[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 14, 2008)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E915-E916] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PERSONAL EXPLANATION ______ HON. STEVE COHEN of tennessee in the house of representatives Wednesday, May 14, 2008 Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to explain both my leave of absence from the House of Representatives on May 8, 2008, and how I intended to vote with respect to the legislation that was before the House on that day. I was unable to be in Washington on May 8 because I was serving as a pallbearer at the funeral of Thomas Boggs--a close friend of mine for over 30 years and an outstanding citizen of Memphis, Tennessee--at the request of his widow. While Thomas made a name for himself by rising from humble roots to become a highly successful restaurateur in Memphis, his mark on the city goes much deeper. He used his success in business to contribute generously, both in terms of his money and his time, to causes that have enriched Memphis. His contributions to the community have benefited all Memphians, and his death leaves Memphis in grief. As a reflection of how much esteem the Memphis community held him in, the Memphis Commercial-Appeal ran a front-page, above-the-fold article concerning his death, an almost unprecedented tribute. I agonized over whether I should remain in Washington to vote on the bills that the House was to consider on the day of Thomas' funeral. I take my responsibilities as a Member of Congress very seriously, particularly with respect to voting on legislation. In the end, I decided that I needed to join the rest of the Memphis community as our dear friend was eulogized and honored for one last time. Had I been able to be in Washington on May 8, I would have voted for final passage of H.R. 5818, the ``Neighborhood Stabilization Act of 2008,'' as amended. This legislation requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide loans and grants to States, metropolitan cities, and urban counties to carry out housing stimulus activities. Such activities include the purchase of or financing the purchase of foreclosed homes for resale as housing, rental of such homes, or rehabilitation of such homes. These measures are designed to ensure that neighborhoods do not deteriorate as a result of a high foreclosure rate caused by predatory lending. In short, this bill will help to mitigate some of the negative effects of the foreclosure crisis. I also would have voted in favor of agreeing to the Senate amendment, with House amendments, to H.R. 3221, the ``Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008.'' This bill helps homeowners [[Page E916]] who are in danger of losing their homes to refinance into lower-cost, government-insured mortgages they can afford to repay. It also expands affordable mortgage opportunities for families who might otherwise turn to subprime mortgages to buy a home. The bill, as amended by the House, will also expand tax benefits for homeowners and first-time home buyers. This bill, when combined with H.R. 5818, presents a comprehensive package for addressing the predatory lending and foreclosure crises that our country faces. In addition to the housing-related bills, I also would have voted in favor of H.R. 4279, the ``Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008'' (PRO-IP Act.) I am an original cosponsor of this bill and spoke in favor of its passage when it was being debated on the House floor a few days before the vote. As I noted then, this legislation makes important improvements to intellectual property law to help protect against counterfeiting and piracy, including enhanced penalties for intellectual property crimes, additional resources for law enforcement efforts at every level of government, and the creation of a new organizational framework at the Federal level to better combat international piracy and counterfeiting. This bill enjoys widespread support, and everyone from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the Teamsters supports it. I am glad that it passed with strong bipartisan support. Finally, I note that I would have voted against the Flake and Cantor Motions to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 2419, the ``Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act.'' ____________________