Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the tremendous contributions of black music to American culture. From times of slavery to the Civil Rights Movement, Black music has served the Black community as a source of inspiration and strength and continues to serve as a narrative of Black History and culture.

Spirituals that grew from the cries of slaves have evolved over hundreds of years to the Gospel, Soul, R&B, Jazz, Blues, and Rock & Roll we know today. Black music is enjoyed by the larger community in the U.S. and by an ever larger global community.

Black music was and continues to be a tool to reveal the very soul of the black man to the rest of America. In times of division and hate, black music was one of the few cultural artifacts that was shared with all Americans. ``Freedom Songs'' used during the civil rights movement like ``We Shall Not be Moved,'' ``Lift Every Voice and Sing,'' and ``We Shall Overcome,'' were sung by all and served as uniters rather than dividers.

Many of the most celebrated musicians in the history of Jazz, Soul and Blues were African Americans; Lena Horn, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and John Coltrane are all legends in their own right and have brought innovation and freshness to music that continues to inspire musicians today.

Black music is much more than words and rhythm: it is an encapsulation and reaffirmation of a cultural identity that was formed out of years of struggle and triumph. It is distinctive in the way that it uplifts the spirit and enthralls the intellect. We must recognize that black music has served for generations as more than a pastime; it has been a source of strength and inspiration for a brighter future.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the sacrifice of the men and women who bravely served in the Korean War in defense of freedom. Today, June 25th, we commemorate the 58th anniversary of the start of the Korean War; the so-called `Forgotten War', which claimed more than 36,000 American lives. Although the Korean War may receive less attention than other wars, it does not diminish the significance of the war and the freedom it preserved.

I proudly served my wartime tour in Korea as a member of the 503d Field Artillery Battalion of the 2d Infantry Division. The 503d Field Artillery Battalion landed in Korea in August 1950, arriving in time to participate in hard-fought battles that defeated the North Korean offensives against the United Nations forces on the Pusan Perimeter. During the battalion's 15 months in Korea, members of the 503d received 19 Silver Stars, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 79 Bronze Stars. The battalion suffered 512 casualties, including 150 men who died in Communist prison camps and 79 who remain listed as missing in action. The 503d, a Black unit, shattered the biased and unfair negative stereotypes attached to Black men and women fighting in Korea and earlier wars.

Although today is a solemn reminder of the lives that were lost during the Korean War; it also serves as a reminder of the binding friendship we have forged with the Korean people. As a phoenix rises from the ashes, so has the U.S.-Korean alliance.

Madam Speaker, I would like to enter into the Record the heart/felt comments from the wreath laying ceremony at the Korean War Memorial by the Korean Ambassador, The Honorable Tae-Sik Lee:

Remarks by His Excellency Tae-Sik Lee, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States, on the Occasion of the 58th Anniversary of

the Outbreak of the Korean War, Korean War Veterans Memorial,

Washington, DC, June 25, 2008

Distinguished veterans, colleagues from the diplomatic

corps, and honored guests:

June 25, 1950, began as a day like any other. But the

consequences of that day, and the War that ensued, have left

a lasting mark. Millions were killed, our country destroyed,

our nation divided. Yet freedom-loving governments stepped

forward, and alliances were formed.

In the brutal heat of summer, and the bitter grip of

winter, over every kind of tough terrain--it was through

countless individual acts of courage, sacrifice, and faith--

that South Korea's freedom was preserved. We are here today

to honor that courage, remember that sacrifice and, I hope,

reward the faith of every fighting man and woman--from 21

nations around the globe--who served to keep us free.

Far too numerous to mention--but far too important to

forget--we remember and honor these heroes, not just today,

but every day.

Some may say that the Korean War has been known as the

Forgotten War. But it has been my personal mission to try to

rectify that--as I have met with thousands of veterans in

dozens of cities across the country. And I know that, here

today, I am among many allies in this effort to remember.

Clearly one of the most compelling monuments to the

veterans of this War is this moving memorial on the national

mall. I recently saw an interesting statistic--a list of the

top most-visited National Park Service memorials. As you

might expect, Arlington National Cemetery is first, followed

by the World War II and Vietnam memorials. But the Korean War

Veterans Memorial has risen to number 4--averaging more than

3.2 million visitors per year.

I think people are remembering. And the priceless lesson

that ``Freedom Is Not Free'' could not be more appropriate

today.

