Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to oppose this blatant attempt to hijack the Constitution of the United States for political gains.

On July 12, 1996 this House of Representatives voted for, and I supported the Defense of Marriage Act. On September 21, 1996 this bill became the Law of the Land as Public Law 104-199.

The Defense of Marriage Act states that ``No State, territory, or possession of the United States, or Indian tribe, shall be required to give effect to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other State, territory, possession, or tribe respecting a relationship between persons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage under the laws of such other State, territory, possession, or tribe, or a right or claim arising fro such relationship''.

I do not support a constitutional amendment to prohibit gay marriage. Historically, amendments to the Constitution have been utilized as a tool to protect or defend the rights and liberties of American citizens. Two prominent examples include the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery and the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote.

Marriage has historically been in the domain of the States to regulate.

There is no Federal marriage certificate or license needed to be married; however, the

State determines how and when a license is necessary.

I am opposed to this Amendment. I do not feel that the Constitution of the United States should ever be used to limit the rights of citizens. States currently have jurisdiction over marriage, and can outlaw the act of same sex marriage if they choose.

This amendment does nothing to improve the major problems facing marriages today, particularly the Nation's extremely high divorce rate, 50 percent.

The reasons for this vote are politically motivated. At a time when 12 of the 13 appropriations bills, a budget, and transportation funding for the states have not been passed, why are we spending valuable floor time on a bill that has already failed in the Senate?

Do not support this amendment and let us get back to the people's business.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me commend the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). I have visited both of your districts, and I know we have similar problems as far as HUD is concerned and housing and homeownership.

I personally had one of the largest town hall meeting workshops on homeownership where we brought in all of our partners, and we are working together to try to improve housing for all Americans.

The Congressional Black Caucus's goal is to have a million new homeowners. I am proud to be a part of that.

But I have to say that this administration, the Bush administration, has almost wiped out the housing program. In the memo that was uncovered that, if George W. Bush is reelected, they are going to cut every single domestic program, and there are not a lot of advocates, unfortunately, for housing in this Congress.

On the vote tonight is another demonstration of ``we do not really care about the people who need the hands up.'' This administration practices what I call reverse Robin Hood. When I was coming up, my favorite program was Robin Hood. These people practice robbing from the poor and working people to give tax breaks to the rich. Of course, it happened again today.

I certainly agree that we need middle class tax cuts, but we also need breaks for the working poor, people who work every day but cannot make it because they do not have health insurance, they do not have decent housing for their children.

I was listening to the report on 9/11 where they were talking about what was not available for the young people in Iraq, decent housing, training, education. I said to myself, we need a little of that in my district, and I am sure in the gentlewoman's.

The homeless have been mentioned. I have been on the Committee on Veterans Affairs for over 12 years. One-third of the homeless people are veterans, one-third. It is criminal that we

do not provide the support system that they need. They are out there because they do not have the proper medication, the proper assistance. When one walks around and sees the homeless, most people try to have a blind eye. One-third of them have lost a lot defending us.

Mr. Speaker, I want to mention $50 million, but the Hope Six program is slated to be completely eliminated. That is the only program that goes into the community and not only replaces housing but has other kinds of programs that will assist the people that live in public housing to help them with job training, education, after-school programs; and of course, the Drug Elimination Program is completely wiped out.

I have to say Under Secretary Mel Martinez and George W. Bush, they have destroyed the housing program. It is just not a priority for the administration.

Hope Six in Florida received three grants, but it may be the last round of assistance that people in public housing will receive if this administration is reelected.

The Drug Elimination Program, Members can see that this program and programs which assist, help with after-school programs and tutoring programs; it was the program that actually brought in the cops into the community, working with the young people so they would not get involved in the world of crime; completely eliminated under this administration. The list goes on.

Certainly housing has not been a priority. But what was interesting to me was I have received visits from the realtors and the home builders because they are concerned about the new homeownership programs that have worked so well with the public-private partnerships. Those programs have been on the chopping block in Florida and throughout the country.

I know the gentlewoman has received some of the same complaints. Why would programs be cut which actually help people become homeowners?

Mr. Speaker, let me say to the gentlewoman, I am very excited about her program, and I am very pleased to be a cosponsor, but can the gentlewoman explain where we are going to get the funds from?

Mr. Speaker, what a wonderful program.

Just one other point I want to make. Recently, the present Secretary of HUD was on Mr. O'Reilly's program, and I want to get a copy of the transcript and submit it for the record because it was horrifying that someone, an African-American, could talk about the fact that you are in an awful condition because this is what you want to be in. He would not have been in the position of Secretary if it were not for affirmative action, a program that this administration; President George W. Bush, on Martin Luther King's birthday announced we should not have any affirmative action.

Mr. Speaker, all we need to do is look at the substandard conditions in many of our public housing complexes.

That is not a state of mind. That is a state of circumstances, and no one wants to be in those circumstances. But if we look at the dismal record of this administration as far as job creation, African Americans are at almost 10 percent unemployment. So if we look at where we are as far as employment opportunities, training, it is interesting to talk about what they are going to do in the future, but I would like the people to look at their present record. Judge people on the work I have done. I love that spiritual: ``Let the work I have done speak for me.'' We look at the record of this administration when it comes to housing, and it is dismal. When it comes to training, dismal. When it comes to education, dismal. And all of this goes together to change that state of mind, to give people that opportunity to get a heads up, and that is what we are supposed to be about.

