Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor, recognize, and invoke the memory of Alice M. Benoit, a nurse that traveled around the world, from Libya, to Mexico, and finally to D.C. where she settled as a nurse at the Rayburn House Office Building giving 25 years of excellent service.

Alice M. Benoit was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and immigrated to the United States in 1945 in order to ``see the world''. Pursuant to that dream, she joined the Army Nurse Corps where she assisted in healing our soldiers in U.S. bases in Libya and in 1948 was granted U.S. citizenship. She also served as head nurse at the U.S. embassy in Mexico City and afterwards she worked in Texas, Alabama, and Florida.

Later on she found herself on Capitol Hill looking for employment. She had an interview with the Attending Physician's office and landed a job at the Rayburn House Office Building in 1967. During her tenure on the Hill, she provided health services to Members of Congress, staff members, and the American people who came to visit the Capitol every day. Former Representative Tom Downey (D-NY) remembered that Alice not only provided medical services, but she also provided a ``soothing word to people when they needed it''. She was known to be ``terrifically confident and competent.''

After serving 25 years on Capitol Hill, she received a Letter of Commendation for her extended service from Dr. Robert C. J. Krasner, the Former Attending Physician of the Capitol. Soon afterwards she retired in February 1992 with plans to travel with her husband, Eugene Benoit, and ``read a few good books''. In April 19, 2013 Alice passed away from pneumonia at an assisted-living facility in Melbourne, Florida.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a living hero of Harlem and an international warrior for the African People, the great Elombe Brath. For more than a generation, Elombe, as the chairman of Patrice Lumumba Coalition (PLC), helped to coordinate hundreds of forums with the purpose of educating the masses, not only about the struggle in Africa but also about the conditions oppressed people faced all over the world.

Born in Brooklyn, NY on September 30th 1936, to parents who had immigrated to the United States from Barbados, the Caribbean Island geographically closest to the African continent, his early training of a political character was hearing his mother speak of her first cousin, Clennell Wickham who was the editor of the renowned Herald newspaper.

Brath's political commitment evolved in 1956 simultaneously with the struggle to eliminate ``Negro'' as the nomenclature of African American people. From this moment of Black consciousness it was an easy and logical step for him to create the ``Black is Beautiful'' campaign in 1961 following the creation of AJASS (African Jazz-Arts Society and Studios) with his brother Kwame and a cadre of other local activists in 1956.

Removing ``Negro'' from the lexicon, insisting on the beauty of Blackness, and refusing to accept the Eurocentric worldview, Elombe and his cohorts were in the vanguard of change as they launched the Grandassa Models and ``Naturally Shows,'' beginning in 1961, featuring Black women in all their natural-born beauty.

All of these activities were the foundation for his total involvement in African affairs, including his association with FOPANO (Federation of Pan-African Nationalist Organizations),

which eventually set the stage for African Liberation Day and the development of the African Liberation Support Committee (ALSC) that played such a critical role in educating and organizing thousands in the fight against imperialism, colonialism, and neo-colonialism on the African continent.

One of the pivotal moments in Elombe's constantly evolving political philosophy, an outlook grounded in the ideas and actions promoted by Marcus Garvey and Carlos Cooks, was the formation of the PLC in 1975. The PLC came at a most propitious time when there was much confusion about which liberation movement to support in the war against colonial domination in Africa. It was a matter of separating the truly progressive organizations from the reactionary ones, and Elombe and members of the PLC were indispensable in providing the correct guidance and understanding of the often fractious and contentious forces vying for hegemony.

Despite his total immersion on the international front as well as countless battles against racism at home, Elombe was employed at WABC- TV where as a graphic artist--skills he had acquired in high school and at the School of Visual Arts--he was a vital consultant, particularly on African affairs, to Gil Noble, the esteemed host of ``Like It Is.'' ``Elombe was instrumental in facilitating the presence of many of the African leaders on the show,'' said Robert Van Lierop, an attorney and filmmaker formerly affiliated with the show.

None of these activities, however, detracted Elombe from taking care of his family, and along with his wife, Nomsa, they raised six very successful young men, and a daughter all of whom are endowed with their parents' spirit for freedom and justice.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me and the New York Congressional Delegation in paying tribute to Elombe Brath. Elombe's legacy remains as significant today as it did when his voice was a clarion call advising us along the right path to total liberation and independence.

