Expressing the sense of Congress that there should be established a Caribbean-American Heritage Month.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for 5 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Caribbean American community in honor of the first-ever National Caribbean American Heritage Month.

On June 27, 2005, the House unanimously adopted H. Con. Res. 71, my resolution to declare June National Caribbean American Heritage Month. On February 14, 2006, the Senate followed suit, thanks to the work of Senator Schumer of New York and Arielle Goren on his staff.

And let me begin by recognizing the many people who helped realize this 2-year bipartisan, bicameral effort, because this was quite a feat. First, I want to recognize our colleague, a great leader on so many issues and especially on health care, Congresswoman Donna Christensen from the Caribbean, who has been tremendous in terms of bringing us together to address the issues of health disparities throughout our country and throughout the world.

Also, I would like to thank the Institute of Caribbean Studies, especially Dr. Claire Nelson and her team, for joining us in this effort from the very beginning.

Also, we must recognize our friends from the Caribbean diplomatic corps, who worked so hard to spread the word about this effort both at home in the Caribbean and in their embassies and consulates across the country.

There are so many Members of Congress who supported this effort. In addition to early support from my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus and friends of the Caribbean Task Force, the former chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Representative Cass Ballenger, was the first Republican to endorse this bill, and his successor, Chairman Dan Burton, was one of the first to help urge the President to issue an official proclamation.

This was truly a bipartisan effort, with, of course, our chairman Mr. Hyde of the International Relations Committee and our ranking member Mr. Lantos, who lent their very strong support.

And, of course, we never would have done any of this without our staff. First, let me commend and thank my staff person Jamila Thompson for her leadership and for her commitment to not only this issue and this bill, but for so many of the efforts that she mounts. She has roots in the Bahamas, and she understands the importance of recognizing Caribbean Americans and their proper role and proper recognition in our country.

Also, we had many staff members, Ted Brennan, Jack Scharfen, Paul Oostburg, Dan Getz, and Mark Walker. They all worked in a bipartisan way to make this a reality and really to realize this dream for many, many people.

The Government Reform Committee, Chairman Tom Davis, and our Ranking Member Henry Waxman. They applauded the passage of this resolution last year and were instrumental in its passage.

And, of course, in the final weeks before the proclamation was issued by the White House, a coalition was formed that was very instrumental in urging the White House to officially declare June National Caribbean-American Heritage Month. This coalition included Senator Mel Martinez from Florida, Ambassador Tom Shannon, State Department's Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, and Brian Nichols of his staff.

And the Caribbean American community was very active around this effort. It could not have been done without them. From Glenn Joseph and John Felix in Florida; to Jean Alexander and Horace Morancie, Anthony Carter, and so many others in New York; to Shorron Levy in California, this became, quite frankly, an international grass-roots effort. It was really an exercise in democracy. So I am pleased that on June 5, the President responded by officially declaring June National Caribbean American Heritage Month.

And let me also say that we know the Caribbean is as racially diverse and ethnically and religiously diverse as the United States. We have some phenomenal spokespersons who are traveling throughout the country, like Sheryl Lee Ralph and basketball legend Rick Fox. Sheryl Lee Ralph is a woman of Caribbean descent from Jamaica actually, and is a great actress as well. Her voice on HIV and AIDS, as well as promoting and spreading the word about Caribbean American Heritage Month, will be very valuable in terms of making sure that our entire country knows about the phenomenal contributions of Caribbean Americans.

On a very personal level, my relationship with persons of Caribbean descent began with the late great former member of this body, the first African American woman elected to Congress, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. I worked as a volunteer in her historic 1972 Presidential campaign. As a woman of Barbadian and Guyanese descent, Congresswoman Chisholm never forgot her roots and connections to the Caribbean. Her work, whether it was fighting for equal access to education in the United States Congress or Haitian refugees in detention camps, her commitment always stemmed from her faith and her strong Caribbean values.

When the United States-Caribbean relations began to deteriorate over the war in Iraq, the coups in Haiti, and the Cuban embargo, I knew that we needed to go back and really recognize our deep and strong relations with the Caribbean. So we need to send a message of goodwill to the Caribbean American community. So soon we will be introducing the Shirley Chisholm Caribbean Educational Exchange Act of 2006 to provide existing and expanded educational exchanges between our country and the Caribbean.

