Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on September 29, 2005 I was unable to vote during rollcall votes Nos. 502 to 508 as I had to attend a funeral in my district.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on H. Res. 470, H. Res. 388, and H.J. Res. 68. I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Con. Res. 178.

Also, I would voted ``nay'' on H.R. 3824, the Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005 because in reality this bill is a threat to the recovery of endangered species in our Nation. However, I would have voted ``aye'' on the Miller substitute to H.R. 3824.

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to join the Gentlewoman from California, my colleague Ms. Solis, to talk about the Ryan White CARE Act and the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS upon minority communities.

I want to thank my colleague for her leadership in organizing this event as we approach the third anniversary of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day on October 15th. As the leader of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus's Health taskforce, I know she is a forceful advocate for ending the racial and ethnic health disparities that continue to plague both our communities.

Mr. Speaker, 15 years ago, a young and courageous boy by the name of Ryan White inspired members of this body and people all over the country to come together out of compassion to destigmatize HIV/AIDs, and to provide medical care and support services to people living with this dreaded disease.

The passage of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act in 1990 provided hope for thousands of Americans afflicted with HIV/AlDS, and signaled the beginning of a sustained Federal response that has now grown to over $2 billion a year.

The Ryan White CARE Act has been reauthorized twice so far, first in 1996, and then in 2000. Each time we have remembered Ryan for his courage and his compassion and we have remembered countless others who have needlessly become infected by this devastating disease and who still needed our help.

Now it is time to do it all over again.

Since the beginning of this pandemic, over 500,000 individuals have died in the United States, many of whom will be forever memorialized through the ongoing AIDS Memorial Quilt project.

The AIDS quilt stands as testament to the strength and vitality of those who were claimed by this dreaded disease, but it also charts the evolution of HIV/AIDS here in the U.S. as well.

The face of AIDS has changed dramatically since the early days of the epidemic, and now people of color are overwhelmingly represented.

Today, there are over 1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, 42 percent of which are African Americans, 20 percent of which are Hispanic.

Every year another 40,000 individuals get infected with HIV, over 50 percent of whom are African Americans, and 15 percent of which are Hispanic.

The fastest growing categories of new infections nationally are among African American women and the Hispanic community.

My district in Alameda County reflects the national averages, with African Americans representing over 50 percent of all new AIDS cases, and Hispanics 21 percent, and over the last 8 years the numbers for Hispanics have shot up.

Clearly we need to work harder to get the word out about HIV/AIDS, and we need to make sure that our communities have access to the resources they need.

That's why I'm a proud original co-sponsor of Ms. Solis's resolution supporting National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. We need to recognize the fact that AIDS affects everybody, and the more than 76,000 Latinos currently living with AIDS are testament to that.

At the same time we must also recognize the work of national and community based organizations, like the Latino Commission on AIDS, that are doing the work. In my district, organizations like La Clinica de La Raza, AIDS Project East Bay, SalvaSIDA, CALPEP, and SMAAC, deserve to be recognized for their efforts to reach out to Hispanic and African American communities alike.

It is their work that drives us here in Congress to demand more funding for communities of color dealing with HIV/AIDS. And that's why we established the Minority AIDS Initiative in 1998 with President Clinton.

As a key complement to the Ryan White CARE Act, the Minority AIDS Initiative plays a critical role in supporting outreach and capacity building in minority communities.

As we work to re-authorize the CARE Act, we must strengthen the Minority AIDS Initiative and ensure that the needs of minorities are being met.

That means we need a strong and robust primary prevention approach that differentiates messages between race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and identity, and age.

We also need to make sure to build in housing and supportive services to provide continuity of care for all individuals infected with HIV-- especially in minority communities.

That means providing convenient access to case management, dental care, mental health therapy, psychosocial support, and drug and alcohol treatment while we try and address the needs of people living with HIV/

Mr. Speaker, on September 29, 2005, I was unable to vote during rollcall votes Nos. 502 to 508 as I had to attend a funeral in my district.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on H. Res. 470, H. Res. 388, and H.J. Res. 68. I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Con. Res. 178.

Also, I would voted ``nay'' on H.R. 3824, the Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005 because in reality this bill is a threat to the recovery of endangered species in our nation. However, I would have voted ``aye'' on the Miller substitute to H.R. 3824.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and achievements of Alameda County Superior Court Judge Horace Wheatley of Oakland, California. Serving Alameda County on the bench for almost 25 years, Judge Wheatley has been known throughout his career for his unfaltering sense of social justice, and for his unwavering commitment to our young people. Today our community comes together to celebrate his career and achievements on the occasion of his retirement in Oakland, California.

