities, like Kansas City’s Latino community, who are forward looking and are not afraid to innovate, exciting times lie ahead. Climate change will shape the next economy. We all need to follow the Hispanic Chamber’s lead and be ready to take advantage of the opportunities that will be available. The new “green economy” can be the tide that raises all ships. I was proud to congratulate the HCC for putting the businesses and people they serve in a position to prosper in the new economy.

Leading the initiative with the Hispanic Chamber are Dr. Hasan Syed, Geosciences Department, University of Missouri-Kansas City; Gary Walker, Magic Touch; and Shelley Armato, Marathon Reprographics. Providing major assistance is Kaye Johnston, former student of Dr. Syed. I wish the Chamber the best of luck, and am looking forward to seeing their progress.

US Green Building Council and “Conversations on the Environment”

This afternoon, in an effort to continue to beat the drum on using the stimulus to move the “green” agenda forward, I spoke to the Kansas City Branch of the U.S. Green Building Council as part of the “Conversations on the Environment” series. The event, at the Anita Gorman Discovery Center, concentrated on the opportunities the challenging economy presents for advancing a “green” agenda.

Several hundred architects, engineers, project managers, construction managers, and those interested in a quality built environment gathered to hear the presentation. I hope that I spurred a few in the crowd to think about how this monumental one time investment can be used to launch us into a brave new “green” world.

Final passage

2009-02-13T14:19:00.005-06:00

In the last few weeks, as Congress has worked through the economic stimulus bill, I have tried to include you in the process. I hope it has been helpful. The House passed the bill a few minutes ago 246-183 the Senate has promised action later tonight. The President will have the bill on his desk by President’s Day as he has requested.

It is not a perfect bill. However, as the Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus’s Task Force on the stimulus package, I can say that the measure is far better coming out of the Conference Committee. Many of the cuts that would have hurt the ability of America’s cities to create jobs have been restored. Like any good compromise, no one is happy, but I feel comfortable that the bill, as voted on, will create or preserve close to 4 million jobs.

One of my many concerns is if saving or creating 4 million jobs will be enough. But in the final analysis, we cannot sit on our hands while the middle class of America is gutted. Nor can we let the perfect be the enemy of the good. People are suffering; the economy is as bad as it has been in more than 70 years. The President has called on us to act and act now.

Last Sunday, over a thousand of our friends who work the line at Claycomo and Fairfax, their suppliers, and car dealers joined me to remind people what is at stake. Each one of them has a family, kids in school or parents to care for. They are our neighbors and, like so many, are not sure if they will have a job tomorrow.

I do not know how Members who will vote “no” this afternoon will go back to their districts and look hard working men and women in the eye who are anxious and hurting and tell them “no”.

The President believes our nation needs this package to pull out of our economic nosedive. After years of an economic policy that did not work and pushed us to the brink, it’s past time to shock our nation’s economic engine back into rhythm. The bill will pass, the President will sign it and then the hard work will begin. We have never been a nation that shies away from hard work — it is time to roll up our sleeves and pick up some shovels.

Missouri details:

· The bill provides a "Making Work Pay" tax cut of up to $800 for 2,270,000 workers and their families, designed to start paying out immediately into workers’ paychecks, as well as tax cuts to spur businesses large and small.

· The bill modernizes roads and bridges to create jobs with an extra $637,121,984 in Missouri and provides nearly $831 million in total infrastructure investments in our state.

· The bill also invests in modernizing schools and making college more affordable with improved Pell Grants for the 138,591 Pell Grant recipients here in Missouri and a higher education tax credit for 74,000 students in our state.

· The bill assists 219,700 Missourians that are out of work and those who have lost their health care.

Below are details of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, as agreed upon by the House and Senate. You can track the effect the stimulus measures are having on the economy at www.recovery.gov

Providing Tax Relief:

“Making Work Pay” Tax Credit. The bill would cut taxes for more than 95% of working families in the United States. For 2009 and 2010, the bill would provide a refundable tax credit of up to $400 for working individuals and $800 for working families. This tax credit would be calculated at a rate of 6.2% of earned income, and would phase out for taxpayers with adjusted gross income in excess of $75,000 ($150,000 for married couples filing jointly). Taxpayers can receive this benefit through a reduction in the amount of income tax that is withheld from their paychecks, or through claiming the credit on their tax returns. This proposal is estimated to cost $116.199 billion over 10 years.

Economic Recovery Payment to Recipients of Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement and Veterans Disability Compensation Benefits. The bill would provide a one-time payment of $250 to retirees, disabled individuals and SSI recipients receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration, Railroad Retirement beneficiaries, and disabled veterans receiving benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The one-time payment is a reduction to any allowable Making Work Pay credit. This proposal is estimated to cost $14.225 billion over 10 years.

Refundable Credit for Certain Federal and State Pensioners. The bill would provide a one-time refundable tax credit of $250 in 2009 to certain government retirees who are not eligible for Social Security benefits. This one-time credit is a reduction to any allowable Making Work Pay credit. This proposal is estimated to cost $218 million over 10 years.

Increase in Earned Income Tax Credit. The bill would temporarily increase the earned income tax credit for working families with three or more children. Under current law, working families with two or more children currently qualify for an earned income tax credit equal to forty percent (40%) of the family’s first $12,570 of earned income. This credit is subject to a phase-out for working families with adjusted gross income in excess of $16,420 ($19,540 for married couples filing jointly). The bill would increase the earned income tax credit to forty-five percent (45%) of the family’s first $12,570 of earned income for families with three or more children and would increase the beginning point of the phase-out range for all married couples filing a joint return (regardless of the number of children) by $1,880. This proposal is estimated to cost $4.663 billion over 10 years.

Increase Eligibility for the Refundable Portion of Child Credit. The bill would increase the eligibility for the refundable child tax credit in 2009 and 2010. For 2008, the child tax credit is refundable to the extent of 15 percent of the taxpayer’s earned income in excess of $8,500. The bill would reduce this floor for 2009 and 2010 to $3,000. This proposal is estimated to cost $14.830 billion over 10 years.

“American Opportunity” Education Tax Credit. The bill would provide financial assistance for individuals seeking a college education. For 2009 and 2010, the bill would provide taxpayers with a new “American Opportunity” tax credit of up to $2,500 of the cost of tuition and related expenses paid during the taxable year. Under this new tax credit, taxpayers will receive a tax credit based on one hundred percent (100%) of the first $2,000 of tuition and related expenses (including books) paid during the taxable year and twenty-five percent (25%) of the next $2,000 of tuition and related expenses paid during the taxable year. Forty percent (40%) of the credit would be refundable. This tax credit will be subject to a phase-out for taxpayers with adjusted gross income in excess of $80,000 ($160,000 for married couples filing jointly). This proposal is estimated to cost $13.907 billion over 10 years.

Computers as Qualified Education Expenses in 529 Education Plans. Section 529 Education Plans are tax-advantaged savings plans that cover all qualified education expenses, including: tuition, room & board, mandatory fees and books. The bill provides that computers and computer technology qualify as qualified education expenses. This proposal is estimated to cost $6 million over 10 years.