It is a real honor to serve in the House of Representatives. It is really an honor because we have an opportunity to help people that need a little helping hand. It is not a state of mind. We visit people who try all they can, and they have run out of their employment, and the training program is not there. And they have trained people to go into other jobs, and then they have sent those jobs overseas, and they have no job.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?

That is, Mr. Speaker, I think the most important thing, to have a trust fund. So once we have a trust fund, then we have a dedicated source of revenue, and that is certainly what housing needs because it is not a priority. A lot of people that are in housing, they do not vote. They do not have any rich lobbyists up here. So, therefore, they are not included. They are not on the agenda. No one cares about them. So that is part of the problem.

So I really want to commend the gentlewoman for coming up with a mechanism that we can have a dedicated source of revenue. And then, of course, we will have to continue to fight because, just like in transportation, the reason why we cannot pass a transportation bill, and the money is also there in the trust fund, is this administration for some reason does not want to invest in the infrastructure in this country. In Iraq, yes. But not in this country. Because for transportation every billion dollars creates 44,000 jobs, and that is what the people need.

Once they have a job, then they can have housing. But until that time, they have to have affordable housing because people just cannot afford it. And the gentlewoman said $44,000 or $45,000 or $50,000. What happens when people have nothing, they have no source of income? They have lost their job, they paid into the fund, but yet this administration will not even entertain extending it so that people can get some assistance.

Mr. Speaker, if the gentlewoman will continue to yield, it is not not believable because it is not a priority of this administration. I have served for 23 years, 10 years in the Florida House, and I have been here for over 12 years. I have never seen an administration that dictates what comes before the House of Representatives, the people's House. I mean, if they do not want the bill to pass, it does not pass. Just like with the gun bill, they do not want the bill to come up, regardless of what they have said, because it did not come up. So people do not understand what has happened in this country and in the people's House.

I love being here because it was 129 years before the first African American got elected to Congress; so I feel that it is very important that we speak up for the people who do not have lobbyists here in Washington, who do not have people that are going to fight to make sure that we have decent, safe, and affordable housing. And we have a Secretary who does not understand that, a Secretary of Housing, who just happens to be an African American.

Mr. Speaker, if the gentlewoman will continue to yield, I know him very well. He is a nice person. But I can tell the gentlewoman he was the worst Secretary we ever had. Because for this administration, it is just not a priority, and they do not want to spend the dollars. It is mind boggling how if a person is not one of the rich, companies, I mean, the gentlewoman talks about people that really need a helping hand. That is not a priority of this administration. It is not a priority of the former Secretary. It is just not when they cut the programs that they cut. It does not matter what one says. I say that all the time. Actions speak louder than words. I can say ``I love you'' all I want to. I can say ``I support you'' all I want to. But if I cut the programs that make people whole, then I do not care anything about them.

They can show them better than they can tell them. And this administration consistently has cut not only housing but veterans housing programs, consistently cut them. And, therefore, if we do not have affordable housing, then people end up homeless in the streets. And that is a sad state of affairs when we have veterans in the streets that today they are our soldiers, they are our heroes; tomorrow there is no safety net for them.

Mr. Speaker, the problem, in my opinion, is that if this administration does not support it, then it cannot come to the floor. We cannot have a debate over it. In fact, if we look at the Medicare bill, which is just so important to so many people, they would not even allow a Democrat in the House of Representatives to be on conference. They have the votes, but they do not even want to discuss ideas that are not their ideas. Even though they can just vote it down, they do not even want a discussion. And that is the same thing with the gentlewoman's bill. They do not even want the bill on the floor for discussion.

If the gentlewoman will continue to yield, Mr. Speaker, how will they partner? For example, I heard the gentlewoman say the credit union, and I have spent time discussing with them and talking with them about their being more involved with housing and helping in homeownership.

So that would expand the dollars, and so they would be able to serve more people?

So that $5 billion could be leveraged?

Mr. Speaker, I want to once again commend the gentlewoman on working on this initiative, on her AIDS initiative. She has certainly been a bright star in Congress since she has been here and her leadership in the area of housing and the work that she has done as far as HIV and getting funding.

This administration went to Africa and committed $15 billion. I do not

think we have $1 billion yet. Photo-ops are one thing. But that is, once again, how we talk the talk, but we do not walk the walk. And the world community had expected some assistance and some leadership from the United States in this area, and none has come so far.

I just need to know what kind of dollars have been put up for the AIDS that the gentlewoman worked so hard on.

Mr. Speaker, if the gentlewoman will yield further, I guess, once again, it is not a priority. It is back to Robin Hood. They do not have the big-time lobbyists up here, although the world community is looking to the United States for leadership in this area, and it is just has not been a priority.

I really want to commend the gentlewoman. I am going to let her close. I want to thank her so much for her leadership in the housing area, in what she has done as far as HIV, just stressing the importance of having a dedicated source of revenue for housing, because, as I said, the memo went around where this administration indicated if reelected, every single domestic, domestic, program, would be cut.

