Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I thank both Members for bringing this resolution to the floor.

When I introduced this resolution, I did it with the full understanding that we would be honoring the legacy of Luis A. Ferre, a true Puerto Rican visionary who wanted so much to continue to be part of this great Nation of ours. As many of my colleagues know, Luis lived 99-plus years and, during that time, he dedicated most of his life to public service. We usually do not like to talk about people's personal financial situations, but it is no secret that he was an extremely wealthy man who could have very easily just sat back and enjoyed spending money and living the life of someone who was very well off. Instead, he chose both to move forward what he felt was his vision of what the Puerto Rican society should look like and be like and act like and, at the same time, his deep belief to make Puerto Rico the 51st State of the Union. In fact, when he started this movement, it probably would have been the 48th or the 49th or the 50th State of the Union. He did that with the full understanding that the Puerto Rican community had a lot to offer to the United States and that the United States had a lot to offer through statehood to Puerto Rico.

At the same time that Luis pushed for statehood and advocated for what he believed was the proper route for Puerto Rico to take, he went about building the island's economy and building the island's cultural institutions. Museums, concert halls, television work and radio work all were part of his vision, and he pushed this to the very, very end of his life.

Every time he would visit Congress or come to Washington, he would visit my office. I was always taken by the fact that this man was such a gentleman, such a soft-spoken yet strong believer in everything that he stood for.

One of the things that he stood for was his belief that the poor had to have a better way in Puerto Rico. In fact, he gets credit for building the statehood movement amongst the poor by making sure that he expressed to them that statehood was not for the wealthy, but that statehood was for the poor. Before he came along, it was always seen as simply a Republican, wealthy kind of a situation.

He took it and brought it to everybody. I think it is important to note that in Puerto Rico the political structure is based on Commonwealth, statehood, or independence. But in those parties there are people who associate nationally with either the Republican or the Democratic Party. Within the statehood party there are people who are Democrats, there are people who are Republicans. It will please my colleagues to know that he was a staunch Republican who was very close to the Bush family and very close to Republican leaders throughout the country. It is for that reason that he received so many accolades from our government. In fact, in 1991, former President George H.W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

I remember once I was talking, and I will be very brief, but I was talking to a member of the Independence Party, the people who are totally opposed to statehood. And I think the greatest compliment that you hear for someone like Luis Ferre came from this member of the Independence Party. We were talking about him and he said, ``This man is a true patriot.'' I said, ``Wait a minute. You are calling a person who pushes statehood a patriot and yet you are for independence?'' He said, ``Yes. He is a patriot because everything Luis Ferre has ever done is in Puerto Rico's best interest and mine. And that is what signifies who is a patriot and who is not.'' And I will always remember that there is no greater tribute from someone who is totally opposed to your philosophy to say that you are for the good of the people.

He never saw his dream come true of Puerto Rico becoming the 51st State. But he did see Puerto Rico grow from a poor economy to a vibrant economy, from an island considered by many to be somewhere in the Caribbean to an island that became very much a part of the American family, and an island that became very much a part of the Caribbean family.

He is truly one of the greatest Puerto Ricans and certainly one of the greatest Americans to have ever lived. And he will be missed. I will miss him as a friend, I will miss him for the gentleman that he was, I will miss him as a leader. And today we honor that legacy through this resolution.

I want to thank all of our colleagues for honoring the life and legacy of Luis A. Ferre.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and work of Pedro Pietri, a fine Puerto Rican poet, who passed away on March 3, 2004, just weeks short of his 60th birthday.

Pedro was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico on March 21, 1944. He moved to Harlem in New York at the age of 3. Under the influence of his aunt, Irene Rodriguez, Pedro became very interested in poetry and as a teenager began to compose his own poems. After graduating from high school, Pedro worked a variety of jobs before being drafted. He served in a light infantry brigade in Vietnam. His experience in this war, he claimed, further radicalized his beliefs. Upon his return, he began to seriously pursue his interest in poetry in order to address the social ills that plagued not only his community but America as a whole.

In 1969, a Puerto Rican activist organization named the Young Lords briefly took control of the church Pedro attended as a child. It was during this takeover that Pedro gave the first public reading of what has arguably become his most notable poem, ``Puerto Rican Obituary''.

Juan, Miguel, Milagros, Olga, Manuel

All died yesterday, today and will die again tomorrow passing

their bill collectors on to the next of kin

All died waiting for the garden of eden to open up again

under a new management

All died dreaming about america . . .

This powerful poem, published in 1973, traces the lives of five Puerto Ricans who came to the mainland hoping to fulfill their dreams of a better life, but whose dreams soon become nightmares as they found themselves shut out of America's economic opportunities and lifestyle. All of Pedro's works, though at times humorous, contain a powerful political message.

Mr. Speaker, Pedro was not special because he was a gifted writer, he was special because he used his gift to inspire his community to rise above the oppression they had endured. In his countless poems and plays Pedro defined the Nuyorican (Puerto Rican New Yorkers) experience, inspiring a new generation of Nuyorican poets to take up the cause he dedicated his life to. In addition, his works have inspired poets of oppressed peoples in the United States and abroad since the 1960's.

