Floor Statements

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, let me thank the gentlewoman from California for her leadership, for yielding, and for her work on the Rules Committee. Her fairness in seeking appropriate rules does not go unnoticed, and I want to thank her for fighting for fairness in this whole process.

As the daughter of a veteran of two wars, first let me just express my profound respect and admiration for our brave young men and women serving our Nation around the world and on the ground in Iraq.

I also rise to convey my appreciation for the hard work and the dedication of the distinguished ranking member of the defense subcommittee, Mr. Murtha, and the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Obey. They have both been champions for a significant provision in this bill, one that would ensure that we are not establishing permanent military bases in Iraq.

Mr. Speaker, the American people do not want an open-ended war and occupation in Iraq. Congress must be on record supporting this, and the administration must level with the American people regarding their long-term desires and designs with regard to Iraq.

My colleague, Mr. Allen, and I offered an identical provision to the war supplemental bill this past March; but in a gross abuse of power, the Republican majority stripped it in conference. We must ensure that the no permanent bases in this bill remains and not be gutted.

While I support this provision, I also believe this bill could be improved in many ways. First, this bill does not address the waste, fraud, and abuse in Pentagon spending. GAO has identified cost savings which, if implemented, could save billions of tax dollars. This budget should not be off limits to spending cuts, especially where funds are misspent. Also, this bill continues to fund the unnecessary war in Iraq without demanding accountability from this administration.

In a larger sense, Mr. Speaker, I believe that our Nation is best defended by funding priorities that truly make our Nation and the world safer. I am disappointed that this $427 billion bill continues to fund Cold War-era weaponry for a threat that doesn't exist. We must focus our security spending on threats that we face today. By getting rid of outmoded weapons systems programs, we can not only make the much needed investment in ensuring health care for all of our children, improving our public schools, ending our dependence on foreign oil, but also improve our Homeland Security, where of course we must focus because the real threat involves possible attacks, and we need to protect our homeland.

That is why I have joined with my colleague Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey in introducing H.R. 4898, the Common Sense Budget Act. This bill shows how we can reduce our defense budget by $60 billion without diminishing our ability to protect our Nation by putting resources into areas where real threats exist, by protecting our ports, protecting our transit systems, real homeland security. So we must get our funding priorities right. The challenge is clear. We must, quite frankly, put

some common sense into our defense spending.

Mr. Chairman, let me thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership and for the very hard work that he consistently does for the security of our Nation.

I appreciate this opportunity to discuss an issue that is of great importance, and that is ensuring that our Federal dollars are not used to support groups or individuals engaged in efforts to overthrow democratically elected governments.

Mr. Chairman, in an ideal world, we would not need to have to explicitly stipulate this, but events in Haiti in 2004 and in Venezuela have led me to believe that we need to codify this straightforward nonpartisan position.

As we know, the administration has committed its second term to spreading democracy around the world, and this should not be a partisan issue. It is at the core of our Nation's values; and quite simply put, it is fundamental to who we are as a people and what we stand for as a Nation.

However, Mr. Chairman, we need to be sure that this administration, or equally any future administration, that if they do not agree with certain democratically elected governments, that it does not use the Department of Defense funds to overthrow those democratically elected governments. Such actions fly in the face of our own fundamental democratic principles. So I would just like to ask the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) if he could comment on this and what his views are with regard to the ideas that we are presenting today.

Mr. Chairman, let me just say, thank you, again, to the gentleman for his attention to this issue and to so many issues that are important to our Nation. He is truly a courageous hero to many of our minds and many of our views, and we look forward to continuing to work with him and the entire House in standing up for democracy throughout the world.

Mr. Speaker, next week the House will finally have an opportunity to lift millions of hardworking Americans out of poverty. For the first time in a decade, we will have a vote on the House floor to increase the minimum wage so that 7 million Americans can finally make a living wage. I think most Americans, quite frankly, would be stunned to hear that the House Republican leadership has refused to allow a vote to increase the minimum wage for over 10 years now.

Republican inaction has led to the fact that the minimum wage is at its lowest level in 50 years. In fact, if the minimum wage had just kept up with inflation since 1968, it would have been $8.88 in 2005. That is still, quite frankly, a pittance for what people need to live.

House Democrats are committed to expanding economic opportunity to millions of Americans who are just trying to make a living wage. They want to provide a better tomorrow for their families. A majority of the House Appropriations Committee defied Republican leadership earlier this week and supported an increase in the minimum wage to $7.25. That is only fair.

Seven million Americans deserve a minimum wage, an increase in the minimum wage, so let us make sure they get it.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her leadership and her strong voice over the years on so many issues, especially with regard to this unnecessary war.