Judge Wheatley was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and raised in San Francisco's historic Fillmore district. After graduating from the ``old'' Lowell High School in 1957, he went to College of the Pacific, now known as University of the Pacific, later transferring to Howard University in Washington, DC, where he continued his record as a champion debater. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 had not yet been enacted during his time in college, making some of the challenges he faced in school extend far beyond the realm of academics. When he competed in the National Collegiate Debate Tournament at the University of Oklahoma in 1961, the open and unabated racial discrimination that prevailed in some parts of the country was so severe that the southern colleges who were competing were instructed to walk out of any round in which an African American was competing. Undeterred, Judge Wheatley went on not only to win the tournament, but to be awarded the Pi Kappa Delta gold debate key for his outstanding performance. Following his studies at Howard, Judge Wheatley returned to the University of the Pacific in 1960, where he graduated with a degree in Sociology and Psychology.

Following a successful law school career at Willamette University in Oregon, where he won the school's Moot Court Competition and served as a teaching assistant before earning his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree, Judge Wheatley began serving as Deputy Attorney General for the State of California in 1965. He later went into private practice in Oakland, where he engaged in general litigation practice and was one of the lead attorneys in a precedent-setting class-action lawsuit against the savings and loan industry. In 1972, he became General Counsel for the California Teachers Association, representing the organization's 300,000 members in several noteworthy cases which resulted in precedent-setting rulings in favor of public school teachers' rights and benefits.

Judge Wheatley was appointed as a Judge of the Alameda County Municipal Court on July 1, 1981, by California Governor Edmond G. ``Jerry'' Brown, Jr., and was elevated to the Alameda County Superior Court when all of the courts in Alameda County were unified in 1998. Known for his tendency to give many young defendants the choice to ``Go to school or go to jail,'' Judge Wheatley's career on the bench has been marked by his steadfast commitment to serving the young people in our community who are most in need of guidance.

Judge Wheatley's outstanding dedication and accomplishments have not only impacted countless young lives, but have also been recognized by a number of the professional organizations of which he is a member. He has not only been inducted into the Charles Houston Bar Association's Hall of Fame, but has also received its ``Judicial Excellence Award.'' In addition, he received the Bernard S. Jefferson Award from the California Association of Black Lawyers as its Judge of the Year in 2001, and has also been named the Lend-A-Hand Foundation's ``Man of the Year.'' This past August, he was inducted into the National Bar Association's Hall of Fame in recognition of having practiced law for over 40 years and made significant contributions to the cause of justice. In addition, he was also given the A. Leon Higginbotham Memorial Award by the Young Lawyers Division of the National Bar Association in recognition of his intellectual accomplishments, professional achievements and community contributions.

Today Judge Wheatley's family, friends and colleagues come together to celebrate the impact of his life and work not only on the innumerable lives, particularly young lives, he has touched here in Alameda County, but the lasting effects his rulings and his commitment to

true justice have had and will continue to have on our legal system. On behalf of the 9th Congressional District of California, I salute and thank Judge Horace Wheatley for his invaluable contributions to the people of Alameda County, the 9th Congressional District, the State of California and our entire country.

Mr. Speaker, on September 29, 2005, I was unable to vote during rollcall vote No. 504 as I had to attend a funeral in my District. Had I been present, I would have voted against H. Con. Res. 245.

I am increasingly concerned that resolutions like H. Con. Res. 245 are being used to score political points, rather than resolutions that could be well-intended expressions of reasonable patriotism and commitment to our national identity.

Similarly, in the last Congress, we considered legislation (H.R. 2028) that would strip the Federal Courts of jurisdiction over cases involving the Pledge of Allegiance. Though the legislation was intended to ostensibly deal with the ``under God'' controversy, which was bad enough considering the important role that the Courts play in ensuring that our legislative enactments are permissible in light of the Constitution's protections of our citizens, it unfortunately also had broad implications on cases in which individuals, especially members of religious minorities, would seek enforcement of their constitutional right for religious practice.