Refundable First-time Home Buyer Credit. Last year, Congress provided taxpayers with a refundable tax credit that was equivalent to an interest-free loan equal to 10 percent of the purchase of a home (up to $7,500) by first-time home buyers. The provision applies to homes purchased on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009. Taxpayers receiving this tax credit are currently required to repay any amount received under this provision back to the government over 15 years in equal installments, or, if earlier, when the home is sold. The credit phases out for taxpayers with adjusted gross income in excess of $75,000 ($150,000 in the case of a joint return). The bill eliminates the repayment obligation for taxpayers that purchase homes after January 1, 2009, increases the maximum value of the credit to $8,000, and removes the prohibition on financing by mortgage revenue bonds, and extends the availability of the credit for homes purchased before December 1, 2009. The provision would retain the credit recapture if the house is sold within three years of purchase. This proposal is estimated to cost $6.638 billion over 10 years.

Sales Tax Deduction for Vehicle Purchases. The bill provides all taxpayers with a deduction for State and local sales and excise taxes paid on the purchase of new cars, light truck, recreational vehicles, and motorcycles through 2009. This deduction is subject to a phase-out for taxpayers with adjusted gross income in excess of $125,000 ($250,000 in the case of a joint return). This proposal is estimated to cost $1.684 billion over 10 years.

Temporary Suspension of Taxation of Unemployment Benefits. Under current law, all federal unemployment benefits are subject to taxation. The average unemployment benefit is approximately $300 per month. The proposal temporarily suspends federal income tax on the first $2,400 of unemployment benefits per recipient. Any unemployment benefits over $2,400 will be subject to federal income tax. This proposal is in effect for taxable year 2009. This proposal is estimated to cost $4.740 billion over 10 years.

Extension of AMT Relief for 2009. The bill would provide more than 26 million families with tax relief in 2009 by extending AMT relief for nonrefundable personal credits and increasing the AMT exemption amount to $70,950 for joint filers and $46,700 for individuals. This proposal is estimated to cost $69.759 billion over 10 years.

Creating American Jobs:

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act also provides $311 billion in appropriations, including the following critical investments:

Investments in Infrastructure and Science - $120 billion

Investments in Health - $14.2 billion

Investments in Education and Training - $105.9 billion

Investments in Energy, including over $30 billion in infrastructure - $37.5 billion

Helping Americans Hit Hardest by the Economic Crisis - $24.3 billion

Law Enforcement, Oversight, Other Programs - $7.8 billion

Investments in Infrastructure and Science include:

Infrastructure Improvements

$7.2 billion for Broadband to increase broadband access and usage in unserved and underserved areas of the Nation, which will better position the U.S. for economic growth, innovation, and job creation. ($6 billion prior to Conference)

$2.75 billion for the Department of Homeland Security to secure the homeland and promote economic activity, including $1 billion for airport baggage and checkpoint security, $430 million for construction of border points of entry, $210 million for construction of fire stations, $300 million for port, transit, and rail security, $280 million for border security technology and communication, and $240 million for the Coast Guard. ($2.3billion prior to Conference)

$4.6 billion in funding for the Corps of Engineers. ($4.5 billion prior to Conference)

$1.2 billion for VA hospital and medical facility construction and improvements, long-term care facilities for veterans, and improvements at VA national cemeteries. ($950 million prior to Conference)

$3.1 billion for repair, restoration and improvement of public facilities at on public and tribal lands. (same prior to Conference)

$4.2 billion for Facilities Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization to be used to invest in energy efficiency projects and to improve the repair and modernization of Department of Defense facilities to include Defense Health facilities. ($3.75 billion prior to Conference)
$2.33 billion for Department of Defense Facilities including quality of life and family-friendly military improvement projects such as family housing, hospitals, and child care centers. ($2.1 billion prior to Conference)

$2.25 billion through HOME and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program to fill financing gaps caused by the credit freeze and get stalled housing development projects moving. ($1.5 billion prior to Conference)

$1 billion for the Community Development Block Grant program for community and economic development projects including housing and services for those hit hard by tough economic times. (same prior to Conference)

$1 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation to provide clean, reliable drinking water to rural areas and to ensure adequate water supply to western localities impacted by drought. ($500 million prior to Conference)

Transportation

$27.5 billion is included for highway investments ($30 billion prior to Conference)

$8.4 billion for investments in public transportation. ($13 billion prior to Conference)

$1.5 billion for competitive grants to state and local governments for transportation investments. ($3 billion prior to Conference)

$1.3 billion for investments in our air transportation system. ($3 billion prior to Conference)

$9.3 billion for investments in rail transportation, including Amtrak, High Speed and Intercity Rail. ($1.1 billion prior to Conference)

Public Housing

$4 billion to the public housing capital fund to enable local public housing agencies to address a $32 billion backlog in capital needs -- especially those improving energy efficiency in aging buildings. ($5 billion prior to Conference)

$2 billion for full-year payments to owners receiving Section 8 project-based rental assistance. (new)

$2 billion for the redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed homes. ($4.2 billion prior to Conference)

$1.5 billion for homeless prevention activities, which will be sent out to states, cities and local governments through the emergency shelter grant formula. (same prior to Conference)
$250 million is included for energy retrofitting and green investments in HUD-assisted housing projects. ($1.5 billion prior to Conference)

Environmental Clean-Up/Clean Water

$6 billion is directed towards environmental cleanup of former weapon production and energy research sites. (same prior to Conference)

$6 billion for local clean and drinking water infrastructure improvements. ($2 billion prior to Conference)

$1.2 billion for EPA’s nationwide environmental cleanup programs, including Superfund. ($800 million prior to Conference)

$1.38 billion to support $3.8 billion in loans and grants for needed water and waste disposal facilities in rural areas. ($1.5 billion prior to Conference)

Science

$1 billion total for NASA. ($600 million prior to Conference)

$3 billion total for National Science Foundation (NSF). (same prior to Conference)

$2 billion total for Science at the Department of Energy including $400 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy (ARPA-E). (same prior to Conference)

$830 million total for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). ($600 million prior to Conference)

Investments in Health include:

$19 billion, including $2 billion in discretionary funds and $17 billion for investments and incentives through Medicare and Medicaid to ensure widespread adoption and use of interoperable health information technology (IT). This provision will grow jobs in the information technology sector, and will jumpstart efforts to increase the use of health IT in doctors’ offices, hospitals and other medical facilities. This will reduce health care costs and improve the quality of health care for all Americans. ($20 billion prior to Conference)

$1 billion for prevention and wellness programs to fight preventable diseases and conditions with evidence-based strategies. ($3 billion prior to Conference)

$10 billion to conduct biomedical research in areas such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and stem cells, and to improve NIH facilities. ($2 billion prior to Conference)

$1.1 billion to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, NIH and the HHS Office of the Secretary to evaluate the relative effectiveness of different health care services and treatment options. (same prior to Conference)

Investments in Education and Training include:

$53.6 billion for the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, including $39.5 billion to local school districts using existing funding formulas, which can be used for preventing cutbacks, preventing layoffs, school modernization, or other purposes; $5 billion to states as bonus grants for meeting key performance measures in education; and $8.8 billion to states for high priority needs such as public safety and other critical services, which may include education and for modernization, renovation and repairs of public school facilities and institutions of higher education facilities. ($79 billion prior to Conference)