Elections have consequences.

Mr. Speaker, I, along with my constituents and all of the American people, want to extend a happy birthday to William Jefferson Clinton. His leadership in so many areas is sorely missed, in particular as today on the assault rifles that without his leadership we would not have passed. Many Members gave up their seats in the House of Representatives because they felt it was the right and honorable thing to do to protect the American people from these assault rifles.

We had leadership in President Clinton in so many areas. He had the foresight to appoint Jesse Brown as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who fought for the veterans. His contributions as far as economic development, housing, laying the foundation for a program that is being gutted under this last administration, it just goes on and on.

So I would like to put my comments in the Record and let President Clinton know that I dearly love him and the people dearly miss him.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation to honor Lance Corporal Thomas E. Creek by renaming the Amarillo VA Medical Center for him. As we are once again forced to confront on an almost daily basis the sacrifice of the young men and women who are serving our Nation, it is fitting and appropriate that we continue to honor the uncommon bravery of those soldiers who came before them.

Thomas Creek embodied such bravery, when in February of 1969 he selflessly gave his own life to save the lives of fellow Marines in Vietnam.

Mr. Speaker, by all accounts, Thomas Creek was a young man who deserves this honor which we can bestow upon him today, and I am proud to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support the bill introduced by my colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), to rename the Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Sunnyside, Queens, New York, after Lance Corporal Thomas P. Noonan, Jr.

Lance Corporal Noonan was mortally wounded in combat in Vietnam. For his actions under fire, he received the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Purple Heart. Mr. Speaker, I support this bill and thank my colleague for consideration in honoring a valiant veteran who gave his life defending the principles that America stands for.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution to honor the 58th birthday of the 42nd President of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton.

I came to Washington the same year that the President did. We both were elected in 1992 and took office in 1993. Those 8 years were the best anyone could imagine. Under his leadership, the United States ran a budget surplus for the first time since Lyndon Baines Johnson's administration. The economy had its highest productivity level in decades, and nothing has been seen recently that even remotely compares to this.

This President had the leadership to push through Congress an assault weapons ban that stopped dangerous and unnecessary automatic and semi- automatic guns from our neighborhoods. Rather than leaving important policy decisions to others, he took the lead in some unpopular positions to place this country in a position to lead the world. Under the Presidency of Mr. Clinton, our country achieved new heights of respect.

I wish former President Clinton my best wishes on a speedy and successful recovery.

Once again I want to wish a happy birthday to William Jefferson Clinton. I speak for my constituents and many millions of Americans in expressing my gratitude. We thank him once again for his leadership of service, and this country truly misses him.

Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the gentleman from New Jersey before he leaves. I know that he heard about the back-door announcement made by the administration on the Friday afternoon before Labor Day: the cost of Medicare for seniors is rising by 17.5 percent to $78.20 per month. This is something that I know my grandmother and all of our grandparents cannot afford.

The blame for this increase has been put on the rising medical costs. However, it is this administration with its close ties to health care lobbyists that has failed to do something about spending. In fact, that bill that we passed, the Republican Party will finally do what they have been trying to do for 35 years to the program: destroy the program with these inflated costs. Can the gentleman address this?

I come from Florida where Claude Pepper, my mentor on health care issues, the most well-known advocate for seniors, a man who fought for years and years to strengthen Medicare and Social Security, would be rolling in his grave if he were here today.

This is a life and death issue for many of our senior citizens. The bill that was passed that prohibits the Secretary from negotiating the prices of the drugs, the bill that was passed in the House in conference, not one single Democrat was permitted to be in the room, the people's House, not one. And in the Senate, for the first time ever, the Senate leader was not able to pick who was going to be in the room.

Can the gentleman from New Jersey explain to me and to the people who are listening today about this increase and what can we do to repeal this hideous Republican bill that was pushed through by this President?

Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, when the Republicans took over in 1994, I will never forget that they tried to take his picture down out of the room, someone who served this institution, this country, and dearly beloved. I participated in a march to that room to make sure that we reinstated Claude Pepper's position, because he deserved to have his picture in that Committee on Rules room.

I have to tell the gentleman, I remember him at the conventions and his liveliness and how he fought so hard for seniors in this country. And now this administration, with their lies and misleading people about this Medicare bill, this bill that prohibits the Secretary from negotiating the price of the drugs. We on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, along with the Department of Defense, insist, insist that they negotiate the price of the drugs so we can keep the costs down for our veterans, for our people, military families. No one can explain it. There is no discussion. When we raise that issue, they give us a blank stare, because the pharmaceuticals wrote those provisions.

What has happened here, the fox has moved into the House of Representatives, into the people's House. We see it with this Medicare bill. We see it on environmental issues. We see it over and over again. If this administration, and I do want to talk about Medicare, but if this administration that totally runs this House of Representatives, totally controls the agenda of the House of Representatives wanted an assault ban, it would have been on the floor and it would have been passed. They control. We cannot have a hearing.