I heard the last speaker, but there is no question in my mind that when a person from the other side said that the Republican Party's first priority is not the salvation of our country but to stop Barack Obama, I didn't take him too seriously after the election; but I see the campaign continues. As a political veteran, I understand that; but let me make it clear what we are doing today.

I had a friend who was deeply in debt. He owed so much money that he just knew he couldn't pay all of his creditors. Now, it was nowhere near $14 trillion, but it was a lot. The creditors harassed him day in and day out, telling him he had to make these payments. Finally, he got annoyed, he got angry, and he called his creditors and told them, If you keep harassing me, I will not put your name in the hat, because every month I put all of my creditors' bills into a hat; but the way you are treating me--calling the job, harassing me at home--your name will not go into the hat.

Now, that's pretty poor policy, I would think, but if I understand this correctly, we are telling our creditors that certain names will be in that hat and that other people will not be in that hat.

So what names go into the hat?

Communist China goes into the hat. Iran and Venezuela go into the hat. Saudi Arabia goes into the hat. Russia goes into the hat.

Who's outside the hat?

Disabled veterans are out of the hat, and health providers are out of the hat. A lot of people who deserve to be considered as creditors to protect full faith and credit are out of the hat.

This is bad for my friend--it's worse for our country--and this is not the way those people to whom we owe money should be treated. America is greater than that.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, to recognize the 21st anniversary of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month during the month of May. It is with great honor that I stand to commemorate the many accomplishments and contributions from Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. As leaders in business, education, STEM, military, medicine or the arts, Asian Americans have contributed to our nation's prosperity and culture. The story of the APA community is a testament to what is possible in America.

This year's theme is Building Leadership: Embracing Cultural Values and Inclusion which is definitely portrayed throughout this country and New York. The Asian Pacific American population is 18.2 million and expected to reach 20.9 million in the next five years. New York is home to 1.7 million Asian Pacific Americans and 10.1 percent of APA-owned businesses. Organizations in my congressional district in New York City, such as The Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans improve our communities with advocacy efforts for APAs, and cultural contributions. In addition, the Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce in New York has dedicated itself to the economic empowerment of APAs, and building the relationship between Asian and U.S. companies.

My colleagues in the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and I are committed to fulfilling the various economic needs and civic engagement of the APA community as we work to secure comprehensive immigration reform and business empowerment opportunities for small business owners. Through strength and determination, the APA community has overcome prejudice, oppression and countless barriers to achieve enormous heights in America. I join Asian Pacific Americans in celebrating their heritage and their well-deserved successes.''

Mr. Speaker today I rise to honor the 369th Infantry Regiment on their 100th anniversary. Constituted in June of 1913, this regiment was the first African American Regiment to serve with the American Expeditionary Force during World War I.

The U.S. Army's 369th Infantry Regiment, popularly known as the ``Harlem Hellfighters,'' was the best known African American unit of World War I. Federalized in 1917, it prepared for service in Europe and arrived in Brest in December. The next month, the regiment became part of the 93rd Division and continued its training, now under French instructors. In March, the regiment finally received its Federal designation and was reorganized and reequipped according to the French model. That summer, the 369th was integrated into the French 161st Division and began combat operations.

While African American valor usually went unrecognized, well over one hundred members of the regiment received American and/or French medals, including the first two Americans--Corporal Henry Johnson and Private Needham Roberts--to be awarded the coveted French Croix de Guerre.

Spending over six months in combat, perhaps the longest of any American unit in the war, the 369th suffered approximately fifteen hundred casualties but received only nine hundred replacements. Unit histories claimed they were the first unit to cross the Rhine earning the epithet ``Hell Fighters'' from their enemies. After considerable effort by Colonel Hayward, the 369th was welcomed home with a parade in February 1919 and reabsorbed into the National Guard. More than one million people witnessed the triumphant parade from Lower Manhattan, up Fifth Avenue to my beloved village of Harlem. The marching band led the troops, and as they turned off 110th Street onto Lenox Avenue the band began to play. Today the lineage and tradition is carried on by the 369th Transportation Battalion, which has since become the 369th Corps Support Battalion. The Harlem Hellfighters continue to serve at home and overseas.

