Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, Oak Parkers have always been independent thinkers. So it's not surprising that the earliest residents of Oak Park opted for an independent government that gave them a greater voice in decisions that affected their lives and their community.

In the late 19th century, Oak Park was still a part of the Township of Cicero. However, after residents of the Austin neighborhood successfully broke away from the Cicero Township in 1899 choosing to annex to the city of Chicago, Oak Parkers began to petition once again for their own village. In 1901, citizens formally seceded from Cicero Township to establish their own municipal government. The first village elections were held in 1902 and Oak Park celebrated its new status as a united, selfcontained community.

Because the separation from Cicero Township left Oak Park in a legal limbo as regards certain delegated township functions, Oak Park citizens voted in 1903 to establish Oak Park Township. The first elected officials were supervisor, assessor, collector, clerk, two justices of the peace and two constables.

The first social service program began in 1936 with Poor Relief, a Great Depression program to aid financially struggling residents. This was the start of the General Assistance program, which has provided financial assistance to thousands of Oak Park citizens over the years.

The growing population of youth and elderly in the 1960's and 1970's ushered in Youth Services and Senior Services. Guided by volunteer citizen committees, the services are key components in Oak Park's quality of life.

In 1971, the Senior Citizens Committee was formed and the Meals-at- Home program was established. In 1973, the Township established by popular vote the volunteer Community Mental Health Board to assess need and help fund mental health programs. In that same year, the Advisory Committee on Childcare was formed. Also in the 70's came a transportation program for seniors and people with disabilities, as well as the Senior Citizen Information and Referral Service, the Energy Assistance program and the Income Tax Assistance program.

Within the last ten years, Oak Park Township has continued to meet the growing needs of its constituency. A youth Advocacy Council was established to give a voice to the teenage population. Additionally, the Townships of Oak Park and River Forest initiated a collaborative youth services program. In 1993, the Township's Youth and Senior Services programs won three state awards and one year later the Community Mental Health Board became the only one in the state to be Medicaid certified for its case management services.

The Township's assessor and collector functions, in accordance with the Township's overall vision of service and accessibility, has

changed dramatically over the years. Since the 1930's, the assessor has been a service office, not assessing property, but helping residents, businesses and public agencies better understand property matters, taxation and assisting with appeals.

Since 1996, to improve operational efficiencies while providing broader services, the Township has entered into partnerships with other governments and private agencies to coordinate and expand its youth, senior and mental health programs. Intergovernmental agreements exist between the Township and all the other 10 governmental units in Oak Park and River Forest--villages; parks; libraries; schools and the River Forest Township.

From its humble beginnings serving Oak Park's population of 3,000 residents in 1903, one hundred years later Oak Park Township has evolved into a fullservice unit of local government serving Oak Park's 53,000 residents in 2003. I congratulate Oak Park Township on their 100th birthday and know that they will continue to identify and address unmet needs in their community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend and congratulate Commander Charles L. Stuppard, United States Navy, who is leaving from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to be the next Commanding Officer of the USS Arleigh Burke (DDG51). The Arleigh Burke is a guided missile AEGIS Destroyer with a complement of about 325 personnel including 25 Officers. Commander Stuppard is slated to be at the helm of this powerful Navy vessel in April 2004.

Commander Stuppard joined the Naval Officer Corps in 1985. He obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Cornell University and his Master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. Commander Stuppard's achievements and accomplishments are truly exemplary and I hope many young people from my district and around the country will follow in his footsteps as an Officer and a Gentleman. I congratulate Commander Stuppard for a job well done and wish him and his family fair winds and following seas.

Mr. Speaker, late last night, the House Rules Committee sent a terrible message to our Nation's seniors and hospitals. Two amendments I proposed were not allowed to pass onto the House floor. The first amendment would have stricken the language regarding the ``market basket'' index. Under the current bill hospitals would lose $12 billion over the next ten years. My amendment would have kept the funding streams toward hospitals level so that hospitals would not be forced to make difficult cuts in services and jeopardize patient care.

My second amendment would have assured that the prescription drug benefits we members of Congress enjoy would be comparable to those of Medicare beneficiaries. My colleagues in the Senate passed such an amendment, but the Members of the House Rules Committee seem reluctant to subject themselves to the very same benefits they would give our Nation's seniors. They have sent the clear message that these benefits are not good enough for them, the relatively young and healthy, but are adequate for our Nation's seniors and disabled persons.

