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	July, 31,2007
	Congressman Clay’s Capitol Hill Report
By Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay Member of Congress
	This week, the new Congress kept some of the key promises that we made to the American people.  After ten long years, the federal minimum wage went up. And almost six years after the 9-11 attacks, we sent the President a bipartisan bill, H.R. 1. to fully implement the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission.  This was also a very busy week on the appropriations front as the House passed strong bills to fund HUD and Transportation, and Commerce, Justice & Science.  We also passed a new five-year Farm Bill which includes an amendment of mine that creates a very exciting urban organic gardening program.  This bill is great news for neighborhood groups and individuals in urban areas who want to grow healthy fruits and vegetables, with a little help from the Department of Agriculture. Finally, tomorrow night, I will have the honor of addressing the closing gala of the National Urban League Conference, which is meeting this week in St. Louis.  I am proud to welcome over 10,000 Urban League delegates and special guests to my district. - Lacy H.R. 1 Will Fully Implement 9-11 Commission Recommendations New Measures Will Screen Cargo, Protect Against Weapons of Mass Destruction, Fight Terrorism When our new Democratic Majority was sworn in last January, the very first thing that we did was to keep America safe by passing H.R. 1, our version of an act to fully implement all of the 9-11 Commission Recommendations.  Today, that legislation returned from the House/Senate conference and we passed this historic bill that is long overdue. I urge the President to sign this bill immediately, and join us in our efforts to provide urgently needed equipment for first responders, make air travel safer, improve screening of cargo headed for U.S. ports, protect America from weapons of mass destruction, and help fight terrorism more effectively. You might recall that in July of 2004, the bipartisan 9-11 Commission submitted its recommendations to Congress on how to better protect America from terrorism.  Unfortunately, for the last two and a half years, the previous majority failed to enact most of these recommendations into law.  In fact, the 9-11 Commissioners released a National Security Report Card giving the previous Congress 5 F’s, 12 D’s, and 2 “incompletes” in categories including airline passenger screening and improving first responders' communication systems.   Our new Democratic majority made it our top priority to take urgent action to protect the American people. This conference report has strong provisions to better protect America from terrorism – ranging from ensuring that first responders have the equipment they need, to strengthening efforts to prevent WMDs from falling into terrorist hands. The bill will require 100% scanning of U.S.-bound seaborne containers before they leave foreign ports within five years, and it also requires 100% screening of cargo on passenger aircraft within three years. Our action comes on the heels of the new National Intelligence Estimate, which reported that the Al-Qaeda terrorist network has been able to restore key capabilities for launching another attack against the United States. Governor Thomas Kean, Chairman of the 9-11 Commission has stated that this 9-11 legislation “is a very big step forward.  It will make our nation safer.”  I urge the President to act quickly to sign this bill into law. Farm Bill Strengthens Family Farmers, Boosts Good Nutrition Clay Amendment to Help Urban Organic Gardeners On Friday, the House passed a five-year Farm Bill that reforms the way we support agriculture in this country.  The bill gives family farmers and ranchers the help they need and invests in a healthier food supply for our nation.  Our bill will make rural America stronger and move our nation towards energy independence. The bill also invests in improving the health and nutrition of our citizens.  It includes an amendment which I offered that would allow the Dept of Agriculture to assist eligible organizations to create organic gardens and greenhouses to produce locally grown fruits and vegetables.  These healthy foods are sometimes harder to find in older urban neighborhoods.  An urban, organic garden is a great way to encourage healthier diets, make fresh produce more affordable to neighbors, and put surplus property to good use. The legislation also includes critical provisions that support efforts to make our nation energy independent and fight global warming. The bill makes historic investment in renewable energy programs providing $2 billion in loan guarantees for the development of refineries that process renewable fuels, a key step toward bringing more renewable fuels to market in America and includes $1.5 billion for production incentives for ethanol and biodiesel made from agricultural, forest, and waste plant materials. Finally, the Farm Bill expands nutrition programs that help 35 million low-income families, including nearly doubling the funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, so that food banks, soup kitchens, and other emergency feeding sites have needed resources, and expanding the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program to all 50 states. Raising the Minimum Wage Affirms Dignity of Working People, H.R. 2 Will Lift 5.6 Americans Out of Poverty On Tuesday, I joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to commemorate the first federal minimum wage increase in a decade.  I was proud to be an original cosponsor of the legislation which represents a real victory for low-income workers who deserve to be respected.   Our bill will lift 5.6 million working Americans out of poverty.  Minorities and women make up over half of that group, including 1.4 million single working mothers.  These hard-working Americans care for the sick and elderly.  They prepare our meals.  And they clean our offices.  In most cases, they work two or three jobs, just to provide for their families. It’s been 10 years since American workers have seen an increase in the federal minimum wage—the longest increase gap in the history of the law. Over that decade, inflation has all but erased the effect of the last raise – leaving millions of families behind – with the minimum wage reaching its lowest effective level in more than half a century. The 70 cent raise that took effect on Tuesday will be followed by two more 70 cent increases annually—for a total of $2.10 an hour, or $4,400 by July 2009.    Historical data indicates that after the last minimum wage increase in 1997, the U.S. experienced the strongest economic growth in three decades.  Raising the minimum wage lifts all boats in our economy.  