It has been almost 4 years since Congress authorized this unnecessary war, and we are really still not having a debate on Iraq policy. So, quite frankly, this debate is a sham. It attempts to, and you have heard this before and you will hear it again, it attempts to link the war on terror with the bloodshed and violence and killing in Iraq. How deceptive can you be?

As a founding member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, I believe that we should be debating and passing the Murtha resolution today. The Murtha resolution would redeploy our troops from Iraq at the earliest practicable date and pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy.

Instead, the Republicans continue to play political games at the expense of our brave troops.

This resolution is a disingenuous attempt by the Republicans to really rewrite history by claiming that Iraq is linked to the terrible tragedy of 9/11. This is deplorable. We all know that Iraq had nothing to do with the tragic attacks of 9/11. Yet, the President misled the American people into a war of choice, with no end in sight.

We could have avoided this, and you remember Congressman Spratt and myself, we introduced substitutes to the use of force back in 2002, which would have allowed the United Nations' inspectors to ensure that Iraq was not developing weapons of mass destruction.

And what is the cost of finding out that there are no weapons of mass destruction? Today, we reached the sad milestone of 2,500 American brave troops who have given their lives; and by the end of the year, we will have committed close to $400 billion.

Are we any safer as a result of this purposeless war in Iraq? Not according to the 9/11 Commission, whose report card gave the administration a failing grade in virtually every category relating to terrorism preparedness.

The Republicans try to claim that Iraq is the central front on the global war on terror, but the fact is that it has undermined our ability to protect our Nation. National security professionals recognize this, Mr. Speaker, and let us be clear: we are spending billions of dollars to occupy a country that did not have weapons of mass destruction or terrorist ties. At the same time, we are cutting programs to secure our ports and keep nuclear materials out of the hands of terrorists. There is something really wrong.

Worse still, this President and the Republican majority really refuse to level with the American people about when our troops are coming home, also really if they are coming home.

While we are debating this very bogus resolution, the most substantive

decision on Iraq policy in very recent days was taken out by the Republican majority behind closed doors. They stripped from the war supplemental an amendment that we offered to prevent the establishment of permanent military bases in Iraq.

The American people do not want an open-ended war and occupation. Quietly removing a measure that was approved by both the House and the Senate is a gross abuse of the democratic process and is further evidence that Republicans are afraid to level with the American people about their real plans for Iraq.

Let me tell you, there will be a day of reckoning. The American people are demanding answers. They deserve a truthful accounting of how we got into this unnecessary war, how the billions of dollars have been misspent and when our troops are coming home, and also, they really deserve to know if our troops are coming home, given recent reports that the administration is considering leaving a permanent force of 50,000 troops in Iraq and indications that establishing permanent military bases are not off the table.

So, Mr. Speaker, the American people will not forget that, instead of answers to their questions, the Republican majority keeps giving them rhetoric and posturing like they are doing today, and the American people deserve better.

This sham resolution, it really should be rejected. We should support the Murtha resolution. That is what we should talk about today. That will take steps to end this war. It would take steps to bring our young men and women home; and I tell you, if we do not debate this, we do not know when the opportunity to debate or to have a real debate will take place.

It should have been a real debate today. Unfortunately, this has deteriorated into posturing into rhetoric and into misrepresenting what the facts are.

I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership.

Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership and for helping us sort through this very difficult but important issue.

I am a proud cosponsor of this amendment. I want to thank Mr. Flake, Mrs. Emerson, and Mr. McGovern for putting this forward because this is quite sensible. The majority of the American people understand this policy. It only prohibits funding for the Office of Foreign Assets Control, OFAC, for the purpose of enforcing restrictions on religious travel to Cuba.

For years, licensed religious exchanges with Cuban counterparts existed, upholding our right, mind you, our right to our religious freedom. However, the State Department recently reinterpreted this policy, which makes no sense. Consequently, national churches are severely restricted in carrying on their relationship with Cuban churches.

Not only does this new policy create inefficient, bureaucratic hoops, but I am concerned that the administration also cherry-picks when granting licenses for different religious organizations. Also, OFAC is being forced to push aside what should be its focus on tracking terrorists in order to meddle into internal religious matters.

Last year we led about 105 Members of Congress in asking the administration to resolve that. Since then we have followed up with meetings and phone calls and letters and still have no answer. This is unacceptable. That is why this amendment is so important.

Hindering the ability of religious organizations to forge partnerships with their Cuban counterparts really strikes at the very heart of our religious identity and our constitutionally enshrined freedom.

So I urge all of our colleagues to support this amendment and to stand up for religious freedom and for religious rights.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

My amendment is very simple, and it really, quite frankly, should be noncontroversial. It was unanimously approved by this body in 2004, and it deserves to be passed again this year.

