Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise this evening to offer my condolences to the family of our beloved Juanita Millender-McDonald, to her husband, Jim, to her children, to her grandchildren, her sisters, and to her entire family. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this most difficult time.

I am reminded of the very many moments we shared together and how precious and fun and engaging they were. I met Juanita over the telephone when I called to congratulate her for, as the underdog, winning the primary for the California Assembly in 1993 where I was then serving.

Even in that first phone conversation, she conveyed such a strong sense of purpose and focus, yet a deep message of sisterhood and optimism about the future. Of course, Juanita won the general election and came to the California legislature where she demonstrated her keen intellect and her bipartisan legislative abilities as Chair of the Revenue and Taxation Committee and as Chair of the Assembly Insurance Committee.

Juanita, her husband, Jim, and her sister participated in a delegation which I organized to five countries in Africa. Her commitment to the continent and to diplomacy was recognized by all.

Juanita, though, recognized the challenges which I personally faced as the organizer and leader of a delegation, most of whose members had never been to Africa. In the most sensitive and loving manner, she presented me with a beautiful Nambian wallet and passport carrier to shore me up and to help me out, and I carry it to this day. You know it was beautiful and well-made. Juanita had a keen sense of style, if you remember how beautiful and elegant Juanita was always dressed.

She was a woman of distinction and class which brought her many compliments, but she was also a woman of substance, with a keen intellect, big heart and a passionate sense of justice.

She worked on many issues relating to the empowerment of women, HIV/ AIDS, orphans, a host of issues which history will record as improving the lives of millions. Her annual AIDS walk was a source of pride and joy as she shared with us the dos and the don'ts on how to put our own together so we could replicate her success in our own communities.

Juanita was a giving person who shared her wisdom with her friends and colleagues, and I will always remember her actions during the Bill Clinton impeachment era where she organized a group of women to go to the White House and meet with Mrs. Clinton in a show of support. It was moments like these when you knew you were in the presence of a risk- taker and a giant of a woman.

Juanita was a loving wife and mother and grandmother and sister. Oftentimes she brought her beautiful grandchildren to the House floor to give them a sense of her work and a sense of Congress, and to show them off. I am deeply grateful to Juanita and to her family.

As the Scriptures say, well done, thy good and faithful servant.

Mr. Speaker, in 2 days we will once again celebrate Earth Day, and this year's theme is a call to action on climate change.

Since the last Earth Day in 2006, a number of important events have taken place that have dramatically raised awareness on the important issue of climate change. Two groundbreaking reports left no doubt that human beings are responsible for global warming.

My home State of California passed landmark legislation to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. A group of major businesses and leading climate and environmental groups joined forces for the first time to launch the Climate Action Partnership and lobby for Federal regulations of greenhouse gases.

Al Gore won an Oscar for his powerful documentary on global warming, ``An Inconvenient Truth.''

The Department of the Interior proposed listing the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act due to disappearing sea ice.

The Supreme Court ruled in a landmark case that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act.

The United Nations Security Council had its first meeting on the issue of climate change as an urgent matter of international peace and security.

These events make the facts about climate change very clear. I am proud to say for the first time in a long time, this year's Earth Day finally holds the promise of real action on climate change, thanks to the election of a Democratic Congress last November.

Already, under the leadership of our Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, the House of Representatives has laid out a bold agenda to combat global warming and move America towards energy independence. For the first time, the House has created a Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming to help develop policy recommendations on this important issue.

As a part of our 100-hour agenda, the House also passed H.R. 6, the Clean Energy Act of 2007, repealing the $14 billion in taxpayer subsidies to profit-soaked oil companies. Instead of forcing our constituents to pay oil companies twice, once at the pump and again with their taxes, we shifted these funds to support the development of clean alternative energy and improved energy efficiency.

We also passed a budget last month that makes substantial investments in research and development of new cutting-edge renewable energy technologies which will also fund the rapid deployment of these technologies.

Because we are also committed to leading by example, our leadership has called upon the chief administrative officer of this House to develop and implement a ``Green the Capitol'' initiative. This initiative will reduce our energy consumption and develop sustainable practices for the United States Capitol and congressional office buildings.

These initiatives are just the first step. Later this year, the House will also consider an innovation agenda that emphasizes the importance of developing alternative energy technologies and ensures that America continues to be a world leader in the green economy of the 21st century; also, a targeted energy package focusing on promoting energy alternatives and addressing global warming that will take another significant step forward in securing our energy independence; and a major farm bill that will promote American-made biofuels as well as other renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation programs.

We will also continue to develop legislation to regulate greenhouse gases and address some of the difficult challenges in stopping global climate change.

While the House moves forward with this agenda, we must also recognize that there is a substantial amount of activity that is already going on locally in our communities to combat climate change.

In many ways, in the Bay Area, in my district in California, we represent the hub of the environmental movement. Research is ongoing into alternative and renewable energy at the University of California, Berkeley, one of the premier public universities in our country. We hold the promise of a cleaner and brighter future for our children.

Bay Area businesses in my district have also taken the lead in greening their activities to reduce waste, improving energy efficiency, and save water, minimizing the impact on our environment.

