Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legendary career and historic achievements of distinguished journalist Belva Davis. On October 12, 2004, Belva will be honored by the International Women's Media Foundation in Washington, D.C., where she will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Foundation's 2004 Courage in Journalism Awards.

Belva began her career in journalism as a freelance writer for Jet Magazine in the 1950s. She soon began working as a reporter for various African-American owned newspapers such as the Bay Area Independent and the San Francisco Sun-Reporter, where she worked as the women's editor. After moving on to broadcasting jobs at Bay Area radio stations such as KSAN and KDIA, her major career breakthrough took place in 1966, when she was hired as a news anchor for KPIX in San Francisco. This was an historic achievement not only because she was the first female African- American television reporter on the West Coast, but also because in that capacity, she hosted and helped to create All Together Now, one of the country's first primetime public affairs programs to focus on ethnic communities. She later moved on to work in public television for KQED, where she stayed from 1977 until 1981, during which time she hosted A Closer Look and Evening Edition. Belva then took a job with KRON, where she worked as an anchor and urban affairs specialist until becoming a KRON special projects reporter in 1999.

Throughout the three decades Belva has spent covering politics and community affairs in the Bay Area, she has received numerous awards for her outstanding contributions to the field of journalism. In addition to winning six regional Emmy Awards, she has received two honorary doctoral degrees, as well the Northern California Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' highest lifetime achievement award, the Governor's Award, in 1996. Belva has also received lifetime achievement awards from the National Association of Black Journalists and the Peralta Community College District, as well as the Golden Gadfly Award from the Media Alliance. In addition, her documentary, ``Yankee Come Back,'' won a prestigious National Television Award, and she is currently one of only 500 journalists to be profiled in the national NEWSEUM. Furthermore, Belva is widely recognized not only as a labor activist and supporter of African- American culture and history, but has also played a pivotal role as a journalist in communicating information regarding Cuba's culture, politics, and relationship with the United States to the American public.

On this very special occasion, I would like to commend Belva's exceptional achievements not only in the field of journalism, but also for her tireless work as an advocate for social justice and public awareness regarding issues that, before her time, had long been ignored by most media outlets. Throughout her career, Belva has repeatedly demonstrated her unwavering commitment to the people of the Bay Area and the issues that are most important to them. On behalf of the Ninth Congressional District, I salute and congratulate her not only for her courage as a journalist, but also for the invaluable contribution she has made to the Bay Area, the State of California, our entire country, and the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and achievements of an extraordinary man, Charles ``Chuck'' Johnson of Oakland, California. Chuck was a prominent figure in the communications industry for over 40 years, and worked tirelessly in that capacity not only to promote equality and social justice, but to keep print and broadcast media affordable and accessible to all. Chuck passed away on July 27, 2004 after succumbing to cancer, and is survived by his son, Charles Johnson, Jr.

Chuck was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on October 21, 1938. After growing up in Missouri, he began his career in radio in 1956. He later joined the Air Force, and following his service time, returned to working full time in the entertainment industry, where he would become the first African American to reach several technological and professional milestones. In 1959, Chuck created the first Black teen dance show, and in the early 1960s, became the first African American not only to host a #1 nightly Top 40 radio show, but also to buy and sell FM radio stations. In 1966, he began producing the nationally syndicated SoulTime USA, and would move on to establish the first Black movie distribution company to promote major Black movies. In 1978, he would become the first African American to operate a 24-hour commercial lease access television station, the Soulbeat Television Network, airing music videos and community programming in Oakland. Soulbeat is presently celebrating 22 years of continuous programming, and has not only added live interactive talk shows to its programming lineup, but in 1998 became the first network ever to broadcast full-time live streaming television to the world over the internet.

In addition to the pioneering role Chuck played in the communications industry, he was an active member of the civil rights movement throughout his life. He not only served as the president of the local NAACP Chapter in Southern California in the 1960s, but as the West Coast Chapter President of the National Association of Television and Radio Announcers, was a leader in the movement to hire the first Black radio announcers in Los Angeles. Furthermore, his founding of Soulbeat in Oakland was historic not only because he was the first African American to establish such a station, but because Soulbeat was and continues to be a vehicle for the advancement of free speech and social equality.

On August 2, 2004, Chuck's friends and family gathered to honor his extraordinary life and the impact that his work had on the lives of those around him. Chuck was a truly unique individual not only because of the record of historic achievements that marked his career, but because of his commitment to using his voice to improve the lives of the people in his community and beyond. His legacy will continue far into the future, and his memory will be treasured by all who knew him. The Ninth Congressional District salutes Chuck Johnson for the contributions he made to Oakland, the East Bay, and our entire country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.

In 2004, the influence of Latinos in the United States is evident now more than ever. This community has continued to be a strong thread in the fabric of our nation. Influential Latinos can be found contributing in many fields; they are doctors and lawyers, teachers and professors, police officers and fire fighters, scientists and engineers, mayors and of course, Members of Congress.

