Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1276, the American Dream Downpayment Act, and I want to commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) for his leadership. I want to commend the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Harris) for her wonderful leadership on this issue, and then my colleague the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Rogers) who has from the beginning been such an important part as he understood and eloquently explained the bill just now.

More than two-thirds of all Americans own their own home. However, fewer than half of all African American and Hispanic families are homeowners. For these families, one of the biggest barriers to homeownership is the inability to afford the downpayment and closing costs associated with purchasing a home. This legislation seeks to help close this homeownership gap by making $200 million in grants available to more than 40,000 first-time, low-income families to help them achieve the American dream of homeownership.

This is especially important to the 2nd Congressional District of South Carolina where many families would greatly benefit from this legislation. Too often, the dream of raising your family in your own home seems far out of reach. As a former real estate attorney, I know firsthand the joy of working with first-time home purchasers, especially because I worked pro bono with the meaningful Habitat for Humanity program, along with the Home Builders Association and the Realtors Association.

Further, the American Dream Downpayment initiative will help low- and moderate-income families build wealth. Consider that the average homeowner's assets total $70,000, while the average low-income renter's assets are below $1,000. Equity in a home, the primary asset held by most American families, is the best mechanism that families have for wealth creation. We can use our homes to send our children to college, to start small businesses and to build better lives.

In short, homeownership makes family stakeholders in their communities. H.R. 1276 will increase the rights of stakeholders and bring stability and a new revitalization to our communities. I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 1276.

In conclusion, God bless our troops.

I appreciate so much the opportunity to be here tonight. I want to thank the gentleman for his efforts because he cares about the people of Iraq. He cares about the people of America, because that is what we are talking about, the security of the people of the United States.

We are in a war against terrorism. It began, not of our own making, on September 11, 2001. We are responding to a very vicious enemy, being the terrorists who have determined that the targets of their attack are the people of the United States. And so I thank you for doing this.

I additionally want to point out that the people who are here tonight, this is the largest outpouring I have ever seen of people who are genuinely concerned about our country, about the war on terrorism. I also want to point out that I particularly appreciate your pointing out the situation of how we assisted in the redevelopment of Germany after World War II. That is exactly what we are doing right now.

The reason that we redeveloped Germany was not to show any appreciation of the war that they brought upon the world during World War II, but it was to redevelop Germany so it would not be a breeding ground for Communists because that is where we were. We were getting ready, as we all knew, to go into the Cold War. And we were able to redevelop Germany, and then we were able to defeat the Communists.

The exact same principle is at hand here. We are trying to redevelop Iraq so that we can avoid Iraq continuing, it already has been, now we need to stop it, as a breeding ground, a country that supported or harbored terrorists, because we are in a war against terrorism. We defeated communism. We can defeat terrorism thanks to the efforts of the people who are here tonight.

It is really very heartwarming that the opportunity I had, I returned 2 weeks ago from the visit to Iraq. This was a trip put together, a congressional delegation, by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the ranking Democrat on the Committee on Armed Services, and one of the very fine persons with us was the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Marshall).

I want to congratulate him on his courage. He has been very outspoken in what he saw in Iraq. He saw the progress that the American forces and the coalition forces from all over the world, from 32 countries that are serving in Iraq.

In fact, in today's Washington Post, I would like to commend him, and he will be appearing apparently in a few minutes, on an op-ed which appeared in today's Washington Post. He had an excellent op-ed in the Atlanta Constitution. I just want to read one part. I do not mean to preempt his ability to speak this evening, but the gentleman from Georgia indicated, ``I went to Iraq a couple of weeks ago to resolve for myself the recent contrast between gloomy news coverage and optimistic Pentagon reports of our progress. My trip left no doubt that the Pentagon's version is far closer to reality.''

Mr. Speaker, the text of the op-ed is as follows:

[From the Washington Post, Oct. 1, 2003]

Don't Play Politics on Iraq

(By Jim Marshall)

My first trip to a combat zone occurred in 1969. I was a

21-year-old staff sergeant, naive as hell, a freshly trained

Army Ranger who had left Princeton University to volunteer

for ground combat in Vietnam. I vividly recall feeling way

out of step with my Ivy League colleagues.

Well, that same out-of-step feeling is back. But this time

it's about Iraq and involves some of my professional

colleagues, political leaders and activists who carelessly

using words, and phrases such as ``quagmire,'' ``our failure

in Iraq,'' ``this is just another Vietnam,'' or the ``Bush

administration has no plan.''

I went to Iraq a couple of weeks ago to resolve for myself

the recent contrast between gloomy news coverage and

optimistic Pentagon reports of our progress. My trip left no

doubt that the Pentagon's version is far closer to reality.