Innovative programs funded in part through the city of Oakland are also training youth in my district about the importance of environmental stewardship and are providing them with new job opportunities and new career paths.

Community-based organizations in my district have also taken the lead in advocating for environmental justice and equity for all of our constituents. Together, our community is at the forefront of a robust environmental movement that is quite literally changing the world for the better.

On this Earth Day, let us celebrate all of this local ingenuity, as well as what we are doing in the House of Representatives from participating in local cleanups to just shopping at our local farmers' markets.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Eden Area chapter of the League of Women Voters (LWVEA). Throughout its extraordinary history, LWVEA has been known for promoting respect for individuals, valuing diversity, and empowering communities through civic engagement. This year LWVEA celebrates 50 years of service through encouraging the informed and active participation of individuals in government.

The League of Women Voters was first organized on February 14, 1920 in an effort to unite organizations who believed in the League's principles. The goal of this collaborative effort was to develop and codify legislation and public policy that protected future advocacy groups and promoted voter education throughout the electorate.

The League prevailed in implementing legislation that addressed labor, social security and social justice concerns pertaining to woman's rights. Specifically, the League urged legislators to enact provisions for Federal aid for child care and maternal programs. In the 1930's, the League advocated successfully for the enactment of the Social Security and Food and Drug Acts. The League played an important rule in transmuting hundreds of federal jobs from the Spoils System to the Civil Service designation. Credit is owed to the League for establishing the United Nations pursuant to World War II. Later, the League was recognized by the United Nations as being a non-governmental organization.

The Eden Area group, like the national organization, is a nonpartisan political organization whose mission is to build citizen participation in the democratic process. The League of Women Voters, Eden Area group strives to educate policymakers and the general public on important issues in the public interest at all levels of government. LWVEA is committed to studying community issues in an unbiased manner, and achieving positive solutions to public policy issues through education and conflict management.

The Eden Area Chapter has made immeasurable strides in furthering the nation's democratic objectives. Some recent and notable achievements of the Eden Area Chapter's work include sponsoring an Alameda County community forum on open government; writing letters and newspaper articles in support of state legislation on campaign finance reform; and promoting universal health care for all Californians. The LWVEA also has televised and moderated candidate forums for city, county and state candidates; provided translation services and ballot measure pros and cons; and conducted elections for homeowner associations and other community groups.

Today the members and supporters of the League of Women Voters, Eden Area have come together to celebrate not only their 50 year anniversary, but also their permanent and positive impact on our community. On this very special day, I join all of them in thanking and saluting the League of Women Voters Eden Area Chapter for their profound contributions to California's 9th Congressional District, our country and our world.

Mr. Speaker, first let me take a moment to offer my condolences to the families of the victims of the terrible and senseless violence at Virginia Tech. As they struggle to cope with their tremendous loss, we must give proper respect to their lives and the lives of the thousands of innocent people that are cut short every year in this country by gun violence. And let us honor their memories by committing ourselves to bringing an end to gun violence.

Before I begin, I want to commend my colleague, Congresswoman Woolsey, because today is the 200th time she has come to this floor to speak out against this unnecessary war in Iraq. I commend your tenacity, Congresswoman Woolsey, and I thank you for your leadership and your commitment to ending the occupation of Iraq and to bringing our troops home. I am proud to serve with you in this body as your colleague and as co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, and I want to say to you that your voice has become the voice of America. Thank you, Congresswoman Woolsey.

Let me also thank the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Kilpatrick, and members of the CBC for their leadership in addressing and denouncing the latest reprehensible comments by Don Imus.

First, I want to congratulate the Rutgers women's basketball team. We are so proud of you. Your record of achievement as women, as students, as athletes speaks for itself and no one can take away your accomplishments.

As we all know, on April 4, the morning talk show host Don Imus, who has, for years, mind you, for years, made disparaging remarks towards people of color and others, referred to the very distinguished women of the Rutgers basketball team with such disgusting words that I don't even want to repeat them.

Not only did his comments belittle the ethnicity of these women of valor, but he apparently felt entitled to denigrate these women as women. We are here today to say that there is no place for that kind of sexism and racism in our public discourse.

So while we acknowledge MSNBC and CBS did the right thing by firing Imus, we need to ask the question, what took so long? CBS's initial response, which was to suspend Imus 2 weeks with pay, suggested that they thought that a token punishment would appease the public outcry and demonstrated a complete disregard and insensitivity to both the women of the Rutgers basketball team and the millions of Americans who were outraged by the comments.

The fact is, this incident is just one of many Imus should have been fired for a long time ago. For example, he should have been fired 14 years ago when he referred to Gwen Ifill, who was then the White House correspondent for the New York Times, and he said, ``Isn't the Times wonderful? It lets the cleaning lady cover the White House.'' The point is this was not an isolated incident.

If you look back at what he said with regard to New York Times sports reporter Bill Rhoden, he said he was a ``quota hire.'' When you look at what he said about the tennis player, Amelie Mauresmo, he called her ``a big old . . .'' And I don't even want to say what he said there, but go back and check the record. He even admitted that he picked one of his producers to do the ``N jokes.''