$13 billion for Title 1 to help close the achievement gap and enable disadvantaged students to reach their potential. (same prior to Conference)

$12.2 billion for Special Education/IDEA to improve educational outcomes for disabled children. This level of funding will increase the Federal share of special education services to its highest level ever. ($13 billion prior to Conference)

$15.6 billion to increase the maximum Pell Grant by $500. This aid will help 7 million students pursue postsecondary education. (same prior to Conference)

$3.95 billion for job training including State formula grants for adult, dislocated worker, and youth programs (including $1.2 billion to create up to one million summer jobs for youth). ($4 billion prior to Conference)

Investments in Energy include:

$4.5 billion for repair of federal buildings to increase energy efficiency using green technology. ($6.7 billion prior to Conference)

$3.4 billion for Fossil Energy research and development. ($2.4 billion prior to Conference)
$11 billion for smart-grid related activities, including work to modernize the electric grid. (same prior to Conference)

$6.3 billion for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Grants. ($6.9 billion prior to Conference)

$5 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program. ($6.2 billion prior to Conference)

$2.5 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy research. ($2 billion prior to Conference)

$2 billion in grant funding for the manufacturing of advanced batteries systems and components and vehicle batteries that are produced in the United States. (same prior to Conference)

$6 billion for new loan guarantees aimed at standard renewable projects such as wind or solar projects and for electricity transmission projects. ($8 billion prior to Conference)

$1 billion for other energy efficiency programs including alternative fuel trucks and buses, transportation charging infrastructure, and smart and energy efficient appliances. ($900 million prior to Conference)

Help for Workers and Families Hardest Hit by the Economic Crisis includes:

$19.9 billion for additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly Food Stamps, to increase the benefit by 13.6 percent. ($20 billion prior to Conference)

Child Care Development Block Grant: $2 billion to provide quality child care services for an additional 300,000 children in low-income families who increasingly are unable to afford the high cost of day care. (same prior to Conference)

Head Start & Early Head Start: $2.1 billion to allow an additional 124,000 children to participate in this program, which provides development, educational, health, nutritional, social and other activities that prepare children to succeed in school. (same prior to Conference)

State and Local Law Enforcement:

$4 billion total to support law enforcement efforts. (same prior to Conference)

$555 million to expand the Department of Defense Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) during the national mortgage crisis. (new)

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan provides oversight, accountability, and transparency to ensure that taxpayer dollars are invested effectively, efficiently, and as quickly as possible.

Funds are distributed whenever possible through existing formulas and programs that have proven track records and accountability measures already in place.

Numerous provisions in the bill provide for expedited but effective obligation of funds so that dollars are invested in the economy as quickly as possible.

The Government Accountability Office and the Inspectors General are provided additional funding for auditing and investigating recovery spending.

A new Recovery Act Accountability and Transparency Board will coordinate and conduct oversight of recovery spending and provide early warning of problems.

A special website will provide transparency by posting information about recovery spending, including grants, contracts, and all oversight activities.

State and local whistleblowers who report fraud and abuse are protected.

There are no earmarks in this bill.

Auto Workers Rally on Sunday

2009-02-06T14:19:00.001-06:00

As the deadlines for the short-term rescue package for the American auto industry loom, I will join the United Auto Workers and the Automobile Dealers Association at a “Save Our Jobs Rally.” The Rally will begin at 2 p.m., Sunday, February 8, 2009 at the Penn Valley Community College Gym, 3201 Southwest Trafficway in Kansas City, Mo.

Thousands of residents from both sides of the state line will convene to stress the impact auto manufacturing has on the region.

The global financial crisis is crippling the availability of credit for the automakers, their suppliers, their dealers and consumers. As our local auto plants extend their work stoppages, it is quite possible one or more of the domestic automakers could collapse. No one can afford American auto makers going bankrupt, least of all the 7,200 men and women who work at the Fairfax and Claycomo plants, the thousands who work for auto dealers in the area or the tens of thousands of retirees. These are our neighbors, friends and family and they are in trouble.

“Save Our Jobs Rally”
Sunday, February 8, 2009
2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Penn Valley Community College Gym,
3201 Southwest Trafficway, Kansas City, Mo.

Delay in the Senate

2009-02-06T14:18:00.001-06:00

This morning’s jobs report, and the out-of-work Americans the numbers represent, will hopefully prompt the Senate to move urgently to provide a stimulus package with the speed and scope desperately needed by our country. We learned today that in January, American job losses totaled 598,000—the worst month of job losses since 1974, and the 13th straight month of job losses.

Delay and dissent are not helping. I absolutely want the best, most thoughtful package passed —but the preening for the cameras and partisan posturing does not serve our constituents. America needs action and we need it now.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com, is quoted on the front page of the KC Star today. The article reads: “After bottoming out in early 2009, hiring will pick up through at least 2012,’ Zandi said. ‘Without a big federal stimulus program, though, he warned that projected unemployment could hover near 11 percent throughout 2010.”

This is the same Mark Zandi who estimates that the stimulus package will create and save nearly 4 million American jobs by the end of 2010.

The full text of Mr. Zandi’s stimulus analysis can be found here: http://www.economy.com/mark-zandi/documents/Economic_Stimulus_House_Plan_012109.pdf

I do not believe getting this package done right and getting it done now are mutually exclusive. America is hurting; it is to time act.

SIX REASONS FOR SENATE ACTION

JOB LOSSES: In January, American job losses totaled 598,000 – the worst month of job losses since 1974 and the 13th straight month of job losses. Total job loss since the recession began in December 2007 has climbed to 3.6 million, the largest 13-month job loss on record (series began in 1939). About one-half of this decline occurred in the past 3 months.

BROAD RANGE OF INDUSTRIES IMPACTED: Factories slashed 207,000 jobs in January, the largest one-month drop since October 1982. Construction companies got rid of 111,000 jobs. Professional and business services chopped 121,000 positions. Retailers eliminated 45,000 jobs. Leisure and hospitality services axed 28,000 slots.

UNEMPLOYMENT & PART-TIME WORK: In January, the unemployment rate surged to 7.6 percent -- the highest level in 16 years – up from 4.7 percent in 2007. The number of Americans looking for work climbed to 11.6 million in January – 4.1 million more than a year ago, and the highest number in 26 years. An additional 3.1 million Americans have been forced into part-time work in the last year.

LAYOFFS: Leading American companies (including those at Macy’s, Caterpillar Inc., pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, Sprint Nextel Corp., and Home Depot) continue to announce layoffs -- with more than 70,000 workers layoffs announced in one day.

ECONOMY IN RECESSION: This winter, the Gross Domestic Product fell 3.8 percent in the final quarter of 2008 – the largest contraction since the steep recession of the early 1980s. Business investment dropped at a 19 percent pace, the most since 1975. The U.S. economy has officially been in recession since December 2007, already making it the longest downturn since 1981-82. Analysts say this downturn could be the most severe since the Great Depression.

CONSUMER SPENDING & CONFIDENCE: Consumer spending fell in December for a record sixth consecutive month, capping the worst year since 1961. Consumer confidence slid to another all-time low in January.