I voted against that legislation because it threatened the separation of powers established in our Constitution and undermined the constitutionally established function of the Federal Courts to interpret the law, a principle established in Marbury v. Madison two centuries ago. I believe that H. Con. Res. 245 would similarly be incompatible with the First Amendment's religious protections and would thereby harm religious minorities for whom the recitation of the Pledge is a violation of their faith.

Mr. Speaker, it is the responsibility of Congress to protect the rights of all of our citizens and to pass laws consistent with that great document, The Constitution of the United States, not pass laws that flout its principles. I believe that H. Con. Res. 245 deviates from those responsibilities and that is why, had I been able to attend the day's proceedings, I would have voted, ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time and for her leadership.

I rise in strong opposition to this very restrictive rule. Now, we are all touched by the magnitude of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita in the gulf coast. The human and environmental costs of these disasters are unimaginable. But as in any catastrophe, there is always somebody waiting in the wings to make a profit off the human misery and suffering. Today, once again, it is the energy companies. This adds insult to injury. We just gave them over $12.8 billion in subsidies and tax breaks 2 months ago, and now they are back asking for more help. Why?

The top 10 energy companies last year made over $125 billion. Why should the American public be subsidizing these megaprofits? Once again, instead of allowing us to take a real stand to address our short-and long-term energy needs, the Committee on Rules has reported a restrictive rule that rejects consideration of many amendments which would have made this bill much better.

Despite a recent survey indicating that 86 percent, 86 percent of Americans favor an increase in fuel economy standards, the Committee on Rules prevented, prevented consideration of the Boehlert-Markey amendment which would do just that. We were prevented from considering the Gas Price Spike Act of 2005 offered as an amendment by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey), the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva), and myself. It would have discouraged price gouging by implementing a windfall tax on oil and gasoline profits. And we were also prevented from considering the Larson-Slaughter amendment which would have put an end, an end to gasoline price discrimination based on location, creating a free market for gasoline dealers.

Our current energy strategy will only further increase our dependence on foreign oil. We must break this chain by implementing a strategy of energy independence and defeat this giveaway to the oil industry.

Vote for a new strategy, not more of the same. We must oppose this rule and support the Stupak substitute.

Mr. Chairman, on September 29, 2005, I missed rollcall vote 506, the vote on final passage for H.R. 3824. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.'' I was unable to take part in this vote because I was attending a constituent funeral.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3824, which is a threat to the recovery of endangered species.

Mr. Chairman, the original Endangered Species Act was signed into law by President Nixon in 1973 with the goal of protecting species on the brink of extinction, preserving critical habitats from human development and exploitation, and safeguarding the diversity of our natural wildlife for future generations.

This bill would redefine the entire concept of the Endangered Species Act to protect the short term economic interests of western landowners and developers.

Instead of working to protect threatened or endangered species and their habitats for the benefit of everyone, the Federal Government would now be driving the extinction of countless species--and your tax dollars would be paying for it.

We've got to ask ourselves who really needs to be protected here?

Is it our planet, our future? Or is it the right of some developer to build a strip mall?

I urge my colleagues to vote against this cynical attempt to gut the endangered species act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and achievements of Dr. Tipkins Hood, Sr. of Oakland, California. Dr. Hood was a compassionate physician, devoted husband and father, a leading member of our community and a wonderful friend. He passed away on September 22, 2005 in Oakland, California.

Dr. Hood was born on December 15, 1936 in Camden, Texas, where he was the third of nine children in a loving and close-knit family. A precocious child, he had an unsurpassed zeal for learning, and throughout his primary and secondary education he excelled in reading, the sciences and mathematics. Graduating early from high school, he enrolled at Texas Southern University at age 15, earning a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and later graduating from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.

In 1964, Dr. Hood married Ms. Ruth Starnes in St. Louis, Missouri. Sadly, Ruth passed away in 1978, but their union produced a son, Tipkins Hood, Jr. A dedicated family man and hard-working student, Dr. Hood completed his internship at Homer G. Philips Hospital in St. Louis, his general residency at Washington University, and his specialty orthopedic surgery training in St. Louis at the University of Missouri and the nearby Veteran's Administration Hospital.

As a young doctor, Dr. Hood voluntarily served from 1960 until 1970 in the United States Navy-Marine Corps, during which time he was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat V as well as a Meritorious Service Award for serving above and beyond the call of duty. At the end of his military service he was also awarded the Vietnamese Medal of Honor.

