Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, on July 8, 2007 there will be a grand celebration honoring the 100th birthday celebration of Mr. Herbert Woodard, Sr., a resident of my Congressional District--Wilson, North Carolina. On this special occasion, Mr. Woodard's family, friends and members of the community will join together to pay special tribute to this extraordinary man.

Mr. Woodard is a remarkable person with an entrepreneurial spirit. Although he only received a fourth grade education, his work ethic demonstrates that diligence and determination produce lifetime rewards. As a self-employed businessman, Mr. Woodard's businesses have ranged from that of a gas station to baseball parks and hotels. He sold and delivered coal to local businesses, and has even cleaned septic tanks. As an accomplished and humble businessman, he has gained the respect and admiration of his community.

Madam Speaker, although a skilled and savvy businessman, Mr. Woodard always makes a practice of giving back to the community. Each holiday season, Mr. Woodard gives turkeys to senior citizens at his church. He also donates to charitable organizations that provide services to children and veterans.

It is with great pride that I acknowledge the achievements of Mr. Woodard. His many accomplishments have made him a well recognized figure in Wilson, North Carolina. It is with sincere pride that I ask my colleagues to rise and join me in marking this monumental occasion in the life of Mr. Herbert Woodard, Sr.

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an outstanding citizen, Mrs. Martha Case Jarvis. Mrs. Jarvis was not a pioneer in the field of medicine, but she certainly found innovative ways of caring for the medical needs of her six children. Her field of expertise was not in the world of business, although she taught her children the importance of hard work. Mrs. Jarvis worked two jobs her entire life. She was an exceptional homemaker, and she worked tirelessly in the fields until her health no longer permitted. Between these two occupations, she instilled in her children integrity, honesty, diligence, faith, persistence, and the ability to see that hard work yields great rewards.

Mrs. Jarvis was born on June 14, 1917 to the late Joseph and Emily Case in the backwoods of Powells Point, North Carolina. She was the fifth of eight children and is now the sole survivor. Joseph Case was a Surfman in the United States Lifesaving Service, while Emily was the homemaker.

Madam Speaker, Mrs. Jarvis met, fell in love, and married Columbus Jarvis in 1934. This union produced six outstanding children: Norma Shirley of Barco, N.C.; Patricia Ann of Wappingers Falls, N.Y.; Ardella J. of Moyock, N.C.; Lenora J. of Elizabeth City, N.C.; William of Camp Springs, Md.; and Leonard of Freeport, N.Y. Norma, now retired, worked as a nurses' aid and was a homemaker like her mother. Patricia Ann, now retired, was a school teacher. Ardella, now retired, was a teacher's assistant. Lenora is currently serving as President, CEO, and Co- Founder of the River City Community Development Corporation. William III retired from the Air Force and is currently employed with the Army and Air Force Exchange System. Leonard is an Independent Insurance Account Executive and the assistant pastor of the Berean Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York. Martha Case Jarvis is the proud grandmother of fourteen and great-grandmother of seven children.

June 14th marks Mrs. Jarvis' 90th birthday. She has seen many significant historical events over the past 90 years, including six wars, more presidents than she can remember, and several heartbreaking national disasters. During her life Mrs. Jarvis has faced a countless number of personal trials, but she never faltered. She knew she had a family to raise and a home to run, and she did both with a lot of elbow grease, tenacity, and tender loving care.

Outside of her home, Mrs. Jarvis was very active in her church and community. She was a devoted member of the Eastern Stars. She was also one of the first African-Americans to qualify to register and vote in Currituck County.

While Martha Case Jarvis did not set the world on fire with inventions or miraculous medical cures, she has certainly made a difference to the hundreds of people she touched along the way. Her children are eternally grateful for her guidance and devotion, and they are honored to follow in her footsteps. I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to this outstanding citizen.

Mr. Speaker, the Democratic House listened to the American people and has begun moving our Nation in a new direction by passing more than 45 key measures over the last 5 months, most with bipartisan support.

Unfortunately, the President has been a stubborn opponent of progress for the American people. He has threatened to veto much of the House's work this year. This House voted to implement the unfulfilled recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, but the Bush administration opposes the bill in its current form.

This House overwhelmingly supported a 3.5 percent pay increase for our troops who are serving in combat, but the President has threatened a veto saying a 3 percent pay raise would be sufficient.

We passed strong price-gouging legislation that sets tough criminal penalties for wholesalers and retailers who attempt to gouge the public. The President's response? Another veto threat.