Once again this Congress has proven that the Democratic process is not working. Not only are the voices of America's seniors not being heard, but neither are those of Members of Congress. As we go home to celebrate our Nation's independence, we will have to explain to our seniors that yes, a prescription drug bill passed, but it will not benefit them. It will not benefit middle America, it will not benefit the poor, it will not benefit those who are already struggling to buy their prescription drugs. It will only benefit those who can currently afford their drugs, afford to pay more for hospital services, and afford to pass this bill. Mr. Speaker, I oppose this rule and I oppose the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, down-size, out-source, privatize, erode, dismount, turn back the clock, all buzz words which characterize the thought and actions of many of our Republican colleagues. And now Medicare is on the hit list. And our seniors are being told that they are going to get a prescription drug plan. Yes, we need a plan, but we do not need one that dismantles Medicare. We do not need one that turns back the clock. We do not need one that skyjacks our seniors and prices them out of the market. They want real government for all people, including our seniors.

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

Mr. Speaker, President Abraham Lincoln is considered by many to be the most outstanding President this country has ever had. As a matter of fact, many have suggested that he was courageous, often misunderstood, renowned in his ability to see situations and then move on them. So I am pleased to join with my colleague from Indiana in consideration of Senate bill 858, a bill to extend the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission was established by Congress in 2000 to plan the national observances of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday in 2009. Fifteen Americans were named by the White House, the House of Representatives and the Senate to work together to propose and craft programs of celebration and education.

S. 858 would extend the authorization for the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission through the bicentennial year of 2009. Under current law, the commission would pass out of existence in 2004, 5 years before the event it is supposed to commemorate. In addition to the requirement that the commission submit an interim report in June of 2004, S. 858 also requires that a final report be issued in 2010 after the conclusion of bicentennial festivities.

Obviously, Mr. Speaker, this legislation has tremendous support, and I would urge its passage.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson), a Lincoln scholar, a civil war era buff, and a great historian who has studied and written extensively about this period.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and though I do not have any additional speakers, I will close by simply saying that I grew up an Abraham Lincoln fan as a little boy. My mother, who did not have much formal education, nor did my father, they were both Abraham Lincoln fans and they

told us stories about Abraham Lincoln. This obviously whetted my appetite, and I became an Abraham Lincoln guy who read everything that I could get my hands on about Lincoln.

It is obvious from all of the comments that we have heard that Indiana, Illinois, and I guess we have to add Kentucky, have great memories and great fondness for the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, who would probably be considered a great communicator. We did not talk so much about people being communicators then. Now we talk about communication skills and abilities; but I guess he could communicate so much in just a few words, in things like the Lincoln Gettysburg Address and other comments that he made.

The one quote that I often like to suggest that Lincoln made was about education. He said that ``education makes a man easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.'' So as we put resources into budgets for education, I always try to remember Abraham Lincoln.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the current Medicare debate highlights the need for fundamental changes in the way that health care is provided in the United States. The Medicare prescription drug bill currently before the House fails to address any of the fundamental problems in our health care system.

The need for affordable prescription drugs for our Nation's seniors is one component of the health care reform needed in the United States. And just like last year, this House will pass a Medicare prescription drug bill that fails millions of Americans. The current plan will perpetuate the inequalities in health care suffered by poor and rural Americans, as this plan hurts both groups.

Seniors with incomes between 135 and 150 percent of the Federal poverty level will pay the same deductible and copays as someone with an income 300, 500 or 1,000 percent of the poverty level. The only relief is a sliding scale premium. Those with incomes 150 to 200 percent of poverty will receive no relief at all.

Rural Americans have already faced severe restrictions in their choice of providers. And in 2003, only 19 percent of rural Medicare beneficiaries have the option of enrolling in a Medicare managed care plan.

These seniors are likely to face similar restrictions in the choice of prescription drug plans, without a fall-back prescription plan through Medicare. This discrimination against certain seniors is intolerable. Not only does the current plan restrict access to drugs, but it also could limit what drugs seniors can take. In 2002, 55 percent of all Medicare private plans covered only generic drugs, provided no coverage for brand names. This means that those who must take a specific brand-name medication for which no generic form exists or need a new, more effective drug cannot obtain them. The answer is not to provide more private prescription drug plans.