As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to highlight their service to our Congress. The first Latino members of this chamber were non-voting delegates, one from the Territory of Florida, Joseph Marion Hernandez in 1822, and the other Jose Manuel Gallegos from the Territory of New Mexico in 1853. The first voting member was Romualdo Pacheco, from the great state of California, elected in 1877. Since then, many Latino Members of Congress, in both chambers, have served our nation. These members hail from a diverse group of states and territories, including Arizona, Louisiana, Texas, Illinois, New York, Guam and Puerto Rico, to name a few. They have made significant contributions, like Senator Dennis Sanchez, from the state of New Mexico, who was the first to push for any kind of Civil Rights legislation in Congress. Most notable is the formation of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in 1976, founded by five Members of Congress, Reps. Edward Roybal (D-CA), Henry Gonzalez (D-TX), Herman

Badillo (D-NY), Eligio de la Garza (D-TX), and Baltasar Corrada del Rio (NP-PR). Since then, the CHC has grown exponentially. In the 108th Congress, we have seen a record high of 23 Hispanic Members of Congress, 7 of them women.

In my district, the 9th Congressional District of California, the contributions of Latino organizations is stronger than ever. For example, the Unity Council, under the remarkable leadership of Arabella Martinez, has spearheaded the construction of the Fruitvale Transit Village, which is a model for mass transit, affordable housing, and smart growth. The Unity Council also has programs for first-time home ownership, English classes, and subsidiaries that employ a couple of hundred people in the Fruitvale community. As Ms. Martinez retires this year, she hands over the reins of the Unity Council to Gilda Gonzales, a former member of the Oakland School Board, who has served as an aide to two Oakland mayors and to this Member, when I served in the California state legislature.

Another example is Anew America, an organization founded five years ago and led by Syliva Rosales-Fike who has turned personal tragedy into triumph in the Bay Area. After having fled El Salvador after her husband was tortured and murdered, she helped to found Anew America. The non-profit organization takes ``new Americans,'' newly-arrived immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Latin America and helps them establish their small businesses. The organization teaches the new Americans about asset management, finance, and community involvement.

And lastly La Clinica de la Raza, led by CEO Jane Garcia has programs focusing on prenatal care, family planning, parenting skills, and youth programs. They have school clinics in almost every Oakland school with satellite clinics across the Bay Area. They provide free and low-cost health care to thousands of people in the Bay Area. They are celebrating their recent move to their beautiful 40,000 square foot structure located in the Fruitvale Transit Village, which gives them ability to provide comprehensive primary care to all their patients.

Individuals in my district are the motivating force behind organizations such as these and promote civic engagement among Latinos in the 9th Congressional District. People like Tulio Serrano, who came to this country under asylum, after his family was killed in civil war in El Salvador, and had to leave his homeland after several death threats. Through the Central American Refugee Committee, a humanitarian effort, he organizes people to vote, and links people from Oakland Area to people in El Salvador in order to promote education and health. There are also women like Tina Flores, who heads the Southwest Voter Registration project in Oakland. She is helping engage our community in this nation's democratic process. Others, like Ignacio De La Fuente, President of Oakland City Council, serve in elected office. A candidate for mayor of Oakland in 2006, Council President De La Fuente has been instrumental in lowering gang violence, restoring economic development in Fruitvale, and in securing funding for job resource centers for day workers.

Latino members of the clergy are also helping in our community, including Father Antonio Valdivia, Pastor of St. Luis Bertrand Parish in Oakland. He is also a strong leader of Oakland Coalition of Congregations, Father Tony works to raise immigrant's awareness of community issues and encourages his parishioners to register and vote. Another leader is Father Marco Figueroa, Pastor of St. Elizabeth's Church, which puts on health education seminars, operates clinics and assists in the establishment of new organizations that are vital to the community.

As a Representative from California, I cannot fail to mention the over 12 million Latinos that make California the state with most Latinos in the nation. As many experts speak of the Latino population boom that this country will see in the future, California has been prospering from its growth in the Latino community for many years now. While Latinos grow in population in the United States, they continue to be left behind when it comes to education, health care, jobs, and immigration. We must make sure that we do not leave our new fellow Americans behind. We must ensure that as the Latino population in America grows, we expand their access to a good education, proper health care, and equal access to the workforce.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like my colleagues to remember the contributions of Latinos to this nation during Hispanic Heritage Month and throughout the year, especially as they consider legislation that affect this great, diverse community which continues to make America the best it can be.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Allen Temple Baptist Church of Oakland, California for 85 years of ministry and invaluable service to the community. Since its founding, Allen Temple has been a pillar of strength and leadership, and its tireless efforts have had a dramatic impact not only on the lives of its members, but on the entire Oakland and East Bay community.