Who Supports the Caribbean-American Heritage Month Effort?

The Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and CARICOM Foreign

Ministers included the following statement in their joint

press release issued at the conclusion of the US-CARICOM

Ministerial Meeting held in The Bahamas in March 2006:

``The Ministers and the Secretary of State welcomed the

recent resolution of the U.S. Congress to commemorate

Caribbean American Heritage Month in June. The resolution is

a recognition of the deep and lasting human ties that bind

the United States and the Caribbean.''

This bi-partisan effort to create a National Caribbean-

American Heritage Month is supported by Ambassador Albert

Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of

American States, the Caucus of CARICOM Ambassadors in

Washington, DC and the following organizations:

The Institute for Caribbean Studies, DC; Caribbean-Central

American Action, DC; Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce

of Florida, Inc.; The West Indian American Day Carnival

Association, NY; Caribbean-American Cultural Association,

Inc. of North America (CACANA), FL; Caribbean-American Center

of New York; Conference of Heads of Caribbean Organizations

of Central Florida; TnT International, Inc.; The Caribbean

American Chamber of Commerce and Industry--Greater Washington

Area Network; South Florida Caribbean Diaspora Task Force;

Trinidad & Tobago Working Women's Committee, DC; Caribbean

Association of World Bank Group and IMF Staff, DC; Caribbean

American Chamber Commerce and Industry, Inc. (CACCI), NY;

Global Exchange, CA; Caribbean Peoples International

Collective, NY (CPIC); The St. Lucia Nationals Association;

Dominica Academy of Arts & Sciences, DC; Metro Atlanta

Caribbean Cultural Arts Centre, Inc. (MACCA); The Washington

Office on Latin America (WOLA); The Caribbean Voice, NY;

Northern California Caribbean American Heritage Month

Committee; Central Florida's Caribbean Sun Newspaper; The

Guyanese Society of St. Louis; The Caribbean Club in Mount

Vernon, NY; Caribbean Professional Networking Series, DC;

Caribbean World Arts & Culture, Inc.; St. Kitts and Nevis

Association of Metropolitan Washington; The West Indian

Social Club of Hartford, Inc.; The Inter-American Economic

Council; Sunrise Symphony Steelpan Corporation; Barbados

Assoc. of Central Florida; Jamaican American Association of

Central Florida; Grenadian-American Educational and Cultural

Organization of Central Florida, Inc.; Caribbean and

Floridian Association, Inc. (CAFA); Guyanese American

Cultural Association of Central Florida; Orlando Carnival

Association, Inc.; Alliance of Guyanese Expatriates of

Central Florida; Caribbean Students' Association at the

University of Central Florida; Jamaican/American Partners in

Education, GA; Central Florida Cricket League; Caribbean Bar

Association (Central Florida Chapter); Antigua and Barbuda

Association of Central Florida; Association of Asian Cultural

Festivals, Inc.; Caribbean Community Connection of Orlando,

Inc.; Trinidad & Tobago Association of Central Florida;

Suriname American Network; Haitian American Support Group of

Central Florida, Inc.; Caribbean-Guyana Institute for

Democracy; The Indo-Caribbean Council, NY; The Haitian

American Historical Society, FL; Caribbean American

Intercultural Organization; Sistas-With Style, CA; Dominican

American National Roundtable, DC; West Indian Social Club of

Hartford, Inc.; Caribbean American Society of Hartford; The

Ballentine Group; Jamaica Progressive League; St. Lucian

American Society of Hartford. Mico Alumni Association Inc.;

Guyanese American Cultural Association; Connecticut Haitian

American Organization, Inc.; Barbados American Society of

Hartford; Sportsmen Athletic Club & Cricket Hall of Fame;

Cultural Dance Troupe of the West Indies; Trinidad and Tobago

Steel Symphony; Jamaica Ex-Policeman Association of

Connecticut; West Indian American Newspaper; Center for Urban

& Caribbean Research; CAYASCO, Inc.; Martin Luther King Jr.