For Korea, freedom has meant the chance to energize our

economy; institutionalize democracy; and join the responsible

community of nations. Today, we are proud to do our part in

the war on terror, in peace-keeping operations, and in

international economic and social organizations as well. With

the United States, we are working to transform our alliance

for the challenges of the future--building on the legacy of

such forward-thinking leaders as General Riscassi, General

Tilleli and General Sennewald, who are here with us today.

To all our friends from other nations who answered our call

for help--I would like to offer this verse from Ecclesiastes

that says: ``A faithful friend is a strong defense, and he

that hath found him, hath found a treasure.'' A friend in

need is a friend indeed. Certainly, the generous spirit of

your friendship we will continue to honor and treasure.

To the veterans here today, you are our heroes and we

remember you. And we hope you believe that Korea was a

country worth saving--a people worth protecting--and a war

worth fighting. Thank you very much.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce the Korean War Veterans Recognition Act in the United States House of

Representatives to honor the great sacrifices and contributions made by the Korean War veterans to preserve our freedom.

Fifty-eight years have passed since its outbreak on June 25, 1950, yet the Korean War has never formally ended. In lieu of a peace treaty, a cease-fire armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, leaving in its wake 4 million military and civilian casualties. H.R. 6363 will commemorate the Korean War Armistice Day by displaying the flag at half-staff in remembrance and recognition of the Korean War veterans and a war that has yet to end.

The truest heroes of the Korean War are the thousands who served without question and never returned home to their loved ones. This bill is to honor them, especially, as well as to salute their comrades who placed themselves in harm's way in defense of their country. Even as we place this spotlight on the fighting men and women in the Forgotten War, I also wish to remember the tens of thousands of families, both Americans and Koreans, who suffered through this bloody conflict.

Indeed, the Korean War was one of the bloodiest wars fought in one of the coldest winters. In just 3 years, the United States suffered 54,246 casualties and 8,176-plus POW/MIAs. A total of 26 nations were involved in the War (22 UN Allied, 1 Support; 3 Communist); yet few people understand that the lingering effects of the Korean War and the resulting stalemate continue to impact our world today.

Sandwiched between World War II and the Vietnam War, the Korean War is often overlooked in the public consciousness and often referenced as the `Forgotten War'. The courageous service and sacrifice of our Korean War veterans must never be forgotten and deserves to be honored. Let us remember the 6.8 million American men and women who served during the Korean War period, June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955. Only 2 million are surviving today and nearly 1,000 die each day.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to implore my colleagues to review, and subsequently ameliorate, the current state of immigration law. After the failure of this Congress to enact sensible, compassionate, and effective immigration reform last year, selective-- and at times nonsensica--enforcement has been the rule. It has meant, in the face of inaction and silence on the part of the Federal Government, fragmented and contradictory responses from local municipalities, ranging from establishing sanctuary cities to conducting incessant, violent, and sometimes illogical raids and deportations. Waiting is no longer a suitable solution, particularly not for those hardworking undocumented immigrants, free of any criminal record, who live every day in fear, and certainly not for those legal immigrants who committed long-ago misdemeanors and become victims to the fervor for increased deportations.

A New York CARIB News June 3 article, ``Deportation Hanging Over West Indian's Head,'' reports the case of the deputy chief of staff to a prominent New York City Council member--a legal resident--who now faces deportation because of a minor drug offense he committed 20 years ago as an 18-year-old. The law was meant to apply to those immigrants who have committed serious offenses, but in today's climate, it is increasingly being used against persons convicted of rather small crimes, like shoplifting. These are legal residents, having now become model citizens, who have built lives in this country and have none elsewhere, committing small-time crimes years ago as teenagers and finding themselves in deportation proceedings. This is just one example of an American immigration system that proves illogical, demands fixing, and provides blanket judgment as opposed to reasoned case-by- case due process.

As we forestall meaningful action on immigration, good Americans suffer. I urge that we get back to work on this most imperative issue, and do what's right for this country and its residents.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the work and accomplishments of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The CDB has most recently been ranked among the world's most effective international financial institutions by Standard & Poor's, with the highest possible foreign currency high credit rating.

The CDB's mission is to promote economic growth and development among Caribbean member states by promoting economic cooperation and regional integration. Their work has helped to facilitate more efficient economic partnerships throughout the Caribbean by providing a number of financial services to the region.

I would like to thank the CDB for its contribution to the development of the Caribbean and I would like to wish the bank continued growth and success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Medgar Evers College of The City University of New York (CUNY) which recently celebrated its thirty-seventh Commencement Ceremony and to enter into the Record an article from the New York Carib News for the week ending June 24, 2008 titled

``Graduate Spotlight, At the 37th Commencement Ceremony Of Medgar Evers College, CUNY.''