You know, this is unbelievable. The point is, and I want to make this clear, this is not an isolated incident. And while I, for one, am glad that his show has been cancelled, I believe that we should be concerned with the fact that it took him so long to be taken off the air.

It is also important to understand that this is just not about Imus. There is a tendency in this country to treat racism as an issue of personal ill will so that people can say to themselves ``I don't hate black people'' and ignore all of the ways that the status quo in our society today reinforces racial inequality as well as sexism. Institutional racism and sexism don't need any personal ill will in order to continue. They rely on indifference, and people like Imus promote that indifference.

The grim reality is that women still earn 75 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts. The fact is that in the United States a woman is raped every 6 minutes, and women of color are especially vulnerable to sexual violence. The fact is that, in spite of all the progress we have made in America, an African American woman is still less likely to make it to college than a white woman.

What is dangerous about people like Imus, and he is only one of many, is that their racist and their sexist commentary serves to celebrate and uphold the status quo, to make it okay to be indifferent to the racism and sexism that still surrounds us. That is unacceptable.

Finally, let me just say to Imus's sponsors: Let me congratulate you again, you did the right thing. But before you get too complacent, let me remind you, Procter & Gamble and American Express and all the rest, that the makeup of your corporate board rooms reflects the indifference to institutional racism and sexism in this country, and we are looking to you to do more than stop sponsoring bigots. We are looking to you to help young women, young black women like the women on the Rutgers basketball team, to overcome the hurdles that face them and to find the opportunities that are too often denied them.

So let me thank again Congresswoman Kilpatrick for her leadership in the Congressional Black Caucus. Also let me say thank you again, Congresswoman Woolsey, for your leadership.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Green amendment that would extend FEMA housing assistance to Hurricane Katrina victims through December 31, 2007.

A year and a half after the terrible disaster, Gulf Coast residents still face unfulfilled promises, bureaucratic red tape, public neglect, environmental squalor and private exploitation.

This is outrageous and should be condemned. Yet again, the administration's failure to provide for the residents of the region has left it to Congress to make things right. That we are still making the same arguments over and over again to ensure that Gulf Coast residents get what's only fair is unacceptable.

The unnecessary Iraq war has diverted precious resources away from domestic emergencies. Our brothers and sisters here at home are waiting to re-build their lives and homes.

That is why the Green Amendment is so important.

Specifically, the Green Amendment would extend the safety-net of FEMA housing assistance until December 31, 2007 and thereafter transfer eligible households to HUD's tenant-based rental assistance program. Through this amendment, Section 8 vouchers would also be available to households in trailers and mobile homes.

If we do not adopt this amendment, over 120,000 families housed in FEMA-funded trailers, mobile homes and who barely cope in other rental assistance situations could be thrown into further chaos and homelessness when current assistance ends in August. This would further compound the dire affordable housing situation relating to low-income, elderly, and disabled evacuees across the country.

The region is still not back to normal. Consider the fact that there are 51 percent fewer hospital beds in New Orleans than were available pre-Hurricane Katrina according to data released by the NAACP.

Public infrastructure and public institutions are operating below capacity. In New Orleans, only about one-third of the public schools have re-opened. These statistics are staggering.

It is not only a responsibility but a moral duty to do all in our power to restore the dignity and quality of life to all citizens of the Gulf Coast region regardless of their socio-economic, cultural and political status. They are counting on us. I urge my colleagues to support the Green Amendment.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act (H.R. 1227). This bill is critical in providing affordable housing to low-income families affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.

It is the responsibility of all national governments to prepare, plan and defend its citizens against all known and potential natural and man-made disasters. Such was the case that confronted the Bush administration in August 2005. But because of the Bush administration's lack of preparation, misplaced priorities and ineptitude, the combination of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma severely devastated the Gulf Coast to such a degree that many lives and property were lost and the effects of disrupted lives and businesses are still being felt nearly 2 years later. Frankly, the response of the administration has been unacceptably slow in the aftermath of the hurricanes and the needs of displaced residents of the Gulf Coast have been left unmet.

The Gulf Coast Hurricane Housing Recovery Act offers significant relief to the displaced families of the Gulf Coast. Specifically, the bill directs FEMA to be flexible in the application of its funds for the Louisiana Road Home program that provides financial incentives for people to come back and live in the State.

The bill further directs HUD and the New Orleans Public Housing Authority to engage its human and material resources to preserve the supply of affordable rental housing.

The bill incorporates an important fair housing enforcement component that makes funds

available as may be necessary to qualified private fair housing enforcement organizations to carry out the mandate of section 561 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987. That provision authorizes the Secretary of HUD to make grants to these organizations to formulate or carry-out programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices, enforce the rights granted under the Civil Rights Act of 1968 or State and local laws that provide rights and remedies for alleged discriminatory housing practices. Education and outreach programs designed to inform the public concerning rights and obligations under the laws referred to by the Civil Rights Act are also allowable expenditures. We are all too familiar, sadly, with the historical exploitation of low-income populations many of whom are members of minority groups in this country. That is why this provision is so important.