President signs SCHIP

2009-02-06T14:17:00.000-06:00

I am proud to announce the passage of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization, which will play an important role in expanding access to health care for many of the nations most vulnerable children.

This was a victory for the health and welfare of 11 million American children. For too long the previous Administration stood between 11 million children and the health care they desperately need. As we are talking daily of economic recovery, I can’t think of a better future endowment than investing in the health and welfare of 11 million children.

The House approved the measure this week by a vote of 290 to 135 and it was signed into law by President Obama the same day. The Senate passed the legislation last week.
As my friend Charles Rangel, Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee said, “What a difference a President makes.”

Studies confirm that uninsured racial and ethnic minority children are more likely than uninsured white children to have unmet health care needs, to lack a usual source of care, and to consequently suffer worse health outcomes.

More than 80 percent of currently uninsured African-American children and 70 percent of currently uninsured Hispanic children are eligible for SCHIP, but they are not enrolled in the program. SCHIP helps to level this playing field.

2009-01-30T14:57:00.004-06:00

Our first telephone town hall was amazing. Thank you to all who joined — I hope you found it as helpful as I did. It was a great discussion with lots of good questions and ideas. We will be doing another soon, please watch for details.

American Recovery

2009-01-30T14:55:00.001-06:00

Wednesday, I voted for the President’s $825 billion stimulus with one hand, and crossed my fingers with the other. The bill did not change too much from the recap I sent you last week, and sadly it was a strictly partisan vote. But let us be clear, despite Republican opposition (and I read Rep. Jenkin’s piece in the Star today) every American, left, right and midland needs to be hoping that this package works.

Failure is not something we honestly can consider. If after two years the speed, spread and scope of this package does not pay off, we will be entering our fifth and sixth year of recession and our problems will be far greater than asking where $825 billion went.

As you know I have as many friends on the other side of the aisle as I do on my side, but after their stewardship of the economy over the last 8 years, criticism from the right is a little hard to take. This may not be the answer, but every single one of us needs to be hoping for success instead of sharpening our partisan knives.

Jobs

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act should create and save 3 to 4 million jobs, by rebuilding America, making us more globally competitive and energy independent, and transforming our economy for long-term growth; giving 95 percent of American workers an immediate tax cut; and investing quickly in the economy – with 75 percent of these job-creating investments in the economy in the next 18 months.

America is facing an economic crisis greater than any since the Great Depression. A staggering 2.6 million American jobs were lost in the last year. I do not need to tell you, things are bad. The unemployment rate here in Missouri has climbed to 7.3 percent.

As a result of the stimulus passed this week, independent economist Mark Zandi of Moody’s projects Missouri will save or create and estimated 71,030 jobs, growing our workforce by 2.2 percent.

Energy

The bill seeks to double our renewable energy production and renovate public buildings to make them more energy efficient. The energy provisions of the plan will create more than 500,000 jobs by accelerating deployment of smart grid technology and the building of new electric transmission lines for renewable energy, spurring energy efficiency investment in our homes and schools to cut energy costs, offering support for the nation’s governors and mayors to tackle their energy challenges, and spurring investment in renewable energy and better fuel efficient cars for a greener future. These are all things that HAVE to be done in the near future, so providing funding and concentrated effort both completes a national priority and puts people back to work.

Health Care

To reduce health care costs, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act invests in a practical investment to bring our health care system into the 21st century with health information technology – that is proven not only to reduce costs but also to increase the quality of care, save lives, and create jobs.

While we are on the subject of health care, the millions of people who have lost their jobs in this recession have also lost their health insurance. This package provides those losing their jobs new affordable options for maintaining their health care coverage. And, to protect existing Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans, the package provides $1.49 billion here in Missouri in additional federal matching Medicaid funds to help stave off cuts in health care in the face of massive state budget shortfalls. Yes that is billion with a “b”.

Education

Strategic investments in education are one of the best ways to help America become more productive and competitive – spurring long-term growth. This recovery package will make bold investments to provide children with a 21st century education. In Missouri, this means $1,22 billion to prevent teacher layoffs and other cutbacks in education and other key services and over $344 million to modernize our schools and colleges, which will create good- paying jobs. It will also make college more affordable with improved Pell Grants for the 138, 591 Pell Grant recipients in Missouri and a higher education tax credit for an additional 74,000 students in our state so that they can stay in college.

Construction

The bill also concentrates on construction. The Act will make large investments to repair and modernize thousands of miles of roadways in the U.S., provide new mass transit options for millions of Americans, and invest in clean water infrastructure. These provisions would create about 1.5 million American jobs nationwide. In Missouri, this will provide more than $954 million to invest in these key infrastructure projects that are ready to go and will begin to create jobs for Missourians right away.

Tax Relief

As a downpayment on permanent middle-class tax cuts promised by President Obama, the plan includes tax cuts for 95% of American workers, including Over 2 million families here in Missouri with the “Making Work Pay” Tax Credit. Expanding the Child Tax Credit will help the families of 326,000 children in Missouri. The business tax cuts in the package will also spur new job-creating investments by businesses large and small, that will transform our economy for years to come, such as in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

In this economic crisis, high unemployment and rising costs have put a huge strain on many American families. The package contains a series of additional provisions to help, including helping workers train and find jobs, extending unemployment benefits for 48,000 people here in Missouri, and increasing food stamp benefits for nearly a million more people in need our home state.

The package now moves to the Senate who, last I knew, were contemplating a package of $900 billion which alters some of these formulas a bit, so the numbers may change from what I have outlined here. I will try to keep you up to date as the bill moves forward. We expect the bill to be on the President’s desk before Presidents’ Day as he has requested.

Telephone Town Hall next Tuesday

2009-01-23T15:20:00.001-06:00

As we grapple with some of the most challenging issues facing our nation in decades, I want to make sure that you are informed and can participate in crafting solutions. To that end, next Tuesday night, I will be hosting my first telephone town hall meeting. Basically this is a conference call with me on the line in Washington taking questions and comments from you back in the District.

This is a great opportunity for you to share your concerns and questions directly with me from the comfort of your own home. The call is free, and I'd love to hear from you.

Call this number 1-877-229-8493 to join in, and enter this PIN 14577 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 27. My staff and I will be on the line to help you, and I am eager to hear what you have to say.

Draft Economic Stimulus Bill breakdown

2009-01-23T15:19:00.000-06:00

The House of Representatives has developed a draft plan for $825 billion in federal spending and tax cuts to revive and rejuvenate the failing economy. The bill places priority on energy, education, health care and creating jobs.

The legislation calls for federal spending of roughly $550 billion and tax cuts of $275 billion over the next two years.

Our goals with this bill are immediate job creation in the short term and continuing job creation over the long haul.

Aid to workers

With unemployment rising, and applications for various forms of federal aid keeping pace, the legislation calls for increased spending on food stamps, unemployment insurance and job training. It also proposes an increase in Pell Grants for college students of $500.

Four billion dollars for job training including formula grants for adult, dislocated worker, and youth services (including $1.2 billion to create up to one million summer jobs for youth) was identified.