Medgar Evers College was founded as a result of collaborative efforts by community leaders, elected officials, the Chancellor, and the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York. The College, named for the late civil rights leader, Medgar Wiley Evers (1925-1963), was established in 1970 with a mandate to meet the educational and social needs of the Central Brooklyn community. Medgar Evers College is committed to the fulfillment of this mandate. Consequently, the College's mission is to develop and maintain high quality, professional, career-oriented undergraduate degree programs in the context of liberal education.

Medgar Evers College has a history of educational partnerships with Caribbean nations; articulation agreements exist with institutions such as the University of the West Indies, the University of Guyana and Dominica State College. These arrangements have fostered student and faculty exchanges as well as curriculum development initiatives. The relationship between the College and the Caribbean was recognized and reaffirmed last week during the visit of the leaders of the CARICOM states with a new agreement to expand and strengthen cooperative relationships with educational institutions in the Caribbean.

The future is bright for Medgar Evers College; graduates received degrees in an exciting array of disciplines and were awarded prestigious scholarships.

It is my sincere hope that other Colleges and Universities around the world will join the Medgar Evers College in establishing successful student and faculty exchange with other countries, while simultaneously allowing minorities and people from lower income families to further their education.

This Commencement ceremony offers us an occasion to thank the students and faculty of Medgar Evers College for their strength, their courage, and their invaluable contributions to U.S. and global communities. So, on this 37th Commencement ceremony, I proudly stand with Medgar Evers College to celebrate and appreciate the growth and change it continues to establish.

[From the CUNY Newswire, June 12, 2008]

Highlights of the 37th Commencement Ceremony of Medgar Evers College;

Governor Paterson Delivers Keynote

Medgar Evers College of The City University of New York

(CUNY) celebrated its thirty-seventh Commencement ceremony in

the College Amphitheater at 1650 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn

on Saturday, June 7 at 10:00 a.m. Themed It's all about

M.E.--Aspiration, Devotion, & Culmination, the exercises

commemorated the culmination of years of academic dedication

by the Class of 2008.

Following the College's Annual Alumni Breakfast and

traditional Presidential Reception for special invited

guests, the occasion opened with a grand procession comprised

of New York State Governor David A. Paterson, City University

of New York Chancellor Matthew Goldstein, College President

Edison O. Jackson, senior University and College officials,

honor guards, flag bearers, faculty, and the 975 students of

the graduating body.

Amongst those donning caps and gowns that day were notable

graduates like business major Alan Newton, a 46-year-old

Bronx native who served 22 years in prison before DNA

evidence secured his release. Newton plans on continuing his

education in law school and later to work in a field that

allows him to give back. ``I want to carry the torch of

social justice. A lot of people are voiceless and even if

they have the power they don't know how to wield it,'' he

said.

The graduates received words of congratulations and

encouragement from dignitaries like Brooklyn Borough

President Marty Markowitz and Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke.

``In life, as you know, you can either wait for things to

happen or make things happen. As a Medgar Evers graduate, I

know you've got the style, pizzazz, moxy, and chutzpah. I

know that you'll make things happen, said Markowitz. ``You

are the best of Brooklyn and the best of New York.''

``You [graduates] are the inspiration and motivation for

the work that I do,'' said Clarke. ``You are part of a legacy

of excellence. A legacy that reigns supreme and as long as

you remember that, as long as you are committed to that, our

future is secure.''

In his keynote address, New York State's 55th, and its

first African American, governor, David A. Paterson said,

``To all of you graduates I wish for you all that you desire

in your careers; but it is the responsibility of our

government to make sure that you have equal opportunities.''

He went on to discuss his plans to help ensure such

opportunities through the issuance of an ``executive order

about the procurement of minority and women-owned businesses,

right here in the State of New York, for contracts, for

investment banking, for savings and bonds and insurance''

this week.

``As you go forward in your lives, don't forget where you

came from,'' Paterson continued. ``Don't forget Medgar Evers.

Don't forget the younger people who will be coming to this

school. Contribute to the school. Come back.''

The future is bright for Medgar Evers College; graduates

received associates and baccalaureate degrees in an exciting

array of disciplines that day. Additionally, three

scholarships, totaling twenty thousand dollars, were awarded

through the National Grid Charles Evans Inniss and Dr. Betty

Shabazz Awards.