We talk about homeland security. We cannot even have a hearing on railroad safety because the administration will not sanction it. I have never seen anything like it. I have been elected to the House of Representatives for 12 years. I have been an elected official for 23 years, and I have never seen such disrespect for the House of Representatives, for the people's House. I take it very seriously, because I was one of the first African Americans elected to Congress from Florida in 129 years. I take my job very seriously. And it is just, it saddens me to no end to see how the administration, which is a separate branch of government, runs the people's House, the House of Representatives. It is a disgrace.

Now, would the gentleman please tell me about the Medicare and what can we do so that my grandmother, who does not have an additional $78, $80. I know to these big-timers, that is nothing. But the seniors who are living on a fixed income, that is deciding whether to buy their medicine or buy food. They are going to raise the costs, and where is the money going? It is going to the HMOs and the pharmaceuticals. It is criminal.

We can play politics on some things, but in an area like this, it should not be any politics played.

They want to kill the program.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that the Republican Party, with the direction, because he definitely gives direction to this House, they do not do anything without his direction, he has done more to destroy Medicare. What the Republicans have been trying to do for 35 years, that is just where we are now. They want to bloat the bill so that next they cannot afford it, and next on the agenda will be Social Security. Coming from Florida, next will be Social Security, and he wants to gamble with Social Security. This administration wants to kill the New Deal. Let us just face it. They want to kill public education with all of their gimmicks.

I said they practice what I call reverse Robin Hood. When I was growing up, I loved that program, Robin Hood. This administration practices what I call reverse Robin Hood. Robbing from the poor and working people, poor and working people, to give tax breaks to the rich, to the top 2 percent, and it just amazes me how they say one thing and do another.

I must go to the assault weapons. The President said, I understand, and it is amazing they were able to pin him down that he said anything, but he said during 1999, because during the debates he never answered one question. I am hoping that the media insists that he answer some questions during the debate because he never answered any. They said he looked comfortable and looked like he could prop his feet up

but never did he answer a question. So to say that he actually committed one thing that he would support the assault weapons ban, to continue the ban, well, then he says, well, if it is put on his desk. I guess you say that and then someone said whatever you do, do not pass that bill, do not even bring it up for a vote on the House of Representatives floor, not even in the people's House, when the majority of the American people support it. Why can we not have a vote on this floor to send a message where we stand as elected officials on this particular bill? But if the President wants it, I can rest assured and you can rest assured that the American people, we would have that ban.

His son.

My comment that night was a snake is a snake, no matter what color it is, and the AARP are getting in bed with a snake, the Republican Party, on this issue. I said it and I stand by it. Now I understand that the AARP is asking for some changes. My constituents constantly call me about AARP and I tell them my position. I have always supported them because they were an advocate for the seniors, but on this issue they really deserted the seniors.

Mr. Speaker, I want to raise another issue with my colleague, and it is pertaining to the Vice President Cheney and the package he received when he decided to run for Vice President.

My understanding, and I want to be correct on this, but I understand he got a $34 million retirement package when he retired, but also I am trying to find the exact amount that he gets every month.

What was very disturbing to me is that his company Halliburton got a sole source contract before the first shot was fired. I have worked really hard trying to help minority and female businesses get a part of government opportunities, government business, but this is an example of sole source, no competition, no nothing, billions of dollars to your company and then say, well, you know, I had nothing to do with it. Well, who believes that? But let us go on.

I received calls from soldiers. Let us say Halliburton was supposed to provide 25,000 meals a day, twice a day. They were charging the American taxpayer for 100,000 a day. That is criminal, but yet there is nothing and we are still doing business with them, and you know it is just nothing. It is just amazing about how they are running this war.

We gave them, I want to be correct, $89 billion for the first 6 months. Six months later, they came back and asked for another $87 billion. Everybody talked about the second $87 billion. No one talks about the first $89 billion. There is no accountability. They will not even tell Congress what they did with the first. They certainly did not provide the military with the flak suits and the armor and what they need to protect the Humvees. What happened? What happened to the first $89 billion? There is no accounting, no telling the people, that is our job of oversight, what happened to it, and then 6 months later, they came with another $87 billion. I did not vote for it and I support the troops 100 percent, even though I know that they were sent to a war based on lies from the beginning.

I went to all of the briefings. I went to all of the discussions, and they did not show me not one single thing that they did not know in 1991.

So people said, well, why did some Democrats vote for it and others did not? Well, I come from Florida and I know they stole the election in Florida, and my grandmother always told me if you lie, you steal, and it goes on and on. So I had no trust in this administration.

Certainly, they were telling Members, please give the President the authority to go to war, he is going to use it as a hammer. I mean, I guess some people really trusted him, and I guess the American people still trust him, but I go with the facts. I knew that this administration started out based on lies.

What happened in the 2000 election was criminal and what have we gotten from that? We have a war in Iraq. Now we are taking the Medicare prescriptions, pollution, and Leave No Child Behind is just a slogan, because we

have cut funds for after school programs, Head Start programs, day care programs. A wonderful slogan, Leave No Child Behind, stolen from the children defense armor, should I say, adopted by this administration.

So there is a lot of anger in me because this administration constantly misleads the Congress and the American people.

Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will, on just that point.

The President indicated from the beginning that they would be able to pay for the expenses. They have one of the largest oil reserves in the world.

But then the President says, Well, we do not want to burden their people down with debt. But it is okay for the American people, our children and grandchildren, to pay this debt.

