Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, due to official business in the 13th Congressional District of Michigan, I was unable to attend to several votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on final passage of H. Res. 257, Supporting the goals and ideals of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, and voted ``yea'' on House Resolution 643, which recognizes September 11 as a day of remembrance.

Madam Speaker, giving honor and glory to God, who is the guide of my life, I rise today in honor, respect and celebration of family unity as I honor the unbreakable bond of the Sewell family. Natives of my home town of the 13th Congressional District of Michigan in Detroit, they personify what education, hard work, and faith can do.

On August 16-19, 2007 the Sewell family will celebrate years of family closeness at the Annual Sewell Family Reunion in Baltimore, Maryland. As family reunions are an intricate part of our personal histories, as well as our country's, I am proud to recognize and salute the Sewells on this important, joyous occasion.

For many American families, keeping intact can be quite a challenge. This is a particular challenge for African American families, who have to work twice as hard to ensure that families that have just come back together can indeed stay together. Add to this conundrum the fact that efficient technology has made it all too easy for loved ones to live over further distances and drift apart; that is why it is necessary to honor those families who take time to dedicate themselves to preserving family ties, the ties that bind. The Sewells started gathering together in 1980 and decided in 1999 to make their reunions annual. Family reunions have provided a special time to reinforce historic strengths and traditional values as the family renews and highlights dedication to each other.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join with me in extending the best wishes of the entire U.S. Congress to all of the Sewell Family for a successful and heartwarming family reunion. We wish and hope that their event is educational, safe, and filled with love and spirituality. I am certain this year's reunion will be memorable. As Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, and as a Member of Congress, the CBC and Congress hope their dedication, love and commitment to one another will endure for generations to corne. God bless.

Mr. Speaker, due to official leave of absence for business in the 13th Congressional District of Michigan, I was unfortunately unable to vote on several resolutions on final passage. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on final passage of H.R. 2276, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act, and ``aye'' on final passage of H.R. 3222, Defense Appropriations for FY 2008.

I thank you, Madam Chair, for yielding. I certainly appreciate your leadership and all that you do for this body. I thank you for being the coordinator for this Special Order as we move through this 110th session. We thank you for your leadership, delta woman. We appreciate you.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to stand here tonight as chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus. We are from 26 States. We are 43 Members. We represent over 40 million Americans. Eighteen of our Members have less than 50 percent populations of African Americans. The highest percentage that any Member represents is 61 percent African Americans. So we represent all ethnicities of America: Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Arab Americans, Italian Americans, European, and the whole conglomerate. So we call ourselves the conscience of the Congress because we are they, 43 of us, 26 States, representing over 40 million Americans who can speak and represent all ethnicities in America.

Disparities in health care is real. It's alive. And it is really determined by how you live, where you live, what economic standards are you able to afford with you and your family, from generations yet unborn. So we are here tonight to talk about how do we close that gap? What ought to be the policies of our United States government to take care of American citizens, 300 million of us, from disparate backgrounds? What can we do to close the gap?

One thing we can do is to make sure that education, quality education, is had for every American; that they may compete not against Ohio or Michigan or California and New York, but to compete in the world, China, India, other countries of the world who revere, and in knowing that education is the key not only to a successful life but a key to adequate health care opportunities.

Number two, that we invest in those communities so that we put the dollars where they are necessary, so that we don't have underserved communities as we have today across America, underserved as it relates to health care, their access to quality health care. Can they really participate in programs that make their lives better?

When we have a healthy America, then we have healthier families, we have healthier cities, and then, of course, our country is one of health.

We talk about disparities of health care, and it refers to the difference between two or more population groups, the outcomes and the prevalence of certain illnesses, heart disease, diabetes, access to quality health care, are we really providing what is necessary for America's families? And we, the members of the Congressional Black Caucus, don't believe that we do.

Our Federal budget is 2.9 trillion of your tax dollars. We round that off and say $3 trillion in this 2008 budget that we are dealing with. Of that budget three entitlements: Medicare, health insurance for 44 million American seniors; Medicaid, over 40 million low-income, disabled, and children's programs; and then our veterans, our proud veterans, who have fought in our wars ever since the beginning, some in battle, some in theater, some not, but defending our country.

When you take out the main three entitlements, our Appropriations Committee handled 600 to $800 billion. Two-thirds of those monies goes to the entitlements, as was mentioned, and a few others handled by the Ways and Means Committee, where some of those health programs were had. And the other, what we call discretionary funding, is what is handled in the Appropriations Committee.

Of the $800 billion in 2008, $600 billion of that is going to defense, to defense. Proud that we are of our Defense Committee, but never is it intended that two-thirds of that budget, three-fourths in many instances, will go to defend the country. We have to end the war. We've got to bring our soldiers home. We have to invest in American families.

I believe that health care, education, housing, environment and access to capital are those things that this Congress must fund. That's why we have disparities, because many families start at a disadvantage; low income, poor schools, health crisis, unable to get quality health care.

So as we come to you tonight as members of the Congressional Black Caucus, we ask you, America, stand up for what you believe. If you want a strong family, if you want strong opportunities, if you want investment in your children and in your families, speak to that.

Our theme for the Congressional Black Caucus is ``Change Course.'' Do something different, America. Join. Speak out. Donate. Volunteer. Be a part of something that you believe in that will make America stronger. Health care, we believe, is one of those things that you will find yourself participating in.

Change course and then confront the crisis. Confront the crisis of education. Why is it that our schools can't compete with schools around the world? Confront the crisis of the war. And yes, confront the crisis of the disparities in health that we find ourselves in today. We can do better. We can be better. Make sure you're a part of that equation.

