To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Head Start teachers the same above-the-line deduction for supplies as is allowed to elementary and secondary school teachers.

I would like to begin by thanking Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman, Africa and Global Health Subcommittee Chairman Donald Payne, and my good friend Congresswoman Diane Watson. I also would like to thank Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and Congressman Ed Royce for their constant leadership on African issues.

This year, Mr. Speaker, 17 African nations are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their independence.

1960 was an important year for those former French, British, and Italian colonies and protectorates. The triumphant march of a series of hard-fought victories that led to independence started on January 1 with the nation of Cameroon, and it ended on November 28, 1960, with the nation of Mauritania's securing its independence from France.

The resolution I am bringing to the floor today will honor the sacrifices of the founding fathers of these African nations. Little did they know then that a proud and supportive USA would today enter into our Nation's permanent history this well-deserved tribute to the thousands of unsung men and women who gave their lives based on the simple dream of freedom and on a desire to assert their self- determination over the lives that only God could give them.

We in the USA know something about that freedom and that determination.

Chief among these visionary African leaders are Amadou Ahidjo in Cameroon; Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana; Patrice Lumumba in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Leopold Senghor in Senegal; Thomas Sankara in Burkina Faso; Felix Houphouet Boigny in Cote d'Ivoire; and Julius Nyerere in Tanzania.

This resolution also commends the socioeconomic and political progress being made by these nations while acknowledging the associated challenges that many still face today. Many of these nations have become democracies and are striving to break the links to past oppressions. Men and women of good faith work tirelessly to overcome the remnants of colonialism, neocolonialism, structural adjustments, internal and regional wars, and their own bureaucratic hurdles. They also face serious challenges beyond their control, which have been exacerbated by growing threats from the global financial crisis, climate change, and terrorism.

Despite numerous challenges, many of the African nations we salute today are becoming economically, politically, and strategically important to the United States. Our Nation simply cannot afford to take Africa for granted nor can it afford to mistakenly see Africa as a desperate continent forever in need of charity from our Nation. Africa's growing economic importance is reflected in intensified efforts by China, Russia, India, Iran, and other nations which seek to gain access to Africa's vast natural resources.

Some say we may need Africa more than Africa needs us, and it is clear that many African leaders are beginning to think the same way. Both sides are mistaken. We need each other now more than ever. It is time to solidify our economic and strategic partnership.

I and others who support this resolution commend President Obama for his leadership in making our mutually beneficial partnership a reality by signing a binational commission agreement with South Africa, with Angola, and with Nigeria. We hope that the United States will soon adopt a similar strategic agreement with the entire Gulf of Guinea region.

The White House has announced that President Obama will be hosting these 17 African heads of state and a group of younger, emerging leaders within these nations at a celebration that will mark the 50th anniversary later this summer. I would like to take this opportunity to commend our President for calling this summit. It was long overdue. I hope the invitation will be extended to other African nations as well.

As Professor Paul Collier wrote in a recent article, entitled ``The Case for Investing in Africa,'' ``The continent is now growing much more rapidly than the OECD nations. It may well be on the cusp of a reversal of fortune.''

It is time to revisit our relationship with the continent of Africa and to define a more comprehensive approach.

I would encourage the administration to also establish a commission that will create a platform where human rights groups, the civil society, U.S., and African governments, financial institutions, the private sector, and the diaspora can formulate and implement a mutually beneficial and coordinated policy framework that advances democracy, economic growth, and prosperity in Africa.

It is worth noting that the U.S. has already taken several steps that underline Africa's increasing importance. Our economy and its recovery are far more dependent on Africa than we have acknowledged to date, and so, too, is our national security.

For these reasons, I urge you to vote for H.R. 1405, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of 17 African nations, recognizing that Africa is of significant strategic, political, economic, and humanitarian importance to the United States. It will renew the commitment of the United States and will help the people of the sub-Saharan Africa to foster democratic rule, to advance civic freedom, to promote market- based economic growth, and to alleviate the burden of poverty and disease that so many in the region continue to face.

This is only the first step, Mr. Speaker, to Africa's much needed transition into a global economy. However, this step is the right one as we undertake the long overdue transformation and our own approach toward Africa and our own belief in the African people and in the African continent.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1405: ``Congratulating the people of the 17 African nations that in 2010 are marking the 50th year of their national independence.'' As a cosponsor of this resolution, I am proud to acknowledge the progress made by these 17 nations as well as the other African nations that gained independence in the early 1960s. The 17 African nations that gained independence in 1960 are:

The Republic of Cameroon (January 1, 1960);

The Togolese Republic (April 27, 1960);

The Republic of Mali (June 20, 1960);

The Republic of Senegal (June 20, 1960);

The Republic of Madagascar (June 26, 1960);

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (June 30, 1960);

Somalia gained its independence on (July 1, 1960);

The Republic of Benin (August 1, 1960);

The Republic of Niger (August 3, 1960);

Burkina Faso (August 5, 1960);

The Republic of Cote d'Ivoire (August 7, 1960);

The Republic of Chad (August 11, 1960);

The Central African Republic (August 13, 1960);

The Republic of the Congo (August 15, 1960);

The Gabonese Republic (August 17, 1960);

The Federal Republic of Nigeria (October 1, 1960); and

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania (November 28, 1960)

When the nations in Africa gained independence during the 1960s and 1970s, there was an expectation that the end of colonialism would usher in a new era of representative government in which the people of these new nations could freely choose a government that represented their interests. Fifty years after independence, however, the progress of these nations has been mixed at best. In many nations, progress has failed to match expectations as the people of these new nations struggled to shed the yoke of their colonial legacies. These legacies include inorganic borders and inherited systems of patronage.