Allen Temple Baptist Church began as 85th Avenue Baptist Church in 1919. The church was organized by the Reverend J.L. Allen, and was one of the first primarily African-American congregations in East Oakland. During the first several years following its establishment, 85th Avenue Baptist Church struggled to survive. However, the congregation gradually became stronger, and after moving to its current location on 85th Avenue, was renamed in 1927 in honor of its founder. In the years that followed, Allen Temple not only expanded its membership, but also began establishing the first of the many community service programs for which it is now known.

Allen Temple's current Pastor, a great and magnificent servant of God, Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr., was installed as the church's leader in 1969, and brought with him the sense of energy and direction that would serve not only to rejuvenate the church's existing programs, but to initiate several new ones. The Pastoral Staff was organized, which not only increased the scope and effectiveness of the church's operations, but which today has grown to include over a dozen ministries. In the decades that followed, Allen Temple's presence within the community would become even stronger as it continued to establish initiatives such as the Allen Temple Baptist Church Federal Credit Union, the senior and disabled housing facilities at Allen Temple Arms I-III, the Radio Ministry, and the Allen Temple Hispanic Ministry. In addition, the church went onto establish the Allen Temple Community Outreach Center, the Allen Temple Family Life Center, the Leadership Institute, and Allen Temple Manor, a 24-unit building of affordable housing for persons who are disabled due to HIV/AIDS.

In recent years, Allen Temple's involvement has become increasingly vital in the support and guidance of individuals recently released from prison, and those who are HIV positive or living with AIDS. The Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr. Training Academy provides job training to dozens of parolees each year. The Allen Temple AIDS Ministry works to provide spiritual support and essential medical and social services to those living with HIV and AIDS, and works with the Alameda County AIDS Interface to make these services more widely available.

On October 17, 2004, Allen Temple Baptist Church will celebrate its 85-year anniversary in Oakland, California. I would like to honor this occasion by commending the church for the vital role it has played not only as a great religious institution, but for the indispensable social and human services and support it provides to the people of Oakland. By setting the standard of service and commitment for institutions of faith and community improvement throughout its 85 years of ministry, Allen Temple has contributed immeasurably to the Oakland community, our country, and the world. On behalf of the Ninth Congressional District, I salute and congratulate Allen Temple Baptist church on the occasion of its 85th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of myself and Mr. Payne to recognize World Food Day on October 16.

It is imperative to reflect on one of the greatest problems facing humanity today, hunger. Statistics show that close to a billion people around the globe suffer from the effects of hunger and malnutrition. Sixteen thousand children die daily of hunger-related illnesses.

The United Nations Hunger Task Force estimates that, globally, 50 percent of hungry people are in farm households; 22 percent are the rural landless; 20 percent are urban; and 8 percent are directly dependent on natural resources. The fight against hunger must target rural populations in developing countries.

The World Food Summit and the first Millennium Development Goal, MDG, aim to reduce the number of hungry by 2015.

Increasing a population's productivity lends itself to community development and access to resources. These resources can be used to facilitate agricultural and educational programs, which from people can learn and teach themselves to grow. As a result, healthy women are more likely to pass on these positive aspects to their children.

In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt took the initiative to address concerns about world hunger. He assembled 44 governments in Hot Springs, VA, to establish a permanent organization for food and agriculture. Two years later that assembly became the FAO--the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Since its establishment in 1945, FAO has committed itself to raising levels of nutrition, improving agricultural productivity, for the betterment of people residing in rural areas. Each year on October 16, FAO's commemorates its founding with World Food Day (WFD). The theme for 2004, ``Biodiversity for Food Security,'' addresses biodiversity's role in ensuring that people have sustainable access to enough high- quality food to lead active and healthy lives, www.fao.org/wfd.

More than 150 countries observe World Food Day. Numerous activities take place on this day to promote awareness within the United States. Examples of these are the World Prize Award Ceremony and Symposium in Des Moines; hundreds of WFD teleconference sites at colleges across America and at U.S. Embassies around the world; ``Restaurants against Hunger'' in New York, Washington, DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston; 2204 CROP walks sponsored by Church World Service in some 2,000 communities. Jacques Diouf, Director General of FAO will keynote observances at the United Nations in New York on October 18 and at Howard University's Law School on Tuesday, October 19.

While conflict and harsh climate--the more publicized conditions-- often create hunger emergencies; chronic malnutrition claims the majority of the lives lost in the battle against hunger. The world possesses the capabilities to alleviate hunger. Lacking are stabilized governments in developing areas and proper distribution of desperately needed materials, where it be food, medication, or equipment.

The U.S. Alliance Against Hunger is working on the following: making hunger an election issue, helping develop the International Alliance Against Hunger and encouraging business, religious and nongovernmental organizations to build the public will to overcome hunger.

The International Alliance Against Hunger, IAAH, assists in building national alliances around the globe. These alliances composed of governments, international organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector work to raise public awareness about the 2015 hunger goal. Eighty-four countries have expressed interested in being part of this global effort.