The hopeful nature of the day was best expressed by College

President Dr. Jackson, ``Yours is an extremely fortunate

generation. One that stands in the sunlight of a new

tomorrow.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to give homage to one of America's forgotten heroes, Sergeant Walter J. Morris, the first African-American U.S. Army paratrooper and a member of the 555 Parachute Infantry Battalion or ``Triple Nickels''. The Triple Nickels succeeded in becoming the Nation's first African-American parachute infantry battalion and the first African-American unit to be integrated into the mainstream U.S. Army during WorId War II.

Sergeant Morris is a pioneer who blazed a trail that many African- American paratroopers proudly follow today. This wasn't an easy accomplishment in a totally segregated army. The U.S. Army had a tradition of relegating Blacks to menial jobs with very little chance for advancement. Sergeant Morris routinely required his soldier to exercise and do calisthenics after the White soldiers left the field; this led to increased stamina and confidence in the Black soldiers. These exercises led to the creation of a ``test'' company of Black soldiers. The Black soldiers under Sergeant Morris' leadership were so successful that the company soon became the now famous ``555 Parachute Infantry Battalion''. Sergeant Morris was masterful in instilling pride and a sense of accomplishments in the men he led. His efforts led to the diversity we see in the military today.

His efforts are even more impressive when you fully consider the hardships and indignities Black soldiers had to endure. As a proud Black sergeant, Sergeant Morris, with polished boots and paratrooper wings, still had to use the ``colored'' toilets and drinking fountains, sit in segregated sections of theaters, go out of his way to avoid confrontations with racist police and was denied entry into the post's officers' club.

After his military service, Sergeant Morris continued to live his civilian life with distinction. In keeping with his pioneering spirit, in 1968, he became the first African-American bricklayer foreman in the city of New York with the Planet Construction Company. This accomplishment was another for Sergeant Morris on the path of opening additional doors historically closed to African-Americans. In 1973, he became the first African-American construction supervisor in the city of New York, working for the Bedford-Stuyvesant Corporation in Brooklyn until his retirement in 1983.

Sergeant Morris is truly a pioneer and has led a very distinguished life. His work to help end the color barrier in the U.S. Army and his fight to have the accomplishments of Black soldiers recognized paved the way for future generations to serve in an integrated U.S. Army. His legacy also includes being the proud father of Patricia Worthy of Washington, DC, and Crystal Poole of St. Petersburg, FL.

I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in recognizing the lifelong accomplishments of Sergeant Walter J. Morris and his relentless pursuit to create new opportunities for African-Americans.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support of the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, introduced by Congresswoman Patsy T. Mink.

``No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any programs or activity receiving federal financial assistance,'' states the Title IX Law of 1972. Passed by Congress, the act prohibits discrimination against girls and women in federally funded education, including athletic programs. Many controversies arose trom the bill. It was protested that boy's sports would suffer if women's sports became equally funded. Despite all the difficulties, the newly enacted law created numerous opportunities for girls and women in many fields, such as science or math, health care, school bands, cheerleaders, clubs and athletics. Because of Title IX, many young women gained a chance to receive scholarships and opportunity for higher education.

The Title IX Law greatly improved the lives of females and will continue to affect women for years to come. Title IX has influenced many areas of education, giving the possibility for women to become lawyers, scientists, economists, politicians, doctors. Even at the present time gender equity is still an issue. By protecting and supporting Title IX, we can ensure full and equal educational opportunities for all people pursuing their education.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my full support for H.R. 6346, also know as the Federal Price-gouging Prevention Act. I join my other colleagues from both sides of the aisle and American consumers to address the issue of price gouging of gasoline and other fuels.

This bill has received widespread support for several reasons. First, the bill gives the Federal Trade Commission the ability to investigate and punish companies that falsely inflate energy prices. It is unacceptable for energy companies to artificially raise prices. This bill serves to address these crimes and protect the American people.

Second, this bill will allow for the Justice Department to collect criminal penalties and impose jail time during a state of national emergency on those who are found guilty of price-gouging. Most importantly, penalties collected from price-gouging companies will be forwarded to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, LIHEAP, to help families pay for their heating and air-conditioning bills.

At this time, 28 states have passed legislation against price- gouging. More laws are needed at both the state and local levels to ensure that those who are responsible for artificially raising energy prices are investigated and punished.

I urge other colleagues to support this bill. I applaud the work done by to protect the American people from energy price-gouging.