This amendment prohibits funds in the bill from being used to enforce regulations promulgated on June 30, 2004 that included severely restricted and, in many cases, eliminated opportunities for American students to study in Cuba. There are no valid reasons for needing to restrict the rights of Americans, especially our young people, to travel abroad and study abroad.

Whether or not you support the United States embargo against Cuba, you should support American national security interests, educational exchanges, and civil liberties that this amendment promotes.

Mr. Chairman, the Office of Foreign Assets Control within the Department of the Treasury is tasked with tracking the finances of terrorists, international narcotics, and weapons of mass destruction. However, in 2003, the Miami Herald reported that this office had six times more personnel working on Cuba licensing than trafficking bin Laden.

Now, that is a fact, and it doesn't make any sense. OFAC shouldn't waste their time prosecuting and tracking average Americans, especially our students. We have other real pressing national security concerns, and people watching this debate at home should, quite frankly, be outraged, especially when we consider that the State Department and the 9/11 Commission both underscored the importance of students in spreading American values. They are our best goodwill ambassadors.

Patricia Harrison, the former Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, stated repeatedly that ``one of our greatest assets in public diplomacy is the American people themselves. Programs that bring Americans and foreign citizens in direct contact can and do have tremendous positive impact.'' That is what she said.

The bipartisan Commission report, the 9/11 report, recommends that we rebuild the scholarship exchange and library programs that reach out to young people and offer them knowledge and hope. But our policy on Cuba continues to do just the opposite.

Most importantly, this amendment addresses the issue of basic civil liberties. American students should be able to travel freely and gain invaluable experience that only study abroad programs can provide. Our students simply want the opportunity to conduct their studies, learn about other cultures, and make independent judgments for themselves. Students can participate in exchanges with China, why not Cuba?

Simply said, any policy that restricts United States educational exchanges should not be approved or supported. They are in every sense anti-American and contradict our values and our ideals. This amendment is straightforward and should not be controversial, so I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Lee amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, let me first say that if the gentleman would look at what the current regulations do, they are very restrictive in terms of allowing for students to participate in student exchanges. We want to make sure that our American students are allowed to participate in educational exchanges in the same manner in which they participate in educational exchanges with other countries. That is what this amendment is about.

Our young people should not be denied the opportunity to visit countries, to participate in legitimate academic programs. We are not talking about a 2-week summer program, we are talking about a semester, a year, a 2-year program, an academic program that students would like to participate in to be able to gain knowledge of a different culture. As they do with China, they would like to learn that about Cuba.

They would like to participate in their academic curriculum in foreign countries, like they do everywhere in the world. Cuba should not be distinguished. And part of the reason that they can't go should not be because of our United States policy towards Cuba. Students deserve to be able to study abroad.

That is all this amendment does. It provides those options for them to participate in educational exchanges in a country 90 miles away. That is all this is about. Our young people deserve that, and it is amazing to me that we can deny kids the chance to grow and to develop and to say what they believe in terms of a country's culture, foreign policy, and academic institutions. They should be able to do this for themselves, see for themselves, study, and learn. That is what this amendment is about. It is not about U.S. policy toward Cuba.

Finally, let me just say that many groups around the country have supported this amendment. The Emergency Coalition in Defense of Educational Travel, the NAACP, the Washington Office on Latin America, and the Freedom to Travel Campaign.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I just want to clarify a couple of points that the opponents of this amendment have said.

First of all, currently the licenses for participation in student exchanges are valid for only 1 year, rather than 2. We want to return back to the 2 years.

Also, only students who are provided educational opportunities in the undergraduate and graduate level institutions can participate in these restricted licenses. No high schools, no other educational institutions are allowed to participate in Cuba travel.

Also, employees who travel under the license must be full-time permanent employees of the licensed institution, which prevents many teachers and many professors from participating with their students as they travel to Cuba.

Also, all people-to-people educational travel was eliminated in 2003, and that ended thousands of educational visits by United States citizens to Cuba for broader educational purposes. Educational activities in Cuba now may be no shorter than 10 weeks, unless they are for the purpose of graduate research. Now, this eliminates scores of valuable educational programs to Cuba that were really a few weeks long.

Finally, let me just say that it doesn't make any sense to deny students, once again, the opportunity to participate in educational programs abroad. Cutting off these opportunities makes no sense. It really is a violation of their civil liberties. It goes against who we are as Americans.

Our young people are hopeful for the possibilities of a new world free of all the politics that we have heard today.

So why don't we give them a chance to participate?

So all this amendment would do would be to revert back to the 2003 prior regulations which for many of us were very restrictive also, but we are just asking to go back to those regulations so that our young people will have the broadest possible opportunity to participate in educational exchanges, given the unfortunate status of the United States policy toward Cuba.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding and for his very strong leadership on so many issues.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, the Republicans have abused their power. The House and Senate voted to not have an open-ended commitment in Iraq by unanimously passing the Lee-Allen amendment to not allow funding to enter into formal military basing rights.