Individual governments must do more to indicate change of these staggering numbers. Bread for the World estimates, that Congress' bipartisan agreement increased poverty-focused development assistance by nearly 30 percent in 2003. The Millennium Challenge Account, MCA, has provided new hope to selected countries. Sadly, appropriations for the MCA have been cut in half in 2004 by the president's request, and neither the President nor Congress is currently keeping the promises they have made. These funds must be resorted in order to make progress against worldwide hunger.

In closing Mr. Speaker, we stand in full support of World Food Day and the efforts of the international community to end hunger throughout the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today disappointed but not surprised by the Bush Administration's escalating lack of interest in housing, and the rising affordable housing crisis impacting millions of families nationwide.

As we all know, housing is not only a basic human right but it serves as an economic engine for the market, and the foundation for intergenerational wealth building in many of our families.

Mr. Speaker, this Administration has put inconsequential energy into homeownership for the few; while people on the cusp of becoming homeowners, lifetime renters, and many in public housing are deliberately left behind.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development's budget has severe proposed cuts for 2005; and it's sad when housing advocates hope Congress passes a Continuing Resolution to keep funding level, instead of hoping for a better, bigger budget.

The Administration cut pubic housing funding dramatically. By HUD's own admission, the President's proposed budget cuts at least $1.63 billion from baseline programs.

For example, the Community Development Block Grant program's funding has fallen by some 9 percent in real terms since the Bush Administration took office.

The Bush FY'05 budget for HUD zeroed out several programs, including: the Brownfields program, the Rural Housing and Economic Development program, and the Empowerment Zones programs.

The Bush budget also rescinds $675 million in funding for Section 236 projects; a program that supports elder housing services; and cuts in public housing lead paint eradication grants by $35 million.

And what is most concerning is the Bush Administration's efforts to cut and block grant the Section 8 program.

The Bush Budget for 2005 would cut $1.633 billion from the level needed just to renew all expiring Section 8 vouchers. This is the equivalent of funding for 231,260 voucher holders, families, veterans, and our elderly.

Block granting and cutting funding for Section 8 has a series of ripple effects.

The Bush proposal forces housing authorities to reduce the level of subsidy provided to voucher holders, by eliminating the requirement that the subsidy be based on a family paying no more than 30 percent of their net income for a fair market rental unit in their community.

The Bush proposal eliminates the ``targeting'' of scarce voucher resources to those in need--by dropping the requirement that 75 percent of new vouchers go to ``extremely low income families'', including those below 30 percent of local area median income.

The immediate consequence of the ``Section 8 Dismantlement'' proposal is the disruption of families' lives.

The Bush budget cuts and block granting will lead housing agencies to reduce desperately needed assistance, increase family rent burdens, stop helping families on waiting lists, and revoking previously-awarded vouchers to families who are still searching for a home.

A serious, longer-term consequence of the Section 8 block granting is the erosion of hard-won landlord and lender confidence in the program. This results in more and more landlords renting at fair market values that are guaranteed instead of extending a helping hand to those who are most in need.

Our failure to respond to local housing circumstances and costs has already led to some local agencies' inability to continue voucher assistance for currently-assisted families. Loss of assistance for these families can easily translate into homelessness, a condition that the Bush Administration and countless cities across the country have vowed to eradicate.

The continued dismantling of basic and necessary programs which provide affordable housing for average people must be stopped.

We must stop allowing the Administration to get away with making housing only a privilege for the few, because we all recognize it should be a basic and fundamental right for all.

Mr. Speaker, let's pass a real housing budget that reflects our commitment to providing affordable, quality housing for all and reverse the trend of the BAD Bush Budgets of the past.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member of the Committee on International Relations for yielding me this time and also for continuing to forge bipartisan consensus on Committee on International Relations issues.

Let me just say today that I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 10, which is the fundamentally flawed bill before us today, and in support of the Menendez substitute.

What a shame that the Republicans decided really to take, as I say, the partisan low road in crafting this bill and opted to play politics with the single most important issue facing this Nation today, our homeland security. What a shame, Mr. Chairman, that the Republicans inserted anti-immigrant and other controversial and really extraneous provisions into this bill. What a shame that the Republicans ignored at least 16, 16 provisions of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission's recommendations. And, yes, what a shame that this Republican bill is so weak, especially when it did not have to be.

But I guess, really, we should not be shocked by these actions. After all, the White House resisted the 9/11 Commission in the first place and really have taken every opportunity to politicize the most important of issues before this House.