This year we honor a group of men whose selflessness and valor propelled them to protect and serve the very country that left them a perpetually marginalized group of American society. A group of men who fought to defend this country whose dream of freedom was ironically and unremorsefully built on the backs of their ancestors with no avail even as their sons fought for that same ideal decades later. The history of the Harlem Hellfighters is one of dedication and profound spirituality that reminds us that the efforts we make today has everything to do with the world we create for our future.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues stand together to recognize such an historic day as our nation marks the 100th year of the 369th Infantry Regiment's dedication to this county. A Celebration of their remarkable service to this country and of the spirit and unwavering strength they displayed throughout.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, to recognize National Volunteer Week, which takes place from April 21, 2013-April 27, 2013. During National Volunteer Week, established in 1974, thousands of people lend their time and support to collectively improve our communities. Service and volunteerism have long been honorable facets of American culture and continue to strengthen the character of our country.

This week, it is with great pride that I honor those men and women who work diligently with patience and enthusiasm to greatly improve the lives of complete strangers within their communities. These small feats of compassion performed without the expectation of recognition are long-lasting and deeply appreciated by all.

Amidst the recent violent tragedies, it is of critical importance that we join together as a nation in service to strengthen the communities that are integral to the diverse mosaic of American culture. National Volunteer Week is also an opportunity to give thanks to the wonderful organizations within our congressional district, such as the Harlem Hospital, Community Kitchen of West Harlem, Catholic Charities of New York, and the Andrus Children's Center that exemplify the strong civic service marking the core tenets of volunteerism this week.

There are many other opportunities both long- and short-term, to give back to our wonderful communities. For more information please visit http://www.serve.gov for ways to serve our nation.

Mr. Speaker today I rise to honor the Union League Club on their 150th Anniversary. Founded in 1863 the Union League Club of New York has built, over ensuing years, a record of distinguished service to our country. The club dates its founding from February 6, 1863, during the Civil War. Tensions were running high in New York City at the time, as much of the city's governing class, as well as its large Irish immigrant population, bitterly opposed the war and were eager to reach some kind of accommodation with the Confederate States of America. Thus, pro-Union men chose to form their own club, with the twin goals of cultivating ``a profound national devotion'' and to ``strengthen a love and respect for the Union.''

The New York League was founded by four prominent professionals and intellectuals: Henry Adams Bellows, Frederick Law Olmsted, George Templeton Strong, and Oliver Wolcott Gibbs. The men, all members of the United States Sanitary Commission, desired to strengthen the Nation and the national identity. They first aimed to recruit a coalition of moneyed professionals like themselves. Strong believed that the club would only thrive with a respectable catalogue of moneyed men. Olmsted especially wanted to recruit the new generation of young wealthy men, so that the club might teach them the obligations and duties of the elite upper class. Members of the Union League Club were instrumental in establishing The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1870 as well as the Sanitary Commission, a predecessor organization to the American Red Cross. It helped erect the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor and the Lincoln Monument in Union Square. Its members were instrumental in bringing down the ``Boss'' Tweed ring and in raising funds to outfit American soldiers in several conflicts. Many prominent civic, state and national leaders have enjoyed the fellowship of the ULC. Theodore Roosevelt managed his early political career from the Club's chambers. J. Pierpont Morgan.

The Union League Club played an instrumental role in civil rights, as the club decided to recruit, train and equip a Colored infantry regiment for Union service. The 20th U.S. Colored Infantry was formed on Riker's Island in February 1864. The next month, it marched from the Union League Club, down Canal Street and over to the Hudson River piers to embark for duty in Louisiana. In spite of numerous threats, the members of the Union League Club marched with the men of the 20th, and saw them off. During World War I, the club sponsored the 369th Infantry, the famed Harlem Hellfighters, which was commanded by William Hayward, a club member. During Reconstruction, Union Leagues were formed all across the South. They mobilized freedmen to register to vote. They discussed political issues, promoted civic projects, and mobilized workers opposed to segregationist white employers. Most branches were segregated but there were a few that were racially integrated. The leaders of the all-black units were mostly urban Blacks from the North, who had never been slaves. Black League members were special targets of the Ku Klux Klan's violence and intimidation, so the Leagues organized informal armed defense units.

Today The Union League is a social club providing its members and guests with a quiet sanctuary and relief from the hustle of the city. The Club bestows two annual awards for two of its most prominent members: The Abraham Lincoln Literary Award to outstanding American authors, and the Theodore Roosevelt American Experience Award to individuals who have ``enriched the American experience.'' The Union League Club has stood for the betterment of American society for 150 years and speaks volumes on the character and dedication one must possess to truly change history. Founded in justice and equality the Union League Club been a champion of civil rights, and has made its goal to not only enhance politics but to improve the quality of life, a trait that is well represented through the Union League's illustrious history.

