Floor Statements

Madam Speaker:

Whereas, Since 1967, The Harlem Commonwealth Council has been dedicated to empowering the Harlem community through job creation and ownership of local commerce, industry and real estate. From the time of its humble beginnings, they have embarked in a mission to stimulate the overall economic development of Harlem through the creation of enterprises, generation of jobs, and improvement of services; and

Whereas, Today, The Harlem Commonwealth Council has continued to hold firm on its pledge to serve the Harlem community by implementing successful ventures and programs through the years that promote self- sufficiency amongst its citizenry and create stability in Harlem through economic development projects, academic empowerment, and entrepreneurial support; and

Whereas, Harlem Commonwealth Council has the distinction of having made historically significant contributions to its vibrant multicultural community in many instances without the financial support of governmental agencies or outside entities. Through a team of Harlem professionals, community and business leaders, it continues to engineer new initiatives that will foster and sustain economic prosperity to Harlem's residents and businesses; and

Whereas, Leading the way towards the future of the Harlem Commonwealth Council is none other than the distinguished Harlem veterinarian Dr. Joseph L. Tait. While pursuing Veterinary goals, he became a Director in the Commonwealth Holding Company, Inc. Board. Through hard work and perseverance he gained the confidence of his peers who elevated him to the position of Chairman of The Council and ultimately the President and CEO. As President, Dr. Tait has shifted the focus to include reaching out to the young people of our community to offer opportunities for growth professionally and educationally; and

Whereas, As the Harlem Commonwealth Council celebrates forty-one years of service to the Harlem community, it is important to note that when the world had given up on Harlem and urban communities like it nationwide, HCC and other community based organizations, business owners and residents did not. They continue to serve as a shining example of what people can accomplish when they are dedicated to a vision and work together to realize it; and

Resolved, That along with all the residents in the 15th Congressional District of New York, I congratulate The Harlem Commonwealth Council on their forty-first anniversary. Through their unwavering efforts to secure the future of the Harlem community, The Harlem Commonwealth Council has contributed to the effervescent Harlem of today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Columbia University on its newly announced initiatives to restructure their financial aid policies, in order to provide those students from lower- and middle-income families with an affordable solution to skyrocketing tuition costs.

Columbia University has long held the reputation of inclusion, attracting the most socioeconomically diverse undergraduate student populations among Ivy League universities. The University has recently gone a step further announcing that the College will replace loans for students qualifying for financial aid with University grants. The University is expected to spend upwards of $1 million annually to ensure that income disparities do not prevent capable students from attending a top university. As the price of college increases more and more every year, Columbia's actions display their understanding of the importance of a good education to underprivileged children in escaping poverty and opening the door to opportunities in life.

It is my sincere hope that other colleges and universities across the Nation will join Columbia in providing those students from lower- and middle-income families with a feasible way to pay for college.

Madam Speaker, this week New York City does what many in our country should be doing everyday. Across 7 days and more than 100 events, the Big Apple celebrates the culture and achievements of the countless numbers of immigrants--past and present--who have come to our great country.

They come from numerous continents, and countries, in a variety of hues, each with their own distinct histories, descendants of cultures that pre-date our society sometimes four or five times over. Despite the obstacles, they manage to quickly prove themselves and contribute to their communities in a number of ways. They and their children, their lives now woven into the fabric of this Nation, find success and across a number of fields including academia, business, law, music, sports and politics.

Contrary to the hateful and divisive anti-immigration rhetoric that so open poisons our public discussion of the issue, the vast majority of immigrants are not a drain on our government or on our economy. They are in our military, in the reserves and on the battlefront, some even paying the ultimate price for their sacrifice of service. They more than hold their own weight economically by paying, according to the non-partisan Immigration Policy Center (IPC), more than 300 billion in federal, state and local taxes. They fuel our economy as both laborers and employers, locally generating more than 229 billion in New York State alone. That is a figure that represents more than 22 percent of the State's overall GDP, even though they represent a small percentage of the overall population.

I see it every time I walk in my district, every day I am visiting another town or city in our vast land. That their contributions have and continue to positively shape our lives should not come as a surprise. What should are the ways that we continue to treat them, many of them like second-class citizens.