Fortunately, we do have a stronger bipartisan alternative to H.R. 10. Fortunately, we have an alternative which respects civil liberties by creating a Civil Liberties Oversight Board. Fortunately, we have a bill which recognizes the true threat of nuclear proliferation by taking steps to strengthen efforts to secure nuclear materials. It is a bill that reflects the input of both sides of the aisle, days of consideration and debate and fully implements the 9/11 Commission recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss very briefly the devastation of Tropical Storm Jeanne on Haiti. The lack of infrastructure and our failed United States policies quite frankly helped contribute to leaving the Haitian people vulnerable to the devastation of Tropical Storm Jeanne which took the lives of over 2,000 Haitians. In Haiti's flood-torn cities, children sleep on tin roofs because flood waters have not subsided; gun shots are heard in darkness as thieves and thugs continue to steal from the people and cheat them of their chance for protection and peace. Men and women dig mass graves scrambling to identify the bodies of lost loved ones. Children are not going to school. Women do not have food for their families.

With so many causalities and so many sick, so many still missing and much despair, what can we do? What can the greatest superpower, the wealthiest country in the world do for our neighbors next door? We must provide a real commitment to help Haitians. We must provide a way to help with the basic services of food and shelter as well as the restoration of democracy. We must support $500 million to build the region, to take a more comprehensive and democratic approach to our policies toward Haiti.

Mr. Chairman, first, I thank the distinguished Gentleman (Mr. Hastings) for yielding and for his leadership on the Rules Committee.

The funding level for hurricane-ravaged Caribbean countries is totally inadequate, and this bill fails to include any funding to address the ongoing genocide in Sudan.

The Bush Administration's actions on Darfur continue to be too little, too late.

It took months for them to call the actions of the Khartoum Government and their militias a ``genocide'' against the Darfur people.

Now, that we have called the killing, raping, and torture what it is, the Republican leadership has done little to nothing to bring international support through funding and resources.

I stand here today with my colleagues calling on this Administration to re-program and re-allocate money from the re-building Iraq accounts, and into the peacekeeping and humanitarian relief programs desperately needed in Darfur.

Not only does this bill ignore the desperation of the victims in Sudan, but it provides woefully inadequate resources for our Caribbean neighbors suffering from the devastating blows of the hurricanes.

Our Third Border neighbors are suffering. Earlier this year, the House passed H. Con. Res. 496, a bi-partisan resolution that I introduced, expressing empathy for the Caribbean, and urging the U.S. government to step up and lend a hand to our neighbors in need.

The last I checked, we were the wealthiest, most powerful country in the world.

We can afford to give $200 billion to fight an unfounded war in Iraq, but we cannot imagine giving one-one thousandth (\1/1000\th) of that to our neighbors who are in desperate need.

There were four hurricanes in five weeks. People are starving. Homes are in shambles, and more than 441,000 people are displaced.

Frankly, the $100 million included in this bill to assist the Caribbean is embarrassing.

We should be considering at least $250 million, or really $500 million as may Congressional Black Caucus colleagues and I continue to push for.

Seventy percent of Grenadians have been left homeless; all their economic sectors were severely affected.

More than 2000 Haitians are dead, and 300,000 people homeless.

We must support rebuilding the entire region and take a more comprehensive and democratic approach in our policies toward Haiti.

For weeks, CARICOM officials and congressional leaders have been meeting to discuss the damage to the entire region. Most Americans know firsthand the devastation caused by natural disasters--floods, droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and earthquakes.

Throughout our country, individuals, churches, grassroots groups, non-profit organizations have rushed to assist in relief efforts to the region.

Mr. Chairman, these nations are simply overwhelmed.

So while the $100 million in assistance this bill contains is a good start, it is only that. That is why my colleagues and I will advocate for additional funding to address these disasters.

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

I strongly support this resolution. It is a very important resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Mr. Speaker, 5 years ago, the Chinese government launched a very brutal crackdown of the Falun Gong spiritual movement throughout China. Tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners were brutally beaten, thrown in jail and tortured.

Over 800 Falun Gong practitioners have been killed and tens of thousands remain locked up in Chinese prisons, in psychiatric institutions, and reformed through labor camps. The ongoing Chinese suppression of the Falun Gong is one of the greatest human rights abuses of our time and will, undoubtedly, be marked as one of the darkest periods in modern Chinese history.

Congress has repeatedly spoken out against the repression of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The resolution before us today, however, focuses the spotlight on a new element of the Chinese Government's anti-Falun Gong campaign, the attempt to quash any support for Falun Gong in the United States.

Over the past 5 years, Chinese diplomats in the United States have engaged in a campaign of intimidation and pressure against Falun Gong practitioners here in the United States and those who advocate on their behalf. Apparently not satisfied with the brutal suppression of Falun Gong adherence in China, China has decided to export these repressive policies to the United States.

As the resolution notes, local officials in the United States have been pressured to vote against resolutions condemning the persecution of Falun Gong. Practitioners of Falun Gong in the United States have also been harassed and physically assaulted by individuals associated with Chinese diplomatic missions. Media organizations attempting to fairly cover the treatment of Falun Gong have been pressured by Chinese officials, particularly if their papers ran editorials critical of the Chinese Government.