After completing his education and military service in 1970, Dr. Hood began his medical practice in Oakland, California. After getting his board certification in Orthopedic Surgery in 1974, he practiced for more than 35 years in Oakland, contributing immeasurably to the health and well being of our entire community. For close to 4 decades, he maintained an extensive inpatient and outpatient practice, and treated a wide range of patients including children, adults, the elderly and low-income individuals. Over the years, his medical expertise benefited groups such as the Oakland Police & Fire Retirement Association, the Oakland Raiders and the Social Security Administration, as well as an untold number of individuals and families who otherwise may not have had access to that kind of medical treatment.

Though Dr. Hood's medical achievements were extraordinary, his accomplishments and leadership extended far beyond the realm of medicine. Throughout his life he was involved in a variety of business, community and academic endeavors, and supported a number of important civic and political causes. He was a tremendous asset to the late Mayor Lionel Wilson of Oakland as well as to Congressman Ron Dellums, and was one of my longtime and consistent supporters. For this, I am deeply grateful.

Additionally, in what he considered to be one of his most important roles, Dr. Hood was a dedicated and lifelong member of the Board of Trustees at his medical alma mater, Meharry Medical College. A deeply spiritual person, Dr. Hood was also a longtime member of Downs Memorial United Methodist Church in Oakland, California.

In 1981, Dr. Hood married Ms. Carol H. Williams, and together they raised two children, Tipkins Hood, Jr. and Carol Henny Hood, Jr. Their life together was enriched by their devotion to each other, and they delighted in the arrival of a grandson, Tipkins Milton Hood. Dr. Hood enjoyed sharing his love of travel, fishing and cooking with his family and friends, and took every opportunity to spend time with them. His dedication to his family was unsurpassed, and throughout his life his loved ones brought him great joy.

As a close personal friend since the early 1970s, I benefited from Tip's advice, keen intellect and remarkable wisdom. He was a ``wise man,'' yet he had a lot of heart. For example, this summer he took the time to provide his medical insights to one of my family members who had also been his patient many years ago. Not only did he give his best thinking regarding treatment options, but he also gave reassurances to call and visit every day during recuperation. Tip comforted those who needed comfort and always went beyond the call of duty.

The last time I saw Tip was in my Washington, DC office very recently. He cared about the aging and sick prison populations and wanted to provide treatment facilities for the Federal and state penal institutions. Tip concluded this very intense meeting by pleading with the Federal prison officials to understand that providing this treatment was the humane way to treat these individuals. His compassion profoundly impacted everyone in the meeting, just as it had always impacted everyone who knew him.

Throughout his life, Dr. Hood ``did it his way.'' He was a man for all seasons whose wit, charm and brilliance will be forever remembered. He will be greatly missed, but his legacy and his spirit will inspire us all, especially young African American men, to soar to heights unseen, and to do so in his memory.

Today Dr. Hood's family and friends come together to celebrate his life and work, and the immeasurable personal and professional impact he has had on all of us. On behalf of the 9th U.S. Congressional District of California, I salute and thank Dr. Tipkins Hood, Sr. for his invaluable contributions to the people of Oakland, the 9th Congressional District, the State of California and our entire country.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans in Congress lost no time in turning the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina into an opportunity to enrich their friends in the oil industry at the expense of the American people. The Gasoline for America's Security Act of 2005 should be called the Second Energy Special Interest Act of 2005.

Energy companies got $12.8 billion in subsidies and tax breaks just 2 months ago. Now, Republicans are giving them a bill filled with the measures that were too objectionable to go in the first time around. This bill is a polluter-friendly giveaway that has nothing to do with helping hurricane victims or securing America's energy needs.

Not only does this bill do nothing for Americans facing soaring gas or home heating prices, it guts clean air protections and undermines the Environmental Protection Agency. Only the profit-soaked oil and gas companies win with this bill. Everyone else is stuck paying higher energy prices in the short run and the incalculable long-term costs that will result from compromising our environment and failing to achieve energy independence.

Madam Speaker, let me thank our ranking member for yielding. Also I want to thank the ranking member on the Housing Subcommittee for her leadership and for really trying to make sure that these bills before us today have bipartisan support and have become better bills as they move through this process.

People displaced by this horrible disaster deserve clean, safe and decent housing. They should be provided with the opportunity to return home as quickly and as safely as possible. Yet, I do not believe these bills accomplish this goal.