And then let us all rise up and continue the legacy. Change course, confront crises, and continue the legacy that all of us have put together as members of the African American Congressional Black Caucus, Latino Caucus, Tri-Caucus, the Asian Caucus as well. We work together to make sure that we begin to address some of the disparities that we see.

So, Madam Chair, thank you for your leadership. Thank you as we try to talk to America to become involved, to change course, to confront crises, to continue the legacy that so many have given their lives and time that we might be on this floor tonight.

This is the greatest country in the world. Let's eliminate the health disparities. Let's make our families stronger. Provide better education opportunities, better work opportunities and, yes, access to capital. When we do that, we will eliminate the disparities that we find now in our health system.

With that, Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the Greek historian Herodotus is often called the ``father of history.'' In his work, The Histories, he attempted to chronicle the origin and outcome of the Greco-Persian War so that future generations could learn from experience. Unfortunately, for the men and women in Iraq and their families and for the American people, President Bush refuses to use what we have learned to revise our strategy for Iraq, redeploy our troops, and refocus on the priorities and protection of America's families.

The President continues to insist that America's involvement in the war in Iraq is an integral part of the war on terrorism. The Iraq Study Group, among other objective observers, repeatedly refuted this statement. Perhaps worse than this statement is that, despite the President's claims, the evidence indicates that progress is not being made in Iraq:

America's families unjustly continue to bear the burden of war; they have paid the price with the loss of 3,600 lives and with injuries to 26,000 service men and women. The order of nature has been violated-- fathers and mothers are burying their sons and daughters. How many more of our loved ones will pay the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of others?

America's families have paid more than $450 billion in taxes that have been use to fund failure instead of our future. We build stronger families and a stronger America when we provide our citizens with access to quality education, affordable housing and healthcare, well- paying jobs, and financial security. How much more will we spend before we realize that the very foundation of our future has crumbled beneath our feet?

The Iraqi Government has failed to meet critical benchmarks endorsed by the President in January. The President has said, ``when they stand up, we'll stand down.'' The Iraqis have not amended their Constitution, passed an equitable oil sharing law, reformed laws to provide government jobs to former members of the Ba'ath Party, or held provincial elections. When are the Iraqis going to stand up?

Seventy percent of Americans support withdrawing almost all U.S. troops from Iraq by April 2008; half do not believe that the increase in U.S. forces since January of this year has made a difference. In addition, several Republicans have joined Democrats in calling for a new direction in Iraq. However, the President continues to wage a war with complete disregard for the concerns of the American people and the counsel of military leaders. When will the President connect the dots and see that the picture he has drawn is not a pretty one?

The Iraq Study Group stated that the use of the military in Iraq has passed; it is time for diplomacy to take place. Regrettably, diplomacy has not been seriously considered by the President, and internecine warfare and outright civil war has filled the vacuum of this viable option in Iraq. Also, the refugee problem in Iraq has worsened the situation in the Middle East; to date, the United States has taken in less than 200 refugees from Iraq after promising to take in thousands. Why haven't we taken in more refugees or fully allowed diplomacy to bear fruit?

These are among the many reasons why I support H.R. 2956, the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act. I have opposed this war from the beginning and have been engaged in a continuing fight to change course. While our troops have performed heroically, violence remains high, and we must remove them from harm's way; we must require Iraqis to take responsibility for their own fate, and we must refocus on investing in America's families. This legislation--which is consistent with the advice of military and foreign policy experts, ensures the safety of our men and women in uniform, addresses our commitment to fighting terrorism, and reflects the will of the American people-- allows us to do just that. This bill:

Acknowledges that our military has accomplished the mission they were given in the original 2002 authorization to use force and that Iraq is now responsible for its own future.

Requires American forces to begin redeploying within 120 days and to complete the transition to a limited presence by April 1, 2008.

Reiterates that the redeployment must be done in a safe and orderly way, with maximum attention paid to the protection of American forces.

Requires a comprehensive strategy by January 1, 2008, for U.S. policy in Iraq, including a discussion of American national security interests in Iraq and the broader region, the specific missions remaining forces would undertake, and minimum force levels required to accomplish them.

Names specific missions that the President must consider, but it does not require or authorize those missions.

Requires the President to submit updates on the use of and need for any forces remaining in Iraq every 90 days starting on July 1, 2008.

Dag Hammarskjold, a Swedish statesman and United Nations official, once said, ``There is a point at which everything becomes simple and there is no longer any question of choice, because all you have staked will be lost if you look back. This is life's point of no return.'' Certainly, the President and administration have reached that point. For them, the decision to stay the course is simple because it is too difficult to admit failure. However, as the representative for 670,000 of God's best in Michigan's 13th Congressional District, I am willing to make the hard choices. I believe the majority of my colleagues are, too.

The President can no longer afford to let his pride get in the way of making the right decision. Our troops, our families, our international reputation, and our future are at stake.

In the Bible, we read in Chronicles 7:14 that ``If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves . . . and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and . . . will heal their land.'' The international community--the billions of us who inhabit our home of planet earth--are children of God. We must learn to walk in the light and in love. It is out of my love of God, my love of the Constitution, my love of this country, and my love of my constituents, that I ask my colleagues to join me in support of the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the FY08 House Appropriations Financial Services Subcommittee bill. As you know, this will be the first of the 11 bills that the House Appropriations Committee have considered that will have all of its earmarks in it as it first comes to the floor; and one in which all of its earmarks are publicly disclosed. We have ushered in a new era in Congress, and it is an era of which I am proud.