The current Medicare prescription drug bill only perpetuates the failures of our health system. The solution to the current crisis lies in a prescription drug benefit that helps to contain prescription drug costs, provides better access to generic drugs, and is built into Medicare. Absent a comprehensive solution that provides medical and prescription drug coverage for all Americans, there is no excuse for restricting the access of our Nation's seniors to prescription drug coverage. Our seniors need a comprehensive standard benefit for all. We cannot afford to further privatize Medicare, offer different plans to different people, and threaten the program that has provided health care for over 39 million people.

Our Nation's seniors need a uniform, comprehensive plan. Absent a comprehensive solution that provides medical and prescription drug coverage for all Americans, there is no excuse to do anything less. The solution to the current crisis lies in a plan that helps to contain prescription drug costs, provide better access to generic drugs, and is built into Medicare.

Just as hospital and physician coverage is assured by Medicare and includes a standard benefit for all seniors, so must prescription drug coverage. In the complex world of medical insurance, it is crucial for us to provide reliable coverage under one plan to reduce confusion on the part of Medicare beneficiaries. We cannot afford to further privatize Medicare, turning it only into a health voucher program by the end of the decade, and threatens the program which has provided health care for over 39 million Americans. Let us be real and have a real prescription drug program for our seniors.

Mr. Speaker, I was unable to cast votes on June 11 because I was attending a very important meeting involving healthcare with the President of the United States in my district in Chicago, Illinois. If I was present for rollcall votes for the following bills:

Rollcall 258 on agreeing to the resolution H.R. 2115, Flight 100-- Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act;

Rollcall 259 on motion to suspend the rules and agree to Expressing Support for the Goals and Ideals of Human Genome Month and DNA Day;

Rollcall 260 on motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amend the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act;

Rollcall 261 on motion to suspend the rules and pass the Welfare Reform Extension Act;

I would have voted Yeas to all of these bills.

Mr. Speaker, let me first of all thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands for yielding me this time. I also want to commend the chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo), and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), for bringing this legislation to the floor and getting us to this point.

When we talk about small businesses and we talk about the development of small business, one of the primary problems that people face is finding enough money to actually get a business off the ground, keep it going, keep it moving, have enough capital to actually carry the business on until they reach the point where they have the kind of cash flow and they have the kind of returns that they know they need in order to be stable and keep being successful. This PCLP Improvement Act helps to do all of that. It helps to make capital available and it gives people assistance to acquire what they actually need.

While it is true, Mr. Speaker, that some of the best things in life are free, I remember the song that says ``But you can give it to the birds and bees, what I need is money.'' And what small businesses need is capital to help them grow, develop and flourish. This legislation helps to do that.

Again I commend Chairman Manzullo, my colleague from Illinois, and the ranking member for bringing this to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my commitment to world peace and to stress the importance of establishing dialogue and understanding among all people. It is in recognition of this need that on Tuesday, June 24th, at 6:30 p.m. in Rayburn room B3338-340, the American Leadership Initiative will hold a special awards ceremony to honor great Americans from all 50 states who have demonstrated a commitment to peace.

Many of my prestigious colleagues will join with me and co-chair Congressman Kurt Weldon in giving tribute to some of the outstanding Americans from our districts. Members of the clergy, legislators, educators, and business and community leaders will be

among those honored with the ``Ambassadors for Peace Award--Excellence in Leadership'' award. These committed citizens have been working to renew and strengthen our families and marriages, restore our communities, and rebuild our nation and world. We are grateful to the founders of the Ambassadors for Peace, the Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon, for promoting the vision of world peace and we commend them for their work.

These Ambassadors for Peace have become increasingly effective and relevant in their communities since the tragedy of 9/11. They have been working together to promote understanding among all faiths, particularly with Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders. With the realization that many of the tensions currently facing the world cannot be addressed without consideration of the religious implications involved, the Ambassadors for Peace have formed an American Interreligious Council. This council seeks to support and advise our Nation's leaders concerning the issues and challenges of seeking lasting peace. The American Interreligious Council is also a part of the effort to create an international council of religious leaders. The members of this council will support the leaders of the United Nations as they work to resolve conflicts throughout the world. This body will provide a direct link between international leaders and the various religious peoples in their constituencies. This will help to ensure that peace agreements are embraced by the diverse communities these leaders represent.