Soccer League; Morancie Family Reunion, Inc., NY; Tropical

Paradise Restaurant and Juice Bar, NY; Jamaica Nationals

Association, DC; Medgar Evers College, NY; Carriacou

Charitable Health Services, Inc., NY; The Caribbean World

News Network, NY; The Shirley Chisholm Cultural Institute for

Children, Inc., DC; Caribbean Research Center, NY; Montserrat

Progressive Society of NY, Inc.; The Georgia Caribbean-

American Heritage Month Planning Committee, GA; Ainsley Gill

& Associates LLC, DC; SOCA Warriors United, NY; The Black

Diaspora, NY; Sunrise Symphony Steelpan Orchestra, Inc., NY;

Gloria's In & Out Restaurant, NY; Virgin Islands Association,

DC; CCB International, Inc., NJ; TATUCA, NY; Callaloo

Magazine, NY; Department of African American Studies, Ohio

University; Hannah's Place International, NY; Guyana Folk

Festival, DC; Caribbean Sunshine Awards, NJ; Trinidad and

Tobago Business Association, Inc., NY; RAJHUMARI Center for

Indo-Caribbean Arts & Culture, NY; Mauby Media Services, NY;

Merrymakers Cultural Association, NY; Caribbean People's

Association, NJ; Trin-American Social & Cultural Association,

DC; Trinidadian and Tobagonians Inc., NY; Gasparillo Group,

NY; Trinidad and Tobago Association of Washington, MA;

Caribbean Journal, NY; St. Anthony's Spiritual Baptist

Church, PA; Friends of the Caribbean, Inc., DC; The

International Consortium of Caribbean Professionals (ICCP);

Tropicalfete.com, NY; St. Louis-Georgetown Sisters Cities

Committee, MO; Virgin Islands Association of the District of

Columbia (VIA); Patterson Dental Clinic, NJ; Barbados

American Society of Hartford, Inc.; TransAfrica Forum, DC;

Caribbean-African-American Hotline, Ads, News, Gospel &

Global Events (411XCHANGE), NY; Belizean Information &

Services International, NY; St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Nationals Association of Washington, DC; eCaroh Caribbean

Emporium, MA; Caribbean American Weekly (CAW), NY; Council of

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations U.S.A., Inc.,

NY; St. Vincent Benevolent Association; Bequia United

Progressive Organization, Inc.; Chateaubelair Development

Organization; Club St. Vincent, Inc.; Canouan United Social

Organization, Inc.; Friends of the St. Vincent Grammar

School; Girls High School Alumnae; Hairoun Sports Club; St.

Vincent and the Grenadines Humanitarian Organization; Mas

Productions Unlimited; Striders Social and Cultural

Organization; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Police

Association; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Teachers

Association; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses

Association; United Vincie Cultural Group of Brooklyn;

Concerned Americans for Racial Equality, NY; Benevolent

Missions of Atlanta, Inc. (BMA); Barbados Association of

Greater Houston; Bahamian Junkanoo Association of

Metropolitan DC.

H. Con. Res. 71 cosponsors (81) during the 109th Congress

Reps. Becerra, Berkley, Berman, S. Bishop, C. Brown, S.

Brown, Bordallo, Burton*, Butterfield, Capuano, Carson,

Christensen, W.L. Clay, Clyburn, Conyers, Crowley, Cummings,

D. Davis, J. Davis, Delahunt, Engel, Faleomavaega, Farr,

Fattah, Feeney, Ford, Fortuno. B. Frank, A. Green, Grijalva,

Gutierrez, A. Hastings, Honda, Jackson-Lee, Jefferson, E. B.

Johnson, Tubbs Jones, Kaptur, Kilpatrick, Kucinich, Kuhl,

Lantos, Lewis, Lofgren, Maloney, McCarthy, McDermott,

McGovern, McKinney, McCollum, Meek, Meeks, Menendez,

Millender-McDonald, G. Moore, Nadler, Napolitano, Norton,

Owens, Pallone, Payne, Rangel, Rush, T. Ryan, Serrano, D.