I have attended all of the hearings the subcommittee has had this Congress, and have enjoyed my work not only with Chairman Jose Serrano, but with his staff of Dale Oak, Bob Bonner, Frank Carrillo, Karyn Kendall, and Deborah Bilek. We have had to make many difficult decisions. But I am proud to say that we have been able to make some major accomplishments. Among them include: CDFI/Bank Enterprise Fund-- $54,000,000.

Along with Chairman Serrano, we were able to get an increase for funding for both the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, CDFI, and the Bank Enterprise Fund. Both of these programs are of vital importance to our Nation's urban areas, and help improve access to a wider array of financial services in distressed communities. Fourteen million dollars of this fund is to go to the Bank Enterprise Fund.

II. SBA Microloan Program and Microloan Technical Support--$17,000,000

Small businesses are the engine that drives the American economy. This supports funding of the Small Business Administration's Microloan program and technical support for the microloan program of the SBA. The microloan program will receive a total of $17 million ($2.5 million for loan subsidies and $14.5 million for technical assistance). The President's budget proposed to terminate technical assistance and to provide no subsidy for microloans.

I am also pleased that we were able to get report language that emphasizes and enhances the role of the Federal Communications Commission toward ensuring that all ethnic minorities, senior citizens and the disabled will not have blank television sets when the whole country goes from an analog signal to totally digital signals on February 17, 2009. Also, we were able to ensure that the Department of the Treasury step up their enforcement of companies that use predatory mortgages and loans on senior citizens, ethnic minorities, and the disabled. Not only do we have language in the report that emphasizes this need, we provide these agencies with the funding they need to do what America needs done.

Finally, I want to discuss one area of particular interest to me. The bill, under its section regulating the District of Columbia, has a cap on what attorneys can bill for families of disabled children who need assistance under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA. No where else in our country is this the case. This is a shame. During subcommittee and full committee consideration of the bill, I wanted to offer an amendment to remove this section. However, my staff and I have been working with Mayor Adrian Fenty, and will not advocate the removal of the provision this fiscal year. Mayor Fenty agrees with me that this provision should be removed; by the next fiscal year, language that does the least amount of harm to the citizens of the District of Columbia and which enhances the quality of life for all disabled children and their

families should be completed. I ask unanimous consent to insert as part of the Congressional Record a letter dated June 26, 2007 that I received from Mayor Fenty addressing this problem, which will follow my remarks.

I would like to say one word about earmarks. What has been missed in this debate is the fact that in this bill, like most of the bills that have come to the floor with earmarks, a good number of these earmarks are earmarks requested by the President. This bill contains $1.3 billion worth of earmarks specifically requested by the President for a wide variety of projects throughout the nation, mainly for projects by the General Services Administration. It seems to me to be hypocritical for the minority to have so much energy to criticize the earmarks of other Members of Congress, especially those of us in the Majority, while offering not even a hint of outrage at the earmarks offered by the President.

This subcommittee covers over 700 individual agencies. We have so much authority, the Chairman has to give us cards with what it is over which we have jurisdiction. It is my desire that we can keep all amendments to this, and the rest of the bills that my colleagues and I have been working so hard on the House Appropriations Committee, to a minimum; that these bills move as quickly as possible through the House and Senate; and that President Bush signs these bills into law so that we can continue to work for the American people.

Executive Office of the Mayor,

Washington, DC, June 26, 2007.

Hon. Carolyn C. Kilpatrick,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Representative Kilpatrick: I write today on an issue

of great importance to my city, and about which I understand

you have a particular interest--that is, inclusion by

Congress of a cap on the amount of attorneys' fees that can

be paid by the District of Columbia government in special

education cases in our annual appropriations bill.

As you know, I opposed the cap when I was a member of the

City Council, and, in principle, I continue to oppose the cap

as a matter of policy. However, as Mayor, I am obligated to

protect the fiscal health of the city, which was in such dire

condition for a number of years in the 1990s that Congress

intervened by creating the Financial Control Board, and I

take that responsibility to my constituents very seriously.

As part of that intervention, Congress also created an

independent Chief Financial Officer for the District, who is

required to certify that the District's local funds budget is

balanced each year before it is sent to Capitol Hill. My FY08

budget has been by certified by the CFO.

In order to meet the deadlines of the House and Senate

Appropriations Committees, as well as the Federal Office of

Management and Budget, the District's local budget is

normally developed a full year before Congress takes final

action on it in the fall (or, as was the case last year,

after the new fiscal year has begun). When a new mayor is

elected, modifications to that budget are made during the

transition and in January to reflect his or her priorities.

Nevertheless, the District's local budget for FY08 was

completed months before the potential for the attorneys' fee

cap to be eliminated was raised in Congress. As a result, the

budget that I submitted to the Council, and that was approved

by that body in early June, does not include the multi-

million dollar increase in attorney payments that the

District would be required to pay if the cap is lifted this

year.

I am deeply committed to improving the entire public

education system in the District, so that every child in this

city has the opportunity to reach his or her potential, in

terms of personal fulfillment and financial independence.

That desire extends one hundred . . . June 14, and I

appointed a new chancellor, Michelle Rhee, on that same day.

A key area that I identified when I hired her as one where

significant progress must be made in her first year on the

job was special education.