Today, though crisis is at our doorstep, we must maintain an unwavering hope for peace. It has become clear that the establishment of a lasting peace throughout the world will only come to full fruition through the ongoing dialogue and cooperation of religious and political leaders. The Ambassadors for Peace are working tirelessly to bring about international cooperation and are to be commended for their leadership in this great effort.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I simply rise to say we are always delighted and pleased to see Steve Kerr display the skill and talent he learned in Chicago. But more importantly, I rise to congratulate the city of San Antonio for being one of the most beautiful cities in the country and also the great championship, the skill displayed by the Spurs as they won the 2003 NBA championship.

But, Mr. Speaker, I was really touched hearing of the great contributions of David Robinson, not just on the court but off the court in the community, in the neighborhood, his willingness to give of his resources and of himself, to display what it really means to be a great American. And so I rise to really congratulate him.

Oftentimes we hear that athletes are not willing to give back, that they get whatever it is that they get from being what they are and who they are and do not necessarily give back to the rest of the world.

Well, I think that David Robinson is the epitome of a gentleman, a great man; and I congratulate all of you for the fact that he is a Texan and part of the San Antonio Spurs.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my commitment to world peace and to stress the importance of establishing dialogue and understanding among all people. It is in recognition of this need that on Tuesday, June 24, at 6:30 p.m. in the Rayburn Room B338-340, the American Leadership Initiative will hold a special awards ceremony to honor great Americans from all 50 States who have demonstrated a commitment to peace. Many of my colleagues will join me and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), co-chair, in giving tribute to some of the outstanding Americans from our districts. Members of the clergy, legislators, educators, business and community leaders will be among those honored with the ``Ambassadors for Peace Award-Excellence in Leadership.'' These committed citizens have been working to renew and strengthen our families and marriages, restore our communities, and rebuild our Nation and indeed our world. We are grateful to the founders of Ambassadors for Peace, the Reverend and Mrs. Sun Myung, for promoting the vision of world peace, and we commend them for their work.

These Ambassadors for Peace have become increasingly effective and relevant in their communities since the tragedy of 9-11. They have been working together to promote understanding among all faiths, particularly with Muslim, Jewish, and Christian leaders. With the realization that many of the tensions currently facing the world cannot be addressed without consideration of the religious implications involved, the Ambassadors for Peace have formed an American Interreligious Council. This council seeks to support and advise our Nation's leaders concerning the issues and challenges of seeking lasting peace. The American Interreligious Council is also part of the effort to create an international council of religious leaders. The members of this council will support the leaders of the United Nations as they work to resolve conflicts throughout the world. This body will provide a direct link between international leaders and the various religious peoples in their constituencies. This will help to ensure that peace agreements are embraced by the diverse communities these leaders represent.

Today, though crisis is at our doorstep, we must maintain an unwavering hope for peace. It has become clear that the establishment of a lasting peace throughout the world will only

come to full fruition through the ongoing dialogue and cooperation of religious and political leaders. The Ambassadors for Peace are working tirelessly to bring about international cooperation and are to be commended for their leadership in this great effort. I again commend them for their efforts because they understand that peace is not necessarily found in covenants, treaties and charters, as was once echoed by President John F. Kennedy, but is indeed found in the hearts of men and women. And as they work throughout the Nation and throughout the world to spread the message of peace, we look forward to seeing them here on Tuesday, June 24, and share with them as they give awards to those who do the work in the field.

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez) for the leadership that they have shown and displayed.

I just left the markup in the Committee on Education and the Workforce where we have been babbling, I guess one could say, all day long. We have been debating Head Start. And there are certain principles that we have tried to maintain, and one is that the program must be kept comprehensive. It must remain comprehensive and not be streamlined and categorized so that young people will get the full benefit of the most effective program that we have had coming out of the civil rights movement, coming out of the war on poverty. No other program has been as successful as this one.

We also have to make sure that the block granting does not creep in, and we have obviously crept up, and they are down to talking about eight States now that would be demonstration projects, but we have got to watch that because those eight States will still represent one-third of all the children in Head Start.

So if we are talking about eight States with large populations, with large populations of Head Start children, then that becomes a significant number. We are still opposed to the block granting all the way.

We know that we need additional funding, especially as we now have a mandate that 50 percent of the teachers ought to have a college degree by 2008. But how does one get a college degree if one is a Head Start teacher making $12,000, $15,000, $10,000, $11,000, $14,000 a year without some help. So we are proposing stipends and scholarships, things that are going to help those individuals.