The needs of workers also will be met through dislocated worker national emergency grants, new competitive grants for worker training in high growth and emerging industry sectors (with priority consideration to “green” jobs and healthcare), and increased funds for the YouthBuild program. Green jobs training will include preparing workers for activities supported by other economic recovery funds, such as retrofitting of buildings, green construction, and the production of renewable electric power.

The bill allocates $300 million to upgrade job training facilities serving at-risk youth while improving energy efficiency.

States will receive $500 million for formula grants for construction and rehabilitation of facilities to help persons with disabilities prepare for gainful employment.

$500 million is allocated for programs to match unemployed individuals to job openings through state employment service agencies and allow states to provide customized services. Funds are targeted to states with the greatest need based on labor force, unemployment, and long-term unemployed rates.

A total of $27 billion will be used to continue the current extended unemployment benefits program – which provides up to 33 weeks of extended benefits - through December 31, 2009 given rising unemployment.

Additionally, $9 billion will increase the current average unemployment insurance benefit from roughly $300 per week, paid out of State trust funds, by $25 per week using Federal funds, through December 2009. There are currently 5.3 million workers receiving regular UI and an additional 1.9 million receiving extended benefits.

Health Care

The bill will allocate $87 billion to help the states meet the rising cost of providing health care for the poor, and another $39 billion to subsidize coverage by out-of-work wage-earners who cannot afford the cost of their employer-covered health care.

Education

More than $100 billion is ticketed for education, including money for school districts to shield them from the effects of state cutbacks in services.

Estimates for local school districts are as follows:

Belton: FY2009 $1,608,000 FY2010 $973,300 TOTAL $2,581,200

Center: FY2009 $1,494,500 FY2010 $752,800 TOTAL $2,247,200

Grandview: FY2009 $2,297,300 FY2010 $1,163,600 TOTAL $3,460,900

Hickman Mills: FY2009 $4,533,200 FY2010 $2,206,200 TOTAL $6,739,400

Independence: FY2009 $3,826,500 FY2010 $2,255,100 TOTAL $6,081,600

Kansas City: FY2009 $33,984,400 FY2010 $14,633,600 TOTAL $48,618,000

Lee’s Summit: FY2009 $2,909,000 FY2010 $2,190,400 TOTAL $5,099,400

Lone Jack: FY2009 $93,500 FY2010 $70,900 TOTAL $164,400

Raymore-Peculiar: FY2009 $1,050,100 FY2010 $738,700 TOTAL $1,788,800

Raytown: FY2009 $3,084,200 FY2010 $1,823,500 TOTAL $4,907,600

Housing

Five billion dollars has been allocated for building repair and modernization, including critical safety repairs. Every dollar of Capital Fund expenditures produces $2.12 in economic return. $4 billion of the funds will be distributed to public housing authorities through the existing formula and $1 billion will be awarded through a competitive process for projects that improve energy efficiency.

An additional $1.5 billion to help local communities build and rehabilitate low-income housing using green technologies is in the draft. Thousands of ready-to-go housing projects have been stalled by the credit crunch. Funds are distributed by formula.

The Neighborhood Stabilization Program will get an increase of $4.2 billion to help communities purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed, vacant properties in order to create more affordable housing and reduce neighborhood blight.

And for those hardest hit among us, $1.5 billion is allocated for the Emergency Shelter Grant program to provide short term rental assistance, housing relocation, and stabilization services for families during the economic crisis. Funds are distributed by formula.

Tax Relief

The draft calls for a tax credit of $500 per worker and $1,000 per working couple.

Businesses would be able to reduce their taxes through a provision that expands their ability to write off current losses against past profits, and by accelerating the depreciation of new plants and equipment.

First-time homeowners also would get a break. The bill eliminates the requirement for them to repay a new $7,500 tax credit created in a housing measure that passed last summer.

Energy

Funds for energy-related programs can be seen throughout the bill top-to-bottom.
Included is $32 billion to upgrade the nation's electrical distribution system, more than $20 billion in tax cuts to promote the development of alternatives to oil fuels, and billions more to make public housing, federal buildings and modest-income homes more energy efficient.
Construction

The bill, as written, calls for $30 billion for highway construction and $10 billion for mass transit and rail. Missouri will receive close to one billion dollars for fiscal year 2009.

In Missouri it breaks down to roughly:

Highways and Bridges:$688,319,889
Transit:$74,770,021
Fixed Guideway Modernization: $11,631,300
Clean Water: $160,919,352
TOTAL INFRASTRUCTURE: $935,640,562

Additional State Allocations

Additionally the following 13 programs receive direct allotments from the bill, increasing the allocation to Missouri an additional $1.2 billion over the next 2 years:

-State Fiscal Stabilization Fund
-Title I (Disadvantaged Students)
-Individuals with Disabilities Act (Special Education)
-Education Technology State Grants
-Education Modernization, Renovation and Repair (both K-12 and Higher Education)
-Pell Grants
-Head Start
-Child Care & Development Block Grant
-Employment and Training
-Community Services Block Grant
-Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)
-Elderly Nutrition Services
-Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant

Missouri allocation for the above programs:
FY 2009 $608,519,000
FY 2010 $608,519,000
TOTAL $1,217,038,000

We are looking to vote next week on the bill. The Senate is operating on a similar timetable and I hope that we will have a final bill ready for the President’s signature by Presidents' Day.

“So help me God”

2009-01-16T14:39:00.003-06:00

Every once in a while a day comes along you never thought you would see. A few come to my mind like James Meredith’s first day of school at Ole Miss, the assassination of President Kennedy, Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy back-to-back-to-back, the first steps of Neil Armstrong on the moon and one September morning two airplanes crashed into the Twin Towers.

These are events, both of joy and woe that we all remember where we were when we heard the news, saw the pictures and felt their impact. They become part of our language, reference points by which other events are judged, and pivot points from which we are collectively never the same.

We come upon one of these common shared moments in history next Tuesday, a moment I never believed I would see in my lifetime. The world’s eyes will share a singular spectacle. A man will place his brown hand on the bible used by Abraham Lincoln and swear to uphold, defend and protect the Constitution as President of the United States of America.

With that, our great American experiment will take another step forward.

The founders devised a nation of laws that could grow and change like a living organism. We are a nation where every day is a new day and each unique and often flawed experiment in democracy is judged and weighed separately to be either woven into our fabric or discarded. They were brilliant in their certainty that they did not know all the answers.

But it was these geniuses of Liberty that stained our nation with its original sin: That despite the decree, all men were in fact not seen as equal. Their shortcomings in many ways come full circle as we inaugurate Barack Obama as our President.

That oath, enshrined in the Constitution and the only sentence in quotes in the entire document, reads:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

This is our great pledge. While the parades, balls and parties surrounding the inauguration are exciting, the purpose of the entire day is these 37 words outlined by our founders as the promise a President makes to the people he serves.

The oath President-elect Obama recites is the exact same pledge that George Washington took. In fact, General Washington himself wrote notes on the draft Constitution he was working on in August of 1787. At the archives in Washington, D.C. you can see where Washington crossed out the word “judgment” and wrote the word “ability”.

Washington was concerned that a President would interpret the oath to mean their judgment could supplant the Constitution’s. In one of the small beautiful pieces of history, it was the first President himself whose personal edit guaranteed that the Constitution was supreme.

