Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Republic of Tunisia, who is today celebrating the 47th anniversary of its independence. Mr. Speaker, the relationship between the United States and Tunisia is based on friendship and cooperation that dates back centuries ago. I am pleased that the ties between Tunisia and the United States continues to be strong. As the United States embarks on its quest to fight the scourge of terrorism, it is comforting to know that Tunisia is also committed to join the United States in this fight.

I also would like to take this opportunity to applaud Tunisia in its effort to promote democratic governance in the region. Tunisia is one of the leading North African countries that has increased its literacy and life expectancy rates and drastically reduced the mortality rates for Tunisian children under five.

Once again, I rise to commemorate Tunisia on its 47th anniversary. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I offer my prayers, heartfelt sentiments and unwavering support to our American soldiers who are facing enemy fire in a faraway land. I also offer my prayers and my support to their families who eagerly await their safe return. However, I do not support the dastardly attempt by my Republican colleagues to demean our love and concern for our soldiers by shamelessly attempting to transfix our focus from them onto the narrow-minded and misguided policies of their Commander in Chief.

Mr. Speaker, Scripture says in the book of Proverbs 29:2, ``When the righteous rule, the people rejoice. But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.'' Thousands of my fellow Americans are on the streets this night, on the streets of this Nation, protesting this unjust war. They groan because they do not understand and I do not understand why we are at war.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully cannot support this resolution as written.

Mr. Speaker, I come before the House Chamber this evening pleased and honored to salute the over five thousand African American musicians who, during World War II, played in the band of the Great Lakes Naval Base in Illinois. These highly talented musicians played an important part in our nation's history and this weekend, many of them

will be reuniting for the first time in over fifty years.

If you were black and in the Navy before 1942, the only service you could render is that of mess attendant or steward. These positions were lowly and limited. So, in an effort to elevate their position and further integrate America's armed forces, then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt recruited and trained black musicians for service in a Naval band. These men became the members of the Great Lakes Band.

During the war, these extraordinary musicians traveled around the country lifting the spirits of servicemen and civilians with their melodies. In fact, it has been said that there has never been so many good musicians at any one place, at any one time, as there were at Great Lakes.

In spite of their committed and unprecedented service to our country, there is little awareness of their contributions and acknowledgments have been few. Mr. Speaker, that is why, especially as we come to the end of Black History Month, I believe it is highly appropriate, to ask my colleagues to join me in a salute to these extraordinary veterans. Their contributions are far-reaching, long-lasting, and worthy of our praise.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Melanie Blocker-Stokes and all women who have suffered in silence from postpartum depression and psychosis. I am pleased that 47 of my colleagues have joined me in introducing the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act.

Chicago native, Melanie Blocker-Stokes was a successful pharmaceutical sales manager and loving wife of Dr. Sam Stokes. However, for Melanie, no title was more important than that of mother. Melanie believed motherhood was her life mission and fiercely wanted a daughter of her own. This dream came true on February 23, 2001 with the birth of her daughter, Sommer Skyy. Unfortunately, with the birth of her daughter, Melanie entered into a battle for her life with a devastating mood disorder known as postpartum psychosis. Despite a valiant fight against postpartum psychosis, which included being hospitalized a total of three times, Melanie jumped to her death from a 12-story window ledge on June 11, 2001.

Melanie was not alone in her pain and depression. Each year over 400,000 women suffer from postpartum mood changes. Nearly 80 percent of new mothers experience a common form of depression after delivery, known as ``baby blues.'' The temporary symptoms of ``baby blues'' include mood swings, feelings of

being overwhelmed, tearfulness, and irritability, poor sleep and a sense of vulnerability. However, a more prolonged and pronounced mood disorder known as postpartum depression affects 10 to 20 percent of women during or after giving birth. Even more extreme and rare, postpartum psychosis, whose symptoms include hallucinations, hearing voices, paranoia, severe insomnia, extreme anxiety and depression, strikes 1 in 1,000 new mothers.

Postpartum depression and psychosis afflicts new mothers indiscriminately. Many of its victims are unaware of their condition. This phenomena is due to the inability of many women to self-diagnose their condition and society's general lack of knowledge about postpartum depression and psychosis and the stigma surrounding depression and mental illness. Untreated, postpartum depression can lead to self-destructive behavior and even suicide, as was the case with Mrs. Blocker-Stokes. This was also evident in the case of Andrea Yates of Houston, Texas who drowned her five children.

This is why it is important for us to treat this silent disease which can have a dire impact on ones family and society in general. The challenge that we have as a Member of Congress is to bring awareness to all Americans, particularly families who have women who will give birth soon, or have given birth recently. This is a preventable disorder.

In remembrance of Melanie Blocker-Stokes and all the women who have suffered from postpartum depression and psychosis, as well as their families and friend who have stood by their side, I am introducing the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act which will:

Expand and intensify research at the National Institute of Health and National Institute of Mental Health with respect to postpartum depression and psychosis, including increased discovery of treatments, diagnostic tools and educational materials for providers;

Provide grants for the delivery of essential services to individuals with postpartum depression and psychosis and their families, including enhanced outpatient and home-based health care, inpatient care and support services.

It is my hope that through this legislation we can ensure that the birth of a child is a joyous occasion time for the new mother and family, and not a time of mourning over the loss of yet another mother and child.

Mr. Speaker, today, we are considering one of the most important legislative initiatives that we, as members of the House of Representatives, can enact this year the extension of unemployment benefits for the millions of this nation's workers who have lost their jobs in the current economic downturn. I am pleased to join with the overwhelming majority of my colleagues in the House in approving this bill, which will extend unemployment benefits for the more than 800,000 American workers lost their benefits on December 28, 2002 for an additional 13 weeks.

As the economy has stagnated and the job growth that characterized the economic boom of the 1990s has dissipated, the American economy has lost nearly one and one-half million jobs. In November of last year, the national unemployment rate reached an eight-year high of 6 percent.

Mr. Speaker, last month, the Democratic staff of the House Government Reform Committee, completed a study of the current state of unemployment in Chicago, Illinois. The study verified what we who live in Chicago already know--that unemployment in the Chicago metropolitan area, at 6.3 percent, is higher than both the statewide and national average. The Committee's study illustrated that of the 377,000 unemployed workers identified by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in Illinois, the vast majority of those individuals--263,000--are in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Many of these workers have exhausted their basic unemployment benefits in their search for new employment and were relying on the extended benefits provided under the law that expired on December 28, 2002. Without the passage of this most critical legislation, more than 65,000 workers in the Chicago area would have lost an estimated $236 million in unemployment benefits.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the Congress has adopted this extension of unemployment benefits, but much more needs to be done. Unemployment nationwide is higher now than it was when Congress first passed the extended unemployment benefits in March of last year; the economic and fiscal condition of the nation is weaker. We need a strong, sound and fiscally responsible economic stimulus package that will create real jobs to support real families and provide real permanent relief to laid off workers and states.