Our news coverage disproportionately dwells on the deaths,

mistakes and setbacks suffered by coalition forces. Some will

attribute this to a grand left-wing conspiracy, but a more

plausible explanation is simply the tendency of our new media

to focus on bad news. It sells. Few Americans think local

news coverage fairly captures the essence of daily life and

progress in their hometowns. Coverage from Iraq is no

different.

Falsely bleak Iraq news circulating in the United States is

a serious problem for coalition forces because it discourages

Iraqi cooperation, the key to our ultimate success or

failure, a daily determinant of life or death for American

soldiers. As one example, coalition forces are now

discovering nearly 50 percent of the improvised explosive

devices through tips. Guess how they discover the rest.

We not only need Iraqi tips and intelligence, we need

Iraqis fighting by our side and eventually assuming full

responsibility for their internal security. But Iraqis have

not forgotten the 1991 Gulf War. America encouraged the

Shiites to rebel, then abandoned them to be slaughtered. I

visited one of the mass graves, mute testimony to the

wisdom of being cautious about relying on American

politicians to live up to their commitments.

For Iraqis, news of America's resolve is critical to any

decision to cooperate with coalition forces, a decision that

can lead to death. Newspaper start-up ventures and sales of

satellite dishes absolutely exploded following the collapse

of Saddam Hussein's regime. With this on top of the Internet,

Iraqis do get the picture from America--literally.

Many in Washington view the contest for the presidency and

control of Congress as a zero-sum game without external costs

or benefits. Politicians and activists in each party

reflexively celebrate, spread and embellish news that is bad

for the opposition. But to do that now with regard to Iraq

harms our troops and our effort. Concerning Iraq, this normal

political tripe can impose a heavy external cost.

It is too soon to determine whether Iraqis will step

forward to secure their own freedom. For now, responsible

Democrats should carefully avoid using the language of

failure. It is false. It endangers our troops and our effort.

It can be unforgivably self-fulfilling.

Democratic candidates for the presidency should repeatedly

hammer home their support, if elected, for helping the Iraqi

people

secure their own freedom. It is fine for each to contend that

he or she is a better choice for securing victory in Iraq.

But in making this argument, care should be taken not to

dwell on perceived failures of the current team or plan.

Americans, with help from commentators and others, will

decide this for themselves.

Instead of being negative about Iraq, Democratic

presidential candidates should emphasize the positive aspects

of their own plans for Iraq. Save the negative attacks for

the issues of jobs and the economy. Iraqis are far less

likely to support the coalition effort if they think America

might withdraw following the 2004 election.

Finally, no better signal of our commitment to this effort

could currently be provided than for Congress to quickly

approve, with little dissent or dithering, the president's

request for an additional $87 billion for Iraq and

Afghanistan. Of course no one wants to spend such a sum. But

it is well worth it if it leads to a stable, secular

representative government in Iraq, something that could

immeasurably improve our future national security.

I minored in journalism at Washington & Lee University, and I served as a reporter for the Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina. What I have seen in Iraq is really sad, and that is that the level of news reporting has been of the police blotter, and that is that in lieu of covering what is going on in a community, a country, a State or a capital, what has occurred is that the reporters have gone to the police station, gotten the very negative reporting of incidents of violence, level of violence, and then reported that as the news. That is inappropriate. I would hope that they would cover the positive.

I brought some indications, I feel like show and tell tonight, but I brought several items that I want to show that I believe indicate the progress.

First of all, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) has been so good in bringing to our attention earlier today on the floor of Congress that the schools have reopened today, October 1, 2003, in Iraq. This is very significant. Many of the schools were closed, particularly in communities that did not support Saddam Hussein. Thanks to the work, the civil action projects of the American military, the schools have reopened.

By American standards, we would be appalled. These are one-room schoolhouses that have been repainted; we are not talking about elegant schoolhouses, but they reopened today. When they did reopen, the teachers and the students were given tablets so they could write on them what they learned and what they were having the ability to learn.

For the first time, they were in classrooms where they were not given propaganda. The propaganda in subliminal messages on the mathematics were how evil the Western world is, how evil the American people were. Now they know that there is an open society in the United States and in the Western democracies, and it is one that can be positive for the people of Iraq.

I am excited. Today is a big day for the people of Iraq. Over 1.5 million students have received the new textbooks and the new book bags to carry and go to school.

Another indication of progress is the money itself of Iraq. Those of us in South Carolina are very proud that George Wolfe, who is the general counsel of the U.S. Department of Treasury, is serving with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq in one of Saddam's palaces. What they are doing is that on October 15, 2 weeks from today, they will be turning in the money which is currently in Iraq and they will be, first of all, deleting the dictator Saddam Hussein's picture, and the new money will be issued.

It will be dinars. It will be from what we have learned from prior experience, and that is, it will not be currency manipulation; the people will receive dinar per dinar. It will be of the new money. It is being done at 150 locations in a very large country, 26 million people throughout the country to turn in the money, and Saddam Hussein will be gone in terms of the money. That is very important.