Mr. Speaker, the Chinese Government's heavy-handed tactics against Falun Gong in the United States will backfire. As Americans see firsthand the extremes to which the Chinese Government will go to stop Falun Gong, sympathy for the plight of Falun Gong practitioners everywhere is sure to grow. Mr. Speaker, this resolution puts the Congress firmly on record against such pressure tactics, and I strongly support its passage.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), whose leadership on this issue is to be commended and who has worked in a bipartisan fashion with the gentlewoman from Florida to bring this resolution to the floor.

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

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

I want to begin by thanking the gentlewoman from Florida, also our ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), along with my colleagues on this side of the aisle and on the other side of the aisle, including the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Ballenger), for their support and for their commitment to make sure that this important resolution moves off of this floor tonight.

I also want to thank our staff, Paul Oostburg, Ted Brennan, Caleb McCarry, also Khalil Munir and Jamila Thompson of my staff, who all worked very, very hard, very diligently, and very quickly to craft this bill before us today.

Mr. Speaker, this is a bipartisan resolution; and it is a very minor, very small resolution in terms of the enormity of the disaster that it is addressing, but it is a resolution that expresses the need for humanitarian assistance to hurricane-ravaged Caribbean countries. H. Con. Res. 496 acknowledges the hardship endured by all Caribbean islands, it recognizes the

international response to the tragedy, and it outlines the need for relief and reconstruction efforts throughout the affected areas.

Americans, all of us, especially Floridians and Californians, know firsthand the suffering experienced by natural disasters: hurricanes, fires, tornadoes and earthquakes. For weeks, we have watched the devastation throughout the region in Grenada, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Haiti, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Barbados, just to mention a few of the affected countries.

Four hurricanes struck within 5 weeks. Over 440,000 individuals were displaced. This is hard to even imagine.

Mr. Speaker, we need to step up and lend a helping hand. We cannot sit back and wait as people suffer in Florida and in the Caribbean. I understand that the administration has proposed $50 million in emergency spending for relief to the region, and I must say that that is a good, small, very small, step for a start. But we know that much more will be needed to help the entire region.

In Grenada, the hardest hit island by Hurricane Ivan, the land is barren. Countless homes are destroyed, and schools will not open until 2005. What is going to happen to the young people of Grenada who need and want to go to school? The Grenadian Ambassador, the Honorable Dennis Antoine, shared with me the devastation to his country. Ivan the Terrible caused, he said, ``The total destruction of the police headquarters, the official residence of both the governor general and the prime minister, parliament house, schools, churches, roads, bridges, one of two hospitals, the airport tower and the national stadium. More than 70 percent of the population is virtually homeless, and there is in excess of 60,000 persons needing relief.''

Stories were similar in the Bahamas where all 29 of the inhabited islands felt the impact of Hurricane Frances. A few weeks later, Hurricane Jeanne assaulted Grand Bahama and Abaco where the flood waters were just receding. In Jamaica, the largest English-speaking Caribbean country, 18,000 people were displaced by Hurricane Ivan. Many other Caribbean countries affected by the storms have remained so focused on assisting their neighbors that they have not even had the chance to fully assess their own damage. However, the preliminary estimates for damages in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a country that sustained lesser harm, is more than their government's annual budget.

For the Bahamas and Grenada, the damage cost total is more than $1 billion, but we must remember that more than 15 islands throughout the region were affected. Throughout the Caribbean, primary crops, such as bananas, nutmeg, cocoa and sugar are just totally destroyed. Clearly, Caribbean economies are simply overwhelmed. There is a Haitian saying that an empty sack cannot stand up. More than 2,000 Haitians lost their lives. Hundreds remain missing. My heart breaks for those suffering and struggling. The Haitian people are resilient people, but we must help.

Tropical Storm Jeanne was not even a category 1 hurricane when it demolished the Haitian towns of Gonaives and Port de Paix. It exemplifies how even the smallest natural disasters wreak havoc on the poorest people. In Haiti's flood-torn cities, children sleep on tin roofs because flood waters have still not subsided. Gunshots are heard in darkness as thieves and thugs continue to steal from the people and cheat them of their chance for protection and peace. Men and women dig mass graves, scrambling to identify the bodies of lost loved ones. And the government cannot even provide security to distribute emergency supplies.

We need to join the efforts of the international community and show support for all the affected countries. The Caribbean-American community and neighboring Caribbean nations responded to the calls of assisting the hardest hit countries immediately. Across our borders, churches, nonprofit organizations, businesses and activists have rushed to support the entire region. Although the United States Agency for International Development assisted in some relief efforts, the United States Government can, we must, do more. We must work with other donors and Caribbean countries to plan and support the relief and reconstruction effort.