However, the improvements to the special education system

that must be made to reduce the number of students and

parents who are unsatisfied with the system and seek legal

recourse as a result cannot be made overnight. In addition,

because our local budget for FY08 is completed, if the cap is

lifted now, we would have to reprogram much needed funds from

other areas of the schools budget to cover the expected

increase in attorneys' fees. For these reasons, I am asking

that you allow the fee cap to remain in place for the coming

fiscal year--so that, with the Council's help, I have the

opportunity to develop a budget for FY09 that assumes removal

of the fee cap, prospectively, and accounts for the cost of

that policy change. At that point, I can assure you that I

would support removal of the fee cap for special education

cases brought after the beginning of that fiscal year.

I greatly appreciate your consideration of this request and

would be happy to discuss the matter with you further at your

convenience. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to

share my views on the policy, as well as its fiscal impact,

with you.

Sincerely,

Adrian M. Fenty,

Mayor.

Mr. Speaker, due to official business in the 13th Congressional District of Michigan, I was unable to cast my vote on two resolutions. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 189, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a ``Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day,'' should be established, and ``aye'' on H.R. 2546--To designate he Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Asheville, North Carolina, as the ``Charles George Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.''

Mr. Chairman, during times of crisis, the United States has always supported her friends. Egypt is our friend. Egypt is not only our friend, Egypt is our strategic partner, our peace partner and our military partner in the Middle East. It is shameful how we are treating our friend with the restrictions on military aid to Egypt in this bill. As such, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment by Rep. Anthony Weiner removing $200 million in military aid to Egypt, and in strong support of the amendment by Rep. Charles Boustany allowing military support to continue to Egypt without conditions. Egypt and the United States have a valuable, key and strategic partnership, one that has been underscored by the recent developments in the Gaza Strip. It would be toxic to the relationship that the United States has with Egypt, and our relationship to those moderate Arab states in the Middle East, for this bill to be adopted with these restrictions.

In April of this year, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that: ``I have long considered Egypt one of America's most important, even indispensable, partners. . . Security challenges in the Middle East are significant, but can be overcome by Egypt and the United States working closely together in the region.'' Just last week, the world saw Hamas take over the Gaza Strip. Hundreds, if not thousands, of men, women, children, senior citizens, and the disabled are fleeing this region as refugees, many ending up in Egypt.

In response to this crisis, Egypt's President, Hosni Mubarak, has invited Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Jordan's President King Abdullah II for a summit this Monday, June 25, 2007 in an effort to negotiate peace in this region. I commend to my colleagues the following portion of an article dated June 21, 2007 from the Associated Press that goes into more detail about the summit:

Ramallah, West Bank.--Closing ranks against Hamas, Egypt's

president invited Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian leaders

to a peace summit, officials said Thursday, the biggest show

of support yet by moderate Arab states for beleaguered

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The meeting will take place Monday in the Red Sea resort of

Sharm el-Sheikh, said Israeli government spokeswoman Miri

Eisin. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has invited Abbas,

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Jordan's King Abdullah

II. Jordan confirmed Abdullah would attend.

Abbas will call for a resumption of peace talks with

Israel, arguing that only progress toward Palestinian

statehood can serve as a true buffer against Hamas, which

took control of Gaza by force last week, Abbas aide Saeb

Erekat said.

``The most important thing to realize is that time is of

the essence,'' Erekat said. ``We need to deliver the end of

occupation, a Palestinian state. If we don't have hope, Hamas

will export despair to the people.''

As immediate steps, Abbas will ask Israel to remove West

Bank checkpoints that disrupt daily life and trade, and to

transfer hundreds of millions of dollars in Palestinian tax

funds Israel froze after Hamas came to power last year.

Also on Thursday, Palestinian dual nationals and foreigners

working in Gaza were allowed to pass through Israel for other

points. About 60 Palestinian-Americans left Gaza for Jordan,

and eight World Bank employees left the coastal strip, an

Israeli army spokeswoman said.

Late Wednesday, 35 Gazans who had been stuck at the main

Gaza-Israel passenger crossing for several days were sent to

Egypt via Israel, the spokeswoman said. Among those who left

were gunmen from Abbas' Fatah movement, their wives and

children.

Hundreds of men, women and children rushed to the crossing

after the Hamas takeover, among them Fatah loyalists who

feared

they'd be harmed by Hamas, despite the militants' offer of

amnesty. By Thursday, the passage, rank with the stench of

urine and garbage, was nearly empty after it became clear

that a mass exit to the West Bank was not approved.

Earlier Wednesday, Israel took in several of the sick and

wounded in the crowd.

In Washington, Olmert said he would propose to his Cabinet

on Sunday that it unlock frozen funds, though he did not say

how much money he thought Israel should free. Israel is

holding about $550 million in tax revenues it collects on

behalf of the Palestinians.

Despite the talk about peace, however, the Hamas takeover

has dealt a setback to statehood efforts, with the Islamic

militants in charge of Gaza and Abbas in charge of the West

Bank.''

This Amendment is even opposed by the President. In a statement of White House policy, the Office on Management and Budget says:

``The Administration opposes the prohibition on a portion of the foreign military financing to Egypt contained in section 699. Military assistance is critical to our strategic partnership with Egypt and has contributed to a broad range of U.S. objectives in the region. Such a restriction will undermine the U.S. relationship with Egypt and send the wrong message to this important ally in the region.''

As a former Member of this subcommittee, I personally appreciate the challenges that Chairwoman Lowey and Ranking Minority Member Wolf not only face, but surpass. This bill provides significant funding increases for many programs that I have, and will continue to, support.

My objection is to Section 699 of the bill, a new provision, which sets conditions on $200 million of the $1.3 billion in military assistance to Egypt. This assistance is pending certification of the Secretary of State that Egypt is taking steps toward enactment of a new judicial law, including the principal components of the law and separation of the budget of the judiciary from that of the Ministry of Justice; steps to review criminal procedures and mass demonstrations by Egypt's police force; and steps to detect and destroy the smuggling network into the Gaza strip.