Congress must lead the way in honoring this country's immigrant history by rewarding their hard efforts and their faith in the American Dream. The fact that it can take up to 20 years for a mother to see her brother or her child of more than 21 years is shameful. It's disrespectful to the generations who laid the foundation for American democracy at home and abroad that you could have more than a quarter million people shut out from voting this November, despite increased fees and promises of improved service. And it's an outrage that those who work hard to provide a stepping stone for their children to succeed can be easily deported because notices to appear in court get lost in the mail or because of a long ago misdemeanor that wouldn't even land a citizen behind bars.

The debate over the millions of undocumented immigrants who reside here should not confuse our support of those that we have agreed to welcome with open arms. If we can't do right by those who follow the current broken system, what expectation should we have that anyone would or should follow a reformed one, no matter how liberal or conservative a plan that is devised?

Soaring food prices, unattainable affordable housing, stagnant job opportunities, substandard and unaffordable education--these are issues that every family living in this Nation is facing. Whether they have been here for five generations or one, whether they speak one language or two, or whether it was man's cruelty or economic misfortune that forced them here in the first place.

There are no easy answers or perfect solutions. Yet, if we can remember our past and remember the values that bind us all together, we can overcome these challenges and position this Nation for renewed success. The strength of any nation lies not just in the might of its military, but in the spirit and ingenuity of its people. All of its people.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my full support for H.R. 2634, the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation of 2008. This is extremely important legislation that will have no budgetary impact on the United States Federal budget but stands to have a lasting and life changing impact for up to 24 additional poor countries. The Jubilee Act is one of the most humanitarian efforts this Congress could undertake.

Poverty is one of the greatest ills to plague mankind. We have recent evidence of the impact of poverty in the demonstration of desperately hungry people for food no longer affordable because of economic forces beyond their control. Those who survive in poverty are under constant threat of death. The debt forgiveness offered by the Jubilee Act will enable poor countries to address the issues of poverty, create opportunities for economic growth and establish sound governing practices. The Jubilee Act also promotes responsible development assistance by prioritizing grants over loans, which is an important measure to prevent these countries from falling back into debt.

It is inconceivable for the United States not to act immediately in passing this legislation; there are many poor countries desperately awaiting our assistance. By granting authorization for the U.S. Treasury Department to begin negotiations within the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and other multilateral creditors is the first step towards improving the lives of so many impoverished people. Above all other reasons, we are morally obligated to help those less fortunate, therefore I urge my colleagues to support the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of this Congress a matter of utmost importance--the current civil unrest in Haiti over rising food prices, and the inability of ordinary Haitians to afford to feed themselves and their families. Haiti is an impoverished nation and this current crisis will only push Haiti further into despair.

I am urging our great Nation to provide emergency food aid to Haiti. Food costs have risen on average 40 percent over last year's cost. The cost of staples such as rice, beans, fruit and milk has increased by 50 percent. The majority of Haitians live on approximately $2 a day. These extraordinary circumstances have caused wide spread rioting throughout Haiti and have even resulted in death. People should not have to die in pursuit of food to feed their families.

As a donor nation, the United States should have answered the World Food Program's (WFP) call for donor support earlier. The WFP appeal is for $96 million, and only 13 percent of the request has been provided. Our great Nation should be embarrassed for allowing our Caribbean neighbor to suffer this fate. I want to urge this Congress and the President to quickly answer the call of the WFP and provide critical food assistance to Haiti in its time of great need.

Madam Speaker, I rise to ask my colleagues to take this time to remember

the life of Puerto Rican boxing champ and a long-time community activist Johnny Manzanet.

Manzanet was a man whose life embodied the reverie of the American Dream, a man of distinction whose accomplishments were a testament to his great Puerto Rican heritage.

Born in the small fishing town of Salinas, Puerto Rico, Manzanet rose up to become a world class middleweight boxing champion and dedicated public servant. In 1968, he was called upon to lead the Olympic Team of the United States in Mexico's Summer Games of the XIX Olympiad. He was then called to serve once more, when Governor Nelson Rockefeller appointed him as the New York State Boxing Commissioner in 1970.

In the ensuing decades, Johnny continued to remain involved with the boxing world, training and developing young talent in every era. All- in-all, the list of those who learned from him include some of the sport's best, from Mike Tyson to the first Hispanic cruiserweight champion, Jose ``Chegui'' Torres, to even Cassius Clay, the young upstart who would go on to become the great Muhammad Ali.