By eliminating this amendment from this conference report, the Congress and the administration are admitting that they have no intentions of ever bringing our troops home. If there are no plans for a permanent military presence, as the President and the Defense Secretary have repeatedly declared, then why in the world did the Republican leadership strike this provision?

Once again, democracy has been thwarted. The majority of Americans and Iraqis do not want permanent military bases in Iraq. By the end of the year, this war will have cost over $350 billion and climbing.

By eliminating this provision, once again, we have given the administration a blank check to stay in Iraq permanently.

Mr. Speaker, our amendment sent a strong signal that the United States has no designs on Iraq permanently. Removing it behind closed doors says just the opposite. Once again, this administration is misleading the American people. This abuse of power must stop. The House, the Senate, both bodies voted for this amendment. How in the world could it be taken out when the majority of Americans do not want to see a permanent presence in Iraq? It is time to get real about this war, and it is time to ask the hard questions with regard to what our long-term intentions are, and I believe that this would have said just that. I think the American people deserve to know what our long-term plans are.

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, June 6, 2006 I missed rollcall votes Nos. 223, 224, 225, and 226. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on the King (IA) amendment, the Kingston amendment, and the motion to table the appeal of the ruling of the chair. I would have voted ``aye'' on final passage of H.R. 5441, the FY07 Homeland Security appropriations bill.

Mr. Chairman, let me thank the gentleman for yielding and also just thank you for your strong advocacy for human rights, global refugees on so many fronts.

I am pleased to be a cosponsor of this effort. This amendment simply provides an additional $30 million to the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Account, and it still includes, and I have to reiterate, it still includes $515 million for Colombia, and it is still $9 million more than the President's 2007 request for Colombia.

To my colleague Mr. Mica and his comments with regard to liberals, and I do not know if you said you were tired of liberals or fed up with liberals, but let me just say to you that if helping our country respond quickly and flexibly to humanitarian disasters, if rethinking a policy and making sure that we are trying to really reduce the kidnappings and violence in Colombia, if that is what we are trying to do, then I am very proud, I am very proud to be a liberal.

In recent years, ERMA was used to help drought-ridden Somalis and provide refugee aid to Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Sudan, where more than 3.4 million people are displaced, urgent needs are there for ERMA funding. The funding need is very clear.

After Sudan, Colombia has the largest number of internally displaced persons. Estimates range from 2 to 3.6 million individuals. Less than a third of Colombia's IDPs receive emergency assistance, and many, many have to wait months to receive that emergency aid. And let me tell you, of those traditionally marginalized Afro Colombians and indigenous communities, these individuals, these communities have been disproportionately affected.

In Burundi, 2.2 million people, including refugees and returnees, need immediate aid to cope with malnourishment and disease. In Northern Uganda, there are more than 1.8 million internally displaced persons desperately in need of assistance.

These statistics just really touch the surface of an expanding global refugee crisis.

Due to the critical need, the account reached its lowest point in a decade. We can and we must do more to help global victims of violence cope with the loss of everything that they know and love. Even if the additional $30 million that this amendment provides only allows ERMA to ensure food deliveries to helpless refugees, countless lives will be saved. Innumerable people will feel the goodwill and support of the United States.

This is about helping persons who have been stripped of family, friends, homes, and their basic protections. Today we need to stand by the victims of violence by supporting this amendment.

Mr. Chairman, let me thank the gentleman again for yielding me time and for this amendment, once again, to restrict all funding to the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the School of the Americas. And, quite frankly, people in Latin America are not fooled by this name change.

WHINSEC is a military training facility for Latin American security personnel located in Fort Benning, Georgia. For decades, WHINSEC has damaged our reputation in Latin America. In 1996, the Pentagon released reports explaining how the United States trained these students to participate and to lead torture, extortions, and executions in Latin America. And now many countries in the region are struggling to recover from decades of dictatorship, corruption, and human rights abuses.

We heard many gruesome stories this morning when I co-hosted a Congressional Human Rights Caucus breakfast for the Argentine and the Guatemalan forensic teams who helped solve many of these outstanding murders. Just mentioning the School of the Americas, quite frankly, is traumatic to the survivors and the family members of those who have been victimized by these graduates. And the victims are not just in Latin America.

On October 22, 2003, the Texas Brownsville Herald reported that the notorious Gulf Drug Cartel had hired 31 former Mexican soldiers to be part of its hired assassin force, the Zetas. The Zetas have been implicated in murders throughout Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. According to the Mexican Minister of Defense, at least one-third of these ex-soldiers were trained at the School of the Americas as part of the elite Special Air Mobile Force Group.