The Thirteenth Congressional District of Michigan contains one of the highest concentrations of Arabs in the United States. These tax-paying, hard-working Americans demand that the United States respect not just their homeland, but the past, present and future effort that Egypt has made manifest over the years as a strategic partner and toward peace. To remove this key support from Egypt, at this point, would signal an unnecessary reticence by the United States toward one of the few allies we have in the Middle East.

I strongly urge my colleagues to support Egypt, to support peace in the Middle East, and to support the amendment offered by my colleague from Louisiana, Congressman Boustany and oppose the amendment offered by my colleague from New York, Congressman Weiner.

Madam Speaker, I respectfully submit the following resolution, this 18th Day of June, in the Year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Seven.

Whereas, Bishop Philip Aquilla Brooks II has rendered a lifetime of devoted service to his ministry in Detroit, Michigan. He is the founding Pastor of New St. Paul Tabernacle Church of God in Christ in Detroit, Michigan, where he has served for over 54 years. Since 1975, Bishop Brooks has been the presiding prelate of the Historic First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Michigan, which is also known as the Northeast Michigan Jurisdiction. In 1984, and each quadrennial since, the Lord has honored Bishop Brooks' dedication and loyalty to His work through the favor of men, by elevating him to the presidium of the Church of God in Christ, Inc., and the largest African- American Pentecostal Denomination with an estimated 6.5 million members in over 59 countries. He now serves the Church as the Second Assistant Presiding Bishop;

Whereas, Bishop Philip Aquilla Brooks II is an individual with great vision and focus. Bishop Brooks established the March of Faith Telecast and Radio Ministry, which has ministered to countless millions across the nation in their homes, hospital rooms and behind prison bars for nearly three consecutive decades. Always the innovator, Bishop Brooks was the first among his peers on the General Board to establish a presence for his local church and Jurisdiction on the World Wide Web. He was among the first to broadcast his Sunday morning worship services via the Internet in a live Web cast every Sunday morning;

Whereas, Bishop Philip Aquilla Brooks II compassion for all of God's children has caused him to expand his local church ministry into the areas of education, senior housing, food programs and other community outreach programs. He is the founder of the Grandmont-Rosedale Christian School and Day Care. He is the president of the New St. Paul Non-Profit Housing Corporation. This is a Community Development Corporation responsible for the building of Faith Manor Senior Citizens Apartments on the campus of New St. Paul Tabernacle. Under Bishop Brooks' visionary leadership, New St. Paul Tabernacle distributes hundreds of Thanksgiving baskets to needy families each year, offers tutorial services to students, and provides business incubator programs to foster entrepreneurship;

Whereas, Bishop Philip Aquilla Brooks II is the third-longest serving Church of God in Christ bishop in the 93-year history of the church's influence in the State of Michigan, and is the senior Bishop in the mid-west region, including Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Ontario, Canada. He was consecrated Jurisdictional Prelate of Northeast Michigan Jurisdiction in 1975 by the late Presiding Bishop J.O. Patterson, Sr. During his tenure, Bishop Brooks' programs and initiatives have benefited all citizens of the State of Michigan. His latest contribution is the formation of the first black-owned Mortgage Company in the Church of God in Christ--Faith Community Mortgage LLC;

Whereas, Bishop Philip Aquilla Brooks II established the nation's first Blue Cross/Blue Shield Program for local pastors, life insurance for local pastors and a Compensation Program for widows of local pastors. He lead the Jurisdiction in purchasing and renovating Northeast Michigan's jurisdictional headquarters, Cathedral Conference Center. He is directly or indirectly responsible for purchasing, financing, renovating, or building new churches for over 50 pastors within the jurisdiction;

Whereas, Bishop Philip Aquilla Brooks II has served for almost a quarter of a century, as a member of the Presidium of the Church of God in Christ, Inc. First elected in 1984, Bishop Brooks is now serving in his sixth term. In addition to these duties, Bishop Brooks served for 12 years as a member of the board of directors of First Independence Bank; and serves on the board of directors for the famed Museum of African American History based in Detroit, Michigan;

Whereas, Bishop Philip Aquilla Brooks II was inducted into the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum as a result of his contributions to the field of music in years past as a musician, and Music Department President, and presently, a worshiper; and

Whereas, Bishop Philip Aquilla Brooks II, on April 11, 2007, was elevated to the Office of Second Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, Inc. by Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr.

Whereas, we the Members of the Congressional Black Caucus extend our sincere appreciation and highest respect to Bishop Philip Aquilla Brooks II and the entire COGIC Denomination.

Therefore, be it resolved, that we celebrate and honor the elevation of Bishop Philip Aquilla Brooks II for his lifetime of devotion, dedication, dignity and honor; his faithful service to all human beings, and for being a world-wide spiritual leader, especially within the Church of God in Christ.

Be it finally resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Bishop Philip Aquilla Brooks II, the family and that a copy be placed in the records of the Church.

Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, as a Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Committee, I come to you, America, with a good bill. It is unfortunate the tactics over the last 24 hours has not allowed us to move forward to protect American citizens.

The President's budget came to us with a cut of $50 million for the first responders. Homeland security has to talk about hometown security. It is about a partnership with our Federal Government, our State government, and our local communities. So right off the bat a budget that cuts first responders $50 million is not a good budget.

