Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I want to add my voice to the voices of the others in commending our troops for the bravery, the courage, in following their command. I too am not a war supporter, but I support Americans. I support America.

I am so pleased that in the supplemental budget we were able to recognize that those on the home front have to respond and that there is money in this budget for the hometown response, because that is what it is going to boil down to.

Mr. Speaker, as we exit the battlefield, as we leave Iraq, we must address our attention to the constant threat of terrorism that I am sure we are going to have to endure; and I would hope that we would address our attention to finding Osama bin Laden, because he indeed has been very effective in the threat to this Nation.

So I am very pleased to have voted ``aye'' for the supplemental. Let us bring our troops home. Let us see that they have the services and that they are well. I commend them. We all love them.

God bless America.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to strongly urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 6.

The electricity provisions contained in title VII of H.R. 6 would, among other things, repeal the Public Utility Holding Company Act enacted during the Great Depression era that has protected investors and consumers from unconstrained market power by huge utility holding companies.

The title also includes transmission siting provisions which preempt not only State decisions about which new or expanded electricity lines should be built in local communities, but also Federal authority to decide whether lines should not built in our national parks and other public places.

The Republican bill's aggressive efforts to deregulate the electricity market not only exacerbates the sort of manipulation that occurred in California's electricity market from 2000 through 2001 that cost consumers $45 billion, it ignores any lesson that could be learned from Enron and other fraudulent players' actions in my State, my State of California, and further weakens Federal and State oversight abilities.

I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against the bill.

Mr. Speaker, a crucial opportunity was missed this spring to bring peace to Cypress. Almost 3 decades of illegal occupation have kept the Cypriot nation divided and its people, both Greek and Turkish Cypriots, in a dangerous limbo. Cypress has a rich tradition as the crossroads of trade and culture in the Eastern Mediterranean. Yet, in spite of history and geography, those living in the occupied zone have been isolated from the rest of the world for close to 30 years because of the intransigence of their leaders. While unoccupied Cypress has fared better, the fact of the division of Cypress still leaves fear, doubt, and uncertainty in the minds of all Cypriots.

This month Cypress will join the European Union. This act is a testament to the will and the industry of the Cypriot people, building an economy which is the envy of many of its neighbors. But the celebration of the EU membership will be bittersweet for many Cypriots, knowing that their country will not join the EU as a whole, but still as a nation illegally divided.

This fact was not inevitable. The Cypriot people, both Greek and Turkish, have repeatedly demonstrated their desire to end the division of their nation and integrate themselves into modern Europe, but the old men that hold power in northern Cyprus refuse to free their people to join the 21st century. The Secretary General, as my colleagues know, of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, who worked tirelessly to bring peace to Cyprus, left no doubt this week as to who was to blame for the failure of the talks.

Rauf Denktash, the self-styled head of the Cypriot separatists, refused to negotiate in good faith to resolve this 30-year-old dispute. In fact, Denktash went so far as to refuse to put a Cyprus peace agreement to his people in a referendum. His refusal is likely because he knows full well that even the Turkish Cypriots he purports to represent would embrace peace if given the opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, it is time to end this illegal and artificial division of the Cypriot nation, and I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I urge the President to apply renewed energy to convince the Turkish Government that ending its occupation of Cyprus and supporting peace there could be the most crucial thing Turkey could do to right a wrong.

Madam Speaker, the budget shortchanges the security of cities and towns across America. The next terrorist we catch might be caught by the FBI, but it is more likely that they will be found by local law enforcement, like the routine traffic stop in April of 2001, where a police officer pulled over none other than the 9-11 ring leader Mohammed Atta.

It is not clear that the 9-11 attacks could have been prevented by a traffic stop, but what should be clear is that even if our government has information on would-be terrorists, local law enforcement is still out of the loop.

The President and the Republican leaders in Congress both ignore this issue in their budgets. While we spend billions to tear down and rebuild Iraq, the Republican budget shortchanges the local police officers, firefighters, and other first responders who are America's first defense against terror.

In my own district, the community of Culver City, California, is right next to the Los Angeles International Airport. They need our support with first responders.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1584, the Clean Diamond Trade Act. Over the past decade, many brutal civil wars throughout Africa have been financed with the sale of diamonds. These so-called conflict diamonds have been especially useful to the brutal Sierra Leone rebel organization, the Revolutionary United Front, which has been trading these diamonds to fund its war against the government of Sierra Leone.

This bill implements the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, which prohibits importing rough diamonds into the United States unless they have been certified as not originating from areas where the diamond trade finances or generates violent conflict. In essence, this bill prohibits the importation of any rough diamond that has not been controlled through the Kimberly Process.