And since there is no way for Congress to properly track or vet WHINSEC enrollees, who knows how many more victims there are? As more information is publicized about the action of these graduates, enrollment has steadily declined. There are 40 percent fewer enrollees since 2003. In March 2006, Argentina and Uruguay joined Venezuela and Bolivia in announcing

that they no longer send students, military or police, for WHINSEC training. So please do not be fooled by the other side's rhetoric on the causes for the enrollment decline because these decisions were not made by political activists.

Some of these decision-makers have personally suffered family losses at the hands of military personnel who were trained at the School of the Americas. These leaders want to try to restore human rights protections and not taint the training of their police and military forces.

Despite the clear move of many Latin American leaders to distance themselves from this school, for some reason this budget continues to be increased. So a positive step to improve relations with Latin America would be to simply eliminate this institute.

Mr. Chairman, I come to the floor today in support of the fiscal year 2007 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill.

I would like to commend the chairman, the gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Kolbe and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from New York, Mrs. Lowey for their hard work and leadership on this legislation.

As this will be his last time chairing the subcommittee on foreign operations, I especially want to thank you Mr. Kolbe for your commitment to the issue of foreign aid and for consistently working in a bipartisan manner over the years with Ms. Lowey, myself, and others.

With respect to the legislation before us, Mr. Chairman, I'd like to take a moment to highlight three particular provisions.

First, I am pleased that this bill includes $450 million for humanitarian assistance in

Sudan. Of this, $138 million is specifically for the war-torn Darfur region. The release of the rest is contingent on the certification that hostilities by the Government of Sudan and its Janjaweed militas have ended in Darfur and that humanitarian assistance can flow unimpeded.

Mr. Chairman, as we all know, a terrible genocide has been taking place in Darfur since February 2003.

Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, the international community has been slow to respond this as a humanitarian disaster.

I traveled to the Darfur region twice and have witnessed first-hand the life and death situation of the refugees. They lack even the most basic needs. For example, because of limited funds the WFP has reduced the food ration for refugees to a mere 1050 calories per day. This is not enough to live on.

That's why, I am pleased that the funds allocated in this bill will help support efforts by the U.N. and the African Union to bring food, clean water, and other basic humanitarian assistance.

Second, I am pleased that this legislation includes funds to support the post-conflict democracy in Haiti.

As you know, Mr. Chairman, the first democratically elected president of Haiti, Jean Bertrand Aristide was ousted from office in 1994 and again in 2004. For the last dozen years, Haiti has struggled in an economic and humanitarian crisis.

This February's election of Rene Preval is a significant milestone for our hemisphere's most fragile democracy.

We must do everything we can to allow peace and security to return. That's why this legislation's inclusion of $164 million is so important.

And finally, Mr. Chairman, I am pleased that this bill includes $3.4 billion to fight the global AIDS pandemic, including $445 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria.

In the 25 years since the CDC reported the first cases of a rare form of pneumonia among 5 gay men in Los Angeles, HIV/AIDS has infected nearly 70 million throughout the world and killed more than 25 million.

We have made significant steps in the last few years to bring relief and hope to millions of infected and vulnerable individuals in the developing world, and with this increase in funding we acknowledge the work that still remains to be done.

Although I am disappointed that we could not match the need based figure of $7.54 billion to combat AIDS, TB and Malaria, I hope that in conference we can at least support the Senate in seeking a funding level of $4.826 billion.

Mr. Chairman, with our Nation embroiled in an unnecessary war in Iraq, and our international credibility and standing at it's lowest in history, this bill helps us showcase what it best about American humanitarian efforts.

I thank the committee for it's just consideration of many competing priorities within a limited allocation and for bringing to the floor a bill that will provide a meaningful contribution to international aid.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Sequential Votes Postponed In Committee of the Whole

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Havenscourt Community Church, which has contributed immeasurably to the Oakland community as a whole as well as its own parishioners since 1925.

Since its founding, Havenscourt has been known as a stalwart of service, leadership, and faith, impacting countless lives over the past eight decades. With this same spirit, that of addressing needs within the whole community in addition to the church community, Dr.

Claude E. Wilson has served as the pastor at Havenscourt Community Church since the 1960s. In addition to his duties as a spiritual leader, Pastor Wilson has administered several long-standing programs focusing on the academic education of children, the public safety issues that concern the East Oakland area, and the physical wellness issues that concern the African American community.

Pastor Wilson has been commended for his involvement in public education by the Oakland Public School System, in particular, for his personal as well as the Havenscourt Community Church's involvement in providing tutorial, child care, and hot meal programs for school aged children. Through these and numerous other activities Pastor Wilson has relentlessly continued throughout his tenure with Havenscourt to develop programs, networks, and community interconnectedness. Both Pastor Wilson and the Havenscourt family have strengthened our ties with one another and brought hope to our future through spiritual development and community problem solving.