We have before us a good budget, a budget that has been put together so that it takes care of hometowns better than presently. So that if, God forbid, another terrorist attack or natural disaster happens, we will be better able to meet that need. It is a budget that I believe deserves our support. And when passed by this Congress, and I predict it will be passed after the tactics have wilted and gone away, then we will have a good bill.

I am from the State of Michigan. In Michigan, we have the largest population of Arab Americans outside of the Middle East. They have been our friends for decades. They work in our communities and go to school with our children. They produce and pay taxes. It is unfortunate after 9/11 a population of Arabs from other countries brought havoc on our country, and they should be caught, they should be punished, and they should be dealt with.

I only mention the Arab population because I also in my district have the international waterway of the Detroit River that separates the city of Detroit from the country of Canada, Windsor,

Ontario, Canada specifically. Canada is one of the greatest friends that our country has. I am sad to report, as you know, many countries in this world are not so friendly to the U.S. because of many things that have happened by this administration over the last 8 or so years.

But the bill before us is a good one. It protects the northern border where I come from, where things come in and out of that border every day. Over a billion dollars of commerce passes the Ambassador Bridge every day. This bill provides more money to protect America, protect commerce, and protect the people who live in that region.

The local grants, the grants to first responders have been increased in this bill. We need to have that partnership. You can't talk about homeland security unless you talk adequately about hometown security. This bill does that.

We talk all of the time about how we move forward in this country. I believe it is how we work together in a bipartisan way; and over the last almost 24 hours now, in a bill that is almost $35 billion, we have been unable to move forward to protect Americans citizens. Your Federal budget is $2.9 trillion. There are three main entitlements that we pay for to help American citizens, 44 million Americans who are participants in our Medicare program, entitlements that are part of that budget, Medicaid, low-income, disabled children, over 40 million of them who are part of this budget. And our veterans, veterans who have protected this country since our inception. We have to treat them better, and this budget and the budgets that come after this do that. The President's budget did not.

This is the first of 12 budgets, and it is unfortunate that we are at a stalemate and can't protect American citizens.

Mr. Chairman, I stand here asking that the process go forward. You have made your point. We hope that we come back and have some kind of dialogue so we can better make the proposition that America deserves to be protected, as this Homeland Security bill does.

In the metropolitan area of Detroit, we have 5 million people who live in that area, 219 cities and townships. It hosts the largest multicultural population probably in this country. We need a good Homeland Security bill. We have one here before us. Let's let the process go on. I hope the leadership on both sides of the aisle can come together and talk about how we can move this process. We don't need to be stalemated. Yes, we can stay. We can stay for the next 2 months and never go home, but is that really what America needs us to do?

Recently, regarding the Congress, like the President, the American people have said they are disappointed with both of us. They want us to move forward. Let's pass this Homeland Security bill and get on with the business of building the Nation for God's children.

Not at this time, but I would be happy to work with you to get that. The money has been appropriated. All of the locals that have come before our committee have asked that we give them more help. Intraoperability is a major problem. They need the technology so they can operate and protect the people they represent.

Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

I certainly agree with the gentleman. We need to see that the money moves out. There also has to be staffing and organizations to make sure that the money that is appropriated is spent wisely. Locals need it, and it is our responsibility to get it to them.

Mr. Speaker, my love of the Constitution of the United States of America, and my hatred of unfair precedents, equals my vote against the Minority Leader's resolution.

Mr. Speaker, today, I was one of the 26 Members of Congress who voted against the privileged resolution offered by Minority Leader John Boehner. My opposition to this resolution has little to do with the serious allegations against Congressman William Jefferson, and everything to do with the oath that each and every Member of Congress took in this very chamber--to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. In America, we have a Constitutional principle of innocence before being proven guilty and that no citizen shall be ``deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.'' The resolution by the Minority Leader will not allow our system of justice to work. If the system of justice is not allowed to work for a Member of Congress, for whom should the system work?

I also oppose this measure because of the horrible precedent it establishes. Instead of illustrating and penalizing those instances of law breaking and working toward establishing higher standards for all Members of Congress, the Minority Leader's resolution puts the behavior of one individual under a microscope. Instead of seeking an opportunity to improve the behavior of all Members of Congress, this resolution makes the political low blow of focusing on the behavior of one.

Members of Congress certainly know, or should know, that the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, also known as the Ethics Committee, has traditionally deferred criminal matters to the Department of Justice. This makes perfect sense. The Department of Justice will carry out an investigation, offer a platform for the proving of innocence or guilt, and allows the adjudication of

citizens before their peers. The resolution offered by the Majority Leader allows this process to occur, and upon its conclusion, for Congress to then make a decision based on the merit of the facts. The Minority Leader's resolution reaches a conclusion before the facts have even come to court. Indeed, it reaches a conclusion before Congressman Jefferson is even formally arraigned.

The disrespect this resolution has for our Constitution that we have all sworn to uphold and defend by not allowing our system of justice to work its will; the absolute terrible precedent this resolution makes in establishing guilt based not on facts but politics; and by focusing on only one Member of Congress instead of seeking to reform or address the behavior of all Members of Congress, are the reasons why I cast my vote against this measure.

Mr. Speaker, due to official business in the 13th Congressional District of Michigan, I was unable to be present for three votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on H.R. 407, the Columbia-Pacific National Heritage Area Study Act; ``yea'' on H.R. 1025, the Lower Republican River Basin Study Act; and ``yea'' on H. Res 371, In observance of National Physical Education and Sports Week.

Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of every Congress, every member of this august body takes an oath to ``defend and protect the Constitution of the United States, against all enemies, foreign and domestic.'' It is an oath that I am proud that the majority of the citizens of the 13th Congressional District of Michigan have honored me with their vote for more than 12 years. One of the most important duties that I have as a Member of the United States House of Representatives is to protect and defend its citizens, which is precisely what H.R. 1592, the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, introduced by my fellow Michigander and Detroiter, one of the founders of the Congressional Black Caucus, House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, Jr. This bill protects all Americans from bias-motivated violence; it provides funds so that local authorities can tackle the tough challenge of hate crimes, and it protects the First Amendment to the Constitution. It does not criminalize speech or thoughts; it does not give some people ``special rights,'' and it is not anti-Christian.

As a child and as a proud Christian, the least common denominator of all of the lessons that I learned from my parents and minister is about God's ethic of love. Along that, I learned from the practices of my parents and my minister my divine responsibility to love our neighbors as ourselves. Indeed, it is out of my love that all of my brothers and sisters, and the activism that Jesus Christ illustrated through loving His enemies, through His compassion for the poor, the down trodden, and those who seek justice, that I became an activist, a state legislator and now a Member of Congress. It is that thirst for justice for all human beings that drives all that I do, guided by unerring and infinite wisdom and faith in God.

Despite the teachings of my parents and that of countless clergy--of all religions--around our Nation, there are some who perpetrate crime with hatred and bigotry in their heart. Who can forget that, during the civil rights era, the murders of the courageous Medgar Evers? Who can forget the killing of civil rights workers James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman for merely registering African Americans to vote? Who can forget the murder of native Detroiter Viola Liuzzo, who was gunned down as she drove civil rights workers to voting booths? All of these crimes, motivated by some bias, were ultimately prosecuted under Federal laws because, at the time, local authorities were either unable or unwilling to prosecute these crimes. These crimes could only be prosecuted because all of these individuals were participating in activities protected by the Federal Government--helping individuals vote or register to vote, for example. Only in limited, specific instances does this law even apply.

I vote in support of H.R. 1592 because H.R. 1592 sends a powerful message that all crime motivated by hatred and bias will not be tolerated in our society. I have voted for this bill at every opportunity when it came before the U.S. Congress. This legislation strengthens Federal law by providing local authorities with more money to prosecute hate crime and by expanding the jurisdiction to crimes motivated by bias against the victims actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, or disability.

Unfortunately, opponents of this bill are shamelessly advancing false claims about the bill's impact on religion, particularly the freedom of clergy to preach about their beliefs, and that the bill legalizes certain sexual acts. Both of these claims are patently false. If you are a minister, this bill does not restrict any sermon, homily, speech or lesson unless that minister plans to start urging people to go out and commit violent crimes against others. During floor debate on the bill, Chairman Conyers reiterated the fact that the bill would not legalize any one of a plethora of sexual acts or activity, most of which are already illegal in most states.

Again this bill in no way, shape or fashion restricts free speech. Indeed, it clearly states, and has been supported by a Republican- dominated, conservative Supreme Court, that it in fact protects the First Amendment. Language is protected under this bill. Actions are criminalized. Preaching against homosexuality, against disabled people, against women--the categories that this bill protects--is allowed as it has always been, under the protections of the First Amendment. Under this bill, it would be criminal to incite violence by willfully causing ``bodily injury based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim or is a violation of the state, local, or tribal hate crime laws.''

Since 1991, over 100,000 hate crimes have occurred in our nation. Hate crimes devastate the communities, counties, cities and states in which they occur. These crimes of bigotry and hatred against an identifiable minority--based on race, color, ethnic origin, gender, disability or sexual orientation--not only hurts the individual affected, but demoralizes and dehumanizes whole groups of people. As the civil rights era clearly illustrated, these crimes are committed solely to intimidate and trample upon the human rights of others.

This as the immediate effect of crushing the investment of companies in that locality, of tourists visiting that state, of individuals wanting to relocate to that region. This is measurable in real dollars and cents. The Federal Government cannot stand by to allow these heinous, horrible offenses to be committed. I did not stand for this when I was an activist fighting for human rights in the City of Detroit, Michigan; I will not stand for it as a Member of Congress with an opportunity to make a change and make a difference.

Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel once said that ``indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor--never his victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she is forgotten. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugees--not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. And in denying their humanity, we betray our own. Indifference, then, is not only a sin, it is a punishment.''

In the past decade, our country has had men murdered merely because they were gay, disabled, or African American. These were all hard- working, tax-paying, law-abiding American citizens, killed because of these differences. As we move onward through this

new millennium, as we continue to change course, confront crises, and continue the legacy, I will do so with the continued guidance and love of an infinite God, with extraordinary hope, with profound faith, and with the knowledge that in caring for the least of our brothers and sisters, we care for ourselves. We cannot afford to be indifferent.

As we celebrate two centuries of the end of the African slave trade, it is my hope that today will be the beginning of the end of the decades of mindless hatred, bigotry, and discrimination against all God's children. All Americans have an investment in a stable, violence- free government, and that is exactly what this bill provides.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I also want to thank my colleague, Congresswoman Barbara Lee from the great State of California, for offering this resolution, House Resolution 272, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the end of the transcontinental slave trade for our country. Awesome that it is, we thank the President who signed that proclamation and that we began to work as one country with many ethnicities in our country.

Slavery is a cruel, unusual, inhumane treatment. Many of us just returned from overseas and were in the slave dungeons, and to see the inhumane treatment that many of our ancestors felt then and some vestiges of it today is awesome. But we are still here. We are still here running businesses, contributing to America. We are still here attending universities and in the Halls of this Congress of the United States of America.