And then they cut Social Security and Medicare and Housing and Veterans' Affairs. This administration has already put out a memo that, If reelected, we will cut all domestic programs, all domestic budgets.

So it is okay for the American people to carry this burden, but yet, why are we saving the oil reserves? Why is it that part of it, a portion of it, cannot be a loan to these people? It is just amazing to me.

Mr. Speaker, when the gentleman talks about teachers, when I go to the Dollar Store, they are in there buying supplies themselves, the teachers, because the schools cannot afford it, particularly with this new provision of Leave No Child Behind. It is a real crunch to the school systems throughout. I know, Florida, in talking to the superintendents, where we put in these additional standards, standards are wonderful, but once we find out that a kid has a deficiency, what are they going to do about it? We did not put the money there to follow the standards.

In other words, it is what they call an unfunded mandate. Does the gentleman know about unfunded mandates?

No, no, I want to stress the Halliburton thing.

Does the gentleman know how much a month Mr. Cheney gets?

Well, Mr. Speaker, my records indicate that the deferred compensation account was valued at between $500,000 and $1 million.

Just one thing, if the gentleman will continue to yield.

We constantly try to bring up an extension on the unemployment. This is money that people have actually paid into it. But this administration and the House refuses. Because of what reason? Because I am not quite sure. They do not want the public to know how many people are unemployed? What is it?

Well, Mr. Speaker, this whole question of outsourcing and then this administration talking about the jobs they have created, they are low-paying service jobs. And most people are happy to have a job, but we have lost the best jobs. And this administration refuses to do training programs, or they cut those programs, educational programs.

The 9/11 Commission was talking about the recommendations, and I was listening to them. And they were talking about the young people in Iraq, and they did not have jobs or training. And I said to myself, We have that same problem right here in the United States.

We have that same problem right here in the United States. And so while we are addressing other areas, other countries, Iraq, their training and education, we need to be doing the same thing here with the people that are paying the bills. It is amazing.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) for his leadership day in and day out speaking to the American people. I hope this is a wake-up call because God knows, we need one. This administration talks the talk, but they do not walk the walk. As the veterans say, they do not rule the world. They talk about how much they care about veterans as they cut programs. There will be a cut in all programs under another 4 years of this administration.

These people on the other side of the aisle really do believe in giving the moneys to their corporate friends, what I call reverse Robin Hood, robbing from the poor and working people, to

give tax breaks to the rich. That is their agenda, and they push it through over and over again. I really hope the American people will give us some help in the next election.

Mr. Speaker, I stand here before you in support of this bill. My district has been devastated by the record number of storms that have made landfall this hurricane season. Many people in my district are still without power. I want to thank Chairman Young and the ranking member.

In 1992, FEMA was in shambles. Tonight I want to send a special thanks to President Clinton and to Director Witt whose leadership was instrumental in getting this organization working and back on track. And I want to thank all of the volunteers who worked together to bring relief to the victims of Bonnie, Charley, and now Hurricane Frances. Working side by side and neighborhood to neighborhood, they have helped all of us weather the storms. We are truly blessed that no further lives were taken during this latest storm.

We need a dedicated method of funding, not piecemeal dollars here and there, to adequately meet the needs of Florida and any other disaster that occurs in this country. I hope that we will have a clean bill, one that is not loaded or loved to death with amendments that do not pertain to the support and help of people who truly need the relief these funds promise. Thanks again for the support.

I also want to mention all of the organizations, FEMA, but under that the Army Corps have worked extremely hard and many community organizations and groups, the Red Cross. They are too numerous to name, so I want to make sure I revise and extend my remarks so I can thank all of these people that have come together, the fire departments, the mayors, local governments, the Federal agencies. Senator Nelson has been on the ground from day one. I want to thank everybody and all of the Florida delegation and all of the people that worked together to make things better for the people of Florida.

Mr. Speaker, the setting for the 15th Anniversary of the Congressional Black Caucus's Veterans Braintrust took place amid repeated inferences that the Congressional Black Caucus CBC and other Democrats were unpatriotic. Despite the CBC's determination to express it's patriotism we support the troops while continuing to raise the volume of criticism about the current engagement in Iraq, and/or the War on Terrorism.

With this as the larger socio-political backdrop the Veterans Braintrust decided to invite some of our most heroic African Americans, their family members and advocates such as Sgt. Andrew Bowman, Asa Gordon, Elizabeth Rankin-Fulcher, Maj. Robert Greene, USA, Ret., John Howe, Steve Harris, Alonzo Swann, Jr., Allene Carter, CDR. Ross Fowler, USCG, Ret., Lee & Cornelius Charlton, Mark Pitts, Baba Henderson, Dr. Frank Smith, Jr., Betty Stokes, Mary Jones, and Isaac Prentice to Washington, DC as a special testimonial to our collective patriotism, sacrifice and valor on behalf of this great nation during her many times of trouble and conflict.

Thus, consciously choosing to illuminate some historical facts and advocate in effect that countless African Americans have served in America's wars, been shot, wounded and disabled, yet continue to be neglected, or denied quality health care and access to other benefits and services, including basic equal rights.