For 81 years Havenscourt Community Church has been an indispensable part of our community, and Dr. Wilson has been leading their contributions as a pastor and community member for more than half of the church's history. On behalf of the residents of California's 9th U.S. Congressional District, I join the Oakland community on this 23rd day of June, 2006 in saluting and thanking the Havenscourt Community Church and its pastor, Dr. Claude E. Wilson. Their presence has contributed to the fabric and vibrancy of our community both currently and as a salient part of our heritage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Green Albany Project, which, in partnership with the Albany Chamber of Commerce, the City of Albany, Alameda County Waste Management, and Stopwaste.org has successfully completed its goal of ``greening'' the small business district in Albany, California, making it the first project in the nation in which a chamber of commerce has taken the lead in an effort such as this.

The Green Albany Project was launched on Earth Day 2005 as a collaborative effort of the Albany Chamber of Commerce, the City of Albany, and Stopwaste.org under the leadership of James Carter. Upon receipt of a grant from Stopwaste.org, the Albany Green Team was assembled, comprised mostly of local youth from Albany High School and the surrounding community. The Albany Green team then began a yearlong outreach effort, working to contact and educate local business owners on the economic and environmental benefits of going green.

With the help of Stopwaste.org, Alameda County Waste Management, Alameda County Board of Supervisors President Keith Carson, and in collaboration with Smartlights, East Bay MUD, and other programs, the Albany Green Team has succeeded in helping 26 businesses in Albany, which is most of the local small business district, to green their operations and in turn, green our community. In so doing, the Green Albany Project has successfully diverted 150 tons of solid waste from landfills through its work to implement composting practices at local businesses, and it is projected that an additional 290 tons will be diverted in the year to come.

The Green Albany Project celebrates this success only one year after its launch, and furthermore, having achieved its objectives under budget, will be returning money to the county for use in propelling other worthwhile projects forward.

In addition, this project would not have been possible without the support of the small business owners in Albany, who are a crucial driving force behind our local and regional economies, and who have provided an immeasurable service to the community by implementing these new green systems with the help of the Albany Green Team.

The Green Albany Project is an outstanding example of steps that our communities can take to address the national and global challenge of developing sustainable practices in a time of diminishing natural resources.

The Green Albany Project has not only made history as the first project of its kind to be completed in our country, but has demonstrated to businesses throughout California's 9th Congressional District and across our country that going green is not only possible but profitable.

On behalf of the residents of California's 9th U.S. Congressional District, I join the Albany community on this 5th day of June, 2006 in saluting and thanking the Albany Green Team, the Albany Chamber of Commerce, the City of Albany, Stopwaste.org, Alameda County Waste Management, the Albany small businesses that have made the decision to go green, and all the other partners who have made the Green Albany Project a success. Their work has contributed immeasurably to California's 9th Congressional District, to the entire Bay Area and to our country, and represents an important step forward in the international effort to establish environmentally and economically sustainable ways of living here in our community and around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 327, legislation I sponsored to support the goals, ideals and creation of National Passport month.

I want to thank my colleague Congressman Danny Davis for managing the bill today and for his leadership on the Government Reform committee. I also want to thank the Ranking Member of the Committee, Congressman Waxman and the Chairman of the Committee, Tom Davis along with leadership on both sides of the aisle for bringing this bill to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to express my appreciation to the over 55 co-sponsors of this bipartisan resolution for their support, and want to especially thank my colleague and the Republican lead on this effort, Congressman Chris Smith from New Jersey for his support.

This resolution is extremely straightforward and noncontroversial. It details and recognizes the value of international travel and requests the President to issue a proclamation calling on the Federal Government, States, localities, schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, other entities, and the people of the United States to observe National Passport month with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities.

The purpose of National Passport Month is to create a time to educate the public about the incredible opportunities available to those who obtain passports as well as the positive impact international travel has on individuals and the global community.

Today, less than 23 percent of Americans have a passport, thereby limiting their ability to travel outside the United States. As a result, millions of Americans are unable to take advantage of the enriching opportunities presented by international travel.

As the Senior Democratic woman on the House International Relations Committee, and a traveler myself, I understand and appreciate the value and importance of international travel.

There really is no substitute for the experience that you get from visiting other countries, from meeting the people, tasting the food and interacting with the culture. It changes the way we see the world. It broadens our horizons and deepens our appreciation for different countries and cultures and our shared humanity. It also helps us learn understanding, tolerance and mutual respect for other cultures.