Scott, Schakowsky, Shimkus, Slaughter, Solis, B. Thompson,

Towns, Van Hollen, Velazquez, Waters, Watt, Weiner, Wexler,

Woolsey, Wynn

H. Res. 570 Co-Sponsors during the 108th Congress (65)

Reps. Payne, Ney, Christensen, Ballenger, Owens, Rangel,

Serrano, Hastings (FL), Tubbs Jones, McDermott, Meek (FL),

Clyburn, Capuano, Watt, Lewis, A. Davis, B. Scott, S. Bishop,

B. Thompson, Norton, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Waters, Cummings,

Kilpatrick, Rush, Lofgren, Towns, Grijalva, D. Scott,

Majette, Weiner, Meeks (NY), Acevedo-Vila, Conyers, Kucinich,

Wynn, Jackson-Lee, Sweeney, Berman, Delahunt, Woolsey,

Feeney, Shimkus, Van Hollen, Engel, Deutsch, Watson,

Ballance, Menendez, Berkley, Jefferson, Ruppersberger,

Lantos, Maloney, Israel, Maloney, Gonzalez, Lacy Clay,

Wexler, Ros-Lehtinen, Ford, Jackson, Millender-McDonald, C.

Brown, D. Moore.

*Republicans are italicized.

Caribbean-American Heritage Month, 2006--By the President of the United

States of America--A Proclamation

During Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we celebrate the

great contributions of Caribbean Americans to the fabric of

our Nation, and we pay tribute to the common culture and

bonds of friendship that unite the United States and the

Caribbean countries.

Our Nation has thrived as a country of immigrants, and we

are more vibrant and hopeful because of the talent, faith,

and values of Caribbean Americans. For centuries, Caribbean

Americans have enriched our society and added to the strength

of America. They have been leaders in government, sports,

entertainment, the arts, and many other fields.

During the month of June, we also honor the friendship

between the United States and the Caribbean countries. We are

united by our common values and shared history, and I join

all Americans in celebrating the rich Caribbean heritage and

the many ways in which Caribbean Americans have helped shape

this Nation.

Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United

States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by

the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby

proclaim June 2006 as Caribbean-American Heritage Month. I

encourage all Americans to learn more about the history of

Caribbean Americans and their contributions to our Nation.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth

day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of

the Independence of the United States of America the two

hundred and thirtieth.

George W. Bush.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Caribbean American community in honor of the first-ever National Caribbean American Heritage Month.

On June 27, 2005, the House unanimously adopted H. Con. Res. 71, my resolution to declare June National Caribbean American Heritage Month. On February 14, 2006, the Senate followed suit, thanks to the work of Senator Schumer of New York and Arielle Goren on his staff.

And let me begin by recognizing the many people who helped realize this 2-year bipartisan, bicameral effort, because this was quite a feat. First, I want to recognize our colleague, a great leader on so many issues and especially on health care, Congresswoman Donna Christensen from the Caribbean, who has been tremendous in terms of bringing us together to address the issues of health disparities throughout our country and throughout the world.

Also, I would like to thank the Institute of Caribbean Studies, especially Dr. Claire Nelson and her team, for joining us in this effort from the very beginning.

And we must recognize our friends from the Caribbean diplomatic corps, who worked so hard to spread the word about this effort both at home in the Caribbean and in their embassies and consulates across the country.

There are many Members of Congress who supported this effort. In addition to early support from my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus and Friends of the Caribbean Task Force, the former chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Representative Cass Ballenger, was the first Republican to endorse this bill, and his successor, Chairman Dan Burton, was one of the first to help urge the President to issue an official proclamation.

This was truly a bipartisan effort, with, of course, our chairman Mr. Hyde of the International Relations Committee and our ranking member Mr. Lantos, who lent their very strong support.

And, of course, we never would have done any of this without our staff. First, let me commend and thank my staff person Jamila Thompson for her leadership and for her commitment to not only this issue and this bill, but for so many of the efforts that she mounts. She has roots in the Bahamas, and she understands the importance of recognizing Caribbean Americans and their proper role and proper recognition in our country.