More often than not, the President is obstructing our efforts to move this Nation in a new direction.

Mr. Speaker, first let me thank the gentleman from Illinois for giving me this time to speak on this resolution today.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my friend, Congressman Walter Jones, and me in recognizing and congratulating this year's NCAA Division II men's college basketball champions from my hometown of Wilson, North Carolina, Barton College.

As Congressman Jones said a moment ago, he and I share Wilson County. And the campus is technically in my district, even though we both legitimately hold claim to that great institution.

In one of the most exciting basketball games that I have ever seen in my life, Mr. Speaker, the Barton College Bulldogs captured its first national title after senior guard Anthony Atkinson scored his team's final 10 points, including a layup at the buzzer, to rally Barton from a 74-67 deficit with just 45 seconds remaining. The improbable come- from-behind 77-75 victory was against a previously undefeated and defending national champion, Winona State University.

Mr. Speaker, the game capped a tournament full of last-second heroics for Barton College, as they won the semifinal game by one point on a last-second freethrow, and the quarterfinal

game on a buzzer-beating overtime three-pointer.

The tournament followed an equally exciting 31-5 season in which Barton College became the first team in the history of the NCAA basketball to win four consecutive overtime games. Throughout the tournament and the season, the team showed heart, toughness and tenacity and determination by finding ways to win no matter what the circumstances were. They have had tremendous and deserved support from a community that is so proud of this college and this team. As I was leaving Wilson yesterday, I stopped by the BB&T branch on West 9th Street and there was a large banner in front of the bank congratulating the Bulldogs. We are so proud of this team, and we want our Nation to know of our proud feeling for this team.

It is a great honor, therefore, Mr. Speaker, for me to recognize the success, efforts and achievements of these outstanding young student athletes, and their head coach, a great individual, Ron Lievense, and his staff. Their hard work and dedication to team work is something that we are all proud of in Wilson County and northeastern North Carolina.

I ask my colleagues to rise and join me in paying tribute to the Barton College basketball team.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 455) supporting the goals and ideals of National Internet Safety Month, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, June is National Internet Safety Month, and the resolution before us today highlights this designation. As a member of the Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I want to commend the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Bean) for introducing this resolution and for her efforts to protect our children from the lurking dangers on the Internet.

It is not hyperbole to say that the Internet is the most powerful tool ever developed for disseminating information to as many people as possible. Not since the invention of radio or, perhaps, since even the printing press, has a technological development so radically altered the means by which we spread information to the general public.

Moreover, the Internet has completely revolutionized the way in which we communicate with each other on an individualized basis. Not since the invention of the telephone has a technology revolutionized the way in which we interact with each other, one on one, regardless of distance or geography.

But, of course, with such great revolutions, there are always drawbacks. There will always be some who take advantage of the profound benefits provided by technology and use it for nefarious purposes. As marvelous as the Internet and the World Wide Web have become as a means of empowering ordinary people to communicate ideas in a manner that was once unimaginable, the Internet has also becoming a breeding ground, yes, a breeding ground for poisonous messages and images. It has become the modern, virtual wild, wild west where cyberbandits and thieves roam to prey on unsuspecting consumers by deception and by extracting from them sensitive private information.

And at its very worst, the Internet and the World Wide Web can be a complete snakepit, full of predators and scum who would prey on the most innocent and vulnerable members of our society, our children.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 455 supports the goals and ideals of National Internet Safety Month. The resolution before us recognizes the many national and community organizations that exist to educate parents and children on what steps they can take to protect their families from unsuitable content and from online predators.

The Federal Trade Commission is the crown jewel of the Federal Government's mission to protect consumers, and has played a critical role in this regard. In addition to its ongoing efforts to crack down on cybercrime, the Commission has engaged in a public relations campaign to promote awareness and online safety habits.

The FTC has established a 1-800 number which serves as a help line and as the designee where consumers can file complaints. Moreover, the Commission has set up a special Web site, www.OnGuardOnline.gov--that is www.OnGuardOnline.gov--to provide tips to consumers in protecting themselves and their children from Internet fraud.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, the FTC is engaged in a public awareness campaign to promote Internet safety through a child-friendly mascot named ``Dewie the Turtle,'' much the same way Smokey the Bear successfully promoted the prevention of forest fires.

In addition to the FTC's efforts, numerous private and community- based organizations exist to educate and empower parents, young children and teenagers to have a safe, wholesome Internet experience.