And I was pleased to note that I did get an amendment accepted a few minutes ago that will call for the creation of a fatherhood initiative, and I noticed that the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez) mentioned that, as a father, we find that many fathers are absent from the lives of their children and that one of the things that we can do in Head Start is stimulate the growth and development of that.

So I just, again, want to commend all of my colleagues here, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) as he leads the Congressional Black Caucus, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), and it was good to see the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez), chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and I know that the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Davis) is here, and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) who has been doing an outstanding job in the Committee on Education and the Workforce, we have been there together all day. So I thank the chairman so much.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, the NCAA 2003 National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Champions. I thank the Gentleman from Minnesota, Mr. Oberstar, for allowing the House this opportunity to congratulate and recognize the Bulldogs on winning their third straight championship. During the championship game against Harvard University, the Bulldogs showed tremendous strength and ability, going into double overtime, finally winning with a score of 4-3. This season, they won an impressive 31 games, while only losing 3 and tying 2. And as we prepare to celebrate the upcoming thirty-first anniversary of Title IX, this team serves to be a prime example that Title IX is working. And since it is working, to weaken or water down Title IX in any way would be detrimental to the future of events like these and to teams like the Bulldogs.

I happen to be one who believes that there ought to be absolute equality in all endeavors

in all walks of life. I am amazed, as a matter of fact, sometimes when I recall even the Preamble to our Constitution, when we say, ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,''; and at the same time, we left out women. Some people would suggest that when they said ``men'' they meant women as well, but I am not always sure of that.

As a matter of fact, we can look at what the experiences have been. Even though we have Title IX, only 42 percent of college athletes are female and female athletes receive $133 million fewer scholarship dollars per year than their male counterparts. This proves that, if anything, Title IX needs to be strengthened as we still face inequities in athletics today.

We have to keep Title IX alive; we have to make sure that it is strong; and we have to keep working so that there is in fact equality across the board without regard to race, gender, ethnicity, or any other form of origin.

America is a great Nation. We have made lots of progress and we have come a long way, but we still have much further to go. I do not believe we will ever get where we need to be unless we reinforce all of those processes that we have used to get us where we are. Keeping Title IX will continue the successes that we have seen with teams like the Bulldogs and with other athletic teams in the future.

Madam Speaker, I want to associate myself with the comments that the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) and the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) have made. While I stand in strong support of this resolution, and it is a great resolution, great ideas about what need to be done, but in reality, we need to get serious about the business of doing it.

The Congressional Black Caucus has a program called WOW, With Ownership Wealth, and in my congressional district, we have been going around promoting the purchase of homes by African Americans. We find that many people, once they reach the point where homeownership is in their mind, there is not the availability of homes that they can purchase. When we start talking about incomes of $25,000 and $30,000, people cannot purchase a $250,000 home. There must be affordable homes built.

Just recently a study was done that the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) is associated with the organization, pointed out there are 850,000 individuals at the Chicago metropolitan area who live at or near the level of poverty. If these individuals are going to be able to purchase a home, not only must there be mortgage money available, but there also has to be the affordability of a house that they can buy.

Madam Speaker, I support this resolution, strongly suggest that we find ways to implement the concepts of it and make real the idea that people can live in their house by the side of the road, and the only way we will do it is have affordable housing that they are able to purchase.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, as we discuss keeping children and families safe, I cannot help but be reminded of a popular song that Marvin Gaye used to sing, and the words went sort of like this. He says, ``Who will save the children? Who is willing to try? Who will save a world that is destined to die? Save the babies.''

The reality is, Mr. Speaker, that when we talk about protecting families and saving children and refuse to provide a meager tax credit for those at the bottom of the barrel, for those who can barely survive, who can barely make it, it seems to me we are being contradictory.

It is abusive in my mind when we refuse to fully fund education so that every child can have a meaningful head start, to get a grip and a handle on life. It is abusive when we leave children out of being protected so that they can have the kind of health care that they need. And it is certainly abusive that we have 2.7 million people who have lost their jobs in the last 2 years and cannot find a way to really make it. And while I agree that programs and activities are always good and meaningful and beneficial, policies are even better.

I would hope that as we try and find these ways to protect our children, that which would protect their families by giving them a meaningful opportunity to earn a living, to have a job, to have the monies that are needed so that they are not frustrated and resort to behavior that causes them, in many instances, to abuse children.

So, Mr. Speaker, I would have to ask, who will save the world? Who is willing to try? Who will save a world that is destined to die? Let us save the children.