Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 100th Anniversary of Roche, a true trailblazer in healthcare. Roche is a specialty care company employing over 10,000 people in the U.S. and 60,000 globally. I am pleased that Florence, South Carolina is home to Roche Carolina, Inc., which employs over 270 people, all of whom are dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare for millions of people,

For a century now, Roche has invested in advanced research and manufacturing techniques that have yielded breakthroughs in healthcare, Founded in Switzerland in 1896, Roche's roots in America are deep and strong, dating back to the opening of its New York office: in 1905. From its start in Manhattan, Roche has extended its reach to nine sites across the United States in South Carolina, New Jersey, Indiana, California and Colorado.

In Florence, the employees of Roche Carolina work in one of the most advanced pharmaceutical manfanufacturing facilities in the world. They produce a potent oral antiviral that is a promising weapon against the threat of pandemic influenza. In addition, it manufactures a novel oral medication for cancer patients--allowing them to be treated at home and greatly improving their quality of life. These are just two examples of their revolutionary therapies used to treat millions of people every day.

I also would like to applaud Roche Carolina for being such an active corporate citizen. In Florence, Roche Carolina has established a High Performance Partnership with Lester Elementary School through which their workers offer math tutoring to 4th grade students. Further, Roche Carolina has endowed a chemistry scholarship and initiated a student exchange program at Francis Marion University. These efforts help build the Florence community in ways that will resonate for years to come, and they set an example for us all.

I commend the people of Roche Carolina in Florence and Roche employees worldwide for their outstanding achievements, and wish them the very best on this special 100th Anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Professor Allie. E. Brooks, Jr.,

Principal of Wilson High School in Florence, S.C. Mr. Brooks is retiring after 35 years as a public school educator. I join the citizens of Florence and the students of Wilson High School in expressing deep appreciation and gratitude to him for a lifetime of magnanimous service.

Mr. Barnes was born in Florence on January 29, 1946 to the parents of the late Allie E. Brooks, Sr. and Thelma H. Brooks. He is married to Barbara Faye Eaddy Brooks, and they are the proud parents of three children: Deanna Fredrica Brooks, Thelma Susanna Eaddy Brooks, and Allie Eugene Brooks, III and a daughter-in-law, Janelle Hargrove Brooks.

In 1964, Mr. Brooks began his formative education at Holmes Elementary School. He completed Wilson Junior High School, and graduated from Wilson High School, where he is currently serving his thirty-first year as principal. A graduate of South Carolina State University, where he earned a Bachelors of Science degree in mathematics, Mr. Brooks received a Masters of Education degree in Education Administration from the University of South Carolina. In addition, he completed an Institute on the Principal and School Improvement at Harvard University.

Mr. Brooks began his professional career as a mathematics teacher at Moore Middle School in Florence. That assignment was followed by tenure as Assistant Principal at West Florence High School before being named Principal of his Alma Mater in 1974.

Mr. Brooks is a loyal member and deacon of Savannah Grove Baptist Church in Effingham, S.C. In addition to his church leadership positions, he is an active member of the Board of Directors of the Florence Boys and Girls Club and the BB&T Bank Advisory Board. He has also been active in numerous civic organizations such as the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce and Florence West Rotary Club, and served his country honorably for more than two years as an officer in the U.S. Army.

His awards and commendations are numerous and include: Florence Civitans ``Citizen of the Year'' Award, ``Principal of the Year for 2000 Award'' by the South Carolina Association of Secondary School Principals, and South Carolina ``2004-05 Principal of the Year'' by the South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in paying tribute to Mr. Allie E. Brooks, Jr. for the immeasurable service he has rendered to our country and his community through his roles as a well loved Principal, highly honored civic leader and incomparable role model. I sincerely thank Mr. Brooks for his personal friendship and life-long commitment to helping others, and wish him a long, enjoyable retirement, and Godspeed.

Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague and good friend for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, today I rise to support the Congressional Black Caucus fiscal year 2006 budget substitute which has three main focuses.

First and foremost, it restores fiscal responsibility to the Federal budget process. Secondly, it keeps our Nation's promises to our veterans and provides the equipment and materials needed to support our men and women on active duty. Thirdly, this budget funds efforts to close gaps and eliminate disparities in America's communities and among its citizens.