Not only does travel provide enriching opportunities for the individual, it can also have

profound benefits to our Nation as a whole by allowing Americans to spread the message of freedom and democracy around the world. In addition, having a passport and traveling abroad enables Americans to see the American influence on the world first-hand, including the tremendous amount of humanitarian aid given by Americans through both the public and private sectors.

Americans of all ages are our best ambassadors and we should promote policies that encourage them to travel, to forge connections with people from other countries, to foster mutual understanding and tolerance and to help open new doors to peace.

The timing of our efforts could not be more critical. I think we can all recognize that America needs a boost in foreign public opinion and I am confident that connections made with American travelers can and will make a huge difference improving our image abroad.

So, for all of these reasons, when Lonely Planet, which I am pleased to say is located in Oakland in my district, first raised the idea of a national passport month, I immediately embraced it.

I am proud to have introduced H. Res. 327 and to be part of this campaign to recognize the importance of international travel, and I am overwhelmed by the support we have received. In April of this year, Lonely Planet presented me with over 5,000 petition signatures from people all over the country who support these efforts. And this campaign has the support of a broad coalition of over 70 supporting travel organizations and associations to corporations like American Express and Yahoo.

Moreover, the U.S. Department of State is on record in supporting September as National Passport month. I want to read a quote from its letter: ``Since September is a time of the year when schools are re- opening and many students are considering travel or study abroad, it is a highly appropriate month to promote public awareness of the value of the U.S. passport. The Department shares your appreciation of the U.S. passport and supports your resolution.''

So, today I'm pleased the House will go on record in support of proclaiming September National Passport Month.

Again, I want to thank all the supporters of this resolution and I look forward to working with you all to ensure the White House issues this proclamation in ample time for the inaugural National Passport month celebrations this September.

U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Legislative Affairs,

Washington, DC, August 29, 2005.

Dear Ms. Lee: Thank you for your letter addressed to

Secretary Rice regarding H. Res. 327, a resolution to

encourage President Bush to proclaim September National

Passport Month. It is a pleasure to acknowledge your comments

on the positive impact international travel has on

individuals and the global community. We, too, recognize the

value of travel as a means of enhancing international

understanding.

Even though the State Department will issue more than 10

million passports this fiscal year, still less than 23

percent of Americans have a passport. The Department strives

to make the process of issuing passports to U.S. citizens as

efficient and as courteous as possible. Since September is a

time of the year when schools are re-opening and many

students are considering travel or study abroad, it is a

highly appropriate month to promote public awareness of the

value of the U.S. passport. The Department shares your

appreciation of the U.S. passport and supports your

resolution.

Sincerely,

Matthew A. Reynolds,

Acting Assistant Secretary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the African American Task Force for its clear record of success in encouraging and acknowledging academic achievement by African American youth in Oakland, California.

This month, the African American Education Task Force Held its Fifth Annual Awards Celebration at the ACTS Full Gospel Church in Oakland. At this celebration, almost 1,200 African American students from the 8th through 12th grades were honored for attaining grade point averages of 3.00 or above for the 2005-2006 school year.

These outstanding young people's accomplishments are especially remarkable in light of the great budgetary challenges faced by the State of California and the Oakland schools. I want to commend each and every student being honored for this outstanding accomplishment for understanding the importance of staying in school and the responsibility each individual has to take advantage of the educational opportunities available to him or her. By continuing to be the best students you can be and completing your education, you will have more opportunity to achieve your personal goals and our shared goal of world peace. Your accomplishments represent your dedication and commitment to achieving your goals, and I am proud of you. The skills you have learned and the discipline you have developed will benefit you greatly.

I am honored to represent you in the United States House of Representatives, and on behalf of all the residents of California's 9th U.S. Congressional District, I again salute you on your exemplary academic performance. I am confident that in the years to come you will continue your record of service and success, and I wish you the very best in all of your future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, today, the House considers H.R. 4681, legislation that I'm sad to say is both overbroad in its reach and misses the mark by penalizing the Palestinian people without compelling Hamas to abandon its anti-Israeli rhetoric, its rejectionist policies and its support for terror and violence.

First of all Madam Speaker, I want to be clear: I have always and continue to unequivocally denounce and condemn any and all terrorist acts, whether committed by Hamas or any other terronst group.

That is why I voted for S. Con. Res. 79 in February which declared that that no U.S. assistance should be provided directly to the Palestinian Authority if any representative political party holding a majority of parliamentary seats within the Palestinian Authority maintains a position calling for the destruction of Israel.

My position on Hamas's responsibilities in light of its having attained a majority of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council, and thus its assumption of power as the governing party of the Palestinian Authority, has been clear:

Hamas must recognize Israel;

Hamas must renounce violence and terrorism;

Hamas must abide by previous peace agreements, like the Oslo accord, and act in accordance with the Roadmap; and

Hamas must return the Palestinians to the negotiating table with Israel, and reach the mutually agreeable peace agreement that is called for in the Roadmap and the earlier agreements.