Mr. Speaker, I plan to introduce a bill in the next few days that also supports and endorses the Kimberly Process, but also encourages the global diamond industry, as represented by the World Diamond Council, to step up to the plate and establish a fund to support a variety of programs that will aid in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of African nations traumatized by civil wars financed through the diamond trade.

I believe the diamond industry, which has reaped the financial rewards

of trade with nations engulfed in civil war, must also take responsibility in assisting these nations to heal the wounds of war and creating a just and lasting peace in those countries. While there have been a number of groups within the gemstone industry that have been responsive, others have not yet chosen to acknowledge the humanitarian emergency that the trade in conflict diamonds has produced.

Mr. Chairman, I support the McGovern amendment because Los Angeles is a very likely target for a terrorist attack. Our city is known worldwide for its famous landmarks and notable economic assets.

Local transportation hubs, such as the port of Los Angeles and Los Angeles International Airport, are the transit points each day for thousands and millions of people and millions of dollars' worth of goods.

LAX is a center of international tourism, not just for the Southern California area but for the Nation as a whole, accomodating more than 60 million passengers from 28 different countries. LAX handles more than 2 million tons of airborne cargo each year.

We talk about the lives of people being affected by drugs coming up from Colombia, but what about the lives of people who might be at the wrong place at the wrong time because they happen to be at LAX, and we have not allocated the funds to help the first responders?

Mr. Chairman, it is a matter of priority. As we have heard over and over

again this afternoon, money has been allocated to Colombia, but not a dime has been allocated to help the first responders handle an incident at Los Angeles Airport, or at Los Angeles' ports.

Mr. Chairman, I ask the Members not to leave us that vulnerable. When we talk about life, think about the lives that could be lost because we do not have the first responders funded to be able to meet the need.

I urge an ``aye'' vote on this amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from California for organizing this time.

Mr. Speaker, our Armed Forces have now been at war for almost 2 weeks. Over 40 members of the coalition have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Scores of others have been injured. Sadly, there is no doubt in our minds that U.S. casualties of war will rise, even as we all pray for their swift and safe return.

Later this week, each of us will be asked to support a $75 billion supplemental appropriation. In part, it will pay for the war effort. A few weeks ago, we were asked to support a budget, minus money for the war effort, that drastically reduced funding for the veterans health care and other benefit programs, a cut of $28.8 billion over 10 years; and today, we have been asked to support a motion to send to conference the same flawed Republican budget that slashes veterans benefits in order to preserve President Bush's tax cuts for wealthy Americans.

In effect, we have been asked by President Bush and the Republican leadership to support funding for the war, support tax cuts for the wealthy and, at the same time, to drastically cut back our soldiers' benefits once they return from the battlefield in Iraq. And even more cruel, we have been asked by the President and Republican leadership to reduce survivor benefits, those that go to the spouses and the children of our service people who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Mr. Speaker, as others have said, there is no honor in this approach. It is shameful at a time when our dedicated men and women of the Armed Forces are in the field fighting, perhaps to be subjected to attack with chemical or biological weapons, that the President and the Republican leadership have made the choice to underfund our veterans programs.

How can this Congress even consider cutting benefits to our veterans during a time of war? What kind of message are we sending to American men and women in uniform overseas? When they come home, what do we tell them, Thanks for your service to our Nation, but now you are on your own, no thanks?

Mr. Speaker, our veterans deserve better than this. They deserve better than to come home and find that their health care coverage has been reduced, but their enrollment fees and copayments have been increased. They deserve better than to come home to discover that the President and the Republican leadership have decreased spending for Montgomery GI educational benefits and subsidies for VA home loans.

Mr. Speaker, the Republican budget simply disregards the needs of our veterans. It is so shameful in its disregard of their needs that the Disabled American Veterans asked the following question, and we have heard it quoted this evening: ``Is there no honor left in the hallowed halls of our government that you choose to dishonor the sacrifices of our Nation's heroes and rob our programs, health care and disability compensation, to pay,'' to pay for what, to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy, those who lie back and say send them while I enjoy my luxury here at home?

That is reprehensible, Mr. Speaker, and I ask that we preserve the honor of this hallowed institution by restoring cuts to the veterans programs and do it now.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for title IX. As my colleagues may know, title IX is facing sharp criticism from the Bush administration for being discriminatory. Despite the overwhelming successes and support that title IX enjoys, Secretary Rod Paige created the Commission on Opportunity and Athletics to determine whether this measure needs to be updated for the 21st century. The commission's recommendations could result in the loss of thousands of slots on teams for female athletes and millions of scholarship dollars.