Yet no matter where he was or what he was doing, Johnny always managed to devote his time to the betterment of the Puerto Rican community. He contributed his time and talents to countless civic and charitable endeavors and has always given of himself unstintingly. Places like the Community Corporation of Loisaida and the Puerto Rican Community Development Project were the recipients of Manzanet's fierce advocacy and protection. He continued to serve in his final years, as a community representative under Bronx Borough Presidents Fernando Ferrer and Adolfo Carrion, Jr.

Sadly, Manzanet passed away on January 22, 2008, a benevolent amalgamation of intellect, steadfastness, and vigor. Though he will be greatly missed, his family, his friends, and his community will never forget his lifetime of sacrifice and dedication to others. They and we should never forget that in and out of the ring, Johnny Manzanet had the heart of a champion.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to warmly and reverently welcome Pope Joseph Alois Ratzinger to the United States--

making his stay at our esteemed capital, the District of Columbia, as well as my home State of New York. This country boasts a strong Catholic tradition, home to the third-largest Catholic population in the world at approximately 66 million followers, and has generated a fount of enthusiasm at this, his first visit to American soil as Pope. The 265th reigning Pope will hold mass at the Nationals and Yankee stadiums, meet with the President at the White House, address the United Nations, and pray at the Ground Zero site in lower Manhattan. May he enjoy a safe and spiritually fulfilling trip.

It is my wish that this Pope's commitment to progressive causes-- prime among them the proliferation of peace and socioeconomic justice-- ignites that noteworthy agenda in this country. He has called for peaceful resolutions to global conflicts, publicly expressing his conscientious opposition to the war in Iraq, and has bravely noted that all are entitled to at least the bare necessities of life: A roof overhead, food for nourishment, access to medicines. These are basic human rights and entitlements that ought to be made sacrosanct in our society.

Madam Speaker, I rise today--the day that hundreds of thousands of DC residents pay federal income taxes while denied today (and every other day) the full vote to decry disenfranchisement in our capital city. This country was founded on the notion that, at the very least, by contributing to the purse, a citizen and his district ought to be afforded an electoral voice. `No taxation without representation!' they shouted then, and they (rightfully) still shout today. For too long, the District of Columbia has been robbed its voting seat in Congress. For too long, voices have been silenced and democracy has been severely hemorrhaged.

Granting Washington, DC a vote in Congress is of historical import. That's because the city is home to one of the largest percentages of African American residents nationwide. Alongside our many triumphs as a democracy were certain failures in our not-so-distant past that we must never forget or recommit. We once legally, routinely, and unabashedly kept the vote from our African American brothers and sisters, and it would be a powerful symbol if a region as diverse as this one were not similarly kept from exercising its right to be heard. Anything short of that represents an unnerving setback in civil rights, one that indisputably has a racially disparate effect, if not intent.

The District is in need. It has gradually given way to an unfortunate schism, where this country's well-to-do and politically powerful live and work side by side with communities, namely of color, plagued by overwhelming poverty, rundown schools, and unsafe streets. If any area is most deserving of partaking in the national conversation regarding the challenges this country faces, from the slumping economy to the campaign for affordable health care, it is this one. The needs of the District, however, are not endemic to itself--as the representative city for our democracy, its needs are of salience to us all. It is in our national interest that those needs be met with proper and full, electoral representation.

We are now at a place and point of decision with legislation to create a vote for the District having passed this House. We now urgently need that the Senate act to pass this legislation and affirm the intention of this Congress to right this historic wrong.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to praise and congratulate Junot Diaz for winning the Pulitzer Prize for fiction on Monday, April 7, 2008, for his novel ``The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.''

Junot Diaz was born in the Dominican Republic on December 31, 1968, but has lived most of his life in New Jersey. As a child he loved reading, and his favorite book of all time is ``Planet of the Apes.'' After high school, Junot attended the University of Rutgers where he received his Bachelor's Degree in English in 1992, later received his Master of Fine Arts at the University of Cornell in 1995, where he decided to develop his passion for creative writing.