Also, we had many other House staff members--Ted Brennan, Jack Scharfen, Paul Oostburg, Dan Getz, Mark Walker, and Michael Layman--who worked in a bipartisan way to make this a reality and really to realize this dream for many, many people.

The Government Reform Committee, Chairman Tom Davis, and our Ranking Member Henry Waxman applauded the passage of this resolution last year and were instrumental in its passage.

And, of course, in the final weeks before the proclamation was issued by the White House, a coalition was formed that was very instrumental in urging the White House to officially declare June National Caribbean-American Heritage Month. This coalition included Senator Mel Martinez from Florida, Ambassador Tom Shannon, State Department's Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, and Brian Nichols of his staff.

And the Caribbean American community was very active around this effort. It could not have been done without them. From Glenn Joseph and John Felix in Florida; to Jean Alexander, Horace Morancie, and Anthony Carter in New York; to Shorron Levy in California and so many others across the country, this became, quite frankly, an international grass- roots effort.

So I am pleased that on June 5, the President responded by officially declaring June National Caribbean American Heritage Month.

We have some phenomenal spokespersons Sheryl Lee Ralph and basketball legend Rick Fox, who are traveling throughout the country.

Sheryl Lee Ralph is a woman of Caribbean descent from Jamaica actually, and is a great actress as well. Her voice on HIV and AIDS, as well as promoting and spreading the word about Caribbean American Heritage Month, will be very valuable in terms of making sure that our entire country knows about the phenomenal contributions of Caribbean Americans.

On a very personal level, my relationship with persons of Caribbean descent began with the late great former member of this body, the first African American woman elected to Congress, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. I worked as a volunteer in her historic 1972 Presidential campaign. As a woman of Barbadian and Guyanese descent, Congresswoman Chisholm never forgot her roots and connections to the Caribbean. Her work, whether it was fighting for equal access to education in the United States Congress or Haitian refugees in detention camps, her commitment always stemmed from her faith and her strong Caribbean values.

When the United States-Caribbean relations began to deteriorate over the war in Iraq, the coups in Haiti, and the Cuban embargo, I knew that we needed to go back and really recognize our deep and strong relations with the Caribbean. So we need to send a message of goodwill to the Caribbean American community.

Soon I will be introducing the Shirley Chisholm Caribbean Educational Exchange Act of 2006 to provide existing and expanded educational exchanges between our country and the Caribbean.

This legislation has two components:

First it supports and expands existing primary and secondary training programs currently operating in the Caribbean.

And second it establishes the Shirley Chisholm Educational Exchange program structure for U.S. and Caribbean high school, undergraduate and graduate students, and professional scholars.

I would like to close by reminding those here in Congress and others watching at home that during Caribbean-American Heritage Month, each of us should look to the past and to the future in recognizing the strong role of the Caribbean and the Caribbean-American community in United States history.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. This process was really an exercise in democracy, and I ask unanimous consent to insert into the Congressional Record a list of organizations from across the country that supported this effort:

The Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and CARICOM Foreign Ministers included the following statement in their joint press release issued at the conclusion of the US-CARICOM Ministerial Meeting held in The Bahamas in March 2006:

``The Ministers and the Secretary of State welcomed the recent resolution of the U.S. Congress to commemorate Caribbean American Heritage Month in June. The resolution is a recognition of the deep and lasting human ties that bind the United States and the Caribbean.''

This bi-partisan effort to create a National Caribbean-American Heritage Month is supported by Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States, the Caucus of CARICOM Ambassadors in Washington, DC, and the following organizations:

The Institute for Caribbean Studies, DC; Caribbean-Central American Action, DC; Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce of Florida, Inc.; The West Indian American Day Carnival Association, NY; Caribbean- American Cultural Association, Inc. of North America (CACANA), FL; Caribbean-American Center of New York; Conference of Heads of Caribbean Organizations of Central Florida; TnT International, Inc.; The Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry--Greater Washington Area Network; South Florida Caribbean Diaspora Task Force; Trinidad & Tobago Working Women's Committee, DC; Caribbean Association of World Bank Group and IMP Staff, DC; Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (CACCI), NY; Global Exchange, CA; Caribbean Peoples International Collective, NY (CPIC); The St. Lucia Nationals Association; Andrea M. Ewart, P.C.; Dominica Academy of Arts & Sciences, DC; Metro Atlanta Caribbean Cultural Arts Centre, Inc. (MACCA); The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); The Caribbean Voice, NY; Northern California Caribbean American Heritage Month Committee; Central Florida's Caribbean Sun Newspaper; The Guyanese Society of St. Louis; The Caribbean Club in Mount Vernon, NY; Caribbean Professional Networking Series, DC; Caribbean World Arts & Culture, Inc.; St. Kitts and Nevis Association of Metropolitan Washington; The West Indian Social Club of Hartford. Inc.; The Inter-American Economic Council; Sunrise Symphony Steelpan Corporation; Barbados Assoc. of Central Florida; Jamaican American Association of Central Florida; Grenadian-American Educational and Cultural Organization of Central Florida, Inc.; Caribbean and Floridian Association, Inc. (CAFA); Guyanese American Cultural Association of Central Florida; Orlando Carnival Association, Inc.; Alliance of Guyanese Expatriates of Central Florida; Caribbean Students' Association at the University of Central Florida; Jamaican/American Partners in Education, GA; Central Florida Cricket League; Caribbean Bar Association (Central Florida Chapter); Antigua and Barbuda Association of Central Florida; Association of Asian Cultural Festivals, Inc.; Caribbean Community Connection of Orlando, Inc.; Trinidad & Tobago Association of Central Florida; Suriname American Network; Haitian American Support Group of Central Florida, Inc.; Caribbean-Guyana Institute for Democracy; The Indo- Caribbean Council, NY; The Haitian American Historical Society, FL; Caribbean American Intercultural Organization; Sistas-With Style, CA; Dominican American National Roundtable, DC; West Indian Social Club of Hartford, Inc.; Caribbean American Society of Hartford; The Ballentine Group; Jamaica Progressive League; St. Lucian American Society of Hartford; Mico Alumni Association Inc.; Guyanese American Cultural Association; Connecticut Haitian American Organization, Inc.; Barbados American Society of Hartford; Sportsmen Athletic Club & Cricket Hall of Fame; Cultural Dance Troupe of the West Indies; Trinidad and Tobago Steel Symphony; Jamaica Ex-Policeman Association of Connecticut; West Indian American Newspaper; Center for Urban & Caribbean Research; CAYASCO, Inc.; Martin Luther King Jr. Soccer League; Morancie Family Reunion, Inc., NY; Tropical Paradise Restaurant and Juice Bar, NY; Jamaica Nationals Association, DC; Medgar Evers College, NY; Carriacou Charitable Health Services, Inc., NY; The Caribbean World News Network, NY; The Shirley Chisholm Cultural Institute for Children, Inc., DC; Caribbean Research Center, NY; Montserrat Progressive Society of NY, Inc.; The Georgia Caribbean-American Heritage Month Planning Committee, GA; Ainsley Gill & Associates LLC, DC; SOCA Warriors United, NY; The Black Diaspora, NY; Sunrise Symphony Steelpan Orchestra, Inc., NY; Gloria's In & Out Restaurant, NY; Virgin Islands Association, DC; CCB International, Inc., NJ; TATUCA, NY; Callaloo Magazine, NY; Department of African American Studies, Ohio University; Hannah's Place International, NY; Guyana Folk Festival, DC; Caribbean Sunshine Awards, NJ; Trinidad and Tobago Business Association, Inc., NY; RAJHUMARI Center for Indo-Caribbean Arts & Culture, NY; Mauby Media Services, NY; Merrymakers Cultural Association, NY; Caribbean People's Association, NJ; Trin-American Social & Cultural Association, DC; Trinidadian and Tobagonians Inc., NY; Gasparillo Group, NY; Trinidad and Tobago Association of Washington, MA; Caribbean Journal, NY; St. Anthony's Spiritual Baptist Church, PA; Friends of the Caribbean, Inc., DC; The International Consortium of Caribbean Professionals (ICCP); Tropicalfete.com, NY; St. Louis-Georgetown Sisters Cities Committee, MO; Virgin Islands Association of the District of Columbia (VIA); Patterson Dental Clinic, NJ; Barbados American Society of Hartford, Inc.; TransAfrica Forum, DC; Caribbean-African-American Hotline, Ads, News, Gospel & Global Events (411XCHANGE), NY; Belizean Information & Services International, NY; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nationals Association of Washington, DC; eCaroh Caribbean Emporium, MA; Caribbean American Weekly (CAW), NY; Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations U.S.A., Inc., NY; St. Vincent Benevolent Association; Bequia United Progressive Organization, Inc.; Chateaubelair Development Organization; Club St. Vincent, Inc.; Canouan United Social Organization, Inc.; Friends of the St. Vincent Grammar School; Girls High School Alumnae; Hairoun Sports Club; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Humanitarian Organization; Mas Productions Unlimited; Striders Social and Cultural Organization; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Police Association; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ex- Teachers Association; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses Association; United Vincie Cultural Group of Brooklyn; Concerned Americans for Racial Equality, NY; Benevolent Missions of Atlanta, Inc. (BMA); Barbados Association of Greater Houston; Bahamian Junkanoo Association of Metropolitan DC.; The National Coalition on Caribbean Affairs (NCOCA), MD.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 71, to provide for the establishment of a Caribbean-American Heritage Month. Congresswoman Lee's resolution represents a nonpartisan appeal to honor the millions of Caribbean-Americans who have contributed greatly to the social, political, and economic life of the United States. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this legislation, and urge my fellow colleagues to lend their support to this important measure.