Madam Chairman, I rise today to express my support of the Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2008, introduced by Repesentative George Miller.

The bill H.R. 5876 provides American teenagers with security and safety in residential programs. The passage of the bill is crucial for the American Education System and American society. Many times residential programs leave teenagers without necessary attention and care, which can lead to abuse, harm and even death of children. It is critical to address this problem now. Through various requirements and changes, The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs Act will significantly improve residential programs for children. This important legislation will better the lives of many young Americans by making them safer and healthier.

U.S. Government can not allow further abuse and neglect of teenagers in private or public residential programs. Members of Congress must understand how crucial Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act is and must strongly support its enactment. In taking action to enact this proposed legislation today we will send a strong message that this abuse must stop.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support and pride in the outstanding achievements of the historical $275 million Capital Campaign for Howard University.

The president of the Howard University Pat Swygert and his Howard University Trustee Team achieved remarkable results by raising $275 million in a 5 year fund-raising campaign. The plan broke several records, including the most amount of money raised by an African- American institution and a record for Howard. These results were unthinkable without strong support of the alumnae, trustees and the involvement of the Congress. This year Congress contributed $204.3 million to Howard University and $28.9 million to Howard University Hospital.

The money raised through the Capital Campaign greatly improved Howard University by establishing modern equipped computer labs, glass walled conference rooms, exhibition galleries and other necessary facilities for successful student education. Hundreds of scholarships helped many students to complete their education reducing the burden of student loans. Growing number of alumni donate to Howard, seeing the success and achievements of the University. President Pat Swygert and his campaign did the terrific work not only raising the impressive amount of money, but also improving Howard as well as raising the reputation and the respect of the school.

(By Kathryn Masterson)

Washington.--As a dental student 35 years ago, Leo E. Rouse

and his Howard University classmates learned to fill cavities

and cap teeth by crowding around one faculty member and

angling for a clear view of the day's demonstration.

Today students at Howard's College of Dentistry, where Dr.

Rouse is now the dean, get an unobstructed view of dental

procedures from computer monitors mounted on 45 workstations

in the school's new simulation laboratory. If they miss

something, they can go back and review by watching DVDs in

the lab or on their laptops.

The $1.3-million lab, which was built with money from the

university's recently completed capital campaign, does more

than enhance the students' experience, Dr. Rouse says. It has

helped bring in donations from alumni and almost doubled the

number of applications for the school's 85 seat class, from

about 1,400 before the lab was built to 2,710 last year.

``Word gets around,'' Dr. Rouse said. ``A school that has

new stuff is attractive. ``

After raising $275 million in its 5 year fund-raising

campaign, the 11,000-student university has plenty of new

stuff to show off. There's a simulated trading room in the

School of Business, a van that travels around Washington to

screen men for prostate cancer, an exhibition gallery in the

architecture school, computer labs and glass-walled

conference rooms in the health-science library, and almost

300 named scholarships.

The campaign broke a record for Howard, whose trustees and

officers first considered a more modest $100 million goal

that the university president, H. Patrick Swygert, thought

was too small. The effort also broke a record for the amount

of money raised by an African-American institution.

Thanks in part to those gifts, the university's endowment,

which was $144 million when Mr. Swygert came in 1995, has

swelled to $510 million, an amount that put Howard among the

136 wealthy institutions asked to tell the U.S. Senate

Finance Committee how they spend their endowments.

William F.L. Moses, a senior program director at the Kresge

Foundation, says the ``path-breaking, benchmark-setting''

Howard campaign sets new expectations for how much money

historically black institutions can raise. Kresge has

supported programs to strengthen fund raising at historically

black colleges and universities, giving $18 million in grants

over 5 years to five institutions (Howard was not among them)

and $8 million to the institutional-advancement program at

the United Negro College Fund.

``It sets the bar, that this kind of success is possible

and HBCU's can compete with mainstream institutions,'' Mr.

Moses said. ``HBCU's can compete with the best.''

Alumni Make a Difference

Howard's success was especially notable for how the

university involved its alumni.

Alumni giving has been a challenge for historically black

colleges, said Elfred Anthony Pinkard, executive director for

UNCF's Institute for Capacity Building, which helps member

colleges with fund raising, enrollment, and other management

challenges. (Howard is not a member of the UNCF.) The

Institute for Capacity Building has given grants to

historically black colleges to hire consultants and buy

software programs to help advancement efforts.

Alumni-affairs offices at the smaller institutions often

have just one or two employees and giving rates for the

colleges who work with the institute range from 7 percent to

as high as 38 percent, Mr. Pinkard said. The national average

is 12 percent, according to the Council for Advancement and

Support of Education's 2007 Voluntary Support of Education

survey.

Ann E. Kaplan, director of the Council for Aid to

Education's survey on giving, said historically black

colleges tend to have less mature fund-raising operations

that rely more on money from foundations and corporations

than from alumni. When she spoke at a UNCF conference, Ms.

Kaplan said, she heard from college leaders who were more

focused on raising money for current operations than on long-

term planning and faced challenges such as poorly kept alumni

records or understaffed advancement offices.

Though tithing to churches and giving to religious

organizations are strong traditions among many African-

Americans, the 19 historically black colleges that responded

to the council's survey (a number Ms. Kaplan said was too

small to be representative) had an average alumni-giving rate

of 6 percent, half the overall national average.

``There's no reason to think HBCU's can't be as successful

in raising money from their alumni, but they need to ask,''

Ms. Kaplan said. ``Asking is the No. 1 reason why people

give.''

Mr. Swygert knew Howard wouldn't make its $250 million goal

without significant alumni participation, but he also knew

that the university needed to do some work before it

approached them for money. A previous capital campaign had

been started in the 1980s with a goal of $100 million but was

never completed. At the start of Mr. Swygert's presidency,

annual giving by alumni was at about 4 percent.

As one of only two federally chartered universities, Howard

receives direct appropriations from the federal government

each year. Congress had noted the low alumni giving rate, and

one of the first things lawmakers asked Mr. Swygert to do as

university president was to increase it. A higher giving rate

would provide evidence that Howard graduates valued the

education they received and that Congress should continue to

maintain its level of financial support for the institution.

This year Congress gave Howard University $204.3 million and

its hospital $28.9 million, according to the Department of

Education.

During the campaign, Howard's annual alumni-giving rate

went as high as 20 percent, and it is now at 17 percent.

The key to getting more alumni to give, Mr. Swygert said,

was to re-engage them with Howard by showing them the

university's key asset: its students. Howard ran ads in local

and national newspapers featuring students and sent postcards

to alumni introducing them to Howard's Rhodes, Marshall, and

Fulbright scholars, as well as distinguished alumni.

``People give to students, they give to ideas, they give to

memory,'' Mr. Swygert said. ``The idea of enabling a young

person to go forth and do well is a very powerful notion.''

Howard hired Virgil E. Ecton, who raised more than $1.6

billion for UNCF in his 31-year career there, to run the

campaign. As vice president for university advancement, Mr.

Ecton oversaw upgrades to Howard's Web site, alumni magazine,

and advancement office. Alumni records were improved, and the

database of Howard graduates grew from 30,000 entries to more

than 60,000.

Backing a Winner

Early on, trustees helped create momentum for the campaign

with several large gifts. Frank Savage, an alumnus, chairman

emeritus of the board, and chief executive of Savage Holdings

LLC, an international financial-services company, announced

he was giving $5 million to the campaign. Richard D. Parsons,

a trustee who led the campaign and is chairman of Time

Warner, gave more than $1 million. James E. Silcott, a Los

Angeles architect, alumnus, and trustee, gave $3 million. Mr.

Swygert, an alumnus, donated more than $2 million.

``That sent a clear signal to trustees, the giving

community, and the community [at large] that we were serious

about this campaign,'' Mr. Ecton said.

Mr. Ecton, Mr. Swygert, and trustees went on the road,

appearing at a series of alumni events around the country. At

the events, which drew up to 1,000 people in New York,

Philadelphia, Chicago, Miami, Houston, and other cities,

alumni would get up and pledge their support to the

university, and the events began to take on a competitive

spirit, Mr. Ecton said. One alumnus in Philadelphia pledged

$1 million, the Miami event raised $8 million, and the New

York event, held at the new headquarters of Time Warner,

resulted in between $25 million and $30 million in pledges,

he said.

``People like to be associated with a winner,'' Mr. Ecton

said. ``It was clear we were winning.''

At the end of the campaign, 33 percent of the money raised

was from Howard alumni. Nationally, in 2007, alumni giving

was 27.8 percent of total private giving, according to the

Voluntary Support of Education survey.

One student who benefited directly from the money raised

was Raquel SK Thompson, who graduated from Howard in May with

a degree in architecture and received a trustees' scholarship

during her last two years. The scholarship, which was backed

by money raised during the campaign, covered half her

tuition.