This bill also recognizes the many individuals, groups and communities that offered a helping hand by assisting evacuees in the immediate aftermath of the hurricanes. It is gratifying to know that through this bill we would be fulfilling the nation's promise to crucial partners that stepped-up in times of need. This bill replenishes the CDBG funds of localities that were used to provide rental housing assistance to evacuees. It authorizes reimbursements to landlords who participated in the FEMA Section 403 program to provide emergency shelter in response to Hurricane Katrina, Rita or Wilma in spite of FEMA's subsequent reneging on its promise to provide reimbursements under this program.

This is an important piece of legislation that will help put the Gulf Coast back on a path to full recovery. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Chairman, first let me thank our chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus for her tremendous leadership on this issue and so many other issues. And I want to salute you, Congresswoman Kilpatrick and Congressman Bobby Scott, for your hard work, your diligent work in putting forth a budget that we can all be proud of. And also I want to thank our staffs for their dedication and their expertise in putting this together.

A budget is a road map that identifies and invests in the critical priorities of a Nation, and I am pleased to say that this budget does exactly that.

For example, this budget takes the very important step, and this is important, to address the waste, fraud and abuse at the Department of Defense by urging the implementation of GAO's recommendations to the Department of Defense. By incorporating just a fraction of GAO's suggestions, DOD, for example, has saved over $52 billion over the last few years. Imagine how much more could be saved by fully implementing these recommendations which are included in the Congressional Black Caucus budget.

While addressing critical reforms at the Defense Department, this will go a long way also in shoring up our national security. I am pleased to say that this budget shows an understanding that really the Republicans have never shown during their years in power, namely, that domestic security is national security.

This budget invests in our communities. It invests in our health care. It invests in our future. It helps to lift the 37 million people living in poverty into a standard of living which each and every American deserves, living in the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world.

It puts $1.5 billion into HOPE VI, into public housing and homeless assistance programs. It allocates another $1.5 billion to the Community Development Block Grants and brownfields redevelopment. These are all critical plus-ups that strengthen and add value to our communities and provide that national security and economic security of our people.

This balanced budget also adds over $1.3 billion to the Ryan White CARE Act and the Minority AIDS initiative, and $10 billion into children's health to ensure that no child is without health care in this country.

Madam Chairman, this takes a good budget, our Democratic budget, and makes it simply much better. This budget is balanced. It is fair, it truly is a moral document, which budgets should be.

So, Madam Chair and Mr. Scott, I want to thank you for giving our country really a moral document.

Madam Chairman, first, I would like to thank my friend and colleague, our co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus, Congresswoman Woolsey, for her leadership on this issue and so many issues that relate to peace and security.

Also to our executive director, Mr. Goold, for all of your hard work and all of our staff. You all have done a phenomenal job in putting this together.

As I said with regard to the Congressional Black Caucus budget, a budget is a moral document. It defines what we as a community, as a Nation, as a society hold as sacred. That is why I am pleased that this Progressive Caucus budget also is a reflection of our values and our priorities.

There are several key elements in this budget I would like to focus on, especially five main items.

First, this budget will save up to $623 billion over the next 10 years by ending the occupation of Iraq and bringing our troops home starting at the end of the year. The costs are simply untenable. CRS estimates that we will have spent over a half trillion dollars by the end of fiscal 08 on this unnecessary occupation of Iraq. This rate of expenditure, not to mention the cost in lives and cost to our international stability and credibility, is simply untenable.

Next, this budget takes steps at reducing our bloated military budget without compromising, actually, in fact, it enhances our national security. It accounts for eliminating obsolete Cold War era weapon systems and saves $600 billion over the next 10 years.

Additionally, this budget would save tens of billions of dollars over the next 10 years by implementing recommendations by the Government Accountability Office, which they have actually made, to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse at the Department of Defense, which our taxpayers should not allow to occur any longer.

This budget increases funding for critical components to help rebuild our communities, including those ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. For example, our budget increases funding to the Community Development Block Grants to $4.1 billion in 2008, whereas the President has repeatedly targeted this program for cuts.

This budget also invests an additional $1.6 billion per year in section 8 housing vouchers to ensure decent and affordable housing for all of those who need housing assistance.

Fourth, this budget contributes to our national security interests by doing more to meet the growing humanitarian needs throughout the world, especially with regard to increasing our contribution to the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. We increased this by $100 billion.

Also, let's just say our Nation's security is predicated on a strong and healthy domestic population. It is critically important to adequately fund prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in the United States.

The statistics, as it relates to HIV/AIDS here in America, are staggering. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, racial and ethnic minorities represent 71 percent of new AIDS cases and 64 percent of Americans living with HIV/AIDS. African Americans represent 50 percent of new AIDS cases, although only 12 percent of our population. Latinos account for 19 percent of new AIDS cases, although 14 percent of the population.

I urge our colleagues to support this budget. It clearly is a budget that is fiscally responsible and is a moral document.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding.

I want to reiterate the point that this Progressive Caucus makes, and that is that our domestic security here in our own country is an integral part of our national security.

We have added $4.8 billion to our COPS program for local law enforcement efforts. We have provided additional funds for gang violence prevention efforts; and, also, we have provided additional funding for job training and after-school programs. In many of our communities, our young African American boys and Latino young boys are dropping out of schools in unbelievable numbers.

We need a strong, robust after-school program with tutoring, and our Progressive Caucus provides for that.

The American taxpayers are compassionate people. They want to see their tax dollars spent to eliminate poverty, to provide health care, for energy independence, to educate our children. The Progressive Caucus budget does just that. It is a document that reflects the morality of this country, the ethics of this country, and I am proud to support it.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary career of Michael Howe. Mike served as the president of the East Bay Community Foundation (EBCF) in Oakland from 1993 until 2006. Throughout his career, Mike has been known for his tireless work on behalf of the East Bay community. This year Mike, who currently serves as the EBCF president emeritus, celebrates his retirement after more than a decade of unparalleled service to that organization, and many more to the 9th Congressional District.

Mike holds a B.A. in sociology from the University of San Francisco, as well as an M.A. and an ABD in sociology from the University of California, Davis. Before joining the EBCF, Mike was the senior planning and evaluation officer for the Marin Community Foundation from 1986 until 1993. Prior to that, he was a professor of sociology and founding dean of the College of Professional Studies at the University of San Francisco, where he was also tenured as an associate professor.

Mike came to the East Bay Community Foundation in 1993. Under his leadership, the EBCF evolved from a small grant-making organization into one of the top 50 community foundations in the country. Mike's work was central to the EBCF's transformation into an organization that is known for leading changemaking initiatives that successfully solve community problems. Working with government agencies, non-profit organizations, business leaders and civic groups, Mike has sought to improve afterschool programs for youth; prevent street crime and violence; provide arts education; enhance land-use planning to incorporate features for sustainable communities; and expand community philanthropy. Mike has attracted new expertise and funding to the EBCF, which now makes grants to more than 1,000 non-profit organizations, primarily in the East Bay. His efforts have made the EBCF a world-class institution for community leadership and social change, and have touched countless lives here in the 9th Congressional District and beyond.

In addition to his stellar work leading the EBCF, Mike has been and continues to be heavily involved in a number of other boards and organizations here in the Bay Area. He serves on the boards of organizations such as the Institute for Community Peace; Northern California Grantmakers; the John Gardener Center at Stanford University, the Coalition of Community Foundations for Youth; and the Richmond Children's Foundation.

Today the friends, family and colleagues of Mike Howe have come together to celebrate not only his retirement, but also his legacy of service, and his permanent and positive impact on our community. On this very special day, I join all of them in thanking and saluting Mike for his profound contributions to California's 9th Congressional District, our country and our world.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank my colleague Congressman Ciro Rodriguez for arranging this time on the floor for us to celebrate World Social Work Day and to acknowledge the contributions of social workers to the well-being of our society.

I'm proud to say that I'm a social worker and that my predecessor, former Congressman and now mayor of Oakland, Ron Dellums, was also a social worker. I believe our records, interests and efforts here in Congress and outside reflect the influence of our social work background. This education has helped me to form my principles and has helped me to fight injustice and inequality, not just here in the U.S. but also abroad.

Social workers make a difference in people's lives everyday and at all levels. They're in the streets working one-on-one with the homeless. They're in the hospitals and clinics helping people through their health crises. They're in the schools making our kids safe, adjusted, and prepared to take on the world. They're advocating for the rights of our country's most vulnerable citizens--our children, the elderly, the mentally ill, the poor, and others in our society that may not have a strong voice. They're fighting for social justice and human rights internationally and they're creating policies and programs here in the halls of both the Congress and the Senate that address the needs of our society.

The hallmark trait of a social worker is their ability to empathize-- their ability and willingness to put themselves in someone else's place. This is not always an easy thing to do. Many times social workers encounter people who are in extreme states of crisis. Times when their lives are feeling out of control. It's no easy feat to step into someone else's nightmare and help them find the strength to cope, to problem-solve, and to move forward. But this is what social workers do on a daily basis.

Nonetheless, there are also times that are incredibly heartening and rewarding--times that renew your faith in humanity. They are the times when you see the first trusting smile on the face of a child that came from the chaos of an abusive home and you feel that connection. They are the times when you're able to help a family--homeless and devastated by the ravages of a massive natural disaster. They are times when the grassroots movement you've been working with is able to achieve its goal. They're the times when you're able to help a young man who seemed like he was starting down the path to a life of crime to find a better road and to make better decisions.

One of the ways that I think I've best used my social work education has been in the work I have done here in Congress. As a social worker, I am concerned about the many things that ail our community as a whole. That is why I have made the fight against AIDS a priority--not just domestically, but also abroad. We need to stop crimes against humanity, like the genocide that continues to ravage the Darfur region. I also believe we need to fully fund No Child Left Behind. Our education system is failing--No Child Left Behind is failing our children, our teachers, our parents, and our community as a whole.

Recognizing the importance that social workers bring to our schools, I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues who have cosponsored H.R. 171, the Student Support Act. I hope more of my colleagues will consider supporting this legislation, which helps ensure that our schools have the necessary amount of mental health professionals at their schools, including school social workers, school psychologists, counselors and psychiatrists. Almost all States fall below the recommended guidelines by the American Counseling Association of 1 counselor for every

250 students. My own State of California has 966 students for every one counselor. So I hope my colleagues can cosponsor this important act, and maybe we can see this legislation make some progress here in the House.

Social workers don't just make an impact on our students--social workers give back to our society by helping to make better citizens of us all. They strive to help their clients become the best that they can be, to improve their communities and to confront the injustices that they see. They foster a new way of looking at the world around you--one where you see promise and possibility. Social workers help us to realize a world where mediation, coalition building and effective communication are used to find peaceful solutions instead of military posturing.

I'd like to close by saying, I'm grateful to be part of a profession that is devoted to service to our people and that is so necessary to our society's well-being. I know that many of my dedicated colleagues work quietly in the field and that their contributions are not always given the attention they deserve, so I'm very pleased to be able to celebrate this day and to publicly acknowledge their contributions.

Thank you again, Congressman Ciro Rodriguez for organizing this special order, and also thank you to all of my colleagues who were able to participate tonight.

Madam Speaker, I rise this morning in strong support of H. Res. 76, a resolution to create a national holiday in honor of a great human being, Cesar Chavez.

Madam Speaker, already nine States celebrate his life. The legacy that he left on the history of this Nation must be recognized. He made a difference not only for Latinos, not only for migrant workers, but for the poor and the working poor, and he also built a coalition of conscience across racial and economic boundaries.

I am reminded today of the political support Cesar provided to me during my first campaign for the California legislature. He truly helped me win my very first election, and for that I am deeply grateful.

I urge my colleagues to join us in supporting the movement for a national holiday in honor of this great civil and human rights leader and such an important historical figure of our Nation.

Feliz cumpleanos, Cesar.

Si se puede.

Mr. Speaker, by refusing to take responsibility for their failed policy in Iraq, the Bush administration has effectively forced Congress to intervene to bring it to a responsible end.

Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Obey, Majority Whip Clyburn, Chairman Murtha and the Democratic leadership do deserve credit for recognizing this and for doing something that the Republican Congress refused to do over the last 4 years, namely, that is to confront the Bush administration over their failed policy and to commit to bring that policy to an end in Iraq.

But that is a very important step. However, for some of us the question of voting for funds to continue this war with strings attached and no real enforcement really does keep our troops in harm's way. I am disappointed we will not have the opportunity to vote on the Lee- Woolsey-Waters-Watson amendment which would fully fund the safe withdrawal of U.S. troops and contractors by December 31, 2007.

The American people want this, and I will continue to push to fully fund the safe withdrawal of our troops from Iraq and for timelines for withdrawal that are backed up, mind you, backed up by the appropriations power, and that is the power of the purse which the Constitution grants to the Congress. Too many lives have been lost, too many lives have been shattered.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary career of Michael Howe. Mike served as the president of the East Bay Community Foundation (EBCF) in Oakland from 1993 until 2006. Throughout his career, Mike has been known for his tireless work on behalf of the East Bay community. This year Mike, who currently serves as the EBCF president emeritus, celebrates his retirement after more than a decade of unparalleled service to that organization, and many more to the 9th Congressional District.

Mike holds a B.A. in sociology from the University of San Francisco, as well as an M.A. and an ABD in sociology from the University of California, Davis. Before joining the EBCF, Mike was the senior planning and evaluation officer for the Marin Community Foundation from 1986 until 1993. Prior to that, he was a professor of Sociology and founding dean of the College of Professional Studies at the University of San Francisco, where he was also tenured as an associate professor.

Mike came to the East Bay Community Foundation in 1993. Under his leadership, the EBCF evolved from a small grant-making organization into one of the top 50 community foundations in the country. Mike's work was central to the EBCF's transformation into an organization that is known for leading change-making initiatives that successfully solve community problems. Working with government agencies, non-profit organizations, business leaders an civic groups, Mike has sought to improve after-school programs for youth; prevent street crime and violence; provide arts education; enhance land-use planning to incorporate features for sustainable communities; and expand community philanthropy. Mike has attracted new expertise and funding to the EBCF, which now makes grants to more than 1,000 non-profit organizations, primarily in the East Bay. His efforts have made the EBCF a world-class institution for community leadership and social change, and have touched countless lives here in the 9th congressional District and beyond.

In addition to his stellar work leading the EBCF, Mike has been and continues to be heavily involved in a number of other boards and organizations here in the Bay Area. He serves on the boards of organizations such as the Institute for Community Peace; Northern California Grantmakers; the John Gardener Center at Stanford University, the Coalition of Community Foundations for Youth; and the Richmond Children's Foundation.

Today the friends, family and colleagues of Mike Howe have come together to celebrate not only his retirement, but also his legacy of service, and his permanent and positive impact on our community. On this very special day, I join all of them in thanking and saluting Mike for his profound contributions to California's 9th Congressional district, our country and our world.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for calling this Special Order tonight and for your leadership.

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the invasion and bombing of Iraq. It is a solemn occasion that reminds me with a very heavy heart of our brave troops who we want to protect and who we want to bring home.

As the occupation now enters its 5th year, it is really an appropriate time to review some of the history. It is also an appropriate time to recall that the case for this war was false.

All the talk about aluminum tubes and yellowcake, remember that? Right.

Colin Powell's dramatic presentation to the United Nations? I still wonder why such a distinguished Secretary of State would do that.

The fact is there was no connection to al Qaeda. There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and there was no connection between the horrific events of 9/11 and Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

Some of us opposed the war from the beginning. In fact, if my amendment to the authorization to use force had been used 4 years ago, the United Nations inspectors would have had the opportunity to finish their job and confirm what we believed and some of us knew at that time, what the world now knows, namely, that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction.

It is an appropriate time now to review the disaster that has taken place in Iraq, so that the administration does not rewrite this tragic history, and also to put the administration on notice and in check from starting a preemptive war against Iran, which many see as looming. It's appropriate tonight to review this history because the administration who brought us this debacle would now like us to accept an open-ended commitment to it.

Why is it appropriate for us to remind the country of all of this tonight? Because the same people, the same administration who brought us this disaster are now asking us to trust them again. They are saying that we should give the President another chance. They are saying, in effect, that our commitment to supporting their failed policies should be open-ended.

Think about that for a minute. The people in this administration who have been wrong about every single major decision about this war are now trying to make it seem unreasonable to suggest that we should not continue to write blank checks to support this debacle.

Well, it is not unreasonable. That is where the American people are on this issue. They know better. It is time for this unfortunate chapter of our history to close. It is time to end the occupation of Iraq and bring our troops home.

At various points the administration has told us that the mission has been accomplished, that we were turning the corner, or that the insurgency was in its last throes. As we now know, those pronouncements were all false.

The truth is that the administration's conduct of this war has been nothing short of shameful. We may never know how many of the roadside bombs that kill our troops every day are made from explosives looted from weapons depots that were left unguarded because the administration chose to ignore the advice of our military commanders on how many troops would be needed. Whatever the number is, it is too many.

It is an appropriate time tonight to review the cost of the administration's failed policy in Iraq. The human cost of this occupation has been terrible. More than 3,200 United States servicemen and women have died, and more than 32,000 have been wounded. That is an average of 67 deaths and 500 wounded every month, not to mention the death and injuries of countless Iraqis.

The financial cost is unsustainable. Already we have spent more than $400 billion on this invasion and occupation. We are averaging more than $8 billion per month. That is staggering.

The cost of our security has been devastating. The Bush administration's military and foreign policy doctrine of preemptive war, like you can start a war based on perceived future threats, this was supposed to solve the problem posed by the so-called axis of evil.

Four years after putting the doctrine to test in Iraq, the results are in, and it is a total failure. Iraq posed no imminent threat to our security, but today the vast majority of our security resources are bogged down in Iraq. North Korea has obtained nuclear weapons, something the doctrine was to prevent, and Iran is empowered and emboldened. The occupation is undermining our efforts to fight international terrorism.

According to the National Intelligence Estimate of April 2006, and this is in their words, they said the Iraq conflict has been the cause celebre for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of the United States involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement. Now, this is what the National Intelligence Estimate said.

Furthermore, the toll that the occupation is taking on our Armed Forces is stretching the military beyond the breaking point. The Washington Post reported today that Army and Marine officials are referring to a readiness death spiral in which the ever more rapid pace of war zone rotations has consumed 40 percent of the total gear, wearied troops, and left no time to train to fight anything other than insurgents now at hand.

The administration likes to talk about the situation in Iraq in terms of winning and losing, because it is convenient to portray critics of their policies as opposed to victory or supportive of defeat. The fact is you cannot win an occupation, just as there is no way for the United States to win an Iraqi civil war.

The Bush administration understands this just as they understand that there are no pretty or clean options for bringing a responsible end to our policy there. They are content to mouth the words of victory while they try to run out the clock, playing a cynical game of political chicken, where whoever acts to bring a responsible end to their failed policy will be accused of having lost Iraq.

The trouble is, though, that an average of 67 troops die in Iraq each month, and 500 are wounded, and we can't forget that. As General Petraeus and the Iraq Study Group both pointed out, there is no military solution to this civil war and occupation. For me, the cost of going along with the President's escalation charade and risking our brave young men and women's lives is way too high. It's time to bring this war and occupation to an end. It's time for military measures to be replaced with diplomacy and engagement with Iraq's neighbors. It's time to take the target off our troops' back and to bring them home.

Thank you, Mr. Hinchey, for this Special Order tonight, and let's hope the American people raise their voices loudly and clearly with regard to what is taking place with this war and bring it to an end very soon.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 98, honoring the life and achievements of the late Dr. John Garang de Mabior and reaffirming the continued commitment of the House of Representatives to a just and lasting peace in the Republic of the Sudan. I thank my distinguished colleague Chairman Payne for his leadership in honoring a present-day freedom fighter.