Our third border is in great need and the United States needs to show our support for the entire region. Again, I want to thank my colleagues for supporting this effort. Again, this is a very good first start. I look forward to working with our appropriators, including our colleague from Detroit, Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick), who has been a tremendous advocate for the region, in order to obtain adequate emergency funding for the more than 15 Caribbean countries devastated by these hurricanes. Time is of the essence, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) who is a leader not only in the Virgin Islands but for the entire Caribbean region who knows firsthand and has experienced firsthand the devastation of natural disasters.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands for that very powerful statement and for laying out what is at stake and the reality of life during these very tragic times for those in the Caribbean region.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) whose commitment to the Caribbean is longstanding and unwavering.

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and for his tireless efforts on behalf of civil liberties and civil rights for all Americans.

This is a very mean-spirited and divisive constitutional amendment, and it is just plain wrong. It would take everything this Nation stands for, as a beacon of hope, as a land of opportunity and a tolerant Democratic society, and really just turn it all on its head. Government should not be in the business of passing constitutional

amendments to discriminate against anyone.

In an election year, with so much at stake, this amendment is clearly a ploy to divide the country's focus from the real issues, and I say, do not be fooled. There are far more important issues facing our Nation this year that this administration and Republican-controlled Congress refuse to debate and which have far greater impact on our country than this issue of a constitutional amendment.

In my district, the Ninth Congressional District of California, six members of the clergy, six members of the African-American clergy, led by a great religious leader, the Reverend J. Alfred Smith, Sr., Senior Pastor of the Allen Temple Baptist Church, addressed this very issue. In this open letter, published in the Oakland Tribune, they characterized the intent of this amendment to disrupt the peace and good will of many in both the secular and religious communities.

They continued, ``whatever your personal opinion is regarding same- sex marriages, ask yourself this litany of questions.'' They said: ``Can America survive if she continues unilateral war-making in a time that calls for international peace-seeking collaboration?'' ``Can the American common people, whom we serve as clergy, survive the diminishing resources for public education and health care?'' They ask the question: ``Can the American image survive the rejection of global treaties and environmental controls?'' They said: ``Is it liberty and justice for all Americans when preferential treatment is given to the wealthy and select corporations?''

Mr. Speaker, the answer to all of these questions is no. So I strongly urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this cynical and divisive attempt to legitimize discrimination in our most important secular, mind you, our most important secular, not religious, document, the Constitution.

Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record the open letter published in the Oakland Tribune, which I earlier referred to:

Here We Stand

In a democracy each citizen is given freedom of speech. No

one is to be condemned for being Democratic or Republican,

conservative, moderate, or liberal. Most recently, twenty

African American Clergy exercised freedom of speech at a

press conference. These ministers stated that they were

working to elect President George W. Bush for a second term

of office as President. These Pastors spoke not for their

Churches but they as individuals exercised their American

privilege and democratic right as citizens.

As a result of their exercise of free speech, conflict and

controversy have disrupted the peace and goodwill of many in

both the secular and religious communities. There are those

who believe that there would have been no hatred and

hostility if those Ministers would have not stated that their

reasons for supporting electing Mr. Bush to a second term was

not tied to the divisive issue of same sex marriages. The

AIDS activists responded to the press conference by saying

the Ministers have harmed future funding for the fight

against the spread of AIDS.

We are calling all of us to relate to each other with

mutual respect for each other so as to allow us to differ

logically and humanely on the issues. A Caring and

compassionate number of African American clergy do not

support President George W. Bush for re-election, but they

support traditional family values while promoting ministries

to decrease and spread of AIDS. These Pastors teach and

preach against racism, sexism, ageism, classism, and

homophobia. No one can place all African American Ministers

into a single theological, ideological or political camp.

We encourage you to investigate the larger and more far

reaching implications of the upcoming presidential race. In

addition to whatever your personal opinion is regarding same

sex marriages, ask yourself this litany of questions. Can

America survive if she continues unilateral war making in a

time that calls for international peace-seeking

collaboration? Can the economic infrastructure of city,

county, state and the nation survive continuous lavish

investment in the military? Can the American common people

whom we serve as clergy persons survive the diminishing of

resources for public education and health care? Can the

American image survive our rejection of global treaties and

environmental controls? Is it liberty and justice for all

Americans when preferential treatment is given to the wealthy

and select corporations? Should not all Americans seek an

administration that will protect our freedoms against

punitive patriot legislation while defending America from our

enemies? Last, but not least, we do not give our souls to any

imperfect human made political system. When the Kingdom of

God comes, we do not believe it will arrive on the wings of

Air Force One. We are committed to the principles of

compassion, courage, and critical thinking in leading a

People whose purpose driven lives elevate principles of

ethics far above the perils of political expediency.

Bishop Bob Jackson, Acts Full Gospel; Bishop Ernestine

Reems, Center of Hope; Reverend Joseph Smith, Pastor, Good

Hope Baptist Church and President, Bay Cities; Baptist

Minister's Union; Reverend Lloyd Farr, Pastor, New Bethel

Missionary Baptist Church, and President, Baptist Minister's

Union; Dr. Frank Pinkard, Pastor, Evergreen Baptist Church;

Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr., Senior Pastor, Allen Temple Baptist

Church.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 250 for 70 years of invaluable service to the community.