They all provide a commendable service that parents and consumers should use to help empower themselves against Internet dangers. These organizations are listed on the FTC's Web site, and I will include the list into the Record at this point.

For More Information

To learn more about staying safe online, visit the

following organizations:

Federal Trade Commission--www.OnGuardOnline.gov--The FTC

works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and

unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide

information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To

file a complaint or to get free information on consumer

issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-

877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet,

telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related

complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database

available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement

agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

The FTC manages OnGuardOnline.gov, which provides practical

tips from the federal government and the technology industry

to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your

computer, and protect your personal information.

GetNetWise--www.getnetwise.org--GetNetWise is a public

service sponsored by Internet industry corporations and

public interest organizations to help ensure that Internet

users have safe, constructive, and educational or

entertaining online experiences. The GetNetWise coalition

wants Internet users to be just ``one click away'' from the

resources they need to make informed decisions about their

and their family's use of the Internet.

Internet Keep Safe Coalition--www.iKeepSafe.org--

iKeepSafe.org, home of Faux Paw the Techno Cat, is a

coalition of 49 governors/first spouses, law enforcement, the

American Medical Association, the American Academy of

Pediatrics, and other associations dedicated to helping

parents, educators, and caregivers by providing tools and

guidelines to teach children the safe and healthy use of

technology. The organization's vision is to see generations

of children worldwide grow up safely using technology and the

Internet.

i-SAFE--www.i-safe.org--Founded in 1998 and endorsed by the

U.S. Congress, i-SAFE is a non-profit foundation dedicated to

protecting the online experiences of youth everywhere. i-SAFE

incorporates classroom curriculum with dynamic community

outreach to empower students, teachers, parents, law

enforcement, and concerned adults to make the Internet a

safer place. Join them today in the fight to safeguard

children's online experience.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children--

www.missingkids.com; www.netsmartz.org--NCMEC is a private,

non-profit organization that helps prevent child abduction

and sexual exploitation; helps find missing children; and

assists victims of child abduction and sexual exploitation,

their families, and the professionals who serve them.

National Crime Prevention Council--www.ncpc.org;

www.mcgruff.org--The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)

is a private, nonprofit organization whose primary mission is

to enable people to create safer and more caring communities

by addressing the causes of crime and violence and reducing

the opportunities for crime to occur. Among many crime

prevention issues, NCPC addresses Internet Safety with kids

and parents through www.mcgruff.org and public service

advertising under the National Citizens' Crime Prevention

Campaign--symbolized by McGruff the Crime Dog' and

his ``Take A Bite Out Of Crime'.''

National Cyber Security Alliance--www.staysafeonline.org--

NCSA is a non-profit organization that provides tools and

resources to empower home users, small businesses, and

schools, colleges, and universities to stay safe online. A

public-private partnership, NCSA members include the

Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Trade

Commission, and many private-sector corporations and

organizations.

staysafe--www.staysafe.org_staysafe.org_is an educational

site intended to help consumers understand both the positive

aspects of the Internet as well as how to manage a variety of

safety and security issues that exist online.

Wired Safety--www.wiredsafety.org--WiredSafety.org is an

Internet safety and help group. Comprised of unpaid

volunteers around the world, WiredSafety.org provides

education, assistance, and awareness on all aspects of

cybrcrime and abuse, privacy, security, and responsible

technology use. It is also the parent group of

Teenangels.org, FBI-trained teens and preteens who promote

Internet safety.

The measure before us today, Mr. Speaker, encourages consumers and parents to take advantage of these resources.

Again, I want to thank my good friend from Illinois, Congresswoman Bean. She's such a champion on this issue. I want to thank her for this resolution, and I hope the House will see fit to pass this measure in expeditious fashion.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 6 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Bean), the author of this resolution.

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

Madam Speaker, it is with tremendous pride that I rise today to pay tribute to a very special friend, lifelong resident of Weldon, NC, outstanding citizen, and former North Carolina State House of Representatives, Honorable Dock Monteria Brown, Sr. In almost every household in Halifax and Northampton County, Dock Brown is well known for his dedication to community service and public education. Dock is a retired principal, teacher and basketball coach. He continues to influence the lives of thousands of area residents through his tireless devotion. On this First Congressional District 3rd Annual Weldon Constituent Service Day, I am so pleased to pay tribute to Dock Brown for such exemplary service and dedication to our community.