Mr. Speaker I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me in celebrating this momentous occasion and honor the Union

League Club for 150 remarkable years of its service and dedication to our great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, today I stand to recognize the 16th anniversary of The Dominican Medical Association. An organization dedicated to providing information on disease prevention, education, and counseling to New York City communities.

The Dominican Medical Association or DMA was founded on April 26, 1997, by a group of physicians from the Dominican Republic. Their mission has been to educate communities on health issues and to assist newly arrived physicians from abroad in obtaining jobs in their respected fields, providing them with the tools needed to pass the medical boards, and integrating them into the local medical community.

Last year was one of multiple accomplishments for the Dominican Medical Association. In line with its mission a total of 1119 people were served through health fairs, medical conferences, forums, symposiums, and trainings. The vast majority served through the DMA are Hispanics living throughout all of New York's boroughs.

Information and knowledge on health is vital. My beloved village of Harlem and many areas of my district are predominately inhabited by minorities who have been affected by many health concerns that are the direct result of lack of knowledge on preventative care. Obesity is just an example of one of the diseases that has plagued our communities but it is an epidemic that can be stopped and the DMA works tirelessly and has worked for quite some time to be a part of this movement to get our communities on a healthy track. The DMA's outreach programs help to enlighten our communities, helping them to make better health conscious decisions about the way they live.

As the representative to the largest Dominican population in the country it gives me great pride to see a thriving organization not only rooted in that heritage but one that works to provide information for a predominantly Hispanic demographic. The youths of my district and those all over New York have a brighter future because of organizations like the DMA and their mission to spread knowledge and awareness.

Mr. Speaker I ask you and my colleagues to join me in honoring this remarkable organization and all of the good that they do.

Mr. Speaker, today I stand to recognize the 16th anniversary of The Dominican Medical Association. An organization dedicated to providing information on disease prevention, education, and counseling to New York City Communities.

The Dominican Medical Association or DMA was founded on April 26, 1997, by a group of physicians from the Dominican Republic. Their mission has been to educate communities on health issues and to assist newly arrived physicians from abroad in obtaining jobs in their respected fields, providing them with the tools needed to pass the medical boards, and integrating them into the local medical community.

Last year was one of multiple accomplishments for the Dominican Medical Association. In line with its mission a total of 1119 people were served through health fairs, medical conferences, forums, symposiums, and trainings. The vast majority served through the DMA are Hispanics living throughout all of New York's Boroughs.

Information and knowledge on health is vital. My beloved village of Harlem and many areas of my district are predominately inhabited by minorities who have been affected by many health concerns that are the direct result of lack of knowledge on preventative care. Obesity is just an example of one of the diseases that has plagued our communities but it is an epidemic that can be stopped and the DMA works tirelessly and has worked for quite some time to be a part of this movement to get our communities on a healthy track. The DMA's outreach programs help to enlighten our communities, helping them to make better health conscious decisions about the way they live.

As the representative to the largest Dominican population in the country it gives me great pride to see a thriving organization not only rooted in that heritage but one that works to provide information for a predominantly Hispanic demographic. The youths of my district and those all over New York have a brighter future because of organizations like the DMA and their mission to spread knowledge and awareness.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in honoring this remarkable organization and all of the good that they do.

Mr. Speaker today I stand to recognize the 16th anniversary of The Dominican Medical Association. An organization dedicated to providing information on disease prevention, education, and counseling to New York City communities.

The Dominican Medical Association or DMA was founded on April 26, 1997, by a group of physicians from the Dominican Republic. Their mission has been to educate communities on health issues and to assist newly arrived physicians from abroad in obtaining jobs in their respected fields, providing them with the tools needed to pass the medical boards, and integrating them into the local medical community.

Last year was one of multiple accomplishments for the Dominican Medical Association. In line with its mission a total of 1119 people were served through health fairs, medical conferences, forums, symposiums, and trainings. The vast majority served through the DMA are Hispanics living throughout all of New York's boroughs.

Information and knowledge on health is vital. My beloved village of Harlem and many areas of my district are predominately inhabited by minorities who have been affected by many health concerns that are the direct result of lack of knowledge on preventative care. Obesity is just an example of one of the diseases that has plagued our communities but it is an epidemic that can be * * *

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the 369th Infantry Regiment on their 100th anniversary. Constituted in June of 1913, this regiment was the first African American Regiment to serve with the American Expeditionary Force during World War I.