Donna de Varona and Julie Foudy, Olympic Gold medalists and members of the commission, refused to sign the proposed changes to title IX. In their minority report, Foudy and de Varona cited various problems in the commission's process, including the omission of representatives of high school athletics, failure to examine potential remedies for discrimination against women and girls, and profound imbalance of viewpoints in panelist testimonies. Even though Secretary Paige said he would not consider certain controversial proposals to alter the landmark legislation, there is growing concern over his sincerity, since he did not withdraw the recommendation to use interest surveys to estimate how many girls are available to participate in sports. Both de Varona and Foudy withdrew their support of this proposal.

There is concern from the Bush administration that title IX has adversely affected men's sports programs, such as gymnastics and wrestling. However, these sports faced the greatest decline since 1982 and 1992, when there was little enforcement of title IX. There are reports that programs such as football and men's basketball take more than their fair share of the athletic budget, leaving insufficient funds for other sports, regardless of gender.

When rethinking title IX, we must go back to its original purpose, and that is to ensure that ``no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.'' I support, Mr. Speaker, equal opportunity for both sexes and believe resources can be allocated under title IX to both male and female athletic programs in an equitable manner.

Title IX does not apply solely to athletics. It includes access to educational programs too. Title IX and the Women's Educational Equity Act of 1974 have opened doors for women seeking a college or postgraduate degree. In 1972, the year title IX was signed, women earned just 7 percent of all law degrees. By 1997 they received 44 percent. Five years after title IX was signed, women earned only 9 percent of all medical degrees. But because of title IX, 41 percent received medical degrees.

So we see title IX indeed can work.

Education is the key to a better life, and title IX has greatly aided a woman's ability to achieve the American dream. I will continue to support title IX and to encourage my colleagues to do the same. It is a question of equity, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, our Armed Forces are now at war. They are performing the duties which they have been preparing for their whole careers. They are the best-trained and the best-equipped military in the world. We have no doubt that they will prevail, but we also have no doubt that their task is perilous and difficult. All of America supports them and we pray for their swift and safe return.

Last week, Members of Congress had the chance to cast a vote in support of our troops in the field. I do not refer to the resolution congratulating the President. Instead, I refer to the vote on the President's budget for this fiscal year. In fact, a vote against the President's budget was a vote for our troops. I find it shameful that at a time when our dedicated men and women of the

Armed Forces are in the field fighting, perhaps subjected to attacks from chemical and biological weapons, that the President of the United States and the Republican leadership have not felt it necessary to include in their budget one dime to support their efforts. I cannot think of a more stunning vote of no confidence, a bigger slap in the face of our troops than to send them into battle and then refuse to pay for it.

It is not that there have not been estimates of what this war might cost. Those estimates have been reported in the media for several months now, and we now belatedly have a request for this funding from the President; but the President pointedly refused to provide us with numbers last week so that Congress could include them in the budget and make sure the war is paid for.

Now, I personally find it hard to believe that last week we had no idea what the war would cost and that this week we suddenly have a full and accurate accounting. Does the price of ammunition fluctuate that much? Did the White House really have no sense of the cost of providing 300,000 troops with resources in the desert?

Or perhaps there is another more practical reason. Perhaps the President is afraid that if the budget reflected the cost of war, Americans might ask the President to hold off on a huge tax cut for his wealthiest supporters, tax cuts that by themselves cost more than 10 times what the President thinks it will cost to remove Saddam Hussein from power. I think it is scandalous that this administration will send our troops into the field and risk their lives and refuse to budget for it simply so they can justify huge tax cuts for the wealthy.

Mr. Speaker, the right thing for us to do now is to reconsider this budget resolution to factor in the $75 billion that the President estimates it will cost to remove Saddam Hussein from power. We owe nothing less to our troops who as we speak are being asked to put their lives on the line. If Americans do the numbers, they see that we cannot give a tax cut and pay for the war up to this point. I understand there will be subsequent proposals given to us to continue our efforts, and I understand just today, we are not looking for weapons of mass destruction, we are looking for a regime change. So what will be the cost of setting a new regime in place? Do we have a Marshall Plan? What is our policy? I think Americans should know what their hard-earned tax dollars must do in the future.

Mr. President, please give us the full story, please give us the amount that it is going to cost us because the cost in terms of the lives of our coalition members and Americans is just too high.

Mr. President, do the right thing.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. Speaker, Abdul Henderson was called up as a Marine Reserve to go to Iraq. I am hoping and praying that he was not aboard that helicopter. As soon as I leave these Chambers, I will make a call out to Los Angeles.