Although many African nations were dealt a difficult hand, the continent's new leaders, by in large, sought to consolidate and retain power rather than embrace political systems defined and strengthened by their diversity. Since independence, transfer of political power has consistently been a thorn in the side of side of most African nations.

Although many of the challenges of broadening and democratizing political participation in Africa rests in the hands of a few `big men,' there are also significant challenges at local levels. Today, millions of people in Africa are stateless. Some because their births were never recorded, others because they belong to the `wrong' ethnic group. Civil conflicts in Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo and numerous other countries have been fuelled if not created by pernicious citizenship policies that sever the link between certain parts of the population and the state. As rebel leader in the Ivory Coast reportedly exclaimed, ``Give us our identity cards and we hand over our Kalashnikovs.'' This, to me, captures both the tension and the stakes in play. The people of Sudan, the DRC, Guinea, and others have long since passed the point where they can afford to be at war. It is imperative that we work to end conflicts and facilitate governments that reflect the will of the people.

While we must remain vigilant in our scrutiny of those leaders who stifle democracy, we must also recognize leaders who promote democracy even if it imperils their own political position. Last summer, I visited Ghana and saw a democracy that is heading in the right direction. During the December 2008 Presidential elections, John Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) won the election in an extremely narrow victory that required a run-off with Nana Akufo-Addo of the former ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). Domestic and international observers deemed the election free and fair. Facilitating mature democracies requires us to find ways to encourage leaders to relinquish power, and I think we can improve our use of these `carrots.'

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution and renew the commitment of the United States to help the people of sub-Saharan Africa to foster democratic rule, advance civic freedom and participation, and promote market-based economic growth, and to alleviate the burden of poverty and disease that so many in the region continue to face. We must also remember to keep ``fifty years of independence'' in context. Fifty years may seem like a long time, but consider America's own history when, fifty years after independence, the country had not yet had experienced its civil war.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1405) congratulating the people of the 17 African nations that in 2010 are marking the 50th year of their national independence, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Rush for introducing this resolution that recognizes the 50th anniversary of independence for 17 African countries.

In the scramble for Africa between 1880 and the First World War, European countries extended their political and economic rule over the vast territory and resources of Africa. The colonizing powers saw this as an opportunity to continue commerce between Europe and Africa following the end of the slave trade.

At the Berlin Conference of 1884, the European powers carved up Africa among themselves to suit their demand for gold, diamonds, minerals, and spices. The age of European imperialism ravaged the human and natural resources of the African continent.

In 1941, President Roosevelt introduced the principle of the Economy of Imperial Colonies to Prime Minister Winston Churchill and started the debate over British and eventually all European imperialism. In 1957, sub-Saharan Africa's post-colonial era began with the independence of Ghana. Over the following several decades, all other African countries won their independence and joined the international community of sovereign nations.

Now, this resolution congratulates the people of the 17 African nations who celebrate their 50th year of national independence in 2010. The American people have benefited greatly from our relations with African nations during the past 50 years.

African countries remain among our strongest allies in the world. We enjoy strong economic and political ties with many African countries, and we are the beneficiaries of strong cultural and social ties to Africa's people.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this important resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois, Bobby L. Rush.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 1405, a resolution celebrating 50 Years of African Independence. The seventeen African countries celebrating their political independence are: Cameroon, Togo, Mali, Senegal, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad, Central Africa Republic, Congo, Gabon, Nigeria and Mauritania.

This resolution is important because democratic principles have flourished in many African countries over the past decade. Indeed, more than two-thirds of sub-Saharan African countries have held democratic elections since 2000. Moreover, several nations, from Senegal to Tanzania, and from Ghana to Zambia have seen successful power changes over the past decade. The Unites States Department of State has expressed its commitment to supporting African efforts to fortify government accountability and overall good governance, which is crucial to the continent's future growth and global influence.

The resolution commends the socio-economic and political progress being made by African countries, while acknowledging the associated challenges that many still face. According to a June 2010 McKinsey Global Institute report entitled `Lions on the Move: The Progress and Potential of African Economies,' over the past decade ``Africa's economic pulse has quickened, infusing the continent with new commercial vibrancy.'' Africa's combined consumer spending in 2008 was $860 billion, and America is committed to partnering with African nations to foster economic development, entrepreneurship and trade in the continent.

Kofi Annan, Chair of the Africa Progress Panel (APP) recently noted that `Africa's future is in its own hands, but that success in managing its own affairs depends on supportive global policies and agreements.' H. Res. 1405 comes at a time when the world is taking notice of Africa's great progress in recent years and it reaffirms the United States' commitment to growth and prosperity in Africa.

I commend the House for passing this important resolution.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Resolution 1405, congratulating the people of 17 African nations on 50 years of independence and recognizing the importance of Africa to the United States.

Fifty years ago, 17 African nations threw off the yoke of colonialism and established themselves as independent nations. Unfortunately, the past half century has been anything but peaceful or joyful for all too many of these states.

Only two of the 17 nations we celebrate today--Mali and Benin--are considered to be free. One, Somalia, is virtually a collapsed state, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a brutal civil war that continues in the east has claimed millions of lives and has spawned some of the worst human rights atrocities known to man. Yet there have been some successes, Mr. Speaker.

African economies are growing at rates reminiscent of the great Asian tigers. Citizens are becoming increasingly aware of their rights and are demanding a greater stake in their economic and political futures, demanding accountability and driving the ``Big Men of Africa'' from office. Still, in Africa, independence has proven to be a necessary but insufficient condition for freedom.

At a battlefield in Gettysburg, the great Abraham Lincoln honored the fallen by stating, ``We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain--that this Nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.''

So, Mr. Speaker, on this 50th anniversary of independence for no less than 17 African nations, we stand in solidarity with the people who won their independence but who continue in their struggle for freedom.

I urge my colleagues to support this timely and important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.