HUD has not received, first of all, nearly enough authority or funding to do what is necessary to provide for the Katrina survivors. First, nowhere do we acknowledge the inadequate response to date of the administration or the Department of Housing and Urban Development to the housing crisis in the gulf.

Secondly, there is no additional funding in any of these bills for the CDBG or emergency housing vouchers for families affected by Hurricane Katrina. There is not enough money at HUD, and we should not redirect funding that is already inadequate in one account, to move it to another account. Indeed, we need more resources to accomplish what we need to accomplish. The bottom line is, there needs to be new money for housing, and we need it now.

Finally, there is not enough thought given to prohibiting the use of substandard housing for Katrina survivors or for the creation of affordable housing construction programs for new, safe and affordable housing. Although these bills waive the pre-inspection process for about 6 months for Katrina survivors in terms of their housing needs, I really worry that people will find themselves living in substandard and dilapidated housing if we do not monitor this very closely.

What I find also very striking about these bills is that there are no measures to ensure that Katrina survivors can return to the gulf region without fear of housing discrimination from landlords or lenders. There are some serious housing policy issues at stake in these bills. There should be more opportunity for debate and thoughtful legislation.

Madam Speaker, the reality is, these bills do very little for the people who are relying on us to help. Having traveled to Houston and having talked to Katrina survivors; I went to the shelters, like many, and I have heard firsthand the needs and seen firsthand their pain. I know very well that housing, providing affordable decent safe housing, is very central to their recovery.

When I think about how much Katrina survivors have lost, compared to what this administration is willing to sacrifice in their misguided budget priorities, it falls way short, I am sorry to say, of what we should be doing. We need to provide housing bills that create new funding for emergency, flexible, section 8 vouchers. We need to increase the funding and authority of HUD to truly help Katrina survivors and also to take steps to eradicate poverty. Effective housing strategies with full funding would help to begin to address these underlying systemic issues which surface during this tragedy.

I would like to thank our housing leaders again, Congressman Barney Frank and Congresswoman Maxine Waters, for attempting to make these bills better. I welcome the opportunity to continue to work with my colleagues to authorize and to fund significant Katrina housing legislation in the near future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and achievements of Alameda County Superior Court Judge Horace Wheatley of Oakland, California. Serving Alameda County on the bench for almost 25 years, Judge Wheatley has been known throughout his career for his unfaltering sense of social justice, and for his unwavering commitment to our young people. Today our community comes together to celebrate his career and achievements on the occasion of his retirement in Oakland, California.

Judge Wheatley was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and raised in San Francisco's historic Fillmore district. After graduating from the ``old'' Lowell High School in 1957, he went to College of the Pacific, now known as University of the Pacific, later transferring to Howard University in Washington, DC, where he continued his record as a champion debater. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 had not yet been enacted during his time in college, making some of the challenges he faced in school extend far beyond the realm of academics. When he competed in the National Collegiate Debate Tournament at the University of Oklahoma in

1961, the open and unabated racial discrimination that prevailed in some parts of the country was so severe that the southern colleges who were competing were instructed to walk out of any round in which an African American was competing. Undeterred, Judge Wheatley went on not only to win the tournament, but to be awarded the Pi Kappa Delta gold debate key for his outstanding performance. Following his studies at Howard, Judge Wheatley returned to the University of the Pacific in 1960, where he graduated with a degree in Sociology and Psychology.

Following a successful law school career at Willamette University in Oregon, where he won the school's Moot Court Competition and served as a teaching assistant before earning his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree, Judge Wheatley began serving as Deputy Attorney General for the State of California in 1965. He later went into private practice in Oakland, where he engaged in general litigation practice and was one of the lead attorneys in a precedent-setting class-action lawsuit against the savings and loan industry. In 1972, he became General Counsel for the California Teachers Association, representing the organization's 300,000 members in several noteworthy cases which resulted in precedent-setting rulings in favor of public school teachers' rights and benefits.

Judge Wheatley was appointed as a Judge of the Alameda County Municipal Court on July 1, 1981 by California Governor Edmond G. ``Jerry'' Brown, Jr., and was elevated to the Alameda County Superior Court when all of the courts in Alameda County were unified in 1998. Known for his tendency to give many young defendants the choice to ``Go to school or go to jail,'' Judge Wheatley's career on the bench has been marked by his steadfast commitment to serving the young people in our community who are most in need of guidance.