Caribbean Americans are becoming an increasingly integral part of the American fabric. Though the total Caribbean-American population is approximately 3 million, the Department of Homeland Security estimates 4 million Caribbean people have immigrated to the United States since the 1820s. As a representative of New York City, where Caribbean Americans account for over 25% of the population, I can attest first- hand to the size and impact of this community.

Many Americans do not know the extent of the Caribbean-American contribution to the United States. Indeed, the Capitol Building in which we stand today was designed by a man from the British Virgin Islands. Alexander Hamilton, one of our country's founding fathers and the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury was from the Caribbean island of Nevis.

The founder of Chicago, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, was born in Haiti, and Shirley Chisolm, the first African American woman elected to Congress, was also of Caribbean ancestry. Colin Powell, the first African American Secretary of State, is of Jamaican heritage. One could go on and on with the names of Caribbean Americans who have made significant contributions to our history and society, and that just serves to validate why this resolution is long overdue.

In addition to their contribution inside the U.S., individuals of Caribbean descent have contributed directly to the United States even when they did not actually reside in the country. Many are not aware that the United States utilized the skill and labor of thousands of English speaking Caribbean workers in the construction of the Panama Canal in the early 1900s. So large was this group that many of their descendants remain in Panama, and throughout Central America, to this day. The immense contribution that the Canal has made to the American economy, and global trade in general, serves as another reminder of what people of Caribbean decent have given to our country.

Caribbean-Americans also help to maintain the economic vitality of the region. As we all know the United States provides significant financial assistance to the Caribbean. However, this amount is dwarfed by the $1.6 billion that Caribbean Americans send to the region in the form of remittances to family members. This is needed more than ever as the nations of the Caribbean continue to face many obstacles related to their small economies, and frequent natural disasters.

As we reflect on the contributions of the Caribbean community, there is much that we can learn from them. The Caribbean is quite arguably the most diverse region in the Western Hemisphere. With a population consisting of Asians, East Indians, Africans, Europeans, Native Americans, and even Middle Easterners, the Caribbean has thrived in its diversity, and Caribbean Americans have brought this culture of tolerance and inclusion with

them as they have integrated into American society.