Junot Diaz first made a name for himself with his critically acclaimed short story collection ``Drown'' in 1996, which featured the short stories ``Ysrael'', and ``Drown''. In this novel he developed the short stories into segments of the life of a Dominican immigrant getting accustom to life in the United States. He also published a translated version of ``Drown'' titled ``Negocios.'' This short story novel made him a household name in the Dominican American communities nationwide.

His latest novel, ``The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao'' has been praised as the best novel of 2007 by Time Magazine, New York Magazine, the Washington Post, and countless other newspaper publications. In this novel he portrayed the story of a boy, who is fascinated with comic books, who lives with a dysfunctional Dominican family, who decide to move back home during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo.

Junot Diaz is a wonderful example that anything you put your mind and dedication to can be achieved in great depth. He has achieved goals that many only dream about in a lifetime, at a tender age of 39. He serves as a great role model for youth in the United States as evidence the American dream can be achieved.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the late and great former Congresswoman Julia Carson of the Seventh District of the State of Indiana who passed away on December 15, 2007.

Julia Carson was the first woman and African-American to be elected to Congress by the Seventh District of the State of Indiana. She holds the title as the second woman to be elected by the State of Indiana, besides Katie Hall. She served in the Indiana House of Representatives for 4 years and the Senate for 14 years before moving on to a new position as a trustee for Center Township in Indianapolis, Indiana. She gained much respect and success as the trustee and was motivated by former Congressman Andy Jacobs to run for Congress in 1996.

Her victory was marked by sheer success in the House of Representatives. Julia made a lot of good contributions to the House as being a firm supporter of children's health insurance, and by playing a key part insuring that Rosa Parks received a Congressional Gold Medal in her remembrance.

She was a devoted member to the Congressional Black Caucus and to Congress as a whole. We will truly miss her and take all her wisdom with us as we move on to make right decisions for the American people.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my support of H. Res. 1077, Calling on the Government of the People's Republic of China to end its crackdown in Tibet and enter into a substantive dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama to find a negotiated solution that respects the distinctive language, culture, religious identity, and fundamental freedoms of all Tibetans, and for other purposes.

It is important to encourage and support a dialogue between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Dalai Lama in order to improve the current and future situation of Tibet. For almost six decades the people of Tibet have been repressed by the Government of China by their policies, laws, and

regulations, which have reduced the Tibetans' economic opportunity and have eliminated their cultural identity.

On March 10, 2008, Tibetan Buddhist monks staged peaceful demonstrations in recognition of the 49th anniversary of Chinese rule over Tibet and the forced exile of the Dalai Lama. In reaction to the protests, the Government of China used excessive force that resulted in the death of hundreds and detention of thousands of Tibetans.

It is time for the Chinese Government to talk with the Dalai Lama to reconcile their differences so that the Tibetans will no longer resent the Chinese and they can live peacefully together.

Thank you so much, Madam Chairlady, for giving me this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I could not disagree with my friend from California more, and there is no one in this House that I believe that the administration has not spoken to more in concern for pieces of trade legislation, and I doubt whether there is anyone that has the compassion and the concern more than I about the people of Colombia who I have learned to admire, respect and work with over the years, not only with their political problems, but certainly their fight, their narcotics and trying to preserve democracy in that country.

The President has violated protocol in terms of not fulfilling the outlines that we have been using historically. What I have to say applies whether you are a Democrat or a Republican.

If, in the rules that the distinguished chairman of the Rules Committee has outlined to us, there is an area of consultation before the President actually sends a complex piece of legislation to the House, which is more conducive to bringing us together, saying to the House that you have 90 days, and if you don't do anything in 90 days that it's the House of Representatives that killed the bill designed to help our friends in this area? Or one may say, Mr. President, you forgot to consult with us? You forgot to consult with the Ways and Means Committee. You did not deal with some of the issues that we have.

As you just changed the rule and just sending it over saying it's your responsibility in the House, what we are saying is that let's give the House more time and not a timetable to see what can we do to facilitate an atmosphere that would allow the Members at least to know what's in the bill.

It is really strange that the ranking member of the Rules Committee has presented us a speech this morning that is so similar that I don't remember the last time anyone in the administration has talked about the bill.

Oh, Hugo Chavez, I go to sleep every night wondering what he is going to do. Castro, my God, we should vote for the people of Colombia and against him and make him a big threat in the community.