Equally important, the 15th Anniversary Veterans Braintrust National Issues Forum ``The Path to Glory: The Congressional Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, and Distinguished Service Cross Recipients'' also known as the pyramid of honor; and subtitled: ``Revisiting the Battles of Sgt. Henry Johnson and Dorie Miller for the Congressional Medal Honor,'' was indeed a historic milestone. For the first time in our nations history the families of African American recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, along with awardees of the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) were gathered in one room. Additionally, the issues forum was exceptionally well attended with representatives coming from as far away as Albany, New York, Detroit, Michigan, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Los Angeles, California.

While the CBC represents 26 million African Americans, including more than 2 million African American veterans, we all recognize our country faces many challenges both within and without that is why Representative Sanford Bishop, Jr. D-GA and I felt a moral obligation, not a duty at this time to look back and reexamine issues from the past, closely related to the awarding of the military's highest awards for heroism and valor--The Congressional Medal of Honor, Navy Cross and Distinguished Service Cross.

Here again, the Veterans Braintrust which is widely recognized as the premiere forum for debate between veterans of African descent and government officials sought to examine some of the historically vexing issues, individual war narratives, and family testimonies associated with more than a century and a half of the awarding of the military's highest awards for bravery and valor.

To help provide a framework for this historical and contemporary analysis war/veteran narratives included the Civil War, Indian Campaigns of the 19th Century, and World War I, World War II, Korean and Vietnam Conflicts of the 20th Century in the wake of growing criticism of US Foreign Policy, raising concerns about the fate of affirmative action, and the ever increasing African American health disparities.

Executive Director Ron Armstead layed the groundwork by researching William Raspberry's `Two Heroes, No Medals of Honor' column examining two black war heroes quest for posthumous Congressional Medals of Honor: Sgt. Henry Johnson, a World War I Infantryman from Albany, and Seaman Dorius `Dorie' Miller, a World War II hero from Waco, Texas. The column cited, although the military services, while not discounting their heroism, have steadfastly refused to go along with any attempts to grant Johnson and Miller the Medal of Honor. While countering, that although no black soldier was awarded the medal of honor during WWI, approximately 50 black soldiers were awarded the DSC, the Army's second highest award for valor in combat, for their extraordinary heroism in WWI. As a result, the number of black servicemen to receive CMH's for their heroism in the two world wars of the twentieth century remained zero until the 1990's.

Further, our war/veteran narratives revealed the Navy's reluctance to embrace black war heroes in 1944 met it's timely demise 48 years later when Alonzo Swann, Jr., then 67, of Gary, Indiana stepped aboard his old ship the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier and accepted the Navy's highest award for bravery--the

Navy Cross. His medal came nearly a half-century after he and his African American shipmates in Intrepid's Gun Tub #10 shot down a Japanese kamikaze plane. However, his odyssey began October 27, 1944, when the captain of the Intrepid, Joseph Bolfger, recommended all seven survivors for the Navy Cross, just short of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award and conducted meritorious mast on board the ship for the men. Yet, when the commendations were sent on to Washington, they came back, with the men being given only Bronze Stars, or lower medals with no apparent explanation for the change.

Notwithstanding Swann's long, arduous and lonely court battle to receive the belated honor, it wasn't until 1997 that another of his shipmates Navy Petty Officer Robert Jones, by then 71, and a resident of Newport News, Virginia received his Navy Cross, again more than 50 years afterward in a stately ceremony held at the Capitol Building in Washington, DC, hosted by Congressman Robert ``Bobby'' Scott (D-VA).

Furthermore, family testimonies revealed America in 1951 prior to the Brown versus the Board of Education decision was a very different place when Sgt. Charlton, who would have been 22, had he lived to his birthday, July 24, distinguished himself in battle to such an extent that he earned his nation's highest recognition for valor--the Medal of Honor. However, when his body was returned from Korea, his family was denied the right to bury his remains in Arlington National Cemetery with other Medal of Honor recipients. Sgt. Charlton was a war hero, but Cornelius Charlton was black.

Moreover, it wasn't until 1990, when the American Legion spearheaded an effort to locate the graves of all Medal of Honor recipients. Through their efforts Charlton's final resting place was identified as Bryant Memorial Park, which had become overgrown.

Yet, equally poignant, family testimonies revealed that it wasn't until 1997, a half century since WWII, and President Harry Truman who stood on the White House grounds and awarded 28 United States Medals of Honor to white soldiers for their outstanding valor that black soldiers who were denied the recognition accorded their white counterparts, were awarded the same honor--the Medal of Honor. During a White House ceremony former President Clinton presented the nation's highest military award for bravery to seven black WWII heroes, six of which were awarded posthumously. The only living veteran awarded the medal of honor during the ceremony was 77-year-old Vernon Baker, of St. Maries, Idaho. The other heroes finally awarded the Medal of Honor were: Edward A. Carter, Jr., John R. Fox, Wily F. James, Jr., Ruben Rivers, Charles L. Thomas, and George Watson. Attending the ceremony was retired Army General Colin Powell, who as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was the highest ranking African American in the military.