This is Hamas's responsibility of governance. I believe the United States should do everything that it can to both insist upon and to facilitate Hamas taking up this burden of responsibility, and we should not rest until the goal of a negotiated settlement is achieved. Moreover, we should not slow the Middle East peace process by making these targets preconditions for our engagement in the process. As the assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin reminded us: I do not need to make peace with my friends.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to understand that engagement and negotiation for peace is a process, not an event, and it necessarily involves the belligerents to a conflict, not those whom we would aspire to put at the negotiating table.

I agree that we should not fund Hamas, but not at the expense of average Palestinians, which is the end result of this legislation. Among other things, this legislation obstructs a return to negotiations by imposing an impossible-to-achieve Presidential certification process. This legislation undermines U.S. national security interests by eliminating the President's authority to waive sanctions in the interests of national security. This legislation restricts U.S. diplomacy with moderate Palestinians by failing to distinguish between those in government and other political leaders and activists who are not affiliated with Hamas and have rejected terror, recognized Israel, and support a two-state solution. These are a few of the important reasons this legislation needs to be rewritten.

Madam Speaker, supporting the fragile Middle East peace process requires us to keep as many channels as possible open and to those who are empowered by theIr electorate to represent their interests at the negotiating table.

That's why we must reject counterproductive proposals like H.R. 4681 and continue working on all fronts to ensure the goal of a peaceful, two-state solution between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and work of Morris ``Morrie'' Turner, a native of Oakland, California. Morrie Turner is known not only for his legendary talent as a nationally-recognized cartoon artist, but has contributed greatly to our country through his use of art to advocate for social equality and community awareness. On Wednesday, May 31, 2006, the East Bay Community will come together to celebrate Morrie's outstanding career and immeasurable contributions to our society.

Born in 1923 in Oakland, California, Morrie assumed his nickname at an early age, always preferring it above the name Morris. He attended Cole Elementary and McClymonds High School in Oakland, and ultimately graduated from Berkeley High School in June 1942. Morrie began drawing caricatures around the age of 10, and by the time he finished his secondary education he was comfortable with his drawing technique. After graduation, which was in the midst of World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, and continued his drawing while on guard duty. This eventually led to his first series, a strip called Rail Head, which was based on his experiences in the war and which appeared in Stars and Stripes.

Following the war Morrie returned to the Bay Area, where he began working as a clerk for the Oakland Police Department, but continued drawing on a freelance basis. During that time, and at the encouragement of his mother, he began sending his drawings to magazines. After sending out thousands of drawings, he achieved his first national publication in 1947, which was in a baking industry publication called Baker's Helper, and which earned him a check of $5. After several publications of his work on roughly the same scale, Morrie got his first big break when Better Homes & Gardens bought one of his cartoons for $75.

Throughout his many years of drawing, Morrie had received no formal art training and so he sought advice and encouragement from other professional cartoonists. In that process, he began to question why there were no artists from communities of color working as professional cartoonists, particularly among those who were publishing national pieces. In response, his mentor Charles Schultz, creator of the infamous Peanuts strip, suggested that Morrie create one. In the early 1960s he did just that, creating Dinky Fellas, the strip that would later evolve into the hugely successful Wee Pals, a strip that takes place in a world without prejudice and that celebrated ethnic, racial, cultural and other differences in our society. In 1965, the series became the first multi-ethnic cartoon syndicated in the United States. Wee Pals went on to appear in over 100 newspapers worldwide, and has also featured a weekly additional panel called Soul Corner, in which the life of a famous person from a community of color is detailed.

Wee Pals also carries special significance in my district, because it later became the cornerstone of an Oakland Police Department crime prevention and safety program. Through this effort, Morrie's message of open mindedness, equality and cultural embrace was coupled with one of public safety and community service, thereby impacting the lives of countless young people and families in the 9th Congressional District and beyond.

Morrie's outstanding work in periodicals has been recognized by the public on numerous occasions, as have his published children's books, whose titles include The Illustrated Biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. He was honored in 2000 by the Cartoonist Society with their Sparky Award, has been introduced into the California Public Education Hall of Fame and has also been recognized by Children's Fairyland in Oakland; he is also the subject of a film called Keeping the Faith with Morrie.

On May 31, 2006, the friends, family and colleagues of Morrie Turner will come together to celebrate the career and immeasurable contributions of Morrie Turner to our community. On this very special day, I join all of them in thanking and saluting Morrie for his invaluable service to our community, and for the profoundly positive impact his work has had on countless lives here in California's 9th U.S. Congressional District, across our country and throughout the world.