I am not saying these things shouldn't be considered, but how many people, Republican or Democrat have the slightest idea what's in the trade bill? Why not give them an opportunity to make this decision, not based on 40 days, 50 days or 90 days, but for us to bring up these things.

When has anyone ever heard that they didn't have a crisis in terms of peace and tranquility against terrorism and assassination in Colombia? The question we may ask is Uribe doing, a man that I respect, as much as he should? Should he be doing more?

The real question I think we should ask, my friend, is I know you have a problem. We have problems in every major city. Why don't you allow us to share with you some of the techniques we have, some of the technology, work with your law enforcement so at the end of the day those who claim that it is murder that stops us from voting on a trade bill, that we will be able to say that we are working with them.

I hope you would rethink the vote. This vote is going to apply to every President, every Speaker of the House that deals with us. Do you believe they can change the rules and then they say that we dictate the legislative calendar of the House of Representatives? I think not.

You change the procedure. We defend the rules of the House.

What are we giving up? We are giving us an opportunity, one, to find out what's in the trade bill, and, two, which is most important, what can we do to resolve the issues that force Members to be against it.

I appreciate the words of my friend from California, but you have to do that, you are the ranking member. I remember when I had to say things that I had to say. Let's work together on this.

Madam Speaker, the time has come to recognize the effects of climate change on the Caribbean community; I want to enter into the Record editorials from the New York CaribNews for March 4, 2008 and March 11, 2008, respectively, ``Paying the Price for Climate Change'' and ``Deal with Climate Change.''

The Caribbean community countries (CARICOM), Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other Least Developed Countries (LCD's) are experiencing the serious effect of climate change even though they contribute the least to the problem and have the least capacity to adapt to the new conditions created.

CARICOM Member States are being forced to divert resources from important development initiatives such as health, food, education and critical infrastructure issues to adapt to the damages being caused by the climate change. Some of the major effects being experienced include sea-level rise, increasingly severe hurricanes, drought and water scarcity, coral bleaching and declining fish stocks.

CARICOM is asking developed countries to take immediate action to help counteract the effects of climate change and to increase funding over and above traditional official development assistance. The United Nations has been requested to assist specifically with disaster preparedness.

I encourage the International Community to mobilize to help the Caribbean protect its precious beautiful environment as a legacy for all mankind.

Deal With Climate Change

Region Outlines Wishes to U.N.--How International Community Can Help

CARICOM States

(By Tony Best)

Citing their own high vulnerability CARICOM nations have

called on the international community to help them deal with

the costly impact of climate change.

What the countries, which include Antigua, the Bahamas,

Barbados, Belize, Dominica Grenada, Haiti, Guyana, Jamaica.

St. Lucia, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Vincent, Suriname and

Trinidad and Tobago want the United Nations system to do is

to help them cope with disaster preparedness.

This means high-priced insurance to aid in recovering

losses due to the fall-out from climate change while aiding

in risk management and climate monitoring, among other

things.

CARICOM's shopping list of needs, will, was presented to

the U.N. General Assembly by Dr. Christopher Hackett,

Barbados' U.N. Ambassador, who in an address on behalf of the

entire region complained that although an ``unfortunate

reality'' was that Caribbean nations and other Small Island

Developing States, (SIDS), as well as the world's least

developed countries, (LDCs), contributed ``the least to the

problem'' they were ``confronted with the most serious

challenges'' associated with climate change.

Just as important, Dr. Hackett told a special session in

New York that was devoted to the issue that the smaller and

poorer nations ``possess the least capacity to adapt'' and

meet the challenges.

``CARICOM member-states are highly vulnerable to climate

change impacts including sea-level rise, increasingly severe

hurricanes and other extreme weather events, such as drought

and water scarcity, coral bleaching, and declining fish

stocks;'' he explained.

That is why Caribbean states wanted U.N. agencies, funds

and programs to ``ensure that their activities in the area of

climate change in our region are fully supportive of national

and regional efforts to address these specific challenges.''

Specifically, they appealed to the U.N. to:

* Assist CARICOM in ``incorporating climate change

adaptation concerns in national development plans and

strategies''

* Provide technical and other forms of assistance to

CARICOM so they can ``strengthen'' the Caribbean Community

Climate Change Center and other ``cc-ordination mechanisms.''

* Back plans designed to promote information sharing ``on

adaptation technologies, development and transfer between

exchange developing countries;' including the exchange of

ideas on ``best practices.''