As we now find ourselves with the passage of this resolution appropriately recognizing the Caribbean American community, I find it appropriate to point out a little-known, but ironic, fact. The first country to recognize the fledging United States in 1776 was the Caribbean island of St. Eustatius. At a time when the odds where stacked against our Nation, the Caribbean was the first to extend the hand of friendship. Now we have the opportunity to return the favor with H. Con. Res. 71. I thank the gentlewomen from California for her introduction of this resolution, and I am confident that my colleagues will follow her lead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 71, expressing the sense of Congress that there should be established a Caribbean-American Heritage Month and urge my colleagues to support its adoption. As a Caribbean-American myself, it gives me great pride to have been an original cosponsor of this resolution as well as to see it on the verge of passage in the House.

Mr. Speaker, the contributions of the people and islands of the Caribbean in the fields of sports, entertainment, politics and culture in the 20th century alone more than makes this resolution worthwhile.

In the fight for emancipation and liberation, my fellow Virgin Islander Edward Blyden, along with George Padmore, Marcus Garvey and Claude McKay were among the first West Indian Americans to become well known and well respected in the African American's struggle for racial equality.

Other famous West Indian Americans include former U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm; Franklin Thomas, former head of the Ford Foundation; Federal Judge Constance Baker Motley, the first black woman appointed to the Federal Judiciary; activists Stokely Carmichael--Kwarne Toure-- Roy Innis, Malcolm X and Louis Farrakhan; world renowned actor Sidney Poitier; civil rights activist and singer, Harry Belafonte; Earl Greaves, philanthropist, businessman and publisher of Black Enterprise; and now Colin Powell the first black U.S. Secretary of State, have all made impressive contributions on behalf of African Americans.

Mr. Speaker, the small nations of the Caribbean wield a cultural influence that has spread to the remote comers of the world. Our culture, notably the music--calypso, reggae, Afro-Cuban and their derivatives--which was created by-and-Iarge by a people who long considered themselves marginalized, has spread far and wide and enjoys unheard of popularity today.

But more than just our musical influence, Nobel prizes for literature have gone to poets St. Jean Perse of Guadeloupe and Derek Walcott of St. Lucia from among a number of highly regarded Caribbean writers. Moreover, internationally admired painters Wifredo Lam of Cuba and Leroy Clarke of Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti's ``naive'' artists took inspiration from a complex cosmology born from West African religions and Christianity. And Trinidad and Tobago's carnival was the basis for the breathtaking costumed parades designed by Peter Minshall of Guyana and Trinidad for the Barcelona, Atlanta and Salt Lake City Olympics.

Mr. Speaker, it is indeed fitting and proper that we honor the contributions of the people of the Caribbean to our history and culture. Indeed, if providence had not made it possible for our founding father Alexander Hamilton to travel to New York from my home island of St. Croix to further his education, we might not be celebrating the founding of this Nation next week and instead have remained a colony of the United Kingdom even today.

I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of H. Con. Res. 71.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 71) expressing the sense of Congress that there should be established a Caribbean-American Heritage Month.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the concurrent resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Government Reform, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 71, a resolution that recognizes the Caribbean-American community. This is a meaningful resolution to many Americans of Caribbean heritage, and I trust my colleagues will join me in support.

Mr. Speaker, America and the islands of the Caribbean have been eternal neighbors, and our pasts and futures are inexorably connected. The first permanent European settlement in the Caribbean was established by Spain on Hispaniola, the island that is now Haiti and the Dominican Republic, in 1496. The first native Caribbean people came to mainland North America as indentured servants at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619.

Since the birth of our Nation, the United States has greatly benefited from the contributions of those of Caribbean descent. From Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, and founder of the First Bank of the United States, who was born on the island of Nevis, through Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was born to Jamaican immigrants, Caribbean-Americans have impacted all aspects of our Nation in tremendous ways.

Mr. Speaker, without question America greatly values its Caribbean- American population. This concurrent resolution is one important way that Congress can express its appreciation of the patriotism and honor of Caribbean-Americans. In addition, the United States Government enjoys great relationships with many island countries in the Caribbean as we work together on many issues including drug trafficking and trafficking in persons.

This concurrent resolution enjoys strong bipartisan support, of course, of the Caribbean-American Cultural Association and the Caribbean Diaspora Empowerment Foundation, not to mention the 81 cosponsors here in the House. I support the concurrent resolution as well.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support House Concurrent Resolution 71, and I yield back the balance of my time.