The money was a great help, said Ms. Thompson, who is from

Barbados and wanted to attend a historically black college.

The financial pressures of tuition, an unfavorable exchange

rate, the cost of materials for her architecture classes, and

restrictions on working off the campus were difficult for her

and her parents, Ms. Thompson said, and without assistance

she may have had to cut back on classes and work more on the

campus in order to save money.

``It helped me finish school,'' said Ms. Thompson, who is

now looking for a job in Washington or New York. Without the

money, ``I definitely think I would have been there another

year,'' she said.

Both Mr. Swygert and Mr. Ecton say Howard should tap more

alumni for larger donations in its next campaign. Fifty-one

alumni gave more than $1 million, and both officials think

there is potential there to raise more. Mr. Swygert, who is

retiring at the end of June, believes Howard's next campaign

should have a goal of at least $1 billion. The top

institutions have campaigns that size, and Mr. Swygert says

Howard should be in that group.

``I think it's a necessity,'' Mr. Swygert said. ``It's a

stretch, but $250 million was a stretch.''

Mr. Speaker, I call up the bill (H.R. 6275) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide individuals temporary relief from the alternative minimum tax, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, some time ago, in an effort to make certain that 159 taxpayers who are very wealthy had some tax liability, the Congress at that time passed the alternative minimum tax. What they neglected to do was to index the tax structure for inflation, and as a result we find people making 30, 40, $50,000 caught up as though they were wealthy taxpayers trying to avoid or evade their tax liability.

Now, the President should know, as other Presidents, that this is a very, very unfair tax. The truth of the matter is it should not even be in this structure. But in the close to 7 years that the President has been in office, he has not seen fit to give us a tax reform bill so that we can do what everyone in this House would want done, and that is to eliminate this fiscal threat from now some 25 million taxpayers.

So what do we have to do? Every year we have to come down and so- called ``patch it'' because, politically speaking, no one is going to go home and say that they did nothing about it.

So what is the difference between what we want to do in the majority and the other side? Well, if you listen carefully, you would see that the President has put this AMT in every budget except the one we have this year, which means that in the budget he never intends to remove it or have it removed. What does putting it in the budget mean? It means that you expect the money that would be coming from the alternative minimum tax to be there to spend. I can understand that, except that Congress says that we're not going to collect that money. So what we would believe is that if we're taking $61 billion out of the economy that we shouldn't go to China and Japan and ask them once again to bail us out but we should take a look at the Tax Code and to find out just what things in the Tax Code, what preferential treatment, what loopholes are there so that when we repair the AMT, at least for this year, we will be able to say we didn't borrow the money and we didn't put this burden on our children and our grandchildren.

So the four areas that we concentrated on to raise the money to get this bill passed is the carried interest. What is that? All it says is that if two groups of people, one a corporation and the other a partnership, are managing someone else's money and if, indeed, they don't put their own money in it, that the tax rate should be 35 percent. Somehow a group has manipulated the system, made themselves a partnership, said they didn't put in their own money, but they still consider it a capital investment, and they are now taxed at the rate of 15 percent. We think it's unequal, it's wrong, and we correct it.

The other area that we have a concern about is people who use tax havens for money earned in the United States to avoid taxes. They put it overseas. In the area of credit cards, we have the major credit card holders that reimburse vendors, and all we ask the vendors to do is to report the money they've had for reimbursement. And then, of course, we have our oil industry that received tax credits that they were not entitled to, and certainly at the obscene profits they're making, I hate to believe that someone believes that the government should further subsidize the moneys that they're making.

So, Mr. Speaker, it's going to be interesting to see how the other side explains as to why they don't have to pay for this. Certainly, if indeed we do nothing, $61 billion of tax burden is going to fall on 25 million good American taxpayers, and we want to fill that

gap of the $61 billion. The other side says it doesn't exist, and so I can't wait to sit down so I can listen to their very interesting argument.

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

I have no further speakers, Mr. Speaker.

General Leave

I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 6275, as amended.

I yield back the balance of my time, and ask for a vote in favor of the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Certainly, the gentleman from Louisiana knows that we would be willing to work on the charitable deduction as it relates to the changes that were made by the administration, but basically, what he is saying is that, as to the $61 billion in tax

loopholes that we have raised, they would rather borrow the money than fill the gap that relieving the people of this tax burden would have.

So we both agree that 25 million people shouldn't suffer with this $61 billion tax increase, but he would have you believe that, if you take this out, you wouldn't have to put anything in. Well, what you're putting in is the future of our children and of our grandchildren.