On Tuesday we will gather as a national community to re-enact one of our nation’s few sacred rites: The passing of the title Head of State and Commander in Chief from one man to another peacefully. With 37 words a new President becomes leader of the free world, the only gun shots fired are salutes in celebration.

It is often retold that after the oath was administered, Washington added the phrase, “So help me God.” Of course, by tradition, each new President recites that same simple prayer. But what happened immediately after at the First Inaugural is perhaps as appropriate.

On the balcony on that April day in 1789, the Supreme Court had yet to be constituted and so the oath of office was administered by Chancellor Robert R. Livingstone, New York's highest ranking judge. Immediately after swearing in President Washington, the Chancellor whispered “It is done.”
And so friends as we approach this momentous day, and the first black President is inaugurated I echo to all those who have worked and struggled and dreamed of this day — “It is done.”

Happy Holidays

2008-12-19T11:24:00.001-06:00

Another year has passed far too quickly. In writing this week's "EC from DC" I looked back at the last few months of newsletters and it struck me how very little good news there was in 2008. There is no doubt as a nation we are charting the roughest seas in several generations.

But, there is hope and light, love and friendship in these times. Often in our nation's darkest hours we have reached deep and stunned the world with our ingenuity, compassion, and wisdom. And so that is our charge in the coming year.

Like you, I am looking forward to spending the holidays with my family. Every year we make the pilgrimage to my father's house in Texas to celebrate our togetherness. In ways, both literally and spiritually, Christmas is about finding our way home.

A few years ago, I shared with you a holiday message from President Truman delivered on Christmas Eve, 1948. He had come home, as he always did, to Bess's house at 219 North Delaware in Independence. I was out that direction last week and you can just imagine what it was like for the President. He mentions the sights and sounds of his street, a street that is virtually unchanged since he lived there. It is easy, even now, what he must have experienced making the turn from what was then 15th Street (now Truman Rd.) onto Delaware.

Bess and Margaret came home to Independence far prior to the President's arrival, neither being that fond of Washington, D.C. The President, however, always remained in Washington until after the staff party and then returned home for Christmas Eve.

So from his easy chair in Bess's front room, he pushed a button that lit the National Christmas Tree on the lawn of the White House and in that time of toil and turmoil delivered a message as appropriate and heartwarming today as it was in 1948.

"My fellow countrymen: I now light the National Community Christmas Tree on the lawn of the White House in Washington.

I have come out here to Independence with my family to celebrate the great home festival. For of all the days of the year Christmas is the family day. Christmas began that way.

The moving event of the first Christmas was the bringing forth of the first born in the stable in Bethlehem. There began in humble surroundings the home life of the Holy Family glorified in song and story and in the hearts of men down through the centuries. The great joys and mysteries of that event have forever sanctified and enriched all home life.

The Christmas tree which we have just lighted in the South Grounds of the White House back in Washington symbolizes the family life of the Nation. There are no ties like family ties. That is why I have made the journey back to Independence to celebrate this Christmas Day among the familiar scenes and associations of my old hometown.

These family ties reach out tonight to embrace the town, the State, the country, all of America-the whole world. The hallowed associations of Christmas draw all hearts toward home. With one accord we receive with joy and reverence the message of the first Christmas: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will to men".

This country, big as it has grown, has always been a close-knit community. It has had to be strong, too.

We needed the strength of giants and heroic courage to bring nature and the elements under control; to build our towns and that is particularly true here in Independence-and to extend our frontiers. We all know what the covered wagon symbolized.

But with all our strength we have always had a deep feeling of compassion-a human sympathy for the underdog, the oppressed of all lands, for all who bear heavy burdens. That is a part of the American spirit. I

have been thinking of all these things here in my home on North Delaware Street in Independence. I am speaking to you from our family living room. As I came up the street in the gathering dusk, I saw a hundred commonplace things that are hallowed to me on this Christmas Eve----hallowed because of their associations with the sanctuary of home.

I saw the lighted windows in the homes of my neighbors, the gaily decked Christmas trees, and the friendly lawns and gardens. The branches of the trees were bare and stark but somehow they looked familiar and friendly. I looked at all these familiar things-the same things that you all will see tonight as you go toward home.

These are the thoughts-simple, commonplace, everyday thoughts-that we all share tonight.

They are the thoughts that bind us together, one to another. They make up the great American epic---the epic of the home.

Yes, America is a big, friendly community. Maybe that is why we realize that we are a part of the whole world. We have had difficult problems, and that is why we can understand the problems of other peoples.

Our own struggle fostered this feeling of good will. And good will, after all, is the very essence of Christmas: peace and friendship to men of good will.

I want to say once more, with all the emphasis that I can command, that I am working for peace. I shall continue to work for peace. What could be more appropriate than for all of us to dedicate ourselves to the cause of peace on this Holy Night.

As a Nation we have a history of a little more than a century and a half. But the religion which came to the world heralded by the song of the Angels has endured for nineteen centuries. It will continue to endure. It remains today the world's best hope for peace if the world will accept its fundamental teaching that all men are brothers.

"God that made the world and all things therein . . . hath made of one blood all nations of man for to dwell on all the face of the earth." In the spirit of that message from the Acts of the Apostles, I wish all of you a Merry Christmas."

My warmest wishes to you and yours,

Emanuel

For Obama, Job First

2008-12-17T13:00:00.001-06:00

By Emanuel Cleaver II
Published in The Washington Post,
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
page A17

The black D.C. cabdriver and I connected immediately when it became clear that he simply couldn't suppress his elation about the election of Barack Obama to the presidency. He told me that he had recently quashed some barbershop Obama-bashing arising from what some saw as Obama's failure to name enough blacks to his Cabinet. "I told these barbershop politicos," the cabbie said, "just wait until after he is sworn in, and then he will be free to do the black thing."

I winced and, rather clumsily, tried to explain that Obama will be the first black president, not the black president first. While it isn't my intention to hold up any critic of the president-elect to censure, I want to remind all those who strongly support the president-elect and wish desperately for him to succeed: If you like the honey, don't kick over the beehive.

Since Obama's historic Nov. 4 victory, there has been much discussion in the media suggesting that he faces a plate filled not only with issues related to the slumping economy and other urgent national challenges but also a hefty portion of the extravagant expectations of African Americans and other minority groups. Some, it seems, would rather put the new president into a pressure cooker instead of a melting pot.

I know something about what Obama faces. In 1991, I was elected Kansas City's first black mayor. I and more than 400 other African American mayors who served during the most diverse period in the political history of America's large cities experienced a similar, and understandable, unreasonableness from brothers and sisters who saw in our election an opportunity at last to get a slice of the American pie. Obama will fall short of fulfilling the considerable hopes and dreams of the minorities who supported him, just as we could not fulfill those of ours.

To be sure, he will do all he can. Just as the black mayors of the '90s appointed able blacks to positions that were previously beyond their reach, championed capital projects in often-ignored and ailing parts of their cities, and included minorities in municipal economic opportunities, President Obama will certainly be attentive to the unique needs of the nation's neglected. Clearly, the goal of the Obama administration will be to destroy, not supervise, any government impulse to favor one group of Americans over others.