He is the son of one of my employees. We saw him off. I support and I honor our troops for they are following commands, and I think the most honorable thing we can do is take them out of harm's way.

There is no way I can support this resolution because it speaks to a war that I feel is unnecessary and unjustifiable.

Even after we succeed in Iraq, is America going to be any safer? Because I remember the President talking about the Axis of Evil, Iran and North Korea. So I pray every day for our troops and their families. And let us do the right thing. Never, ever again should America do a preemptive strike. Why do we not do what we need to do, and that is go after Osama bin Laden, who has been proven to be an effective terrorist.

Bring our men and women home, and let us honor them so they can come back to their families.

God bless America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express concern with the President's $15 billion over 5 years proposal on HIV/AIDS funding for Africa. I commend the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), the CBC and my Congressional colleagues who have worked selflessly to address this important global health issue.

My question is, are we going to see the results that we need, given the proposed funding levels? HIV/AIDS knows no continental boundary, no religious belief, no government ideology, no sexual orientation, and, most significantly, HIV/AIDS is color-blind. HIV/AIDS does exploit those people who are information-deprived and the financially challenged.

In our global community, many countries suffer from a lack of information and resources. On the continent of Africa, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has reached catastrophic proportions. There were 2.4 million new infections last year, and 3.5 million deaths. With over 29.4 million Africans living with HIV, it would be foolish to turn a blind eye and wish the problem away or to think that the global HIV/AIDS pandemic does not affect the United States.

Mr. Speaker, despite the size of the President's commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS, $15 billion over 5 years, $10 billion of which would be new funds, I stand disappointed by the size of his current budget request. HIV/AIDS funding has only been theoretically increased in the FY 2004 budget and many key programs will be underfunded. By providing over $2 billion for the coming year, of which $285 million is for research, and back-loading the bulk of the funding, the President's approach of slowly phasing in the funds will write off the lives of millions who need assistance now.

Based on a budget analysis of this FY 2004 request, $1.71 billion, compared with the FY 2003 omnibus bill of $1.363 billion, the President is barely providing $380 million in additional funding this year. Mr. Speaker, this is a typical use of rhetoric that this administration utilizes too well. Congress must address this important global issue with the proper funding.

The President is taking away nearly $15 million from USAID's Infectious Disease Program and is reducing our contribution to the global fund by $150 million from the FY 2003 levels. This kind of accounting is unacceptable and should not be included as part of the President's pledge for $10 billion in new money. How can this administration tell Congress and America that we will fight the HIV/ AIDS pandemic with $15 billion, and, at the same time, cut contributions to two major global programs?

Lip service will not stop the virus. Lip service will not save people that are suffering and dying. Lip service will not provide a plastic bubble that keeps HIV/AIDS out of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, directly after the tragic events of 9/11, President Bush asked for $40 billion to fund homeland security and emergency relief efforts. Congress moved quickly in a bipartisan manner to address our national security needs.

HIV/AIDS funding is just as critical to our national security. National health is the cornerstone of our society. We have the money and are willing to use it when American ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are challenged.

I can think of no greater danger to the quality of American life than the very real threat that AIDS poses to undermining nation states around the world.

Mr. Speaker, the only way to truly defeat HIV/AIDS is to develop a comprehensive strategy that utilizes the strengths of bilateral and multilateral institutions. The plan must also focus on the rapid disbursement of funds to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and to treat those individuals who are both infected and affected by the pandemic.

I urge the President and all my colleagues to front-load the increases in global HIV/AIDS funding so that we can truly make a difference and confront the greatest health challenge of our time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to share the good news of the nomination of The Rosa Parks Story for an NAACP Image Award. It is nominated in the category of Outstanding Television Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special. Ms. Angela Bassett is also nominated for an award for Outstanding Actress for her portrayal of Rosa Parks. The film was directed by Ms. Julie Dash, who was also nominated for a Director's Guild of America award earlier this year. The Image Awards will be held this Saturday, March 8, and will air on television Thursday, March 13.

The Rosa Parks Story stars Angela Bassett, Cicely Tyson and Dexter Scott King, the son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The film brings to life the peaceful dissent an exhausted Rosa Parks showed on a crowded Montgomery, Alabama bus in 1955, and the Civil Rights Movement that ensued. The movie originally aired on television on February 24, 2002.

It is difficult for African American actor, directors and others in the industry to seek recognition for their hard work. The NAACP Image Awards is a premier event that acknowledges achievements of talented African Americans involved in the industry.

I was honored to host a congressional screening of the film, The Rosa Parks Story, last year prior to the film's television debut. I had the good fortune then of meeting Ms. Angela Bassett, Ms. Cicely Tyson, Ms. Julie Dash and many others who were instrumental in the success of this movie. I particularly want to acknowledge the contributions of Mr. Willis Edwards. His work as Executive Producer of the film was instrumental in its success.