* Help CARICOM undertake the monitoring of climate while

expanding the ability to assess the region's vulnerability

and to carry out impact studies.

* Give both ``technical and financial'' support in such

areas as disaster preparedness, early warning, risk

management, disaster mitigation and disaster recovery and

rehabilitation.

* Develop new financial arrangements to support

``adaptation measures'' while providing insurance coverage to

small island states so they ``recoup losses due to the

impacts of climate change and sea level rise.''

As Dr. Hackett explained it, ``climate change of very

damaging proportions and which poses a very serious danger to

the very existence of our countries is already occurring and

the longer the international community postpones the

implementation of the necessary greenhouse gas emissions

cuts, the more adaptation will be required by SIDS and at

much greater costs.'' The region complained that the island-

nations and coastal states in the region had ``been forced to

diver scarce resources'' from key development initiatives''

such as health, education, food and the provision of critical

infrastructures to meet the demands of climate change

adaptation.

``Surely,'' he added, ``this has major implications for

achieving sustainable development goals.''

Paying the Price for Climate Change

How Caribbean Nations Are Facing Serious Challenges

It is an unfortunate reality that CARICOM countries and

other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as well as the

Least Developed Countries (LDCs), all of whom contribute the

least to the problem, are confronted with the most serious

challenges associated with climate change; yet we possess the

least capacity to adapt. Climate change of very damaging

proportions and which poses a very serious danger to the very

existence of our countries is already occurring and the

longer the international community postpones the

implementation of the necessary greenhouse gas emission cuts,

the more adaptation will be required by SIDS and at much

greater costs.

Negotiations around the four themes agreed to at Bali--

Mitigation, Adaptation, Finance and Technology--should not

prevent advancement of, or immediate action under any theme.

For CARICOM adaptation, finance and technology are not only

required in 2009 or post-2012, they are urgently needed now.

CARICOM Member States have been forced to divert scarce

resources from key developmental initiatives (e.g. health,

education, food, provision of critical infrastructure etc) to

climate change adaptation activities. Surely this has major

implications for achieving sustainable development goals.

The inadequacy of financing for adaptation activities in

developing countries is a major failing of the entire

international system. As stated in the 2007 UNDP Human

Development Report ``the current framework provides the

equivalent of an aid sponge for mopping up during a flood''.

That report estimates that new additional adaptation finance

of at least US$86 billion a year will be required by 2015 to

meet the most basic and pressing adaptation needs of

developing countries. Expressed in other terms this figure

represents a mere one tenth of what developed countries

currently mobilize for military expenditure.

While increasing emphasis is being paid to private-public

partnerships the role of international cooperation remains

essential and must be enhanced. CARICOM urges developed

countries to take immediate action to significantly scale-up

the level of financing devoted to adaptation through the

provision

of new and additional resources, over and above traditional

official development assistance (ODA). This would serve as a

major confidence building measure and demonstration of good

faith, as we enter a period of great uncertainty.

The General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and

other intergovernmental bodies of the UN System by the very

nature of their respective mandates are important for a

dialogue, awareness raising and the exchange of information

on issues of global concern. CARICOM believes that the

General Assembly and ECOSOC must continue to ensure that

addressing climate change remains a global priority, while

fully respecting and not duplicating the ongoing negotiating

process with the Convention. In this context, future actions

or initiatives by the GA or the ECOSOC should add value to

the ongoing negotiations, and be guided by the needs of

Member States, particularly those most vulnerable to the

adverse impacts of climate change. While we are convinced

that a parallel negotiating theatre should not be established

within the GA, we are equally convinced that the issue of

climate change should not be held in abeyance in New York

until our work is completed within the Convention.

CARICOM has some concerns over the orientation of the SG's

report and in particular the rationale given for what he

terms ``a more inclusive and coherent approach to climate

change''. We believe that the first and overriding priority

of the U.N. System's work in climate change should be

addressing the needs of those most vulnerable and most

adversely impacted by climate change--SIDS, LDCs, countries

in Africa and disaster prone developing countries, rather

than, as the report states providing support for

negotiations. The effectiveness of the U.N. System should be

assessed by its capacity to deliver the required assistance

to, and build capacity in, these vulnerable countries and

other developing countries.