And now almost a century and a half after the end of the Civil War, a resurgence of interest and advocacy on behalf of legendary Harriet Tubman has gradually materialized, while on the other hand the first- ever memorials to honor black war heroes within: (a) the Commonwealth of Virginia is being planned; (b) the first national park monument was dedicated to Mississippi Black Civil War soldiers; (c) a monument/ memorial is being planned to honor the Seminole Negro Indian Scouts and their families; (d) a US Colored Troops USCT plaque dedication is being planned for Andersonville National Historic Site in southwest Georgia; and finally planning is underway for the North Chicago Memorial Park/ Monument dedicated to the 100,000 men who went through the Great Lakes Naval Training Center during World War II.

Later that evening we gathered drenching ourselves in the richness of Black history and feeling mixtures of both pride and pain as we awarded, or publicly recognized, acknowledged and meaningfully remembered those who fought for people they had never even met. Something quite austere happened at the gala reception and award ceremony, which prompted many to say, `I thought we did therapy that night,' and left others crying and emotional. We have given these awards annually over the course of the past ten years. This year our honorees included three categories: (1) individual awardees: Norma Baker, GSgt. Maurice Bingham, USMC, Ret., Celestine Caldwell Hollings, Paul J. Matthews, Cpl. Fred McGee, USA, Freddi E. Moody, Master Chief Vince Patton, USCG, Ret., Ed.D., Lt. Col. Charles H. Rucks, USMC, Ret., Isiah J. Williams, III, Master Chief Harold Wilson, USN, Ret., and Wallace Terry (Posthumous); (2) organizational awardees: the Center for Drug Abuse Research, Howard University, Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America, Harlem Youth Marines, Inc., Morgan State University, The Association of the 2221 Negro Volunteers, WWII, and the 1279th Combat Engineers Alumni Association; and (3) historic groups and/or sites: United States Colored Troops Institute and Olustee Battlefield Historical State Park.

Finally, as we prepare our special 15th Anniversary report, after- action briefs and legislative proposals we must reiterate now more resolutely than ever before from the very beginning of independence ``We were there,'' and despite the adversity, ``We served!' Simply read the missing pages of American history, or perhaps the footnotes and you will find the names of Crispus Attucks, Salem Poor, Sgt. William H. Carney, Cpl. Andrew Jackson Smith, Harriet Tubman, Freddie Stowers, Sgt. Henry Johnson, Mess Attendant Dorius `Dorie' Miller, Josephine Baker, Pvt. William Thompson, Sgt. Cornelius Charlton, Cpl. Fred McGee, Captain Riley L. Pitts, Staff Sgt. Hilliard Carter, and others, as well as thunderous places like Breeds Hill, Fort Wagner, Honey Hill, New Market Heights, . . ., Kunu-Ri, Hill 188, Hill 528, Hill 543, Pork Chop Hill, Hamburger Hill, Heartbreak Ridge, and others looming as silent reminders of past deeds, and debts unpaid.

Therefore, let it be said, here, now and forever more that African Americans have not once, not twice, but repeatedly demonstrated throughout this country's long history an unwavering dedication towards the principles of freedom, liberty and justice for all. This is the true testament of African American patriotism and looms as an outstanding example for current and future generations of Americans nationwide, as well as freedom loving people around the world.

The struggle continues.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join Rep. James Oberstar (Minn) in introducing the Protecting Railroad Operators, Travelers, Employees, and Communities with Transportation Security Act of 2004 (PROTECTS Act). The bill authorizes nearly $1.3 billion to provide better railroad security and response to terrorist attacks.

The federal government is spending $4.4 billion this year on aviation security, but it's spending only $65 million on rail security, even though five times as many people take trains as planes every day.

The bill authorizes $500 million to be appropriated for freight and passenger rail security improvements, a total of $597 million for Amtrak's fire and life-safety improvements, $65 million for system-wide Amtrak security upgrades, and a total of $100 million for rail research and development. It also provides for improved training and equipment for railroad employees and local emergency personnel to better respond to terrorist incidents.

Increased funding for rail security is something this country desperately needs, particularly in light of the terrible metro rail tragedy in Madrid. The nation's rail infrastructure has been treated like the stepchild of the overall transportation system. It is finally time we dedicate our resources to providing rail security for our nation's citizens.

After September 11th we started spending money like crazy on security, but I'm not sure we are getting our money's worth out of many of the programs we developed. That's why it is so important that we tailor a security program that truly meets the needs of our rail lines and passengers. The security measures we put in place for Aviation will not work for Rail. We need to learn from the mistakes that were made in developing aviation security, and apply what we learned in developing a rail security program.

But we can't keep treating our rail infrastructure as a second class citizen. We have dedicated billions of dollars to the airline industry, and created a grant program for the nation's ports, but have done little to invest in the security upgrades our rail infrastructure needs.

We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I know that everyone in Washington is dedicated to protecting our railways from attack.

No security is fail-proof, but working together we can create a rail security program that protects passengers and keeps the trains running on time.

Mr. Chairman, I want to turn in a copy of the Certified Vote Organization. Over 1,700 people, that is technologists, lawyers, political scientists, says that the technology that we are using in the upcoming election is flawed.

I come from Florida * * * No, we are not going to get over it. And we want verification from the world.

Mr. Speaker, I appeal the ruling of the chair. I ask unanimous consent to clarify my words.