This film has held meaning and significance for me personally, and it brings me great joy to see this work nominated for an NAACP Image Award. I wish all those who were involved the best at the awards ceremony on March 8th!

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today and share the news that a good friend and colleague of mine, Mr. Willis Edwards, received a prestigious Christopher Award for his work as an Executive Director of the film, The Rosa Parks Story. The awards ceremony was held last month, on February 27th, in New York City.

The Rosa Parks Story stars Angela Bassett, Cicely Tyson and Dexter Scott King, the son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The film brings to life the peaceful dissent an exhausted Rosa Parks showed on a crowded Montgomery, Alabama bus, in 1955, and the Civil Rights Movement that ensued. The movie originally aired on television on February 24, 2002.

It is difficult for African American actors, directors and others in the industry to receive recognition for their hard work in the entertainment industry. I am pleased that the Christopher was able to recognize and acknowledge the outstanding performance and talent of Mr. Edwards as well as others involved in the film.

I was honored to host a congressional screening of the film, The Rosa Parks Story, last year prior to the film's television debut. I had the good fortune then of meeting Ms. Angela Bassett, Ms. Cicely Tyson, Ms. Julie Dash and many others who were instrumental in the success of this movie. Ms. Julie Dash was nominated for a prestigious Director's Guild of America Award earlier this year for her work directing the film.

The film received two nominations for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Television Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special, and for Ms. Angela Bassett's performance as Ms. Rosa Parks.

This film has held meaning and significance for me personally, and it brings me great joy to see Mr. Willis Edwards' work acknowledged with a Christopher Award.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share my pride over the nomination of Ms. Julie Dash for a prestigious Director's Guild Award for her work on The Rosa Parks Story. She was nominated in the category of Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television for 2002. The winners will be announced at the 55th Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, March 1, 2003 at The Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. Ms. Dash is the only female nominated in this category this year.

The Rosa Parks Story stars Angela Bassett, Cicely Tyson and Dexter Scott King, the son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The film brings to life the peaceful dissent an exhausted Rosa Parks showed on a crowded Montgomery, Alabama bus in 1955, and the Civil Rights Movement that ensued. The movie originally aired on television on February 24, 2002.

It seems appropriate that Ms. Dash would be nominated for this award during Black History Month. African American actors, directors and others in the industry are hard-pressed to find meaningful, quality projects. Given these challenges, I am even more proud of Ms. Dash's achievement today.

Ms. Dash's own story of success is also very inspiring. She was born and raised in New York City, and in 1992 became the first African American woman to have her film, Daughters of the Dust, receive a full- length theatrical release. In 1994 Ms. Dash was chosen as one of the 100 Fearless Women by Mirabella magazine.

She has received numerous awards, including The Sojourner Truth Award from the New York Chapter of the Links, the Maya Deren Award from the American Film Institute, a Candace Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, and the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship.

I was honored to host a congressional screening of the film, The Rosa Parks Story, last year prior to the film's television debut. I had the good fortune then of meeting Ms. Dash, along with Ms. Cicely Tyson, Ms. Angela Bassett, and many others who were instrumental in the success of this movie. I particularly want to acknowledge the contributions of Mr. Willis Edwards in the production of this film. His work as producer of the film was instrumental in its success.

This film has held meaning and significance for me personally, and it brings me great joy to see Ms. Dash's work recognized by the Director's Guild of America. I wish her the best at the awards ceremony on March lst!

Thank you. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to echo my colleagues' concerns with the prevailing digital divide in African American communities.

As our society continues to make leaps and bounds in the digital information age, too many people are still left behind. It is especially evident in the African American communities, where currently only four out of ten African-Americans have access to internet access-- 30 points behind the national average. This sharp contrast continues to represent a very substantial and real divide in our society.

But the picture is not all gloomy. In 2001, for instance, internet usage among African Americans increased by 31 percent, as compared to 19 percent among whites. High-tech companies have also begun to focus on technological literacy among our nation's students, such as Microsoft's recent initiative to donate a $15 million software grant to Historically Black College and University campuses.

Now it's up to this Congress to do more. The Omnibus Appropriations bill we just passed has under-funded many of the programs aimed to stimulate technological usage and access for more Americans, among them the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the Community Technology Centers (CTC), and the Technology Opportunities Program (TOP).

We must recommit ourselves to those resources. We must also maintain an open market for competition in the telecommunications industry so that better services can be brought to more communities at lower prices.

I urge my colleagues today to work towards those goals.