CARICOM Member States are highly vulnerable to climate

change impacts including sea-level rise, increasingly severe

hurricanes and other extreme weather events, drought and

water scarcity, coral bleaching, and declining fish stocks.

In this regard we call on relevant U.N. agencies, funds and

programs to ensure that their activities in the area of

climate change in our region are fully supportive of national

and regional efforts to address these specific challenges.

This demand driven approach with strong national and regional

ownership must be embedded in the U.N.'s work at the national

and regional levels. Areas, sectors, projects and program

identified as priority in our national communications to the

Convention, national and regional adaptation plans and

sustainable development plans and strategies should receive

the full support of the relevant parts of the U.N. System.

Madam Speaker. I would like to bring to your attention an article written on domestic violence featured in the New York CaribNews for the week ending March 25, 2008 on ``Domestic Violence, A Scourge in the Caribbean--Women Suffer at Men's Hands in Almost Every Country.''

Domestic violence is an ill that plagues many communities but is especially prevalent in immigrant communities as highlighted by a recent State Department human rights report. Domestic violence primarily affects women and children and mostly girls. The violence is often at the hands of fathers or male authority figures in the family or community.

Despite tougher laws and penalties, domestic violence continues as a ``significant social problem.'' Often victims of domestic violence are reluctant to report incidents of abuse due to the stigmatism that it carries and fear of reprisal from their abusers. Even more troubling are the cases that go unreported because the perception that law enforcement officers and magistrates can be bribed to make cases disappear. Clearly there is much work to be done in educating both victims and law enforcement personnel on the serious effects of domestic violence.

Articles such as this are instrumental in raising public awareness of this critical problem; and serves as a reminder that domestic violence is problematic in both immigrant and nonimmigrant communities. As a society, we have a moral obligation to educate and protect our most vulnerable members.

U.S. State Department: Domestic Violence, a Scourge in Caribbean--Women

Suffer at Men's Hands in Almost Every Country

(By Tony Best)

It's like a recurring decimal. In almost every country,

from Barbados, the Bahamas, St. Vincent and Jamaica to

Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize and Haiti the

story was the same: physical abuse of women at the hands of

their lovers is rampant throughout the Caribbean.

Admittedly, though, the problem is far more serious in some

places than in others. Take the case of Barbados, where the

U.S. State Department human rights report described violence

and abuse against women as significant social problems.

And they exist despite the presence of tough laws which

impost stiff sentences on men, depending on the severity of

the charges.

For instance, penalties can range from fines for a first

time offenders (unless the injury is serious) up to death

penalty for a killing.

In between are prison terms for those who breach court-

imposed restraining orders. But apart from physical abuse,

there are the sexual offences, including spousal rate, for

which the maximum penalty is life behind bars. In 2007, about

63 rape cases, seven assaults with intent to rape and 30

cases of sex with a minor were reported to the police.

But women were not the only victims of violence in the

home. Children in Barbados too suffered, complained the State

Department. The abuse of women and children by lovers and

fathers was a serious issue in Belize. Domestic violence,

discrimination against women, sexual abuse of children,

trafficking in persons for sexual and labor exploitation, and

child labor were also problems, as was the way the report

described the situation in Caricom's lone member-state in

Central America. The numbers tell much of the story: in the

first six months of last year, the Ministry of Health

recorded 455 cases of domestic violence, of which 385

involved physical abuse of women and 67 were for sexual

abuse.

The picture of violence against women was worst in the

Bahamas. For not only did the report term it ``serious'' and

``widespread'' but warned it often ended in murder.

Last year, 14 of the 79 homicides in the Bahamas ``were

related to domestic violence.'' To add to the tragedy,

Washington cited complaints from women's rights groups that

law enforcement authorities were generally reluctant ``to

intervene in domestic disputes.'' However, the State

Department softened the blow by insisting that the ``police

recognized domestic violence as a high priority, provided

specialized training for all incoming officers and

offered continuing training in domestic violence.'' The

sketch of Guyana didn't include homicides but at the core

was a triple whammy: violence, rape, including spousal

rape, and the trafficking of women.

In addition. Guyanese women face the added burden of a

perception that some police officers and magistrates could be

bribed to make cases of domestic violence go away.

That's not all. Despite the existence of laws designed to

deal with the problem, the report charged that the real

headache was a failure to implement programs designed to curb

domestic violence.