A final point in my show and tell tonight, it was very exciting for me to be with the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) to visit the reopening of the Kisik Oil Refinery. This is very significant. It is in the northern part of the country. The person who really coordinated this is General David Petraeus of the 101st Airborne Division.

They had the opportunity, again just 2 weeks ago, of reopening this refinery. It had closed 4 years ago; under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, the refinery had closed. But it was reopened. Now we have production of gasoline and kerosene which will be used by the people of northern Iraq, it will be traded to the country of Syria. Syria was so confident of all things, and that had not been identified as one of the countries that has been favorable to us, but Syria actually provided, by way of barter, electricity several weeks ago, anticipating the opening of the refinery so that this electricity could be forwarded into northern Iraq, which is already democratically operating and operating fully, and it will be sent to Baghdad.

And so we saw firsthand tremendous progress. I want the American people to know the progress that has been made, how much we appreciate the sacrifices of the Armed Forces that are serving there, the competence of their leadership and themselves; and for the family members who have young people serving in Iraq, the equipment that is there, the technology to protect our troops. And I say that as a parent of three people in the military, as a retiree 2 months ago yesterday of 31 years in the Army National Guard.

Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona for his leadership as we bring this. It should not be, but it seems to be new news to the people of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, an American hero, Althea Gibson, died Sunday at the age of 76. Gibson was a champion tennis player, the first black athlete to compete in the U.S. Open, in 1950, and at Wimbledon, in 1951. She went on to win major tournaments, including the Wimbledon and U.S. Opens in 1957 and 1958, the French Open, and three doubles titles at Wimbledon. In golf, she was the first African-American woman on the LPGA tour.

Althea Gibson was born in South Carolina, raised in Harlem, New York, and went on to become an outstanding professional tennis and golf player. She carried herself with grace and dignity and is a role model for millions of young Americans learning to break down racial barriers.

Althea Gibson's tremendous character and talent allowed her to make great progress for civil rights while playing tennis and golf, much in the same way Jackie Robinson did in baseball. She will always be remembered and is greatly missed.

In conclusion, God bless our troops.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay, for his insightful speech yesterday at The Heritage Foundation. The Majority Leader clearly reminded us that we are a nation at war, engaged in a historic battle against enemies of freedom and liberty.

Yet, just two years after September 11th, instead of consistently working together to defeat international terrorism, some of my colleagues seem more intent on criticizing our Commander in Chief. Sadly, as Majority Leader DeLay said, ``In the face of two of the swiftest, most humane, and most successful military campaigns in human history, they descend to name calling.

A political party must offer more than anger and name-calling, they must offer a positive agenda. They cannot just criticize, they must offer solutions. The American people, do not want petty partisan politics and constant nitpicking, they want safety and security from terrorism.

The Majority Leader correctly reminded us, ``The United States is at war, and we want the nation--and its political parties--united behind our common mission to defeat global terror.''

In conclusion, may God bless our troops.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of our Commander in Chief's supplemental request for the military operations and reconstruction projects in the war on terror. We have won the war in Iraq, and we must continue supporting our troops so we can win the peace.

Media accounts paint a bleak picture of the postwar efforts in Iraq, but I can tell Members some are only reporting the negative. Having just returned last week from a visit to Iraq, I saw firsthand the extraordinary successes our men and women have achieved in bringing relief to the people of Iraq. Schools and hospitals are opening throughout the country, and business areas are filled with traffic and shoppers. Led by General Sanchez, our troops are making progress in the war on terror we must win.

Americans should be proud of our men and women whose sweat and blood have brought freedom and new hope to Iraqis. I urge my colleagues to support President Bush's supplemental request. May God bless our troops.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to be here tonight. I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kennedy), for asking me to be here tonight. Prior to my visit to Iraq, the gentleman was very helpful to brief me on what to expect, what to look for. He was very incisive, he was very knowledgeable, and it certainly made the visit I had very helpful.

Mr. Speaker, the central front in the war on terror is being fought in Iraq, and I was honored to be selected by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), the Committee on Armed Services ranking Democrat, to serve on a delegation last week to newly liberated Iraq.

Our troops are heroes of an historic military victory and I was privileged to see firsthand how they are professionally conducting peacekeeping as they enable democracy to develop in Iraq.

This is not a war we sought, Mr. Speaker, but is a direct consequence of the September 11 attacks on America, leading to our fulfilling the President's plan to stop any country from harboring or supporting terrorists. As my colleague from Minnesota stated a moment ago, this is a war we must win. It is a war we can face head on in the terrorist breeding grounds overseas or it will return in full force on American soil.