Mr. Speaker, I appeal the ruling of the Chair.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr Chairman, what a horrifying message to send to our troops and to our adversaries right now to close bases during a time of war. It is not prudent to shut down these bases at this time. I support postponing BRAC until the defense needs of the nation are more settled than they are at present.

Particularly during this time of economic crisis, we do not need to close bases. There should never have been any discussion about this in the first place. Base closures are devastating to communities. Our resources should be used to improve our current defense system, not for arbitrarily closing bases because of political decisions.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 180, 181, and 182, I was unavoidably detained and unable to make the vote.

Had I been present, I would have voted: ``No'' on No. 180, joint rule for consideration of H.R. 2728, 2729, 2730, 2731; ``No'' on No. 181, tabling Miller motion to instruct conferees on overtime; ``No'' on No. 182, H.R. 3722, Undocumented Alien Emergency Assistance Amendments of 2004.

Mr. Speaker, with Mother's Day quickly approaching, I want to first thank all of the mothers and wish them a happy Mother's Day and thank them for what they do to make America the great place that it is. I want to thank in particular the American gold star mothers for their sacrifice and for the sacrifice of their children by answering the call of duty to their country.

Let me be clear: I support our troops 100 percent. I would like to honor our brave troops, all the military families and all that they do and have sacrificed for our Nation. I want to emphasize that I do not want our troops to be the scapegoats for this administration's failed policies. What is going on in Iraq right now is just another example of this failed administration policy.

And where is the leadership on this? Where is the President? This administration is once again missing in action. MIA. At this exact moment, with all of the uprising in Iraq, our troops are being placed in the most dangerous position. And although I pledge to do everything within my power as an elected official to ensure that our servicemen and women have the equipment and resources they need to carry out their mission, I find it disturbing, in fact, misleading that President Bush continues to hide the truth about Iraq from the American people.

In fact, up until yesterday, the administration was saying that another supplemental appropriation request would be unnecessary until after, by the way, November elections. To me, however, it seemed more than likely that this administration knew all along that they were going to need additional funding. Unfortunately, this new request of $25 billion in supplemental spending for Iraq is just another example of the administration's pattern of covering up the facts and refusing to share information with the American people. Although the American public demands to know the truth about the cost of the war, time and time again the administration has denied them the opportunity to get the full story. Moreover, the Republican leadership in Congress refuses to fulfill its constitutional obligation to act as a check and balance on the executive branch.

With this $25 billion, our country's taxpayers will be forced to spend over $200 billion for this war. How much more will we need in the future? No one knows because the administration does not tell us anything. I would like to say contrary to the administration's talk about how they pass measures like this to provide for the troops, in the last $87 billion supplemental, the Bush administration never even requested sufficient funds for body armor, Humvees, and dozens of other badly needed supplies that the troops need over there for their survival. These items were only included in the package because it was stuck in in this Congress. Not this administration. The Congress put those supplies in for the troops.

In closing, we need to be included in the strategy. The President is asking for another $25 billion. What I am requesting from them is some transparency. I am requesting a broader, inclusive strategy. We are three branches of government, not a dictatorship. America needs a plan for Iraq, Mr. President, one that does not involve hundreds more American troops going home in body bags.

In November, the American people will have their say. Do not forget the 2000 election because it does matter who is in charge.

I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay honor to a true American hero, Officer Rodney Chambers, who without thought for his own safety, risked his life to save others from harm. Officer Chambers has been chosen to receive the prestigious Officer of the Year Award from the Amtrak Police Department because of his selfless heroism and courage, and I am proud to join them in saluting his bravery.

On June 9, 2003, Officer Chambers was on patrol in Washington's Union Station when he was dispatched to respond to a call for service from Union Station. Security reporting that a male put a grenade in a trash receptacle. Officer Chambers responded to First Street where a Union Station security officer identified the suspect. Capitol Police Officer Michael DeCarlo joined Officer Chambers in pursuit of the suspect. Officer Chambers came upon the suspect and instructed him to put his hands on the wall. The suspect removed a piece of clothing that he was holding and revealed a grenade. He then pulled the pin and attempted to drop the grenade.

Officer Chambers reacted immediately by pinning the suspect against the wall while wrestling the grenade away from him, holding the spoon and fuse from priming. At this time, Officer DeCarlo arrived on the scene and assisted in controlling the suspect.

As the suspect was being taken into custody by police officers, Officer Chambers along with his Sergeant removed himself to a safe distance from the area of onlookers while continuing to hold down the spoon on the grenade. Officer Chambers maintained his position for approximately 15 minutes while waiting for the arrival of the EOD team. During this period of time, a search revealed a second grenade.

The Capitol Police EOD responded and placed both grenades in an isolation chamber. Ultimately, both grenades were found to be inactive and filled with a gel-like substance. However, during the period of time Officer Chambers spent with the grenade he had no way of knowing this.

Officer Chambers was awarded the Medal of Honor from the Amtrak Police Department on November 10, 2003; a Resolution from Amtrak's Board of Directors on June 12, 2003; the Officer of the Month Award from the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund; and the Department of Transportation Award for heroism from the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Norman Y. Mineta and Federal Railroad Administrator Allan Rutter on October 21, 2003.