After graduating with a masters of school administration and supervision degree from North Carolina Central University, Dock taught and coached at Eastman High School. Later, he became the Principal of Pittman High School. He was honored as the Coach of the Year in the Roanoke Chowan Athletic Conference in 1956, 1961, and 1962 and received the highest honor in the North Coastal Plain Athletic Conference in 1972, 1973 and 1974. Dock inspired his students to pursue athletics and academics while emphasizing the value of moral character and community service. Dock often reflects on how proud he feels when former students return thanking him for his guidance.

Before his election to the North Carolina State House as Representative of the District in 1992, Dock was a community leader in Weldon. His involvement in community and civic affairs is surpassed by few. For example, he was appointed to the Selection Committee for Superior Court Judges in 1983; North Carolina Drug Advisory Council from 1975 to 1976 and Halifax County Board of Commissioners from 1984 to 1992. He was Director of the Regional L Council of Commerce from 1990 to 1992; Treasurer of the North Carolina Association of Black County Officials; and Chairman of Riverstone Counseling and Personal Development. He served on the Halifax County Health Board from 1981 to 1985 and Community Based Alternative Task Force as Chairman from 1989 to 1990. Additionally, he was an active member in local political and civic organizations such as the Halifax County Democratic Party; Halifax County Board of Elections; North Carolina Power; Halifax County Coalition for Progress; the Halifax County NAACP, and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service State Advisory Board. In addition to his dedication to North Carolina, Dock served in the United States Army in Korea for 2 years. He received an Honorable Discharge with the rank of Sergeant.

Dock has been married for over 50 years to the former Helen L. Brooks, a retired teacher. They have a daughter and son, Ivy and Dock Jr. Their son-in-law is LTC Terence Singleton and their grandson is Terry Singleton. Dock is currently a member of the Board of Com-

missioners for the Town of Weldon and has been a Deacon at the First Baptist Church in Roanoke Rapids for the past 50 years.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to rise and join me in paying tribute to this outstanding citizen, the Honorable Dock Monteria Brown, Sr.

Mr. Speaker, last week, congressional Democrats accomplished something the Republican ``do-nothing'' Congress could not do. We passed a final budget through both the House and Senate.

Over 3 of the last 5 years, the Republican-led Congress failed to reach agreement on a final budget resolution, leading to unparalleled deficit spending. Unlike our Republican predecessors, this new Democratic Congress has produced a fiscally responsible budget that serves as a blueprint for investing in America's priorities, providing tax cuts to middle-class families, and balances the budget in just 5 years without raising taxes. Not even the President's proposed budget comes out of the red after 5 years.

Mr. Speaker, budgets serve as a blueprint of a Congress' priorities. Our final budget strengthens our military readiness and invests in our troops and veterans. It also spurs innovation to boost our economy and expands investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce global warming and our dangerous dependence on foreign oil.

Democrats vowed to run this Congress differently, and we have, by producing a final budget agreement.

Madam Speaker it is with tremendous pride that I rise today to pay tribute to Petty Officer Mario M. Vittone of the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard selected him as the Coast Guard Enlisted Person of the Year for 2006. Officer Vittone demonstrated outstanding resourcefulness, leadership, and competence while serving at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina from January 1, 2006 to December 2006.

While performing the demanding duties of a Night Shift Supervisor for the Aviation Survival Technician Shop as the Senior Duty Rescue Swimmer, he applied his experience in rescue swimmer procedures, aviation maintenance techniques, and team management toward creating a standard operating procedures handbook. A brilliant mentor, he also designed a web-based service-wide exam study guide for all members of the unit and conducted daily training sessions to aid them in exam preparation. His unmatched efforts directly improved the readiness posture of the entire station and helped junior Coast Guard personnel score higher on exams.

Petty Officer Vittone used his expertise to author more than eight separate articles in areas ranging from survival to leadership. An accomplished writer, many of his articles have been published and are used as a reference by the Leadership Development Center at the Coast Guard Academy. Most recently, one of his articles was submitted for publication in the Winter 2006 issue of On-Scene Magazine.

With his stellar reputation for instilling commitment to operational excellence, he has delivered inspirational speeches to graduating companies as well as visitors at Training Center Cape May. Repeatedly, his motivating words capture the audience's attention and draw compliments from attendees.

His selfless contributions go beyond the Coast Guard and are evident in the community. As a testament to his unquestionable character, he endured a rigorous screening process to be hand-selected as an advocate for abused and neglected children in the Virginia Court System.