As I met in Baghdad with Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of coalition forces in Iraq, I was impressed by our military competence and resolve. At each stop we met with top military Iraqi and coalition civilian officials, but a highlight was to meet informally with troops of all ranks from our home States. I was startled that instead of patrolling streets by remote armed vehicles, our soldiers were walking the sidewalks, really getting to know the people, who are favorable 70 to 90 percent to our presence, and this has led to improved human intelligence, reducing terrorist attacks, Mr. Speaker.

When I asked General Sanchez about media reports of being mired, he responded very forcefully that this was untrue because real progress is being made. From his perspective, and that of Major General David Patraeus at Mosul, the coalition efforts are progressing much more quickly than what they had experienced in Bosnia and Kosovo.

Daily administration of Iraq is capably led by Ambassador Paul Bremer of the Coalition Provisional Authority. His leadership has coordinated recruiting over 60,000 new Iraqi security forces and initiating over 6,000 community development programs for hospitals, schools, electrical transmission, business development, and road improvements.

From South Carolina, we are very proud that Columbia attorney George Wolfe, counsel of the U.S. treasury, is detailed to the Authority in Baghdad. He is helping coordinate currency conversion of tons of Hussein dinars to be replaced by new money beginning this month. Following World War II, it took nearly 3 years to convert German Deutschmarks, but the coalition will complete this feat in only 5 months.

The Iraqi Governing Council has been formed of 25 supporters of democracy to begin the process of self-government. It was encouraging on our delegation at the Al-Rashid Hotel to meet at a reception with Chairman Ahmad Chalabi.

Since the fall of Saddam's dictatorship, more than 90 percent of Iraqi municipalities have elected town councils, and I met courageous supporters of democracy serving as mayors, council members, and provincial governors as we toured Baghdad and then visited Al Hillah to the south and Mosul to the north. Traveling by helicopter, I could see markets filled with people, bridges left intact with heavy traffic and minimal war damage.

Visiting Al Hillah, I met the Polish general who is commanding over 20,000 coalition forces from 32 countries. In ancient Babylon, we were welcomed by religious university president Sayyed Qizwini, a descendant of Mohammed, who explained that Americans are revered as liberators. Then, as a chilling reminder of the Hussein dictatorship, the local governor escorted us to a mass grave site where thousands of women and children were slaughtered by the regime, which was cited a few minutes ago by my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).

Following meetings at the palaces of Hussein, which have been transformed into Coalition military headquarters, I was glad to see the vibrancy of Mosul, the northern city of 1.8 million people, which had been the ancient capital of Nineveh of the Assyrian Empire. We attended the reopening of Kisik refinery, where 300 new jobs were restored. The refinery was abandoned 4 years ago, but is back on line producing fuel to trade with Syria for electricity to be sent to Baghdad as the dilapidated infrastructure is being rebuilt, ignored for decades by Saddam Hussein as he put more money into his palaces.

As our delegation returned last Tuesday, our transport carried a body bag containing a soldier who had died in Iraq, a sad reminder of the courage and sacrifice of our troops. He is a hero, protecting our homeland overseas from a hate-filled terrorist enemy, which has as its goal the destruction of modern Western democracy. His service should be an inspiration for Americans to take forcefully the new challenges we face.

Again, I would like to conclude by thanking my colleagues here tonight. They are making excellent points and ones that need to be brought to the attention of the American people. I want to thank both of them for making such a difference on behalf of our troops, our country. Civilization as we know it is under attack, and this is not the time to quibble, it is a time to stand together, and both of my colleagues are making a difference.

What is also very impressive, too, is that when, in fact, we talk about other countries, such as Germany, and how we helped restore democracy to Germany, we cannot say that about Iraq. Iraq has never had a democratic history. So this is a new challenge. And I think it is extraordinary, as my colleague pointed out, that the Zogby poll indicated there is a favorable desire.

What I found so impressive in talking to the troops from my home State of South Carolina, and it was an informal setting, it was not contrived, there were no ranking officers there to make sure everybody said the right thing at the right time, they told me in walking the streets of Baghdad, which was really surprising, again, that they would be walking the streets of Mosul, that the people really impressed them as to their education level and their knowledge of issues. So there is really a bright future because of the people who live in that country and who deserve a chance.

Another point that was so exciting too, as we flew over by helicopter, we could see the number of satellite dishes. Prior to March, with the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime, there were no satellite dishes. Just as in North Korea, it is illegal to have a satellite dish in a totalitarian regime. But we saw hundreds, possibly thousands of satellite dishes, where people could stay in touch with what is going on in the world. They could receive the various networks from around the world by satellite. This is a new development which I think will be encouraging for democracy.

And, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is being very concise in what he is saying. He is not overstating. The gentleman did not include the predictions of mass refugee formations going into Iraq out of Iraq through different regions. And if my colleagues will remember, there were dire predictions of urban warfare; there was going to be a massive quagmire. Did not occur. Even the quagmire that had been announced when we had like a 24-hour pause due to a sand storm, that did not occur.