Dr. Garang's lasting legacy is the Comprehensive Peace Agreement ending the thirty year civil war. But, it was against all odds that he was able to become such a leader.

It was a long journey for Dr. Garang who came from a poor family in a small Dinka village in southern Sudan. In an interview once, he told a reporter that his village was in such neglect that no one was able even to read. Thanks to a relative he was able to attend school in a nearby village and set the course for his educational advancement to eventually earn his doctorate from Iowa State University.

Yet, the plight of the people in his home country ravaged by civil strife and numerous injustices compelled him to return home. He was greeted by the Sudanese government's policies that marginalized and suppressed African communities in the South. The North had better schools, employment opportunities and infrastructure developments. Even today, you

can go to Juba, in southern Sudan, to see its effects where there is no electricity, running water or paved roads.

In the face of such challenges Dr. Garang fought to achieve a ``new Sudan'' where all were united and equal and worked to turn his rebel movement into a popular government, open to dialogue, cooperation and constantly suiting the needs of the nation.

Accordingly, I pay tribute to Dr. Garang's tireless efforts for the struggle of peace in Sudan. Dr. Garang was a charismatic figure who awakened the consciousness of a society. And he set the bar very high.

In order to ensure a lasting peace, we must urge President Al-Bashir and all stakeholders to maintain the integrity of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, to respect human rights and to create a stabilized nation where everyone enjoys their full rights of citizenship. This is the best way to honor the spirit of Dr. Garang's life's work.

Madam Speaker, there is still work to do. Dr. Garang's premature death left a great void. May his death not be in vain. That is why I pledge my continued support for peace and development in Sudan. As we honor one of Sudan's greatest leaders as well as one of Africa's, I further extend my commitment to end the genocide in Darfur. I know Dr. Garang would agree that peace must be everywhere.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 44, legislation to honor the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on the occasion of its 98th anniversary. The NAACP is an established and proven civil rights organization and a leading voice for justice and human rights for all.

The NAACP has several national achievements but I'd like to highlight our local successes. In California's 9th Congressional District, I am honored to say the Oakland NAACP branch, established in 1913, was the first NAACP chapter in Northern California. It represented the cities of San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley.

In fact, the Oakland NAACP branch played a pivotal role in the civil rights struggle in California. The branch participated in the organization's national campaign to eliminate Jim Crow laws and to support anti-lynching legislation.

In the late 1950's and 1960's, Bishop Nichols, then Pastor of Downs Memorial United Methodist Church in North Oakland, joined with national leaders to advocate for economic, social and educational justice in the Bay Area. He was chair of the Berkeley NAACP Education Committee and President of the Berkeley Board of Education (four years before the school district became the first to voluntarily integrate schools).

In addition, one of Oakland's own, Judge Cecile Poole served as director of the NAACP Defense and Legal Education Fund. Judge Poole became the first African-American United States Attorney, and the first black federal judge for the Northern District of California. And although he passed away ten years ago, his legacy and work with the NAACP to promote respect and basic civil rights for all disenfranchised people is still felt in the East Bay and throughout our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, with members, such as Bishop Nichols, Judge Cecile Poole, Thurgood Marshall, W.E.B. DuBois, Coretta Scott King, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Rosa Parks, there's no doubt that the NAACP served as the catalyst for the largest grassroots civil rights movement in U.S. history.

The NAACP remains a vehicle to push for legal action against injustice and an advocate for human and civil rights for all.

Their political accomplishments such as ending the separate but equal policy in

schools or ending the racist Jim Crow segregation of buses, restaurants and public facilities, and their lobbying efforts which ultimately led to the passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, and 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the reauthorization of the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act of 2006, must be commended.

And Mr. Speaker, the NAACP took the helm to organize the national boycott against American companies doing business with the former apartheid regime in South Africa. The NAACP also protested, most recently in 2000, the flying of the confederate flag over state buildings in South Carolina, which to date was, the largest civil rights demonstration (50,000 people) ever held in the South. The importance of this organization whose impact has been demonstrated in almost every part of the country and in many parts of the world cannot be overstated.

But the critical work of the NAACP is needed now more then ever. The slow systematic dismantling of Affirmative Action; the declining homeownership rates of African American families; the growing poverty rate of African American families and the growing achievement gap between white and black children; the disproportionate incarceration rates of black male youth, and the growing illiteracy rate of black children are all important causes for the NAACP.

Add to that fact that the NAACP was a leading champion of the Hurricanes' Katrina and Rita survivors. They are still pushing for justice for all in the Gulf Coast region and you can see why the NAACP is sill so necessary today.

We must continue to beat the drum and join the NAACP in their efforts to bring their mission for economic and social justice for all to reality.

Mr. Speaker, we have come a long way since the founding days of the NAACP, Brown vs. Board of Education, the Voting Rights Act. In the words of former NAACP president Bruce Gordon, ``There is still a lot of civil rights work to be done. Many people believe the passing of Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott-King and other icons of the movement signals that the task is over. ``He added, ``Nothing could be further from the truth.''