Judge Wheatley's outstanding dedication and accomplishments have not only impacted countless young lives, but have also been recognized by a number of the professional organizations of which he is a member. He has not only been inducted into the Charles Houston Bar Association's Hall of Fame, but has also received its ``Judicial Excellence Award.'' In addition, he received the Bernard S. Jefferson Award from the California Association of Black Lawyers as its Judge of the Year in 2001, and has also been named the Lend-A-Hand Foundation's ``Man of the Year.'' This past August, he was inducted into the National Bar Association's Hall of Fame in recognition of having practiced law for over 40 years and made significant contributions to the cause of justice. In addition, he was also given the A. Leon Higginbotham Memorial Award by the Young Lawyers Division of the National Bar Association in recognition of his intellectual accomplishments, professional achievements and community contributions.

Today Judge Wheatley's family, friends and colleagues come together to celebrate the impact of his life and work not only on the innumerable lives, particularly young lives, he has touched here in Alameda County, but the lasting effects his rulings and his commitment to true justice have had and will continue to have on our legal system. On behalf of the 9th Congressional District of California, I salute and thank Judge Horace Wheatley for his invaluable contributions to the people of Alameda County, the 9th Congressional District, the State of California and our entire country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the resolution commemorating Rosa Parks on the 50th Anniversary of her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus and comply with an unjust law.

I also want to thank my colleague from Michigan, Mr. Conyers, for offering this important amendment and for his courage, leadership, and vision as the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee and the Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Without question, Rosa Parks, was a pivotal force in the struggle for civil rights in America.

Ms. Parks' courageous action touched millions of lives, serving as a catalyst for the legendary bus boycott in Alabama and acting as a critical turning point in the African-American civil rights movement.

With the support of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights activists, Rosa Parks demonstrated the power of individuals and communities to tear down injustice and bring about social change.

Her spark ignited a fire that helped to reverse segregation, raise public consciousness, and challenge our democracy to guarantee and secure liberty and justice for all.

Rosa Parks is a true shero. But as we commemorate Rosa and her actions today, let us not forget that we still have much more work to do.

It is our job as representatives of the people to pick up the banner carried by Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Medger Evers, and others and ensure that our children and our children's children can live in a world free of ignorance, prejudice, discrimination and racism.

Mr. Speaker, first, let me just remind those who are listening tonight that there have always been two Americas here in the United States. I was quite taken aback right after the very recent catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina that reporters and many individuals kept commenting that this is not America, we do not know this place, this cannot be America. But my response consistently has been, this is the America that I know and this is the America that brought many of us here to Congress.

By race or class, there are two distinct and separate societies surviving on sheer will and determination here in our own country. It just does not make sense that the richest, most powerful Nation in the world has some of the poorest, unhealthiest, and most vulnerable people in the world. In many ways, Hurricane Katrina has brought to light the shame that the United States really, quite frankly, has tried to sweep under the rug for decades.

Now, the Congressional Black Caucus has represented this hidden America for nearly 40 years in this Congress. The Congressional Black Caucus has consistently worked to eradicate poverty throughout our country. Just look at the disparities agenda put forth by the Congressional Black Caucus under the leadership of our great chairman, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Watt). Whether it is unemployment rates, whether it is health statistics, whether it is statistics as it relates to decent and affordable housing, the gaps are glaring. The disparities are glaring.

The disparities of poverty severely and disproportionately affect African

Americans and people of color in our country. Let us just for a minute, and I put this chart up here so we can look at the poverty rates right now in the United States and where they were in 2000, in 2000, 11.3 percent was the poverty rate, increasing every year to 2004, which, of course, the Census Bureau has just put out, 12.7 percent, and it is climbing.

So who are the poor? Newsweek magazine, and I hope everyone reads Newsweek this week, September 19, and what Newsweek says. Let me read a paragraph from that article where it describes who the poor are: ``With whites making up 72 percent of the population, the United States contains more poor whites than poor blacks or Hispanics. In fact, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that the increase in white poverty in nonurban areas accounts for most of the recent uptick in the poverty rate, but only a little more than 8 percent of American whites are poor.'' That is 8 percent compared with 22 percent of Hispanics and nearly 25 percent of all African Americans, 25 percent in a country that is 12 percent black. That is the point that we need to make, that people need to understand.