Then, finally, of course, there was people who made extraordinary predictions of mass starvation. That did not occur. And it did not occur because the American military made substantial planning. The American government, through U.S. Agency for International Development, did extraordinary planning. I had the privilege of being last year in Kuwait in November and learning of the plans that were being made in the event an invasion was necessary.

I was very fortunate to go back in February to Kuwait and meet with the troops on the front lines, the 3rd Infantry Division from Hinesville, Georgia, and the 1st Marine Division, and I saw the preparation being made for the conflict and then for after the conflict to avoid the dire consequences that we had heard would occur and did not occur.

Mr. Speaker, that was something very startling. I was showing pictures to my family of my visit; and I, of course, had some terrific aerial photos as we were flying by helicopter. We had a perfect view of the communities. I saw during the flights that I had six buildings destroyed. I also saw sites where rubble was pushed up, so I knew there were buildings no longer there. But the infrastructure is in place. The bridges that had to be destroyed in Serbia, that did not occur in Iraq. The bridges were in across the Tigris and the Euphrates.

When we talk about rebuilding, I hope the American people understand it is not because of the American destruction. The destruction is that created by Saddam Hussein. For example, in the schools, we are working very hard to show our good faith to the people of Iraq to get the schools open on October 1. When we talk about rebuilding the schools, we are not building beautiful edifices. Many of these schools are one- room schoolhouses which we are repainting. Particularly in the Shiite areas, the persons less likely to be followers of Saddam Hussein, their schools were closed or left to be dilapidated. They are not to American standards, but they are going to be very fine schools. And very importantly, the materials they have to learn from will be modern materials. No longer will the math book have contrived subliminal messages of how bad America is and how bad the West is. Now it will deal with math, and history will be authentic. This starts on October 1.

Another part of the rebuilding that the American people should understand because it was not due to our destruction was the electrical transmission. Because Saddam Hussein had such a heinous dictatorship, there were two electrical transmission systems. This is, unfortunately, a very common occurrence in dictatorships, and that is the palaces had a system. Additionally, the Baath Socialist Party members, they were on the system that worked, and then the different government agencies were on that system, but then the general public was on another system. In fact, that system had been left in place during the 1930s and the 1940s, built by the British. That system is not only antiquated, it had rolling power service. The people who got service were the ones who paid a bribe to the people who administered the power plants. This is a bizarre circumstance.

It is very difficult, obviously, for Americans to realize there are two transmission systems. We are going in to help rebuild that system because it is crucial for economic development. One of the greatest industries of Iraq is cement production to build buildings and have commerce. That is a very high-intensive use of electricity. By getting the electrical transmission, some people perceive that as we are just trying to provide frills; but, no, we are trying to provide basic services so the economy can come back.

The bottom line is that is beneficial to America, because, as has been pointed out, after World War II we had the Marshall Plan. That was to rebuild Germany. It was not because we were fond of the Germans, but what it was is that we did not want that to become a breeding ground for communism, and the way to avoid that is for the economy to be revived. Our challenge in Iraq is to restore the economy so it will not be a breeding ground for terrorists.

Mr. Speaker, indeed what we are talking about is jobs, because in the war on terrorism, if we were to have disruption of our economy as we did on September 11, it could be immediately catastrophic.

With the container ships that we all very much depend on for products being sent from the United States by export, back to the United States by import, we know that there is a potential for an abuse there of explosives or whatever. So by having an interruption of our shipping, it could be absolutely catastrophic, particularly in the Northeast. If there was even a 3-day disruption of shipping, there could be a disruption of the oil and gasoline necessary for refining above New York City to the Northeast to the point where it would be catastrophic. We would have the return of the lines with the lack of fuel; people would lose jobs. In my home State, the number one industry is tourism. We already know that if we were to have a terrorist attack of some nature, that it would completely devastate the hospitality industry. This is just a ripple effect all over the United States, actually all over the world. So the war on terrorism is crucial for us to proceed. It is a war we must win. I want to thank both of my colleagues again for making this clear.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Dr. Donald Capps and his wife, Betty for their leadership and 50 years of service to the blind in South Carolina.

Dr. Donald C. Capps, a lifelong resident of South Carolina, became legally blind in 1953. Capps, a fighter for social change for the underprivileged, attended the South Carolina School for the Blind and the public schools of this state. Upon graduation from high school, Capps received his diploma from Draughton's Business College.

He excelled after college in the vocational arena as a staff manager at Colonial life and Accident Insurance Company. Capps is married and has two children. He began his struggle for the blind with the movement to create the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina (NFB of SC).

The NFB was originally known as the Aurora Club. Capps served several two-year terms as president of this organization--a position he currently holds.

Under Capps' leadership, his state organization has been responsible for the success of many initiatives to improve programs and services for the blind in this state. During his tenure as president of the state organization, 19 pieces of legislation affecting the blind have been passed in South Carolina, including the model White Cane Law.

A major accomplishment of the South Carolina affiliate under Capps' leadership was the 1966 establishment of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, an independent state agency. Among his many activities, Capps is editor of the Palmetto Blind, the quarterly publication of the NFB of SC. In 1960 he directed a campaign which led to the construction of the Columbia Chapter's education and training center, which was expanded in 1970 and again in 1978.

Even though Capps has worked for the blind community, he has not been selfish in his endeavors to assist all the state's disabled population. Named to the Governor's committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped in 1963, Capps also was honored in 1964 as Handicapped Citizen of the Year by the City of Columbia and by the State.

Capps, an active member of the Kilbourne Baptist Church, serves as a deacon and member of the church personnel committee.

His honors in working with the blind continue to cross any avenues. He was the recipient of the prestigious Jacobus tenBroek Award, presented to the blind American considered to have made dedicated and outstanding contributions to the blind. In the many years of its existence, the award has only been presented three times.

Donald C. Capps Fellowship Hall at the Federation Center of the Blind was named in his honor for his lifetime service.

In 1981 Donald Capps was appointed to the Board of Commissioners of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind. He is the first blind member to be appointed to the policy-making board. In May 2001, Capps was given an honorary Doctorate of Public Service degree during commencement exercises at the University of South Carolina Spartanburg.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Historically Black College and Universities of the Second District of South Carolina. Benedict College, South Carolina State University and Claflin University serve more than 10,000 minority students seeking a better future for themselves and their families through education.

I've personally had the chance to visit many of these institutions and have seen firsthand what a tremendous job they are doing in preparing our youth for the future. I have proudly cosponsored legislation to strengthen minority-serving institutions and help to break down barriers that currently prevent some students from pursuing their dreams through education. I have also cosponsored bills to assist minority-serving institutions as they participate in graduate programs under the Higher Education Act, as well as international and foreign language studies programs.

Republicans in Congress have recognized the value of schools like Benedict, SCSU, and Claflin and have increased funding by 96 percent and by 172 percent for Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGIs) since 1995. This year, HBCUs received $214 million and the HBGI program received $53.4 million. The House-passed spending measure for next year adds another $10 million for HBCUs, bringing funding to nearly $225 million.

And earlier this year the House approved legislation, the Ready to Teach Act, to strengthen the nation's teacher training programs, including creation of ``Centers of Excellence'' at minority-serving institutions to bolster teacher quality and training.

The strong leadership provided by Presidents Dr. David Holmes Swinton of Benedict College, Dr. Andrew Hugine, Jr. of South Carolina State University, and Dr. Henry N. Tisdale of Claflin University combined with Congress' commitment to increase access to college for all Americans will ensure a brighter future for the students of South Carolina's Second District.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I returned from a delegation to Iraq organized by the Committee on Armed Services' ranking member, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton).

We visited with troops from Baghdad to Al Hillah in the south to Mosoul in the north, hearing directly from the heroes who have won the war and are now winning the peace in the war on terror.

These dedicated warriors have trained over 60,000 new Iraqi security forces and initiated over 6,000 community development programs for hospitals, schools, electrical transmission, business development and road improvements. Led by Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, they are allied with over 20,000 personnel in Iraq from nations all over the world.

I was inspired by the development of democracy promoted by courageous mayors, governors, council members, and an Islamic religious university dean who is a descendent of Mohammed.

We also met with Ambassador Paul Bremer, who clearly has recruited a competent team, including Colombians George Wolfe and Chris Harvin, to successfully promote democracy.

A vital part of the war on terror is success in Iraq, and we have the right components of capable troops, local stalwarts for democracy, and a visionary Coalition Provisional Authority.

In conclusion, God bless our troops.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, as a long-time volunteer for charitable organizations, I rise in opposition to this amendment and encourage all of my colleagues to vote no.

The proper level of Social Services Block Grant funding is a welfare reform question, not a charitable giving issue. The House-passed welfare bill holds SSBG funding constant at $1.7 billion but allows States to transfer up to 10 percent of annual Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, TANF, funds to the SSBG.

This same 10 percent transfer provision has been included in H.R. 7. Adding more funds for the SSBG will make welfare reauthorization, as indicated by the gentleman from California (Mr. Herger), even less unlikely by providing more funds without updating work requirements.

GAO estimates States today have almost $6 billion in unspent Federal TANF funds available for welfare, child care, and other social services. The 1996 welfare reform law has already resulted in more SSBG spending.

I strongly support the underlying bill, H.R. 7, and want to thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), our majority whip, for his leadership on this critical issue. This bill gets to the heart of what it means to be an American. We are a compassionate Nation where neighbors look out for one another. This bill helps institutions that have been historically successful in helping the less fortunate and encourages all Americans to increase their charitable giving.

H.R. 7 is an important bill for America we should pass without this amendment. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7 and vote no on the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, I learned just yesterday about the death of Joe Shine, who has been a longtime friend and advisor. We worked together when I was in the State Senate, as he served as the attorney for the Budget and Control Board.

I am most appreciative of his chairmanship of the Lower Savannah Minority Affairs Committee for the Second Congressional District.

My family and I offer our most sincere sympathy to Joe's family and friends.

I would like to enter into the Record the following article published this morning in The State newspaper.

[From The State, Sept. 11, 2003]

Prominent Lawyer Joe Shine Dies at 53; Citadel Grad Was Former Counsel

for Budget and Control

(By Valerie Bauerlein)

Joe Shine, respected lawyer, public servant and husband of

a federal judge, collapsed and died unexpectedly Wednesday

morning. He was 53.

Shine was the second black graduate of The Citadel and a

graduate of Harvard law school. He came back to his home

state to work, and became the first legal counsel for the

state's Budget and Control Board.

Fred Carter, the board's former director and current chief

of staff for Gov. Mark Sanford, said he felt like part of him

was ripped out when he heard of Shine's death.

``I've had the privilege of working with thousands of

people in state government,'' Carter said. ``I don't know

that I could identify anybody that had greater integrity than

Joe Shine.''

Shine grew up in Charleston, the son of a teacher and a

cook on naval ships. From his mother, he once said, he

learned to love knowledge and education, and from his father,

adventure and a sense of the world.

Shine went to The Citadel in 1967, with the encouragement

of teachers at his high school, including Jim Clyburn, now a

U.S. representative.

Shine said he was razzed because it was part of The Citadel culture, and because he was black. One cadet kicked him under the table at meals until his shins bled.

``There's an atmosphere there that the fittest survive,''

he said in a 2002 interview with The Post and Courier of

Charleston.

``I decided that no one would determine who I was but me,''

said Shine, who was named to The Citadel's board of visitors

last week.

As a student at the military school, Shine honed the

discipline that friends say he carried through his life.

He went to Harvard law school, served in the U.S. Air Force

and earned an MBA from Southern Illinois University at

Edwardsville.

Shine worked in Washington, D.C., where he met his wife,

Margaret Seymour, then an attorney with the Office of Civil

Rights of the U.S. Department of Education.

Shine loved the water and spent as much time kayaking and

sailing as he could.

``Joe was a big outdoorsman,'' said Ed Evans, the Budget

and Control Board's general counsel and Shine's former chief

of staff.

``His first date with his wife was a sailing adventure,''

said Evans, laughing. ``He capsized the boat. Why she went

out on a second date, I'll never know.''

Shine came back to South Carolina to serve as chief deputy

attorney general. He and Seymour had been dating less than a

year, but he proposed to her.

They married in 1988.

In 1993, Gov. Carroll Campbell picked Shine as the first

general counsel for the Budget and Control Board, the

administrative arm of state government.

Shine supervised 11 attorneys at the board and defended the

state in cases ranging from the mundane to the controversial,

including a 1994 case on whether the state could fly the

Confederate flag.

Shine defended the state's legal rights. Many people told

him he shouldn't.

``As a lawyer, I have an obligation to defend my client,''

he told The Post and Courier. ``My job was to try to have the

case dismissed.''

``You have to have public servants who recognize their

responsibilities and are going to do their jobs. I don't

choose my cases. The cases come to me.''

Shine retired last year from the Budget and Control Board.

He became general counsel for the Savannah River Site in June

2002.

Clyburn said Shine asked his advice about working at SRS,

the subject of numerous discrimination claims.

``I told him he should do it,'' Clyburn said. ``I saw Joe's

going down there as general counsel as a step in the right

direction.''

Shine commuted to Aiken, with Seymour commuting to

Spartanburg, where she is a federal district judge, the first

black woman named to the federal bench in the state.

The family lives in Columbia's Northlake community. Friends

say Shine was devoted to his son, who turned 12 last

Thursday.

The cause of Shine's death was not known Wednesday.

Shine leaves a legacy of public service, as a past

president of the S.C. Bar Association Foundation, which

raises money for indigent defense, and as a leader in civic

groups, sailing clubs and his church, St. Martin's in the

Fields Episcopal Church.

``Joe had a level of clarity knowing the difference between

right and wrong that very few people had,'' Evans said.

``More than that, he had the courage to do what was right.''

Mr. Speaker, this moment marks the second anniversary of the surprise attacks on America in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. As we reflect on why America was attacked, I believe it is clearer than ever: It is because America is the symbol of liberty and freedom in the world.

Our values of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and the opportunities for women to fully participate in society are cherished. But these values are a challenge to evil people who fear our freedoms as undermining their enslavement of others.

Our resolve to promote democracy is unwavering, and the pledge of President Bush has never been more correct. We will not waiver, we will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail. Today, I depart on a delegation to Baghdad to thank our brave Armed Forces, and it has never been more appropriate to declare: God bless our troops and God bless America.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is the 2-year anniversary of the most heinous act of war this Nation has ever experienced. The September 11 attacks were made against unarmed Americans by a sadistic terrorist network beginning the war on terrorism.

Today we are winning that war. Realizing the seriousness of the threat of our freedoms and liberties, our Commander in Chief, President Bush, has displayed true courage and leadership in hunting down terrorists all over the world and bringing them to justice. First by bringing down the barbaric Taliban in Afghanistan, and then by ending the evil regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, the men and women of our Armed Forces have eliminated the terrorist breeding grounds while bringing freedom to millions. Today, over 90 countries are part of the coalition against terrorism. Although we cannot predict the end of the war, we are thankful in 2 years since the 9/11 attacks there have not been other major attacks at home. While our Nation's resolve will be tested, I have faith with the President and his cabinet, we will continue winning the war on terrorism. May God bless our troops.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 266) commending the Clemson University Tigers men's golf team for winning the 2003 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Men's Golf Championship.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Res. 266.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 266. I would like to thank my hardworking colleague, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Barrett), for bringing this resolution forward.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution recognizes the achievement of the Clemson University men's golf team, the Tigers, for their NCAA Division I national collegiate championship. Clemson became the first school in NCAA history to win its conference championship, gain the NCAA regional title and the national championship all in 1 year.

The national championship Tigers deserve recognition for winning the title by just two shots over host school Oklahoma State University after starting the day just one stroke apart. Clemson finished with a 72-hole team total of 1,191, 39 strikes over par. The championship Tigers will enter the 2003-2004 season with a streak of 18 consecutive top three finishes, a Clemson record. In addition to inspiring the team victory, three players distinguished themselves from the field by being named to the All-America teams at the conclusion of the season.

Coach Larry Penley was named National Coach of the Year by the Golf Coaches Association and was the first Clemson coach in any sport to win a National Coach of the Year in over 10 years.

The distinction earned by these individuals and the remarkable repeat victories of the team reflect the dedication of each player, the leadership of Coach Larry Penley, and the support of family, friends, and fans.

I extend my congratulations to each of the hardworking players on this successful Tiger team, to Coach Penley, President Jim Barker, and to student body president Fletcher Anderson and all the students of Clemson University. I am happy to join my colleagues in honoring the accomplishments of this team and to wish them continued success.

I would like to pause briefly now to relay the news I learned this morning of the death of a real institution in South Carolina. According to the Associated Press, Jim Phillips, whose voice carried the dreams and disappointments of Clemson fans for 36 years, died yesterday at age 69. Jim Phillips, the voice of the Tigers, did the play-by-play for Clemson baseball, football, and men and women's basketball. He will be missed, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

I ask my colleagues to support this resolution, and I particularly am happy to be presenting this today in that my family has association with Clemson University. My son is a senior, Julian, who has been an intern here in Congress. I am very proud of his association, following in the footsteps of his late grandfather, Julian Dusenbury, who was a Clemson graduate.

I am also pleased that the communications director of the second district congressional office, Wesley Denton, is a Clemson graduate and also the health care legislative assistant, Micki Howard.

In conclusion, God bless our troops.

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

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

I would like to first thank the gentleman from New Jersey. It is very ironic, as the gentleman mentioned, that the persons who are on this team were native born, in the public institutions of South Carolina, but the State which provides the highest percentage of out-of-state students is New Jersey, and so we have a very strong relationship with our sister State to the north that people would not really recognize, but we have really benefited--

I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. Speaker, we do enjoy that. Many choose to stay, but the bottom line is we do have the warm relationship with the State of New Jersey.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Barrett).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to thank and congratulate the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Barrett) for his leadership on this issue and his promotion of a great university.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend marked the 19th Founder's Week and Church Anniversary Services for the New Covenant Assembly Christian Ministry of Columbia, South Carolina.

Led by Pastor C.L. Hardy and his first lady, Cynthia Hardy, this ministry has risen from humble beginnings in 1984 at St. Andrews Community Center to an inspiring edifice changing lives across the midlands of South Carolina.

Additionally, Dr. Hardy founded the NCA Community Development Center. Its mission is to aid, service, and develop people to reach their highest and fullest potential by providing special outreach programs, promoting educational success, and by enhancing permanent leadership.

Dr. Hardy's success has been recognized by his appointment as Suffrogan Bishop in region three of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World and his election as chairman of the Carolina State Council. However, as Dr. Hardy often says, ``It's all about the Lord, not me.''

I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. and Mrs. Hardy for their many achievements and wish them well for many more years of dedicated service to the people of both Carolinas.