We have much work to do, 200 years, and we hope thousands of years from now, because, you see, Africans brought the gifts of civilization, religion and science to the world, documented in anthropological studies, the first man.

So it's unfortunate but it's past, chattel slavery, but we have much work to do. We need better schools. We have got to be the best that we can be, first class, no exceptions, and we accept that responsibility.

To my young sisters and brothers across this Nation of all ethnic persuasions, rise up and be the very best that you can be. Never let anyone take the intellect, the intelligence or the mastery that God has given you to be the very best. Slavery is an abominable crime that we must never have again for any race of people, and in vestiges around the world, we see pockets of it.

But we rise today to support House Resolution 272, and to ask as Americans and people of the world that we build together a stronger America, where people have access to quality education that helps us to compete with the Chinas and the Taiwans and the Indias of the world, that we rise as a Nation of Americans and that we never again forget that all people are created by one God known by many names.

So I stand here as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, one of 435 Members of this Congress, one of 43 members of the Congressional Black Caucus, to say to America, we are still the best country in the world. We still have a lot to achieve, and as we improve our schools, as we invest our

moneys, this $3 trillion budget that we have in this country, make sure that this Congress, this administration, the people rise up to have a fair immigration policy, to have fair schools that are funded, that are technologically sound to compete.

And we pledge to you as African Americans, we will produce young people and others who are rising up, owning their own businesses, doing what we need to do to do our part so that our children know that we are the best, we intend to be the best, and we want the doors of opportunity to stay open so that access will be there.

Mr. Speaker, I thank our chairman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. We are legislators. The President has a job and we who represent the people have a job. It funds the war, a war that the other side started, and the speech that they are giving tonight is the same speech they gave 4 years ago.

It's time to change course. This bill funds veterans who have been wounded severely, children who need health care, and all the emergencies that this country needs to address and has not been taking care of the last decade.

Pass the bill.

Mr. President, sign the bill. It's the best bill. The Senate and House have agreed, and we don't care that the President has said, before we even passed it out of the first Chamber, that he would veto it. We have to pass this bill, bring our troops home, and have a plan for success.

This is a good conference report. Americans, speak out. If the President does veto the bill, there is something to be paid. The troops need our help and our support, and I thank Chairman Obey and Chairman Murtha for their leadership. Vote for the conference report.

``Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.'' Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.

This vote will affect us today, it will affect our children tomorrow, it will affect our grand children of the next generation. Unlike some of our colleagues, I refuse to legislate any bill, much less this bill, merely because the President has issued a veto threat. Our brand of government has lasted for more than 230 years because of the separation of powers. The President needs the money, and Congress controls the power of the purse.

We have the opportunity to change course, confront crises, and continue the legacy of not only the Democratic Party but of America with this vote today.

As of April 23, 2007, there have been 3,333 U.S. Military Deaths Confirmed by the Department of Defense. There have been at least 20,000 women and men who have been wounded, and untold numbers of women and men who have been affected by traumatic brain injuries that we are just discovering, and will suffer for decades from post traumatic stress disorder.

The Democrats have worked to compromise with the Administration. While I, like many of my colleagues, hoped that we would retain the House language with regard to the troop deployment provisions, I understand that honesty and compromise are the hallmarks of this august body.

Make no mistake about it; this vote is a vote to support our troops and will bring an end to the war in the near future. The military options for Iraq are exhausted; we need to pursue diplomatic solutions so that the Iraqis and other countries in the Middle East can be real shareholders in the fate of Iraq.

This supplemental enforces the President's own benchmarks that the Iraqis protect and end their civil war. This bill has the military's own standards for readiness and deployment. This bill provides more than the President requested for military procurement, construction, health care, and readiness.

I am proud that the Committee supported my request for increased funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, to remove the matching funds for many of the grants and loans going to the rebuilding of states affected by Hurricane Katrina, in particular the city of New Orleans.

$450 million for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)/Counseling: African American male Vietnam and Iraq theater veterans have higher rates of PTSD than Whites. Rates of current PTSD are 28% among Hispanics, 21% among African Americans, and 14 percent

among Whites. African Americans have greater exposure to war stresses and had more predisposing factors than Whites, which appeared to account for their higher rate of PTSD.

$450 million for Traumatic Brain Injury care and research: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain.

$20 million to address the problems at Walter Reed: When the federal base-closing commission recommended shutting down Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, it was noted through a number of reports that most of the patients and communities affected were African- American.

$100 million to allow the VA to contract with private mental healthcare providers to offer veterans, including Guard and reserve members, quality and timely care: African Americans are more likely to be victims of serious violent crime than are non-Hispanic whites.

Food Assistance (PL 480 Title II): Adds $450 million, which is $100 million above the President's request, to support food aid in Sudan/ Eastern Chad, Southern Africa, and the Horn of Africa.

Agricultural Assistance: Adds $3.7 billion. According to the National Farmers Union, over 80 percent of U.S. counties were designated as disaster areas in 2005, and 60 percent were declared in 2006, making this assistance essential if farmers are to maintain their livelihoods in the coming year.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): The Supplemental adds $400 million to partially restore cuts to the program.

Pandemic Flu Preparedness: Adds $1 billion to purchase vaccines needed to protect us from a global pandemic.

State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP): As amended in Committee, the proposal adds $750 million for SCHIP to ensure continued healthcare coverage for children in 14 states that face a budget shortfall in the program.

Foreign Aid: $40 million in security assistance is added for Liberia. This provision was added only because of the CBC.

After far too long, the bill will address the outstanding needs of our working women and men by increasing the minimum wage of Americans.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore