Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a leader whose lifetime of public service reflected the very best of Wisconsin values. Senator Gaylord Nelson, the man credited with sparking the modern environmental movement, died July 3, at the age of 89.

Growing up in the small town of Clear Lake, Wisconsin, Senator Nelson developed a passion for the natural world, the protection of which became his highest political priority. He learned the true value of public service from the examples set by his parents, a small-town doctor and nurse who were known for treating neighbors in need regardless of their ability to pay. Though his political career would take him to Madison, WI, and then on to our Nation's Capital, Washington, DC., he never lost the friendly and unpretentious character that marked his early years in Clear Lake.

Among elected officials, Senator Nelson's leadership is undeniable. He served three terms in Wisconsin's State Senate before being elected Governor in 1959. Four years later, he ascended to the U.S. Senate, where he served for 18 years.

His accomplishments are too numerous to list. He is most widely known as the founder of Earth Day, an annual celebration that mobilized public support for environmental stewardship and brought new political attention to the importance of protecting and preserving the natural world.

Building on the grassroots organizing that made Earth Day a success, Senator Nelson authored landmark conservation legislation at both the State and Federal levels. His legacy includes a huge array of public lands and park spaces, including the St. Croix Wild and Scenic Riverway, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and Governor Nelson State Park. He sponsored legislation to protect rivers and waterways. He co-sponsored laws protecting the Appalachian Trail, and banning the use of toxic chemicals like DDT and Agent Orange.

Most widely known for his commitment to conservation, Senator Nelson also made his mark in other areas, including consumer protection, ethics and opposition to the Vietnam War.

As remarkable as his legislative accomplishments was the appealing and unpretentious style for which he was known. A friend to all, Senator Nelson once remarked that he could never dislike anyone whom he took the time to know. He avoided partisan rancor, and developed lifelong friendships with many whose views he opposed on the Senate floor. While he clearly understood that maintaining relationships enabled his political accomplishments, his sincere regard for his contemporaries was never in question.

When his career as an elected official ended in 1980, Senator Nelson continued his environmental advocacy as chairman of the Wilderness Society. As recently as April of this year, Senator Nelson wrote to students at MacDowell Montessori in Milwaukee--the same school my own granddaughters attended--to hail their Earth Day celebration and urge them to adopt a lifelong commitment to the environment.

Mr. Speaker, millions of Americans owe a debt of gratitude to Senator Nelson for his efforts to protect the natural world around us. He understood that access to clean air, water, and wilderness is crucial not only for our physical survival, but also for our spiritual nourishment. I am thankful to him for his passionate pursuit of these public goods, and for the example of public service that I take as inspiration in my own career.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, July 11, on account of district business I was absent for votes on roll call numbers 363 and 364. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on both.

I was unavoidably detained and missed the vote on this amendment. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life of an esteemed advocate for equality, Mr. Wesley Scott. Mr. Scott, a longtime leader in the civil rights movement in Milwaukee, died May 28, 2005, at the age of 88.

The oldest of 18 children, Wesley Scott came of age in an impoverished community of West Virginia coal miners. After earning his B.A. from Xavier University in New Orleans in 1942, Mr. Scott went on to serve his country, fighting in the South Pacific during WWII. Upon returning home he continued his education, receiving his Masters degree from Ohio State University in 1950. By 1951, he was serving as Executive Director of the Massillon, Ohio, Urban League.

In 1958, Mr. Scott assumed the position of deputy executive director of the Milwaukee Urban League. Within a year he was promoted to executive director, a position he held for 23 years. At the helm of the Milwaukee Urban League, Mr. Scott distinguished himself with a dynamic yet dignified style of leadership. His contemporaries lauded his unflagging commitment to the advancement of African-Americans and poor people. He is credited with building bridges between white and black communities, seeking out opportunities for progress in a very difficult and often turbulent environment. Under his leadership, the Milwaukee Urban League became a premier organization in the fight for civil rights.

Even after leaving the Milwaukee Urban League, Mr. Scott continued to work for racial equality. As an advisor to the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, he helped open new doors for African-Americans in the corporate world, ensuring the development of a new class of African-American professionals in Milwaukee. He also worked on behalf of African-American businesses, advocating for stronger mechanisms to ensure that disadvantaged business enterprises would benefit from the construction of Miller Park.

Throughout his life, Wesley Scott was a tireless advocate for equality. Earlier this year, the Milwaukee Urban League announced plans to honor his legacy by transforming its headquarters into the Wesley L. Scott Senior Living Community. I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to salute Mr. Scott for his commitment to advancing equality and to celebrate the life he dedicated to serving our community.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 333, I inadvertently voted ``aye'' when I intended to vote ``no.'' Please have the Record reflect that I would have voted ``no.''

Amendment Offered by Mr. Hefley

Mr. Speaker, due to my questioning of witnesses at a hearing of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee yesterday morning, June 23, I just missed the vote on rollcall no. 304. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, June 20, I was unavoidably detained at the Base Realignment and Closure Commission's Regional Hearing in St. Louis, Missouri and therefore absent for votes on rollcall nos. 283, 284, 285, 286, and 287. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall nos. 283, 284, 285, 286, and 287.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, June 13, I was absent for votes on

rollcall No. 241 and 242. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall No. 241, and ``yes'' on rollcall No. 242.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment which seeks to restore funding for a program of vital importance to distressed and blighted communities, both in urban and rural areas which are being left behind at an astounding pace in our global economy.

The New Market Venture Capital program really was designed by this House in 2000 for the purpose of making equity investments in small businesses that operate in economically distressed communities through the creation of the New Market Venture Capital companies.

Most conventional venture firms, of course, are very risk-averse to invest in these economically distressed areas, and this program was designed to fill that gap in access to capital.

During the first round of awards, the New Market Venture Capital program developed a company to serve Appalachia, the Central Appalachian region of Ohio, Kentucky, Maryland and West Virginia, and they invested this first round $2.8 million in four companies to help these rural communities.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would provide $30 million in debenture guarantees and $5 million for operational assistance grants to fund the creation of a fresh round of New Market Venture Capital companies. And it is paid for by using funds from the Small Business Administration's salary and expense account.

Mr. Chairman, I have given you an example of how we have helped small rural areas, but I would like to call your attention to my own community in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which I think bears mentioning.

In 2002, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that 59 percent of African American males in Milwaukee were unemployed and out of the workforce. Since 1999, the unemployed residents of any color has increased by 80 percent. And in the last 5 years we have lost 33,000 manufacturing jobs. We know, of course, that small businesses create 75 percent of all new jobs and account for 99 percent of all employers.

Mr. Chairman, I would think that this would be a grand bipartisan effort. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

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

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

Mr. Chairman, I just want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.

Wolf) for his stewardship over these funds. I just want to respond to a couple of things that he said.

First of all, the balance of those funds for the New Venture Capital Program has been rescinded, so it is not available for another round.

Also, you know, I do not know where the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) received his figures about displacing 400 employees at the SBA. Certainly, I support the SBA and its functions, but we are talking here in this amendment about distressed communities and not disadvantages bureaucrats.

Mr. Chairman, I would offer to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) that if he were upset about the source of funding for this amendment, that he would not disparage the wonderful purpose of this amendment, but would rather seek to work with me to find ways to do this.

Surely we have an employment crisis. This initiative will help distressed communities versus just trying to buoy up a bureaucracy. Mr. Chairman, I would ask the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) to work with me.

Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of an outstanding high school in my district. On June 10, 2005, Spotted Eagle High School celebrates its Tenth Anniversary. For the past decade, Spotted Eagle High School has offered a supportive learning environment not only for the Native American students for whom it was designed, but for a multiracial body of at-risk youth whose needs require the intensive and individualized attention the school provides.

Spotted Eagle was established in 1994 by the Milwaukee Area American Indian Manpower Council in partnership with the Milwaukee Public Schools, the Milwaukee Area Technical College and the Indian Community School of Milwaukee.

Spotted Eagle High School's mission is to promote an appreciation for all cultures, emphasizing their relevance in today's society. The school endeavors to create a sense of community while emphasizing building skills that can contribute to students' self-reliance. The curriculum includes strong School- To-Work components; a culturally- integrated, competency-based, student-centered curriculum; and social services designed to meet the educational needs of their students and their families.

Mr. Speaker, it is a fact that many young people in Milwaukee face daunting challenges in completing their education because they live in poverty. Spotted Eagle High School recognizes those challenges, and provides specialized support services to assist students in coping with them as they strive to complete their educational goals. Case managers work directly with students to ensure that family needs are being addressed. Students at the school benefit from the emphasis on parental involvement, and access to health-related services and alcohol and drug awareness programs. Members of the school staff are rooted in the same cultural communities as the students they teach. Education and support program are designed to be relevant to students' cultural backgrounds, increasing the likelihood that students will stay in school and complete their education.

I know firsthand that caring and committed educators have the ability to empower students. I salute the staff, board members, present and former students and parents of Spotted Eagle High School for their efforts to transform the lives of Milwaukee's youth. I wish them the best as they celebrate their Tenth Anniversary, and look forward to celebrating many more milestones and achievements with them.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to proudly introduce H.R. 2695, the Safe Housing Identification Exemption for the Lives of Domestic Violence Victims, the SHIELD Act, with the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Harris). I know of the victims that have finally built up the courage to leave their abusive relationships and have nowhere to go but to a homeless shelter. I know of the women who every day are scared for their lives because their abusers are trying to track them down. I know of the victims who are so scared that they can be tracked down by their predators, and they probably would not seek housing assistance if they knew that HUD required them to disclose their personal information, their Social Security numbers, birth date and location into the homeless management information system database.

I am thinking of those abusers who have ready access to this personal information. They may be their partners. These abusers may work in one of these agencies and have ready access to this database.

I ask my colleagues to please support H.R. 2695, the SHIELD Act, to exclude personally identifying information. Reaching out for assistance is a really big step for these victims. Let us not put them in grave danger.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Safe Housing Identification Exemption for the Lives of Domestic Violence Victims (SHIELD) Act.

Mr. Speaker, I know of the victims that have finally built up the courage to leave their abusive relationships and have nowhere to go but a homeless shelter. I know of the women who everyday are scared for their lives because their abusers are trying to track them down.

Mr. Speaker, I know of the victims who want to feel safe, who want to believe that these federal agencies and services are there to protect them. And, ultimately all of our federal services are intended to effectively serve and protect our citizens.

But, I also know of the victims who are scared that they can be tracked down by their predators and probably would not seek housing assistance if they knew about the HUD requirement to disclose their personal information and location. All HUD homeless shelters and food banks, domestic violence centers and transitional housing receiving McKinney-Vento Funds are required to input personal identifying data into the Homeless Management Information System Database. This tracking database requires personal identifying information including names, Social Security numbers, date of birth, race and ethnicity. This personal information database can be easily accessed by personnel working in state, local and federal agencies.

Mr. Speaker, I am thinking of the victims whose abusers readily have access to this personal information. These abusers may work in one of these agencies or have the ability to access this database. All they would have to do is type in the victim's name or other identifying pieces of information and they would immediately know where the victim is staying or the domestic violence shelter they visited. A loophole like this is far too detrimental to their safety and could put many victims of domestic violence in further danger.

In order to address this problem, I have introduced the SHIELD Act along with my colleague from Florida, Katherine Harris. This bill would require any agency participating in the Homeless Management Information System to exclude personal identifying information of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Instead the legislation recommends the use of nonpersonal identifying information for data collection and statistical purposes.

Reaching out for assistance is already a big step for many victims of domestic violence. We should not put them in greater danger or deter them from seeking these valuable services because of an agency loophole. I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring the SHIELD Act.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to associate myself with the many sage comments of supporters of this amendment. The gentleman from Colorado has opined that the BRAC Commission would reach the same conclusion if we were to grant this extension. I really question that. Since we are at war, we have engaged in two wars since the BRAC Commission was last considering these bases, we have had many humanitarian requests for assistance. Our men and women in uniform have been stretched thin all across this country and throughout the world.

Mr. Chairman, I would ask that we support the Bradley amendment because I believe that a comprehensive examination of our future defense needs, our potential threats, have not been adequately reviewed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my gratitude to an outstanding leader within the Milwaukee educational community, Mr. Robert L. Peters. Mr. Peters, who worked in the Milwaukee Public Schools for over thirty years, is retiring this month as Principal of James Madison University High School. As an educator and principal, he made a difference in the lives of thousands of young Milwaukee residents.

Mr. Peters came to Milwaukee from Mississippi. He received a B.S. cum laude from Jackson State University in 1972, earning his M.S. shortly thereafter from the University of Southern Mississippi.

As a principal, Mr. Peters sought to address long-standing problems-- like discipline and attendance--in new ways. Ever an educator, he continued to teach and to develop new curricula throughout his career as an administrator. Mr. Peters developed five Milwaukee Public High Schools into praiseworthy educational facilities, creating nurturing, safe instructional environments that fostered student learning and academic excellence.

Mr. Peters is also an upstanding member of the Milwaukee community, taking an active role in his church, Tabernacle Baptist Church, and participating in numerous civic organizations and community activities. As a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), he was active in the Annual Fund Raising Campaign. As a volunteer with Project Return, he provided counseling to local residents attempting to make the difficult transition from incarceration to regular society. He found ways to integrate this community leadership with his educational mission, for example, by developing a curriculum and conducting workshops for teachers to prepare for Black History Month.

His awards and commendations are numerous. Mr. Peters was recognized as one of North America's 100 Best Educational Administrators by Executive Educator and has been selected as Wisconsin's Principal of the Year.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Mr. Robert L. Peters for the immeasurable service he has rendered to our country and his community. I sincerely thank Mr. Peters for his enduring commitment to Milwaukee's children, and wish him a long, enjoyable retirement.

Mr. Chairman, on rollcall No. 207, the Markey-Holt amendment to H.R. 2419, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

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