Petty Officer Mario M. Vittone's previous awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Coast Guard Achievement Medal (3), Commandant's Letter of Commendation, Coast Guard Basic Training Honor Graduate, Coast Guard Rifle Expert Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal (2). Through his exceptional achievement and performance, he has proven himself as a worthy and distinguished recipient of this award. His dedication, judgment, and devotion to duty are most heartily commended and uphold the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with Congressmen Jones, Price, Watt, Etheridge, McIntyre, Miller and Shuler, all of North Carolina, to honor and observe the 70th birthday of our four-term Governor of North Carolina, the Honorable James B. Hunt, Jr.

Over the years my long-time and dear friend, Governor Hunt, has successfully dedicated so much of himself to public service. He is a man of immense vision with an extraordinary ability to implement his vision with great results. That vision has often been focused on education.

Governor Hunt's list of accomplishments is long and highly distinguished in the area of education. He led efforts to establish the State's primary reading program. He also spearheaded the efforts to reduce class sizes and prevent students from dropping out of school. Governor Hunt assumed the lead role in establishing the State's school of science and mathematics, the Microelectronics Center of North Carolina, and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.

Smart Start, which was established under Governor Hunt's leadership, has become a nationally recognized and award-winning public-private partnership that ensures that children enter school healthy and ready to succeed. The program helps provide quality child care, health care and family support for every child in need, and there are now 14 States using this model.

Governor Hunt also assisted with establishing one of the most rigorous approaches to measuring student performance, requiring mastery before promotion and graduation, and providing assistance to turn around failing schools.

He did not allow these initiatives, or any of the many others he headed, to stand alone after he signed them into law. Instead, he demanded follow-through and results, and he got them. A study by the RAND Corporation found that our public schools raised their test scores more than any other State in the 1990s.

Governor Hunt's strong-held belief that the key to a quality education is great teaching has benefited students well beyond North Carolina's borders. In fact, it has benefited students and teachers throughout our Nation.

As the founding Chair for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Governor Hunt was a driving force in fulfilling the promise of improving student achievement by raising the standards. Today, virtually every State and more than 25 percent of all school districts offer financial rewards or incentives for teachers seeking certification.

Madam Speaker, the economic value of an education and knowledge was well understood by Governor Hunt long before people started talking about its central role in the global economy.

Madam Speaker, Governor Hunt has also led the way in opening up the Democratic Party of our State to full participation by minority citizens. As Governor, Governor Jim Hunt appointed many African American lawyers to the trial bench and appellate court benches to hold positions that had been virtually impossible for them to otherwise obtain. Many of them now serve as judges with distinction, and it was Governor Hunt who made that happen.

In closing, we are honored today to recognize this great man of conviction, principle, and exceptional character on such a joyous occasion. I ask you to join us in congratulating the ``Education Governor,'' the Honorable James B. Hunt, Jr., on his 70th birthday, and in wishing him and his wife, Carolyn, many more years of happiness and accomplishment.

Mr. Speaker, it seems that every year as we close in on Memorial Day, gas prices sky-rocket to new record highs. Unfortunately, this year there is no exception.

For 6 years under Republican leadership, Congress has failed to enact a comprehensive energy strategy needed to help stabilize the price of gas and make America more energy independent. Under the Republican leadership, energy policy was little more than corporate welfare, handing over billions of dollars in tax breaks to oil companies and gas companies experiencing record profits. As a result of those policies, American families are paying a higher price every time they go to the pump.

Under the new leadership, this House has already supported a rollback of those multi-billion dollar taxpayer subsidies to big oil companies so that we can invest in efficiency and renewable forms of energy.

Mr. Speaker, it is time to help the working families struggle to pay the prices at the pump. We must bring down prices and make America energy independent. With a comprehensive energy policy we can and should and will accomplish this goal.

Mr. Speaker, last week, President Bush had a chance to change the direction of the war in Iraq, but he rejected it. He rejected a plan that would finally hold the Iraqi Government accountable for meeting the benchmarks that he laid out earlier this year.

According to the nonpartisan Brookings Institute, the Iraqi Government is failing to meet the political benchmarks they were supposed to make. By vetoing the bill, the President was condoning such inaction.

The President claims the situation is getting better in Iraq. Wrong. April was the deadliest month of the year and one of the deadliest of the entire war.

Retired General William Odom said last week, and I'm quoting, ``No effective strategy can be devised for the United States until it begins withdrawing its forces from Iraq. Only that step will break the paralysis that now confronts us.''

General Odom is correct. Today our troops are serving as referees in a deadly civil war that shows no end in sight. This Congress offered the President a dramatic change, and he rejected it. We're not going to give up, because ending this war is simply too important.

Madam Speaker, as the World Health Assembly prepares to meet in Geneva this May, Taiwan is applying to the World Health Organization as a member under the name ``Taiwan.''

For years, Taiwan has been excluded from the activities of the World Health Organization; thus the health rights of the 23 million Taiwan people have not been represented. Taiwan paid high prices for the enterovirus outbreak in 1998 and SARS in 2003; Taiwan should not be left out of the global disease prevention network.

The United States government has always encouraged Taiwan to seek meaningful participation in international organizations and if Taiwan were barred from World Health Organization activities, opportunities for Taiwan's government and people to make contributions to world health affairs would be severely impeded.

I therefore urge my colleagues to speak up for Taiwan's right to participate in the activities of the World Health Organization. Fighting disease is a worldwide issue; no country or people should be excluded from WHO's activities due to political considerations.

I come to the floor this afternoon to thank, first, the chairman of the committee, Mr. George Miller of California, for his tireless work in this area, and also the gentlelady from Texas.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 1429. There is no question, Mr. Chairman, that America needs more minority teachers in Head Start classrooms. I represent the First Congressional District of North Carolina, which is the 15th poorest district in the Nation. I can tell you that Head Start is making a difference in my congressional district.

I encourage the continuation of the program. I urge the adoption of this resolution.

Madam Speaker, it is absolutely correct: 4 years ago President Bush stood before this sign declaring ``Mission Accomplished,'' but today he insists on staying the course. To accomplish our own mission, President Bush needs to listen. He needs to listen to the retired military generals who support the approach of this Congress.

Retired MG Paul Eaton said, ``This bill gives General Petraeus great leverage for moving the Iraqi Government down the more disciplined path laid out by the Iraq Study Group.

LTG William Odom said, ``The bill gives the President a chance to pull back from a disastrous course, reorient U.S. strategy to achieve regional stability, and win help from many other countries, the only way peace will eventually be achieved.''

Major General Montano said the bill ``not only reflects the thinking of the

Iraq Study Group but puts teeth to the phrase of `supporting our troops.'''

Madam Speaker, the President needs to listen. He needs to listen to these retired generals.

And, Mr. President, I will not address you directly, but I would ask you, Madam Speaker, to allow me to say that the bill will be on his desk this afternoon.

Madam Speaker, I also want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey, my friend Congressman Donald Payne, for his tireless efforts on behalf of the continent of Africa and other related issues. I also want to thank the gentlewoman from California for her work on this resolution. And, hopefully, we will pass this resolution and move forward with greater work of this Congress.

Madam Speaker, this Nation has yet to fully come to terms with and recognize the institution of slavery that existed in this country for so long. Slavery is perhaps the most underrecognized crime against humanity in the history of the world.

Madam Speaker, I am often asked about my light complexion. Some people do it out of curiosity and it does not offend me, but I am often asked about my complexion. It is a fact that I am indeed an African American. My great-grandmother was a slave.

And my great grandfather was the slave master. And my situation is not unique. The enslavement of millions of people who were taken from the west coast of Africa still affects millions of Americans today.

I represent the First Congressional District of North Carolina. My area of the country was one of the destinations of the slave trade. My congressional district today suffers from the effects from slavery. My constituents, half of whom are African American, suffer from disparities across the spectrum. I can trace directly these conditions to the fact that their foreparents were legally denied citizenship and the benefits of citizenship. Even after slavery ended, the United States continued to disrespect black citizens and forced them to endure inferior schools, health care, income and the like.

In my hometown of Wilson, North Carolina, my mother did not have access to a public education beyond the sixth grade. Had she lived in the rural area of my county, she would not have had the benefit of any education, save only a token opportunity offered by black churches. When my mother left the sixth grade, she was given an opportunity to move to another city to get an education, and it made a difference. She returned to our home community and became a teacher for 48 years and instilled in my generation the importance of education. There were hundreds of thousands who were denied educational opportunities, and their descendants today continue to suffer.

Madam Speaker, we have a tremendous responsibility as a Nation to remedy past wrongs. This resolution commemorating the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade is a step in the right direction. We must do more. Poverty is pervasive. This Congress must set the tone and begin the process of healing and remedy the cruelty of slavery and racial discrimination.