So those naysayers who say we are playing the race card, which we are not, they need to look at the facts. They need to look at the disproportionate numbers of Americans living in poverty who are African American and who are Hispanic. The facts speak for themselves.

We are going to talk tonight about the impact of Hurricane Katrina on people who are poor and who did not have the money to leave and to evacuate, most of whom happen to be black. We are going to talk about that tonight. I hope those who are listening and watching understand that this America that many of us here understand and know, these two Americas that unfortunately we have been faced with, is one of the reasons why we fight each and every day against the budget cuts, against the tax cuts, against putting unnecessary resources into an unnecessary war.

That is why many of us here are here tonight as members of the Congressional Black Caucus, as Americans, as Members of Congress to really call to the attention of the American people the huge impact of poverty, the disproportionate numbers of individuals who happen to be black and Latino in our country. Here we have the greatest, most industrialized, most technically developed country in the world; and we have this unbelievable number of American citizens who are poor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), who has been all of his life a warrior, a fighter for the poor, who organized the Poor People's Caucus here in Congress and who will talk to us now with regard to why he has embraced this agenda as his life's mission.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) for his comments.

Let me just say I believe, unfortunately, that this Congress and the administration suspended the requirements to include minority- and women-owned businesses in the upcoming contracts, which to me is appalling and unacceptable; and we need to go back and repeal what they repealed.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown) to come forward and make her statement.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois for that very eloquent statement.

Let me just say in reference to the comment made by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) earlier and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) in terms of the President taking responsibility, which he just said he would take, I think it really warrants us to ask the question, why was he so irresponsible early on in responding to this great tragedy? And that answer has to be gotten, I think, for all of us to be able to understand the direction in which he is going to move. Tomorrow he is going to talk I think about his plan and response, but I would just hope that he would talk about his plan to eradicate poverty by the year 2010, and that is what many of us are working toward.

I would like to now yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) who all of her life has worked to eradicate the conditions which give rise to this very obscene and immoral condition which so many millions of Americans live in.

I want to thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) for that very clear and powerful statement also. If there was any doubt who was left behind in the Gulf region, I think the entire country knows now who was left behind.

Let me yield now to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. McKinney).

I want to thank the gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. McKinney) for her very passionate statement and for asking the tough questions, as she always has and will continue to do.

I would like to now yield to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Davis). We all know that poverty knows no boundaries. We see high incidences of poverty all over our country in rural and in urban areas.

We know much of your community is a rural community steeped in poverty.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his statement also raising the need for sustained commitment, because that is what this country and the President must do and develop a plan to eradicate poverty by 2010.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson).

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church of Oakland, California on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.

Organized between 1904 and 1905, the church was originally known as Richard Clark Memorial and then as North Oakland Church of Christ before adopting its current name. North Oakland's congregation began as a small handful of faithful community residents that met at members' homes and other locations before pooling their resources to build the first church on Alden Street. Reverend J.A. Dennis was designated as the first pastor of North Oakland in 1905, and remained there until 1908.

Throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first, North Oakland has been guided by a number of visionary leaders who have implemented a wide variety of forward-thinking, community-enriching programs.

Under the leadership of Dr. G.C. Coleman from 1913 until 1942, North Oakland was institution where members of the black community, particularly those returning from World War I, could become active in community service efforts. Dr. Coleman regularly wrote local newspapers to articulate the need for improvement in job prospects and housing for African Americans, and made North Oakland an active force in the community throughout the 1930s. Dr. Coleman was also instrumental in the creation of the organization now known as the St. John Missionary Baptist Association of Northern California and Nevada. Since 1910, North Oakland has sent numerous messengers and delegates to the association's conventions, where Dr. Coleman served as Moderator for more than 20 years.

Following the passing of Dr. Coleman, Dr. Ansel O. Bell was elected pastor in 1942. During the war years the church membership grew significantly, and under Reverend Bell's tenure that number reached more than one-thousand, an increase which necessitated the construction of a new church in 1960.

Reverend Bell was succeeded in 1967 by Reverend C.B. Murray. During his 15-year tenure, Reverend Murray presided over several structural improvements to the church, merged the Senior, Men's and Women's Choirs into one, and started ``The Voice of Africa,'' a North Oakland initiative that resulted in church missions to Haiti and Liberia. He was well known throughout local, State, and national faith organizations, and also served as the First Vice-Moderator of the St. John Missionary Baptist Association of California until his death in 1982.