The new Congress has shown that we are willing to act on the critical issues that affect real Americans.  We have kept our promise on the minimum wage and we're going to continue to fight to restore fairness in this economy. Transportation – HUD Appropriations to Help More Americans Find Affordable Housing, Will Also Modernize Transportation Infrastructure One of my top priorities in Congress is expanding home ownership and helping more Americans find affordable housing, especially those with low and moderate incomes.  The newly passed HUD- Transportation appropriations moves us towards that goal by increasing investments in Section 8 Housing Vouchers, Senior Housing, Housing for the Disabled, and the Hope VI Redevelopment program.  Highlights of the bill include: Housing/Community Development Section 8 housing vouchers.  The bill provides an increase of $330 million for tenant-based vouchers and nearly $667 million for projected-based vouchers in order to renew all current Section 8 vouchers, so no one who has a tenant-based voucher will lose it.  In addition, included within this amount is $30 million for 4,000 new, targeted vouchers for homeless veterans and for non-elderly people with disabilities.  Housing for seniors.  The President proposed slashing the Section 202 housing program for low-income seniors by $160 million. This bill rejects this cut – instead providing $734.5 million, the same as 2007.  There are currently ten seniors waiting for each senior housing unit that becomes available.      Housing for people with disabilities.  The President proposed slashing Section 811 housing for people with disabilities program by $112 million.  We rejected that cut – instead providing $236.6 million, the same as 2007.  This is a vitally needed program – with a continuing inadequate supply of this type of housing.        HOPE VI Program.  Our bill rejects the short-sighted, proposed elimination o this vital program and instead provides $120 million.  On average, every federal dollar invested in a HOPE VI project generates three or four private sector dollars.  HOPE VI projects have been credited with helping transform and revitalize communities across the United States.  And they have played a critical role in the revitalization of the City of St. Louis. Community Development Block Grants.  Local communities use CDBG funds to address challenges like affordable housing and economic development.  Our bill provides $4 billion, or $228 million above the 2007 spending level.  That figure is still $400 million below funding in 2001, as the former GOP-controlled Congress has shortchanged this vital program for many years.Transportation Highway infrastructure.  The bill provides $40.2 billion to improve and maintain our nation’s aging highway infrastructure.  The increase will create almost 59,500 jobs across all sectors of the economy. Mass transit.  The bill provides $9.7 billion to fund the Federal Transit Administration.  Included within this amount is an increase of $300 million for capital investment grants, an increase which is expected to generate as many as 17,400 new jobs and yield $1.8 billion in economic benefits to state and local communities. Airport modernization, safety and efficiency grants.  Our bill provides $3.6 billion to ease congestion and prepare our nation’s airport infrastructure to handle an anticipated 1 billion passengers by 2015. FY 2008 Commerce, Justice & Science Appropriations Invests in Stronger Law Enforcement, Boost Scientific Research, Combats Global Warming The FY 2008 Commerce, Justice & Science Appropriations bill restores much needed support for Local and State Law Enforcement Agencies as they try to stem a rise in violence crime.  We also invest in scientific research to strengthen the National Science Foundation, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  America needs to recommit itself to innovation and scientific leadership.  This bill moves us in that direction.  Highlights include: Law Enforcement/Justice Department COPS.  With fresh evidence that the violent crime rate has risen for the second straight year, this bill provides $725 million, including funding for such items as:  $100 million for the COPS hiring program; $175 million for expanding DNA analysis and forensic crime lab capacity; and $85 million for beefing up enforcement in “meth hot spots,” places where meth is a serious problem. This is a huge issue for Missouri. State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP).  Our bill provides $405 million 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. Juvenile Justice.  The bill provides $400 million for juvenile justice programs, including $100 million for competitive youth mentoring grants; $81 million for delinquency prevention grants; and $60 million for Justice Accountability Block Grants. Violence Against Women.  Our bill provides $430 million to fund programs to reduce violence against women, and to strengthen services to victims of domestic abuse, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. FBI.  The bill provides $6.5 billion for the FBI, including an additional $71 million for counterterrorism and criminal investigation efforts, allowing the Bureau to hire an additional 272 agents.   Commitment to American InnovationScience.   The bill includes $28 billion for science and science education as part of the Innovation Agenda to keep America competitive in the global market. National Science Foundation.  The measure provides $80 million over the next 10 years in order to ensure the U.S maintains its position as a global leader in scientific research and technology.  This includes supports for quality math and science education including scholarships to encourage young scientists to become math and science teachers. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  The measure restores a majority of the President’s cuts and includes funds to protect the land surrounding our nation’s coasts and estuaries. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.  The bill provides $17.8 billion, including funds for scientific research in space (such as the Hubble Space Telescope,); aeronautical research; for the manned exploration in space; and for education dedicated to space. Combating Global Climate ChangeGlobal Climate Change.  Our legislation provides $1.9 billion for initiatives including:  a National Academies’ Climate Change Committee to investigate issues and make recommendations to address Global Climate Change; for advance climate change sensors at NASA (Total Solar Irradiance Sensors) and NOAA (Earth Radiation Budget Sensor) to  continue long-term climate data records essential to understanding global climate change; and an incentive program to assist businesses in new strategies to combat global warming.   Media contact is Steven Engelhardt Ishmael-Lateef Ahmad, @ 314.504.4029 or at steven.engelhardt@mail.house.gov #