The U.S. Army's 369th Infantry Regiment, popularly known as the ``Harlem Hellfighters,'' was the best known African American unit of World War I. Federalized in 1917, it prepared for service in Europe and arrived in Brest in December. The next month, the regiment became part of the 93rd Division and continued its training, now under French instructors. In March, the regiment finally received its Federal designation and was reorganized and reequipped according to the French model. That summer, the 369th was integrated into the French 161st Division and began combat operations.

While African American valor usually went unrecognized, well over one hundred members of the regiment received American and/or French medals, including the first two Americans--Corporal Henry Johnson and Private Needham Roberts--to be awarded the coveted French Croix de Guerre.

Spending over six months in combat, perhaps the longest of any American unit in the war, the 369th suffered approximately fifteen hundred casualties but received only nine hundred replacements. Unit histories claimed they were the first unit to cross the Rhine earning the epithet ``Hell Fighters'' from their enemies. After considerable effort by Colonel Hayward, the 369th was welcomed home with a parade in February 1919 and reabsorbed into the National Guard. More than one million people witnessed the triumphant parade from Lower Manhattan, up Fifth Avenue to my beloved village of Harlem. The marching band led the troops, and as they turned off 110th Street onto Lenox Avenue the band began to play. Today the lineage and tradition is carried on by the 369th Transportation Battalion, which has since become the 369th Corps Support Battalion. The Harlem Hellfighters continue to serve at home and overseas.

This year we honor a group of men whose selflessness and valor propelled them to protect and serve the very country that left them a perpetually marginalized group of American society. A group of men who fought to defend this country whose dream of freedom was ironically and unremorsefully built on the backs of their ancestors with no avail even as their sons fought for that same ideal decades later. The history of the Harlem Hellfighters is one of dedication and profound spirituality that reminds us that the efforts we make today has everything to do with the world we create for our future.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues stand together to recognize such an historic day as our nation marks the 100th year of the 369th Infantry Regiment's dedication to this county. A Celebration of their remarkable service to this country and of the spirit and unwavering strength they displayed throughout.

Mr. Speaker, since 1995 the first full week of April was declared National Public Health Week (NPHW) to recognize the contributions of public health and to highlight issues that are important to improving it. Public health improves the conditions and behaviors that affect the health of each and every one of us. Public health ensures that we have safe, healthy communities. This is why I hope that all Americans will join me in observing National Public Health Week April 1-7, 2013.

This year's National Public Health Week theme is ``Public Health is ROI: Save Lives, Save money.'' It highlights the value of prevention and the importance of well-supported public health systems in preventing disease, saving lives and curbing health care spending. Much like the business world, ROI indicates the return on investments. Investing just $10 per person each year in proven community-based public health efforts could save the Nation more than 16 billion within five years. That's a $5.60 return for every $1 invested. America spends more than twice what most other industrialized nations spend on health care and we still have poor health outcomes. A major reason for this startling fact is that we spend only 3 percent of our health care dollars on preventing diseases as opposed to treating them, when 75 percent of our health care costs are related to preventable conditions.

I was a proud sponsor of the health care reform law which was enacted on March 23, 2010. I feel passionate about uninsured Americans who suffer from chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. The Affordable Care Act, as it is commonly called, ensures that more Americans than ever before will have insurance coverage for mounting medical expenses. Also included in this bill is the creation of the Prevention and Public Health Fund, a new mandatory fund for prevention and public health. The Fund is intended to provide a stable and increased investment in activities that will enable communities to stay healthy in the first place.

Thanks to the great work of the American Public Health Association (APHA) which serves as the organizer of National Public Health Week and the efforts of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, great strides have been made to raise awareness about public health and prevention.

However, our work is far from done. In Congress, I will continue to support reliable funding of public health and stand-up for the Prevention and Public Health Fund which helps to provide funding for community-based prevention activities and programs that reduce deaths due to preventable causes. Our current and future generations must not be deprived of the opportunity to live long, healthy lives. Working together, I am optimistic that we can achieve this outcome.

Mr. Speaker, April 10 marks a significant date for the relationship between the United States and the Republic of China, our dear friends in Southeast Asia. This is the 34th anniversary of the passage of the Taiwan Relations Act that codified the bond that we share with Taiwan.

Even though we have been friends and allies for much longer, it was the Taiwan Relations Act that officially outlined the importance that both nations place in each other. We are strong partners in trade, peace and democracy.

When it comes to trade, Taiwan imported $25.9 billion from the United States in 2011. This is an incredible 40% increase over 2009. It shows the focus Taiwan is placing on buying American goods which translates to jobs here in the United States.