After the interim pastorate of Reverend Sylvester Rutledge from 1982 until 1984, Dr. Lloyd C. Blue served as North Oakland's pastor from 1984 until 1990. Upon his retirement, Reverend Rutledge again served as interim pastor, and was selected in 1991 as the pastor of North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church, a capacity in which he continues to serve today. Reverend Rutledge came to North Oakland in 1964, under the pastorate of the late Reverend Bell. He served as Associate Sunday School Teacher in the Young Adult Class and also served as a teacher in the Children's Class. Selected as a candidate for deaconship in 1966 and ordained in 1968, Reverend Rutledge has served North Oakland and our community with distinction for over 4 decades.

In recent years, North Oakland has remained at the forefront of community building and improvement efforts throughout the City of Oakland. Most notably, North Oakland recently celebrated the opening of Sylvester Rutledge Manor, a 65-unit affordable apartment complex for low-income seniors that the church developed in partnership with Oakland Community Housing, Inc. This development, completed in July 2003, is located directly adjacent to the church property and is an important step forward in the ongoing struggle to secure affordable housing for all people in our community. Through this effort, the North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church Family is once again letting its light shine on what is oftentimes a gloomy reality for many, and continues to lift us all up through its unfaltering devotion to its members and our community. They have been given a heart of wisdom and knowledge by which their loving kindness and compassion have transcended beyond their walls.

During the month of September 2005, North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church will be celebrating its centennial anniversary in Oakland, California. Throughout the last century, North Oakland's members and leaders have worked tirelessly to provide support and guidance for countless individuals. As members and friends from throughout our community and beyond gather for the series of celebrations that will mark this historic occasion, it is my pleasure to add my voice to theirs in thanking North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church for its years of dedicated service to the 9th Congressional District, to the Bay Area and to our entire country.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Conyers and I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and achievements of one of the great artistic voices of our time, William Thomas ``Keter'' Betts of Silver Spring, Maryland. A legend in the world of jazz for over 50 years, Keter was not only a bassist of incomparable talent, but an original artist, devoted teacher, and wonderful friend. He passed away in Maryland on August 6, 2005 at the age of 77.

Keter Betts was born in 1928 in Port Chester, New York. He discovered music as a child when one day, while running an errand for his

mother, he encountered a parade and was so fascinated by the music that he followed it all over town. It was not long before he began practicing on a small drum, and eventually moved on to playing on a full set. However, in his late teens he tired of carrying his drum set up and down the stairs of his apartment building, so in 1946 he switched to bass.

When he was only 19, Keter landed his first professional gig, playing for thirteen weeks in Washington, DC with saxophonist Carmen Leggio. He toured the country from 1949 through 1956, working with jazz singer Dinah Washington during the latter five years of the tour. Keter than teamed up with Charlie Byrd and Woody Herman to tour Europe and South America, before joining Ella Fitzgerald for a short tour that was the beginning of the twenty-four-year working partnership the two would share.

Over the years Keter played with many more jazz greats, such as Count Basie, Cannonball Adderly, Nat Adderly, Stan Getz, Kenny Burrell and Louis Bellson, playing venues all over the world. He was a member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Big Band and was inducted into the Washington Area Music Association Hall of Fame. And after playing on more than 100 recordings, Keter finally released his first solo album, Bass, Buddies & Blues in 1998, and soon followed it up with Bass, Buddies, Blues Beauty Too.

In addition to performing, Keter was a longtime instructor of music at Howard University in Washington, DC beginning in 1963. He also impacted his community as an educator through his commitment to instructing young people through various programs such as the Washington Performing Arts Society's Concerts in Schools and Prince George's County's Arts Alive.

Keter Betts is widely considered to be the most accomplished and highly respected bassist in jazz history. Keter's life and music impacted countless members of younger generations not only because of the excellence and originality he brought to his art, but because of his incredible wisdom, his insight, and his firm belief that every artist must strive to be unique and find his or her true voice.

Today Keter's family and friends will come together to celebrate his impact not only on the world of jazz, but on the innumerable lives he touched and artistic journeys he inspired. On behalf of the 9th Congressional District of California and the 14th Congressional District of Michigan, we salute and thank Keter Betts for his invaluable contributions to jazz music, our country and our world.