Small wonder, then, that a leading NGO, Help and Shelter,

which handled 739 abuse cases of which 538 involved spousal

abuse against women in 2007 demanded sensitivity training for

magistrates and court staff to improve the handling of

domestic violence.

St. Vincent is another country where abuse of women is a

hard and continuing fact of life. A human rights organization

there charged that in far too many cases domestic violence

went unpunished due to the culture in which victims choose

not to seek assistance from the police or the prosecution.

As for Jamaica, the situation there too could best be

described as dismal, although not as deadly as the Bahamas.

Social and cultural traditions perpetuated violence against

women, including spousal abuse the report charged. Violence

against women was widespread, but many women were reluctant

to acknowledge or report abusive behavior, leading to wide

variations in estimates of its extent.

Just as serious and complex was the report on Trinidad and

Tobago where abuse of women was a matter of grave concern.

Like Jamaica, tough laws and programs to aid battered women

are in existence in the twin-island republic but there was a

common problem: cops are lax in enforcing the law. If figures

compiled by women's groups are accurate between 20 to 25

percent of women in Trinidad and Tobago were victims of

abuse.

While no figures existed in Haiti that would give a

indication of the depth of problem, what was clear was that

it was a nightmare. For instance, a man who kills his wife or

her lover found in act of adultery in the home wouldn't be

charged under the country's criminal code. But a woman who

murders her spouse under similar circumstances would be

hauled before the court, the State Department reported.

Although laws against domestic violence were enacted, human

rights activists described domestic violence as both

``commonplace and underreported,'' so much so that Women's

Solidarity, a human rights body for women, estimated that

eight of every 10 Haitian women were victims of domestic

violence.

Meanwhile, the problem of domestic violence has seemingly

spread from the West Indies to Caribbean immigrant groups in

New York City. Both physical and verbal abuse is said to be

high in Brooklyn where Charles Hynes, Brooklyn District

Attorney, has an aggressive program to combat spousal abuse.

``We see it quite a lot among Caribbean immigrants,'' said an

official of the DA's office. ``But people from the Caribbean

aren't alone. Spousal abuse is prevalent in almost every

immigrant community, whether they are from Europe, Latin

America or the Caribbean.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to underscore the unfortunate financial squeeze many African American families will face as a result of the slumping economy. African American families and other families of color will suffer the most from a recession because they are disproportionately poor and do not have the safety net enjoyed by others. They carry a significant and disproportionate share of the burden, victim to an economic downturn that will harm working- and middle-class Americans most--unless we offer fresh and bold solutions to cultivate an economy that works for us all. Not just the wealthy. Not just the politically connected. But us all.

The ``New Direction'' Congress has been swift in addressing this need. The stimulus package will provide much-needed tax relief to the tune of $600 per individual, $1,200 per married couple, and an additional $300 per child. But it doesn't stop there. It goes on to protect the least among us, committing $32 billion for those 35 million families who work tirelessly but do not earn enough to pay income taxes and guaranteeing rebates to seniors on Social Security, disabled veterans, and military widows. The package is estimated to create more than 500,000 jobs before the end of this year, of particular good news to African Americans, whose unemployment rate climbed from 8 percent in the fall to 9.2 percent just a few months afterwards.

A second phase of increases in the minimum wage will take effect this July, not a moment too soon for those two million African Americans who benefit from the hike, and the 1.1 million more African Americans now living in poverty since President Bush took office. Our work on behalf of small businesses has strengthened the 1.2 million of them owned by African Americans, with revenues eclipsing $88 billion. That work has resulted in tax cuts for small business of $4 million over the next 10 years, increasing their share of Federal contracts, and lowering their cost of financing. And in response to the subprime mortgage crisis--the result of bad lending practices that saddled African Americans and Hispanics two times as much as Whites with high-cost subprime loans-- we've passed legislation providing some mortgage debt tax relief, cracking down on predatory lending, and expanding affordable loan opportunities.

As Americans endure the hardships of a sputtering economy, it is incumbent upon the people's Government to get us through it and steer us back to the path of prosperity. We have been responsive--and so shall we remain--to the needs of those communities most harshly hit in times of economic calamity, and as a unified people, looking after our own, we will get through this stronger and far more prosperous.