In New York alone, exports to Taiwan were over $1 billion. We also appreciate the many Taiwanese companies, such as Young Stuff Apparel Group and China Airlines that have invested in New York.

We look forward to our continued friendship and partnership with Taiwan for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with great sadness as I pay tribute to one of Harlem's distinguish dynamic and influential members, Arthur ``Artie'' Georges, who passed away on January 29, 2013. As I speak with profound sorrow, I ascend to celebrate a life well lived and to remember with fondness the accomplishments of a remarkable leader.

It is without question that Artie's outstanding contributions to the Holcombe Rucker Basketball League, the National Association of Each One Teach One, Inc. and our famed Harlem Week Golden Hoops places him in a very special category in a long line of remarkable men who have given so much to our children and to the Greater Harlem community and beyond. Artie's passion for public service is well documented by his important and outstanding 30-year career work as a Methadone Maintenance Treatment Counselor--at a time when heroin crippled and took the lives of so many of our best and brightest young men and women.

Artie served his Nation proudly in the United States Army and was a loyal member of the Colonel Charles Young American Legion Post 398. An advocate of education, he loved being a part of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and Basketball Tournament Weekend; the Pelham Fritz Basketball League Scholarship Fund; and the John Hunter Memorial Camp Fund.

Great men like Artie are precious gifts we temporarily have in this world, but their assistance, contributions and accomplishments are far remembered and everlasting. Artie was a dear friend and was known to many of us as a brilliant hardworking community leader who dedicated his life work to the education of our youth.

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the March On Washington, let us celebrate the life of our beloved Arthur ``Artie'' Georges who dedicated his life to our youth and the Black American Experience.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor, recognize, and celebrate the New York 25th Annual Celebration of National Black Nurses Day. On Friday February 22nd, the National Black Nurses Association recognized, honored and awarded the New York Black Nurses Association, Queens County Black Nurses, Caribbean American Nurses Association, Kappa Eta Chapter of Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority and Theta Chi Chapter of the Chi Eta Phi Nurses Sorority for their excellence of service and outstanding contributions in the field of nursing to citizens in the State of New York.

The National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) was organized in 1971 under the leadership of Dr. Lauranne Sams, former Dean and Professor of Nursing, School of Nursing, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama. NBNA is a non-profit organization incorporated on September 2, 1972 in the state of Ohio. NBNA represents 150,000 African American registered nurses, licensed vocational/practical nurses, nursing students and retired nurses from the USA, Eastern Caribbean and Africa, with 83 chartered chapters in 34 states.

The mission of the National Black Nurses Association ``is to provide a forum for collective action by African American nurses to investigate, define and determine what the health care needs of African Americans are and to implement change to make available to African Americans and other minorities health care commensurate with that of the larger society.''

In 2003, the National Black Nurses Association became one of the five founding organizations of the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations (NCEMNA), along with Asian American/Pacific Islander Nurses Association, Inc., National Alaska Native American Indian Nurses Association, Inc.; National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Inc.; and, the Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc. This collaboration gives voice to 350,000 minority nurses. Dr. Betty Smith Williams is the NCEMNA President and a past NBNA President.

Its goals include support for the development of a cadre of ethnic nurses reflecting the nation's diversity; advocacy for culturally competent, accessible and affordable health care; promotion of the professional and educational advancement of ethnic nurses; education of consumers, health care professionals and policy makers on health issues of ethnic minority populations; development of ethnic minority nurse leaders in areas of health policy, practice, education and research; endorsement of best practice models of nursing practice, education, and research for minority populations.

I was pleased to cosponsor legislation, a proposal brought forth by Dr. Catherine Alicia Georges, past President of the National Black Nurses Association and Chair of the Nursing Department at Herbert H. Lehman College--The City of University of New York, that resulted in the U. S. Congress establishing the first Friday in the month of February as the day to recognize the contributions to healthcare made by Black nurses. I have a special place in my heart for the work of nurses, as my own dear sister was a retired nurse and I am keenly aware of the role that nurses, especially Black nurses have played in addressing the physical, mental, social and spiritual needs of all patients--a cornerstone of this organization. I am so very appreciative for the many contributions of the Black nurses to the City of New York and our Nation.

Let me congratulate and salute all of this year's award trailblazers in the field of nursing who have contributed locally, nationally and internationally. Your dedication and devotion to the health needs of everyday Americans is most commendable and deserving of Congressional Recognition. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, let us also celebrate the 25th Anniversary of National Black Nurses Day.