But brothers and sisters of hue, we must be candid: Race relations in America are far from sublime. Despite Obama's election, there are still Americans who, like the ole Missouri mule, are awful backward about going forward. It would be absurd not to expect high-profile acts of racism to continue to occur, just as always. Obama 's administration won't have the power to prevent them; no administration could. Yes, such situations will now be addressed by an Obama-appointed attorney general, but they also must continue to be dealt with by civil rights organizations and, frankly, by each of us. The duty of the many cannot become the responsibility of the one, even if the one is a black president.

Obama surely knows that he owes enormous gratitude to the huge numbers of black Americans who toiled in his campaign and came out to the polls to help to elect him. I think every African American supporter of Obama can safely assume that Obama will do everything within his power to create a level playing field for all Americans by ensuring that they have a government that is just and fair.

But it is important to note that Obama will not be the nation's highest-profile civil rights leader. He will be the leader of the free world.

We must keep that in mind. Barack Obama cannot both agitate and legislate from the Oval Office. A horse cannot pull while kicking, and Obama has much pulling on his agenda. He will need to pull the U.S. economy out of the tank, U.S. troops out of Iraq and health-care costs back down to earth.

At this moment, the people of color who love this great nation are a part of something thrilling and exalting. Most of us thought that we would never see a black president in our lifetimes. Our coming together this past November was a beginning; staying together through the tough times ahead will be progress; and working together to build bridges, not walls, will be the sign that we are creating a change all can depend on.

Broken Down

2008-12-12T17:13:00.002-06:00

Every week it seems I start this email telling you how frustrating the week has been. However frustrating these hearings and negotiations are in Washington, they pale in comparison to the insecurity, fear and anxiety being felt by millions of workers who are either standing in the unemployment line, or looking for a pink slip with every paycheck. So, while we shake our heads and stomp our feet in the Capitol, our Congressional troubles are trivial compared to the peril faced by far too many we serve.

The front page photo in the Kansas City Star is a good reminder of just what is at stake right now. In case you missed it, it features three material supervisors at the GM Fairfax plant watching C-SPAN yesterday, on their lunch break, as the Senate debated the auto rescue package. Three men whose families woke up to the news this morning that the Senate had failed to act on the proposal supported by the President and passed by the House.

The deal in the Senate broke down because some wanted the unions to agree to cut the salaries of the three men on the front page of the Star today and 7,200 of their fellow workers who call our community home.

At a time when the American worker is struggling, lay-offs are announced daily and the government is contemplating another stimulus package to encourage people to spend and boost the economy, cutting wages does not make much sense to me.

I am not saying that the auto rescue package was perfect — far from it. However, I fear that those who have never liked unions and never supported union workers used this dire moment for the auto makers to make a point while playing Russian roulette with the livelihoods of millions of families.

General Motors has testified that without a bridge loan they may not make it the rest of the year. It seems some Members of Congress are willing to see if their projections are correct. I am not. Economists from the left, right and center agree that our economy cannot sustain the damage a failed auto industry would yield.

Proof of the impact on our local economy came today. General Motors announced it would idle the Fairfax plant until February, one of 14 plants closed down. For us, that means 2,640 employees who will not clock in for nearly two months.

Not passing a short-term aid package was reckless and puts 3 million workers and our entire fragile economy at risk.

We are now asking the President to take emergency action to protect the economy. It is within his power and indications are that he understands the gravity of a failing auto industry. The President should direct Secretary Paulson to use the Troubled Assets Relief Program or other means at his disposal to provide short-term funding to the auto industry, so that it can restructure and resurrect itself into the backbone of our nation's industrial base once again.

Bad News and the Big 3

2008-12-05T17:01:00.000-06:00

Over a half-million jobs — that is how many the economy lost in November. That is the worst one-month drop in over 30 years.

This morning, it was also announced that our nation's unemployment rate is 6.7% — the highest in 15 years. Hundreds of thousands more families will have a very difficult holiday season this year on top of the millions already out of work.

These new numbers come on the heels of a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the Treasury Department's implementation of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

The GAO told Congress that the Treasury Department has no way to measure whether taxpayer funds invested in banks are being used in accordance with the purpose of the law - to increase lending. My committee has asked the Treasury repeatedly to track the impact of the taxpayer money. The Treasury has responded that it has no intention of doing so.

The GAO recommended that measures be developed to apply to how individual institutions are using their share of the $250 billion made available to them. In response the Treasury policy is to engage in "further discussions on general metrics for evaluating the overall success of the capital purchase program in addressing the purposes of the EESA."

So in the context of the very bad job losses last month and the refusal of Treasury to monitor the effectiveness of our last large taxpayer rescue package the Big 3 automakers came before our committee today to ask for $34 billion.

Here is what we know:

Without assistance of some sort, one or more of the Big 3 will be gone.
Locally we have 7,200 employees and thousands of auto retirees.
There is no assurance that government investment will save the industry.

Before Thanksgiving the CEOs came to Congress in private planes with a request for $25 billion of taxpayer money but no plan. Today they drove to Washington in hybrids with a plan in-hand and asked for $34 billion. That is some serious inflation.

Ford appears to be in the best shape of the three and may well weather the storm with very little assistance. The other two are in very bad shape and frankly I am not sure what the Congress is going to do at this point. That is the difficult part.

We have their plans, their testimony and their answers to some very difficult questions. The hearing was good and frustrating. It certainly went better than the last hearing, but I feel like we have heard all we are going to hear. It was frustrating, for me, because we really haven't made much progress on what we will do next. We need a plan and we need to vote on the financial mechanics to help the industry.

Our committee will work with the Banking Committee in the Senate as well as leaders of both chambers to craft a bill that can be passed quickly. Waiting helps no one. The longer we wait the fewer cars are bought (no one wants to buy a car from a company that may go under, even if they can get the loan) and the worse the problem gets.
.

Two frustrating hearings

2008-11-21T17:00:00.004-06:00

This was an interesting and frustrating week. The week began with some hope of getting explanations from Secretary Paulson and answers from the Big 3 auto executives. Neither promise was fulfilled completely.

Treasury Secretary Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke and FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair testified Tuesday morning in front of our Committee. Members, including me, were interested in hearing from this trio why, after expending half of the money allocated, more progress had not been made in loosening the credit markets.

We were also curious as to why some financial institutions are under the impression it is acceptable to use government-provided funds to pay dividends, continue excessive executive compensation and for acquiring other banks.

None of us expected that the Troubled Asset Relief Program would be a magic pill. We did not expect lenders to immediately start making loans again. However, we also did not expect and certainly did not intend for banks to be hoarding their government assistance or using it to further expansion schemes.

The concern we expressed, particularly to Secretary Paulson, was that it didn't seem unreasonable that financial institutions demonstrate SOME degree of responsibility to the American taxpayer whose investment in them was predicated on relieving the clogged credit markets.

I think that what we learned from the hearing is that we have to go back to work. If the financial institutions continue to behave irresponsibly, then we're going to redraft the Act to require them to act responsibly.