We restore fiscal responsibility by closing tax loopholes and eliminating the repeal of the limitation on itemized deductions, the phase-out of personal exemptions scheduled to take place between 2006 and 2010. We get rid of abusive shelters and tax incentives for offshoring jobs. This budget reduces the deficit by $167 billion over the House majority's budget over the next 5 years which reduces our interest payments by $27 billion.

Mr. Chairman, our colleagues on the other side are fond of talking about supporting and respecting our troops, but they do not put their money where their mouths are. The Republican budget resolution mandates almost $800 million in cuts to veterans mandatory programs. These are reductions in disability compensation, pension benefits, education benefits, and death benefits.

The President also proposes to increase fees and drug payments on veterans. The CBC budget increases funding for veterans by $4.65 billion. We restore veterans health care, enhance survivor benefits, medical and prosthetic research, long term care, and mental health care.

Mr. Chairman, under the issue of education, the President's budget eliminates 48 education programs that receive $4.3 billion this year. The CBC budget increases funding for education by $23.9 billion. It fully funds No Child Left Behind. It provides $2.5 billion for school construction, increases vocational educational job training, increases Pell grants by $450 million, increases Head Start by funding by $2 billion.

Mr. Chairman, unlike the President, we are not playing budgetary games. We increase funding for Pell grants by tapping into new revenue.

The President, on the other hand, has increased funding for Pell grants by taking needed funds from programs such as the school lunch program for low-income children.

Mr. Chairman, there is no greater betrayal or broken promise to the American people than that which can be found in the President's budget for rural America.

The President recommends cutting agricultural programs by $9 billion over 5 years, and the Republican budget has suggested cutting the program by only $5 billion.

On the other hand, the CBC budget increases funding for programs that benefit rural communities by more than $3 billion. We increase funding for agricultural issues by more than $300 million; increase funding for community and resource development by more than $1.5 billion, Community Development Block Grants by $1.1 billion.

In addition, the Republican budget cuts funding for 17 different community and economic development programs that provide housing, water and sewer improvements and small business loans.

Mr. Chairman, in this budget we maintain tax cuts for wage earners making less than $200,000 a year, and we roll back cuts on the top 2 percent of Americans, and by doing so, we have saved almost $47 billion that we have used to invest in the human assets of this country, the American people.

I thank my colleague so much for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman very much for yielding me the time. I want to thank her for her good work on the subcommittee on this legislation. I want to thank the majority side for their unique understanding of a unique slice of the American culture.

My colleagues may recall, Mr. Speaker, that we passed this legislation last year unanimously. It also passed in the other body, but time ran out before we could reconcile the differences that were in the two bills.

I want to point out today, for those people who may be listening, that this time around we did move to incorporate all of the aspects of the study conducted by the National Park Service. Last year, we only recognized South Carolina and Georgia in the legislation. In this legislation, however, we have moved to bring Florida and North Carolina into the corridor, and that gives it the credibility that a lot of mail I got indicated was lacking the last time around.

I want to just point out that I do not believe there is anyone who has ever traveled to Charleston, South Carolina, or to Beaufort County, South Carolina, or to the Jacksonville area of North Carolina or the Jacksonville area of Florida who have not encountered some unique aspects of this culture. One need only walk the streets of Charleston and see the art of basket weaving, the sweet grass baskets that are made there, all coming out of this culture.

One of the reasons we thought it necessary to move quickly, as the National Park Service urged us to do, was because just that unique craft itself is beginning to dissipate, if not disappear, simply because of the sweet grass that is needed in order to make those baskets is fast disappearing, and we want to do what is necessary to preserve and protect that art and the culture that goes along with it.

I just want to point out, Mr. Speaker, that the communities that are identified along this corridor, many of them in years past were dependent upon textiles and tobacco as a large part of their economy. We all know going forward that that is not going to be a significant part of their future, but we also know that tourism is growing at 6 percent a year. Heritage tourism is growing around 30 percent a year, and we do believe that these communities, with the culture that is indigenous to the area, will benefit greatly from this legislation and bring them into the mainstream of activity of South Carolina's coast, Georgia's coast, Florida and North Carolina going forward.

So I want to thank the Members of this body for the work last year, thank the committee for bringing this bill to the floor so quickly this year, and I am hopeful that my colleagues will give us a favorable vote on it today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding South Carolinian who has dedicated his life to protecting our nation's citizens. It is with great pleasure that I commend South Carolina's State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Captain Buster Edwards as he retires from a second career in public service.

Captain Edwards was born in North Charleston, South Carolina and has returned to his native area, now making his home in Summerville. As a young 17-year-old graduate of Chicora High School, Captain Edwards joined the United States Marine Corps. After five months of Basic Training he was sent to South Vietnam where he served as an infantry soldier from November 1967 to June 1969. He was awarded two Purple Hearts for wounds he received during his tour.

Upon returning to the States, Captain Edwards spent another 20 years in the Marine Corps serving at Camp Pendleton, Camp Lejeune, and Twentynine Palms. While on active duty, he furthered his education eventually earning a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the College of Charleston. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1987.

After his first career serving in the military, Captain Edwards sought to use his talents in law enforcement. He began his second career with SLED as a latent fingerprint technician in the forensic laboratory. Captain Edwards steadily rose through the ranks from lab technician to Field Agent, Lieutenant, and finally Captain. In this last position, he served as the Special Agent-in-Charge overseeing SLED's operations in the Low Country Region of South Carolina. On February 18, 2005, Captain Edwards retired from this second career to focus on his personal passions in life.

Captain Edwards is an active member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Ladson, South Carolina, and helps organize crime prevention and awareness activities in his community. Captain Edwards has received several awards from the United Negro College Fund for his ongoing volunteer work to raise money for college scholarships. And has been very helpful to me as a member of my 6th Congressional District Advisory Committee that helps select the nominees I recommend to the U.S. Military Academies each year.

Captain Edwards has two adult children, three grandchildren, and a son-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me today in recognizing the accomplishments of Captain Buster Edwards and congratulating him upon his retirement. His selfless dedication on behalf of his state and his country deserve commendation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mrs. Lucille Hallman Holman, a South Carolinian native whose dedication to service to God and country shines as an example to all of us. On February 13, 2005, she will celebrate her 100th birthday, and I believe it is important to commemorate her centennial birthday with a few highlights of the many contributions she has made to her church and community.

Mrs. Holman was born in Leesville, South Carolina and began her education in the local public schools. In order to finish high school she was forced to leave home at an early age and matriculated at nearby Betties Academy in Aiken County. She continued her education at Benedict College, a Baptist supported college in Columbia, where she met and married Lewis W. Holman, who was attending Allen University, a nearby African Methodist Episcopal Church supported school.

Mrs. Holman has made significant contributions to society. She joined Chappelle Station African Methodist Episcopal Church in January of 1930, and was appointed to Stewardess Board Number E, where she served for 64 years before retiring in January 1994. In this capacity she also served as a Class Leader.

In July of 1930, Mrs. Holman began working with the Church's Missionaries, and served as President of the Missionary Society for 57 years. Her community involvement extended to serving as the Director of the Church's Young People's Division and as a Trustee of Allen University. She also served as President and Treasurer of the Zoie Social Club.

Reaching out to the widows of her community, she formed the Widows Club, and she still attends the Quadrennial Conventions of the Women's Missionary Society of the A.M.E. Church. In addition to her extensive church and community involvements, Mrs. Holman has maintained tireless devotion to her family, raising her five grandchildren after the death of her son.

Her untiring efforts have not gone unrecognized by her peers and associates. Mrs. Holman has received numerous awards and honors for her active membership in her church and her public service. She was named Woman of the Year by Chappelle Memorial A.M.E. Church in 1995. In May of 2000 the Columbia Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. presented her with the Golden Years Award. In addition to these distinctions, she has been selected as Mother of the Church.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in celebrating the life and legacy of this venerable woman on her 100th birthday. She continues to blaze a trail in her community through Christian service. She remains a positive influence to future generations, and I wish her happy birthday and Godspeed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay a very special tribute to a true community leader, Mr. James T. McLawhorn, Jr. It is my honor to recognize the significant contributions that he has made to the City of Columbia and the State of South Carolina.

The son of James T. McLawhorn, Sr. and Allily McLawhorn, ``J.T.'' was born on April 21, 1947, in Greenville, North Carolina. Mr. McLawhorn is a graduate of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where he received his degree in Political Science. He also sought higher degrees, attaining a Master's in Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Miami Coral Gables.

On Thursday, January 27, 2005, Mr. McLawhorn celebrates 25 years of dedicated service as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Columbia, South Carolina Urban League. The Columbia Urban League is a non-profit, non-partisan, interracial organization serving African Americans and economically disadvantaged individuals and families.

Mr. McLawhorn's leadership has been visionary in implementing new programs that have had a tremendous impact throughout South Carolina. In 1985, he founded the National Black Family Summit, a premier action forum on family issues, with an emphasis on the African American community. Annual meetings of the Summit have brought together more than 1,300 participants to develop strategies for family empowerment.

His deeply felt commitment to initiating positive change in the African American community has resulted in the publishing of an annual report entitled The State of Black South Carolina: An Action Agenda for the Future that is a widely recognized publication. The publication serves as a blueprint for identifying and addressing public policy issues that are critical to improving the quality of life for all South Carolinians. The publication is penned by area professionals, used as reference material in area libraries, and serves as a teaching supplement in educational institutions throughout the state. It was an honor for me to be one of the contributors to this publication in past years.

It is also in Mr. McLawhorn's nature to stand up for what he believes, and that dedication led him to serve as one of the chief planners of ``King Day at the Dome,'' held on the third Monday. A few years ago that historic event was one of the largest civil rights demonstrations in the history of South Carolina, bringing more than 60,000 people to downtown Columbia to protest the flying of the Confederate battle flag atop the South Carolina State House. In part, because of the public outcry witnessed at ``King Day at the Dome,'' the flag was removed from any position of sovereignty.

Mr. McLawhorn is also actively involved in empowering today's youth so they may be meaningful community contributors as adults. Under his direction, the Columbia Urban League and the South Carolina Department of Social Services have teamed up to administer ``creative and dynamic programs'' that help young people around the state. The Youth Leadership Development Institute is one example in which high school students are placed in work settings for five weeks during the summer and participate in academic, social and cultural enrichment activities. I have had the opportunity to host several of the program's students in my office, and I have seen the benefit they derive from experiencing the challenges and rewards of the working world.

Dedicated to the empowerment of African Americans, Mr. McLawhorn has received many prestigious awards on both the state and national levels. Former Governors Carroll Campbell and David Beasley presented him with the prestigious Order of the Palmetto. The Order of the Palmetto is the highest award given to any civilian in the state. It recognizes the significant accomplishments of notable South Carolinians. The National Urban League recently voted him President of the Decade for his unwavering commitment. Mr. McLawhorn was also recently awarded the 2004 TEC Champion Leadership Award for his foresight in bringing the DigiPen Summer Video Game Programming Workshop to the Midlands. He and the Columbia Urban League have also received the Whitney M. Young Jr. Race Relations Award. To add to his staggering list of accomplishments, he was an invited participant to the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference by the United States Secretary of Defense.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in applauding Mr. James T. McLawhorn for his many achievements. I congratulate him on his quarter century of service and commend him for his significant efforts to improve the quality of life for all South Carolinians.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 33) and ask for immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Rev. Dr. Solomon Eaddy, Pastor of the Mount Carmel Baptist Church of Timmonsville, South Carolina; and Elizabeth Baptist Church of Florence, South Carolina. And join with his congregations and community in wishing him well as he celebrates his 40th anniversary as pastor of Mount Carmel on December 4th.

Rev. Dr. Eaddy has made service to the church and his community a cornerstone of his life. He began his formal higher education at Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina from which he received a Bachelor of Theology. Later, he would receive an Honorary Doctorate from this same school. He also earned a Bachelor of Divinity at Morris College. He attended the Moody Bible Institute, and completed additional studies at Florence Darlington Technical College and McLeod Regional Medical Center.

As a young man, Rev. Dr. Eaddy was one of the first black policemen in the City of Florence, South Carolina. He served in that capacity for 15 years. It was during his tenure as a policeman that he founded the Boys Club of Florence that still thrives today. He also served for five years in the United States Navy as a Petty Officer, First Class. Rev. Dr. Eaddy's first church calling was as pastor of the Mount Tabor Baptist Church in Evergreen, South Carolina. He served at Mount Tabor for four years before being called to Elizabeth Baptist Church and Mount Carmel Baptist Church, both of which he still serves today. As Pastor of Elizabeth Baptist he has worked to rebuild the sanctuary and remodel the education building and fellowship hall. During this period, he worked with the young members of the congregation to organize a Junior Missionary Society.

Mount Carmel also saw remodeling and innovation under the pastoral guidance of the Rev. Dr. Eaddy. Here, too, he remodeled the church sanctuary. He also led in establishing a Sunday School Choir and a Junior Choir. Rev. Dr. Eaddy also established a Baptist Teaching Union not only at Mount Carmel, but also at Elizabeth and Mount Tabor Baptist Churches.

Rev. Dr. Eaddy has been honored with the South Carolina House of Representatives Service Award for 35 years of pastoral care in the Pee Dee area. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge #381 and an Eastern Star Brother. He also maintains membership in the Mutual Aide Lodge #5, where he once served as President and is now a Noble Father. He is also the moderator of the New Hope Union.

Rev. Dr. Eaddy is married to and shares his church service with Mrs. Susanna Law Eaddy. They have four children, and seven grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me and my fellow South Carolinians in honoring Rev. Dr. Solomon Eaddy for a lifetime of dedicated service to God and country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a trailblazer, an athletic legend and a dear friend--Coach Willie Jeffries. Coach Jeffries has dedicated much of his extraordinary career to my alma mater, South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. But his impact has been felt far beyond that campus.

Coach Jeffries is a man of humble beginnings. He was born in Union, South Carolina. His widowed mother raised him in a two-room house in this segregated Southern town. Earning money by working various jobs at the local white-only country club, he got to see how the other side lived.

He graduated from South Carolina State University with a Bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a Master's degree in guidance and counseling. Having played football and baseball for the historically black college, Coach Jeffries secured coaching jobs at segregated high schools in Lancaster and Gaffney, South Carolina. After compiling a six-year 65-7-2 record with three consecutive state AAA championships, North Carolina A&T came calling with an assistant coach's job, which started Coach Jeffries in college coaching. He was next lured to Pittsburgh as an assistant coach. There he tasted coaching against big- time college football schools such as Florida State, UCLA and West Virginia.

But when his alma mater sought him out, the 36-year-old Coach Jeffries jumped at the chance to come home and lead his beloved Bulldogs. In six seasons as his alma mater's head coach, he compiled a 50-13-4 record and became a hot prospect for other head coaching positions. It was an offer from Wichita State in Kansas that enticed Coach Jeffries to leave S.C. State. It was historic. Coach Jeffries became the first African American to serve as the head football coach of a predominantly white university. At Wichita State, he led a team that had lost 14 of its last 15 seasons to an 8-3 season after four years of rebuilding. After five years, he left the program, which later folded, and became the head coach for Howard University, where he spent another five years.

In 1989, another tug from S.C. State brought Coach Jeffries back to the place where his love of football began. He coached another 13 years, before retiring following the 2001 season to become the Director of Athletic Fund Raising for the Bulldogs. During his 29-year coaching career, Coach Jeffries amassed a 179-132-6 record. This tremendous record included six Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships, two national titles, several post-season appearances, and numerous coaching awards. He holds the title for the most wins of any S.C. State coach and the most MEAC victories.

Coach Jeffries has been inducted into the South Carolina State University Athletic Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame and the MEAC Hall of Fame. He has been honored with South Carolina's Order of the Silver Crescent, the state's highest award for community service. He has received the Black Coaches' Association with a lifetime achievement award and is enshrined in the Palmetto State's Black Hall of Fame. Since 2002, he has served on the NCAA Football Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in commending Coach Willie Jeffries for his extraordinary contributions and courage. His is a legendary football coach that has touched many lives on and off the playing field. He is an inspiration to young people who aspire to rise above their current circumstances and even break barriers. This humble man from humble beginnings is a role model, a resilient leader, and a renowned motivator. In short, Coach Willie Jeffries is a national treasure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a trailblazer, an athletic legend and a dear friend--Coach Willie Jeffries. Coach Jeffries has dedicated much of his extraordinary career to my alma mater, South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. But his impact has been felt far beyond that campus.

Coach Jeffries is a man of humble beginnings. He was born in Union, South Carolina. His widowed mother raised him in a two-room house in this segregated Southern town. Earning money by working various jobs at the local white-only country club, he got to see how the other side lived.

He graduated from South Carolina State University with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a master's degree in guidance and counseling. Having played football and baseball for the historically black college, Coach Jeffries secured coaching jobs at segregated high schools in Lancaster and Gaffney, South Carolina. After compiling a 6- year 65-7-2 record with three consecutive State AAA championships, North Carolina A&T came calling with an assistant coach's job, which started Coach Jeffries in college coaching. He was next lured to Pittsburgh as an assistant coach. There he tasted coaching against big- time college football schools such as Florida State, UCLA and West Virginia.

But when his alma mater sought him out, the 36-year-old Coach Jeffries jumped at the chance to come home and lead his beloved Bulldogs. In six seasons as his alma mater's head coach, he compiled a 50-13-4 record and became a hot prospect for other head coaching positions. It was an offer from Wichita State in Kansas that enticed Coach Jeffries to leave S.C. State. It was historic. Coach Jeffries became the first African American to serve as the head football coach of a predominantly white university. At Wichita State, he led a team that had lost 14 of its last 15 seasons to an 8-3 season after 4 years of rebuilding. After 5 years, he left the program, which later folded, and became the head coach for Howard University, where he spent another 5 years.

In 1989, another tug from S.C. State brought Coach Jeffries back to the place where his love of football began. He coached another 13 years, before retiring following the 2001 season to become the director of athletic fund raising for the Bulldogs. During his 29-year coaching career, Coach Jeffries amassed a 179-132-6 record. This tremendous record included six Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAL) championships, two national titles, several post-season appearances, and numerous coaching awards. He holds the title for the most wins of any S.C. State coach and the most MEAC victories.

Coach Jeffries has been inducted into the South Carolina State University Athletic Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame and the MEAC Hall of Fame. He has been honored with South Carolina's Order of the Silver Crescent, the State's highest award for community service. He has received the Black Coaches' Association Lifetime Achievement Award and is enshrined in the Palmetto State's Black Hall of Fame. Since 2002, he has served on the NCAA Football Rules Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in commending Coach Willie Jeffries for his extraordinary contributions and courage. He is a legendary football coach that has touched many lives on and off the playing field. He is an inspiration to young people who aspire to rise above their current circumstances and even break barriers. This humble man from humble beginnings is a role model, a resilient leader, and a renowned motivator. In short, Coach Willie Jeffries is a national treasure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a woman who has unselfishly served the women and girls of the Greater Charleston YWCA and all citizens of the Charleston, South Carolina area for most of her career. Ms. Christine Osburn Jackson is retiring after 36 years as the Executive Director of YWCA of Greater Charleston, and a lifetime of service to her community and fellow human beings.

My friend, Christine, has parlayed her position into a platform to promote racial justice and help shape public policy. This was a natural role stemming from her leadership of the organization during the turbulent 1960s when Charleston's YWCA sought to remain segregated. Her tenacity led the all-black branch of the organization to be designated the YWCA's national affiliate in Charleston, and carry on its mission of equality and empowerment.

Her leadership was sought during the preeminent civil rights struggles of the time. She was one of only three women to share the stage with Martin Luther King, Jr. during his only visit to Charleston with the Southern Christain Leadership Conference. She also hosted meetings at the YWCA for black hospital workers during the infamous 1969 Charleston Hospital Strike.

It was Christine Jackson's strength and steadfastness during these difficult times that built the foundation for the YWCA's continuing success. Under her leadership, this organization has actively registered voters, taught parenting to teenage mothers, provided after school programs for local students, and honored women in industry for their contributions with the Tribute to Women in Industry (TWIN) awards. She has carried on the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. by organizing community events throughout the month of January to inspire others to promote social justice.

Many organizations have sought out her extraordinary talents. She holds membership on many governing boards including the Interfaith Crisis Ministry, the League of Women Voters, and the Foster Care Review Board. Ms. Jackson has also been the recipient of numerous awards including those bestowed by five different national sororities and fraternities, the Trident United Way, the Committee on Better Racial Assurance, and the Charleston County Baptist Association.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in applauding Christine Osburn Jackson's lifetime of achievements. Although her daily presence at the Greater Charleston YWCA will be missed, I know her guiding hand will still be felt throughout the community.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4683, the Gullah/ Geechee Cultural Heritage Act, a bill that would create a Gullah/ Geechee National Heritage Corridor and one or more coastal heritage centers along the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina.

When I introduced this bill in June, I hoped, but did not believe, we would see this important legislation on the floor so quickly. I wish to thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Pombo) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Ranking Member Rahall) and the gentleman from California (Chairman Radanovich) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Ranking Member Christensen) for their sensitive and prompt treatment of this legislation. I would also like to thank my good friend the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown) for his cosponsorship and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) for his strong support of this legislation.

Gullah/Geechee people are descendants of enslaved Africans who were forced to labor on plantations along the coasts of North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. They have a rich and distinctive cultural heritage, a culture born of African roots, yet nurtured and developed in the southeastern United States.

Gullah/Geechee people are a proud and independent people who do not want their culture relegated to a museum or a history book. Instead, they want to keep their culture and language alive, to tell their stories in their own words, and share their heritage and experiences with the world. H.R. 4683 would help them to do so.

For the past 4 years, the National Park Service and partnering agencies, Gullah/Geechee communities, and grassroots organizations have worked diligently to create a plan for the protection, preservation, and interpretation of the Gullah/Geechee language and culture. This bill reflects the findings of a 3-year study and input of Gullah/ Geechee citizens.

I believe wholeheartedly that this bill would help to lay the groundwork for keeping the culture alive and providing a means not just for the preservation, protection, and reinvigoration of Gullah/Geechee communities and cultural landscapes, but for making those unique experiences an integral part of the future social and economic activities in the southeastern United States. The coastal heritage centers described in the bill will provide places where all Americans can learn of the many contributions Gullah/Geechee ancestors made to American heritage.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the passage of this bill, and once again, thank my colleagues for making this day possible.

Mr. Chairman, I want to call attention to the important work of the United States Election Assistance Commission and issue my strong support for the $15 million in funding that the Committee on Appropriations has recommended for this year.

Establishing the EAC was delayed in 2003, and because of that, the full commissioners were not appointed until December 2003, and the EAC was woefully underfunded for fiscal 2004.

Yet despite these obstacles, the four commissioners have worked diligently to ensure timely progress on the election reform that Congress envisioned when it passed HAVA 2 years ago. The EAC commissioners have used their collective commitment, skills, and dedication to disburse to States the $2.3 billion in HAVA payments that was appropriated for fiscal year 2004. At the same time, EAC is working closely with State and local election administrators to make certain they implement HAVA requirements for Provisional Voting, Voter Identification, Polling Place Signage, and State Administrative Complaint Procedures that must be in place for this year's elections.

Mr. Chairman, these are not abstract provisions. Rather, they are voter reform measures mandated by Congress to ensure that every eligible citizen can register, vote, and know that their vote can be counted in a timely and fair manner. We are just weeks away from the November 2 elections, which will be the first Federal election since HAVA was enacted.

Free and fair elections are the heart of our democracy. We do not want to repeat what happened in November, 2000. Yet we jeopardize the quality of our elections if we shortchange the EAC's ability to operate, conduct research, set standards for voting systems, and conduct audits of the HAVA funding that is being paid to States.

H.R. 5025 provides $15 million for the United States Election Assistance Commission. Without this funding, we cannot guarantee full implementation of this landmark act, the Help America Vote Act of 2002.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated and righteous South Carolinian on the occasion of his retirement from the ministry after 60 years of distinguished service. Reverend Lee M. Seward will leave his position as the Presiding Elder of the Lancaster District, Columbia Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church on September 17, 2004, and he will be sorely missed.

Lee Seward was born one of ten children to Mr. and Mrs. William Seward of Andrews, South Carolina. He grew up in this large family that treasured education and faith, and these virtues shaped his future path.

Reverend Sewards love of learning led him to earn a Bachelor's degree from Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina and a Master's from South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He pursued further study at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

In 1967, Reverend Seward was awarded a National Defense Education Act (N.D.E.A.) Fellowship to study Linguistics at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He did his theological training at Dickerson Theological Seminary at Allen University.

In addition to his education, Reverend Seward also learned many of life's lessons during his service in World War II. His commitment to serve his country further manifested itself in his lifelong dedication to education and to his church.

Reverend Seward embarked on a duel career teaching English for 13 years at Roberts High School in Holly Hill, and a combined 12 years teaching at Sanders Middle School and Alcorn Middle School in Columbia, while also serving in the ministry. Eventually the ministry became his primary focus, and he pastored at churches throughout the Midlands and in Charleston.

During his distinguished career, Reverend Seward served as the Presiding Elder of the Columbia District, Kingstree District, Spartanburg District, Georgetown District and Lancaster District for the AME Church in South Carolina. The extensive scope of his ministry is evidence of his extraordinary talent and dedication to his calling.

Reverend Seward, a community activist, is a lifetime Member of the N.A.A.C.P. and has been active in numerous religious and political organizations as well. I number him among my most valued friends and mentors.

He was married to the late Lula Pressley Seward, who was also a good friend and mentor to me.

The two of them had seven children, six boys and one girl. They have three granddaughters, three grandsons, and one great grandson.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in congratulating Reverend Seward

on his tremendous contributions to the ministry. As a teacher and a minister, he has set a very high standard that I hope future generations will seek to emulate.