SEIU 250 was chartered on September 13, 1934. On that date, the American Federation of Labor certified the local as the country's first health care union, which grew out of the struggle of a group of service workers who united to fight for better wages at San Francisco General Hospital. Since that time, the members of SEIU 250 have worked tirelessly to improve working conditions for all service employees in the health care profession, and in doing so, have dramatically improved the state of health care in California and across the country.

During the 70 years since its founding, SEIU 250 has achieved a number of remarkable milestones. In 1941, the local signed its first contract with the San Francisco Hospital Conference, an agreement that represented employees at eleven hospitals. A decade later, SEIU 250 signed its first contract with Kaiser Permanente, a partnership that continues today and represents over 20,000 caregivers. The local would go on to work even harder to meet the needs of its members by incorporating into its structure four additional divisions in the areas of homecare, convalescent care, hospitals and emergency medical services. In the decades that followed, SEIU 250's reach grew to encompass eleven districts spanning Northern California, with a membership of over 100,000.

As the local's membership has grown, so has the impact of its relentless efforts to promote just and equitable working conditions for health care employees. In 1998, SEIU 250 members created a Patient Healthcare Worker Defense Fund, a nonpartisan effort with the objective of giving health care workers a more powerful voice in government to advocate for issues such as universal access to quality care, a patients' bill of rights, nursing home reform, and strong enforcement of workplace health and safety laws. SEIU 250 has also contributed enormously to the community through initiatives such as the establishment of the Shirley Ware Education Center, which opened in 1999 to provide needed training for current health care workers and to train new workers in response to widespread health care staffing shortages.

On October 1, 2004, SEIU 250 will be celebrating its 70th anniversary in San Francisco, California. I would like to mark this occasion by commending this organization for the exceptional service it has provided to the community not only in its capacity as an advocate of health care workers' rights, but also for its consistent efforts to improve the nation's health care system. By remaining committed to the goals of safe and fair working conditions for caregivers, SEIU has contributed immeasurably not only to the well-being of its members, but also to the quality of health care they are subsequently able to provide. I salute and congratulate SEIU 250 for 70 remarkable years of service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary contributions of Amey Stone, Trustee of the Peralta Community College District, on the occasion of her retirement from 17 years of dedicated service.

Amey has long been active in the areas of government affairs and civic leadership in the East Bay. A resident of Alameda, she has served the city not only as a Planning Commissioner, but also as City Councilwoman and Vice Mayor. Furthermore, she has served by Presidential appointment on a number of national committees specific to women's needs and affairs. In addition to her role as a leader in Alameda County, Amey has also been active in civic affairs in several other countries. Having lived on three continents throughout her lifetime, Amey has been recognized by the Presidents of France as well as Turkey for the contributions she made while living in those countries.

Amey has also led a long and distinguished career as a Trustee of the Peralta Community College District. Elected to her first 4-year term in 1987, Amey has consistently demonstrated her commitment to the improvement of the state of higher education in California. She served for many years not only on the California Community College Trustees' Education and Legislative Committees, but was also a member of the Alameda County School-to-Career Taskforce. Held in high regard by the students in her district, Amey has always been known for her receptive and respectful approach to student concerns and issues. She tirelessly served the District in this capacity for 17 years until her retirement on August 31, 2004.

On September 28, 2004, Amey will be honored in Oakland, California, by the Board of Trustees of the Peralta Community College District. I would like to take this opportunity to commend her exceptional contributions not only to the advancement of higher education in California, but also for her role as a leader in the areas of women's issues and local government. By remaining active in and dedicated to these important areas, Amey has contributed immeasurably to Alameda County and the East Bay, and the 9th Congressional District salutes and congratulates her for her many years of invaluable service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to this devastating hurricane season's effect on the Caribbean. I urge Members of this body to cosponsor H. Con. Res. 496, a bipartisan effort supporting adequate humanitarian assistance to our neighbors in the Caribbean.

Americans, especially Florida and Californians, know firsthand the suffering caused by natural disasters, hurricanes, fires, tornadoes and earthquakes. Four hurricanes in 5 weeks, over 1,700 dead, 441,000 individuals displaced. More than 15 Caribbean countries are devastated.

In Grenada, the schools will not open until 2005. The land is barren and countless homes are destroyed. Many other Caribbean countries are so focused on assisting their neighbors that they have not even had the time and opportunity to assess their own damage.

Economies are overwhelmed. The tourism industry just barely recovered from 9/11, and now more harsh blows. Primary crops, bananas, nutmeg and sugar, destroyed.

Mr. Speaker, we really do need to step up and lend a helping hand. We cannot sit back and wait as people suffer in Florida and in the Caribbean.

Please support H. Con. Res. 496. Again, this is a bipartisan effort to support humanitarian assistance to our neighbors in the Caribbean.