Additionally, we are frustrated that not near enough has been done to help keep homeowners in their homes. I think we made it clear that we believed that the FDIC Chairwoman, Shelia Bair, is on the right track with her proposed program to encourage refinancing of troubled mortgages by providing government guarantees. If we do not see movement toward her plan by the Treasury Secretary soon, I believe we will need to require it.

We saw a bit of the pressure we exerted this week paying off as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced this morning they would freeze all foreclosures until after the holidays as they work to renegotiate troubled loans.

Progress has been made. However, I think we left no doubt in the mind of the Secretary and Fed Chairman that we had expected a great deal more progress for $300 billion and that changes would be needed.

As for the Big 3 executives...

I would not have believed it had someone told me before hand the hearing would go as poorly as it did. From the moment these three arrived in Washington via their private airplanes it was all down hill.

I don't mean to be too flippant about this, but if you are going to ask the government for $25 billion of the taxpayers money, it is very helpful to have 1) an explanation for why that amount is necessary and 2) a plan for how the money will save the industry.
These gentlemen provided neither.

Here's an example of what I mean, demonstrated in a question I asked:

CLEAVER: Why $25 billion? I mean why not 26? Are we going to divide three into 25?

ROBERT NARDELLI (CEO of Chrysler): Chrysler is asking for $7 billion.

ALAN MULALLY (CEO of Ford): Sir, it would be the rest based on the market share.

CLEAVER: This is - I mean we're just spending $25 billion loosely. I mean this is loosey goosey, whatever's left, I'll take.They seem to just be picking numbers out of a hat with no real clue as to how much is actually required to right the ship.

As I said last week, the automakers and our District are intertwined and should they go under it would be a disaster for us locally. Nationally, we are talking about 3 million workers who depend on making cars for employment. But the bottom line is, as much as I understand the need, Congress cannot commit billions of taxpayer dollars without first knowing how the automakers intend to use it to keep from sinking and how they are going to re-tool their industry to make it more green and more competitive.

As a result of the hearing this week, we have asked to see plans detailing exactly how the automakers would spend these loans which are due by December 2nd. With the plans in hand, we will return to session and revisit these loan requests by December 8th. I think this is a very reasonable and responsible approach with so much taxpayer money at stake.

Some explaining to do

2008-11-14T10:28:00.006-06:00

This week, I returned to Washington to participate in hearings examining the progress the Treasury is (or is not) making to restructure mortgages allowing people to stay in their homes. In a nutshell: they are not yet doing enough, despite a substantial influx in Treasury money to help homeowners.

Treasury Secretary Paulson committed money from the rescue package in order to make financial institutions more financially sound and allow them to begin lending again. Part of the understanding is that the outlay of federal funds would in turn encourage lenders to renegotiate troubled mortgages. Three hundred billion has been spent, and significant progress has yet to be made.

Needless to say, the Financial Services Committee and frankly the American people have a few questions for Secretary Paulson. Next Tuesday we will have an opportunity to ask him directly as Secretary Paulson, Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve and Sheila Bair, Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation will all testify in front of my Committee.

At about the same time this week that we were questioning bankers about why we weren't seeing more progress in re-writing mortgages, Secretary Paulson made some news of his own. In a press conference he surprised those of us charged with overseeing the $700 billion rescue package by saying he had changed his mind about the need to buy up the toxic assets that have frozen the credit markets.

On Wednesday, Paulson said the Treasury would now use funds to put more capital into the banks rather than buying up bad mortgage assets through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). I mention the section title of the $700 billion package to emphasize the Congress' intent with the bill — namely to buy troubled assets.

Paulson said that he believes his new plan is a "more powerful and quicker way to deal with the problem."

"Seven hundred billion [dollars] wouldn't go far enough in my judgment. So you get much more leverage by putting capital into the banks. What we were looking to do was to stabilize the system and encourage banks to lend more. And the quickest and most powerful way to do that was with capital."

Now, I am not an economist. So the new Paulson Plan may very well be what is needed.
However, his failure to alert Congress of his shift in strategy does not inspire confidence in the American people. When embarking on a plan meant to build confidence, it would be helpful if the government was all singing from the same hymnal.

There is another problem with the shift in strategy that goes beyond whether it works or not. If, say, after Congress appropriated funds to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and rather than spending money on homes, the Secretary decided to buy airplanes — we would rightly take issue with that.

Secretary Paulson is right when he says the 509 page bill we passed gave him fairly wide latitude. But, the stated purpose of the rescue package is clear as day in the title — troubled assets.

As of this afternoon, the Treasury has yet to buy a single troubled asset with the $700 billion appropriated to do so. Not one.

Secretary Paulson and Chairman Bernanke will have some explaining to do on Tuesday.

A New Day

2008-11-07T15:12:00.004-06:00

This Tuesday, I spent the evening watching history with thousands of you at the Midland Theater downtown. I was struck not only by the joy of the crowd, but by the New Year's Eve-like atmosphere on the street. Cars honked, people yelled and high-fived total strangers.

Tuesday was a night of shared experience, one of those evenings we will tell younger generations about.I thought about my grandfather, Noah Albert Cleaver. He lived over a century and my twins were able to sit on his knee. He had seen women get the vote, two world wars, a depression, integration of the armed services, the rise of the civil rights movement, desegregation, seventeen presidents elected, and his grandson sworn in as mayor of Kansas City.

I am not sure he would have thought that his twin grandchildren would have had the chance to see a black President of the United States elected. Though, I know, he hoped and worked for that possibility.

Tuesday, we all took part in history.

I know many older black men and women were weeping as President-elect Obama took the stage to declare victory. It was impossible not to be moved regardless how you voted. Senator McCain was gracious in the moment and I believe the world again looked to America as the place where all things are possible.

Lines were wrapped around polling places Tuesday as we took part in our great American birthright. At poll after poll as I talked to those waiting in line, I was struck by the patience and resolve of our community to cast their vote. I have shaken hands at polling places many times in my life, and never have I seen such a jubilant and peaceful crowd. We were determined to do our part.

Since then, I've been asked many times what I thought about the election of the first black President. I think America voted once again for the nation they wanted rather than the nation they were. We have a history of choosing hope over fear.

We are not perfect, but we are as close as the world has gotten to the ideal. Tuesday the world remembered why they look to us to lead. Not because of our selection for President, but because as a nation in the middle of hardship we chose to be bold rather than cower.

And on that historic Tuesday night we reminded the world of another uniquely American quality. Since Washington decided to only serve two terms as President and John Adams was elected to succeed him, the will of the people has always led to a peaceful transition of powers. Two diametrically opposed parties can spend over a year on the battlefield of ideas and when the votes are cast and the decision is made one concedes and the other becomes President-elect. Rather than gun shots there are fireworks, and next year on January 20 at exactly noon, one party's President will walk out of the White House as the opposing party's nominee is sworn in --- a remarkably peaceful exchange.

When George Washington was sworn in as the first President he ended the oath with a simple prayer, "So help me God." Now that request is an official part of the oath of all federal offices, including the one you chose to return me to this week. Amazingly fitting.

Congress will return to session next week for what is known as a "lame duck" session. Historically not a lot is accomplished during this session, but this year we cannot afford to wait for January to make progress on righting the ship of state.

Thank you for your faith in me, it is my honor to continue to serve you and our community. I am humbled and grateful.
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