I ask that this motion to recommit be rejected.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce three Opinion Editorials from the New York CaribNews that reflect the unprecedented special excitement that the nomination of Barack Obama for President has caused in our Caribbean community in New York. CaribNews is a New York based publication that serves as the voice of the Caribbean community.

The editorials, all published in the June 17, 2008 publication, are entitled: ``Propelled by the Wind of Change Democrats Choose Obama: What an Excellent Choice to Lead the Party Into Race for the White House,'' ``Obama and the Deepening of American Democracy,'' and ``Caribbean Hearts are Swelling with Pride as Obama's Victory Sinks In.''

The editorials all reflect a great exhilaration for Obama's candidacy within the New York Caribbean community. Each piece points out how extraordinary the results are of this historical primary and the reactions of Caribbean Americans. One of the pieces quotes a Caribbean- American who said, ``[Obama] comes across as a people person with whom we can relate.'' Another Jamaican-American woman said, ``What a pity the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. isn't around to see this.''

One editorial summarizes the consensus among the Caribbean community the best; ``Barack Obama has beckoned a new generation to the noble task of remaking America and remaking the world. He has brought millions of new voters into the electoral process.'' But, the Caribbean community has not forgotten about Hillary Clinton and the socio- political significance of her campaign. There is a general belief that she is an important part of the new era of the Democratic Party and also represents the new direction this country is taking on race and gender equality.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 44th anniversary of the tragic death of Mississippi civil rights activists: Andrew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner.

The murder of Goodman, Schwerner and Chaney occurred in Philadelphia, Mississippi, on June 21, 1964. These three young, courageous and bright men came to Philadelphia to fight for freedom and justice, promote equality in voting and bring peace and a better life for all people of Neshoba County. The American Civil Rights Movement carried out the mission of ``Freedom Summer'' determined to encourage equal voter registration regardless of race. The ``Freedom Summer'' participants included many Jewish-American and African-Americans, dedicated to such a noble cause. Unfortunately, three of the best, idealistic, and brightest of the volunteers who responded to the call to come to Mississippi and work for justice, were cowardly kidnapped and brutally murdered by the coldblooded activists of the Ku Klux Klan. Public outrage and demands for justice led to the FBI's thorough investigation of this shocking murder case. For several weeks the American people followed the unfolding of this horrible event in the televised newscasts. The bodies of Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner were found 44 days later, buried in the dam with bullets in their hearts. Three years after the murders, FBI arrested 21 active members of the Ku Klux Klan and indicted 19 of them.

The realization of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 came in part as a result of public reaction to the brutal murders of Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner as well as through demonstrations, marches and public demand for passing these critical laws. Andrew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner were committed to fight for justice and democracy in their beloved country. They believed in constitutional rights for all, regardless of race, gender or religion. Even today this struggle is not yet over. We should continue the noble fight for justice.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes, and I ask unanimous consent that the remainder of my time go to the distinguished chairman of the Health Subcommittee of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. Speaker, I wish we weren't legislating this way, as the gentleman has pointed out, on the suspension calendar, but as you know, it's difficult working with the other House. They have our CHAMP bill over there, and there is no telling what we might do if we don't come right now and deal with this emergency before these provisions expire.

This would allow the Secretary to add preventative benefits without waiting for the Congress. It would help us out in Medicare. And we have been able to gather the support of the doctors, the hospitals, the pharmacists, those that are concerned with durable medical expenses, the dialysis people, wheelchair. And so we made an attempt, even though it is patchwork and it's not a piece of legislation we're proud of. But if we don't move in this House, the effects of not doing anything would be more detrimental than trying to get a perfect bill.

We have been working desperately hard to try to get something that all of the people could agree to, but, unfortunately, we haven't had an opportunity to do that. And we also are concerned with the teaching hospitals with suggestions that we have heard that they would pay for the whole thing when we know that a physician's fee for service is an area that should equally bear the costs of trying to get this legislation through.

So I really don't think we have much of a choice. Our votes are being recorded. People are watching what we do. And I do hope that we can do a better job next year. But the whole idea is to make certain that the House is responsible, and while we don't have any indication of what's going to happen in the other body, it seems to me that we should move on this bill.

I want to thank Congressman Stark for the great work he and his staff have done. It's always a moving target as to what we can get in, what we can't get in. But I don't think there is anyplace we can go for now except to support the suspension, and then whatever corrections we have to do, we should do it next year.

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