Pedro's publications include Illusions of a Revolving Door: Plays (1992), The Masses are Asses (1984), Traffic Violations (1983), Lost in the Museum of Natural History (1980), Invisible Poetry (1979), and Puerto Rican Obituary (1973). His work has also been included in anthologies such as The Prentice Hall Anthology of Latino Literature (ed. Eduardo del Rio, 2002); The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry (ed. Alan Kaufman, 2000), The Latino Reader (eds. Harold Augenbraum and Margarite Fernandez Olmos, 1997), Inventing a Word: An Anthology of Twentieth-Century Puerto Rican Poetry (ed. Julio Marzan, 1980), and The United States of Poetry. He was the recipient of several New York State Creative Arts in Public Service grants and a grant from the New York Foundation for the Arts.

Mr. Speaker, for his invaluable contribution to American literature and his commitment to addressing issues of great importance to our nation; I ask that my colleagues join me in paying tribute to Pedro Pietri.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Army Pvt. Bryan Nicholas Spry, a national hero who paid the ultimate price for his country on February 14 in Baghdad, Iraq. This brave, 19-year-old soldier from Maryland's Eastern Shore, fresh out of basic training, had been in Iraq just over a month when he died.

Bryan was born in Wilmington, Delaware, and raised in Chestertown, Maryland, in Kent County on the Eastern Shore. I had the privilege of knowing him personally and found him to be a friendly, gregarious young man who loved the outdoors, baseball and the idea of being a soldier.

Mr. Speaker, on the night of February 13, Bryan attempted to drive his Humvee across a bridge which collapsed, dumping the vehicle into the water said Bryan's mother, Mrs. Beverly Couch Fabri. Three of the Humvee's passengers got out and swam to safety. But Bryan was unconscious when they pulled him out of the murky water. His lungs were filled with water. He died the next day, Valentine's Day, in a field hospital in Baghdad.

As a boy growing up on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, he idolized his older brother, Michael, a professional baseball player. Michael plays right field for the River City Rascals, a St. Louis area club that competes in the independent Frontier League. The two boys and their father often went deer hunting together. But instead of shooting the animals with a gun, Bryan preferred to shoot them with his camera. On one of those hunting excursions, when his brother was about to pull the trigger on his target, he saved the deer's life by scaring it off, his mother recalled. ``After that, his brother didn't take him along [on hunts] for a very long time,'' Fabri said.

Mr. Speaker, I am told that both of Bryan's grandfathers fought in World War II, and growing up he loved to run in the woods, playing army with his brother and friends. As a child he decorated his bedroom with GI Joe action figures, said one his boyhood friends. Bryan attended Kent County High School where he was an outfielder on the baseball team. Twenty-one days after he graduated from high school, he made good on his dream to become a soldier, shipping off to basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia. After successfully concluding his training, he was detached to the 82nd Airborne Division's Company D, 1st Battalion, 504th Infantry, based at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.

On Friday, February 20, visitation was held for Bryan at the Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home in his hometown of Chestertown. A memorial was also held that night at Mear's Great Oak Landing, a waterfront complex in Chestertown, with money raised from a silent auction and raffle to go into a fund in his name that will help military families. How fitting!

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the auditorium at Kent County High School in Worton. Bryan was laid to rest with full military honors at St. James United Methodist Church Cemetery, a final tribute to a paratrooper who, colleagues said, understood the meaning of duty and sacrifice. Major Marvin Luckie, deputy division chaplain for the 82nd Airborne read from the 23rd Psalm and from the lyrics to ``Taps.'' As the chaplain finished reading the psalm and a 21-gun salute broke the quiet, an honor guard slowly folded the flag and presented it to his weeping mother.

``In life, he honored the flag,'' Luckie said. ``In death, the flag will honor him.''

On Wednesday, February 25 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division held a memorial service in Iraq to remember him.

Mr. Speaker, the number of fallen heroes emerging from the war in Iraq, unfortunately, continues to grow. Our brave men and women who risk their lives daily are national treasures. I ask my colleagues to join me today in commemorating one of these treasured heroes; Army Pvt. Bryan Nicholas Spry.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

The big question on this bill is why now? There are enough laws in place and regulations to deal with this issue. I feel that some of the good, well-intentioned Members have been caught up in this desire to all of a sudden clear up the airwaves. I believe it is a distraction. It is a weapon of mass distraction, to keep us away from the real issues at hand.

The fact is that this is part, in my opinion, of the continuing thinking of the PATRIOT Act, the philosophy of the PATRIOT Act, that says we will read your e-mails, we will find out what you take out from the library, we will hold you in detention without charges or a lawyer, and we will then tell you what you can listen to on the radio.

Now, let us understand something: The target here is coming from the political and religious right, and it is directed only at that which they think is bad anti-American or indecent. Right-wing radio, which demonizes liberals, minorities, environmentalists, pro-choice and animal rights activists, they are fine. They will not be touched. And let me, for the record, say that I support their right to say whatever they want about me and other liberals and Democrats and minorities. They can say whatever they want. But what we are doing in this country is curtailing only people who are saying something else.

The main target these days is Howard Stern. Now, what does Howard Stern have to do with this issue and the political agenda? Well, for years he supported the administration on the war, he supported the administration on capital punishment, he supported the administration on just about everything.

In the last couple of months, he has had a change of heart and started opposing the war, started opposing the opposition to research, opposing the opposition to pro-choice, and, all of a sudden, he is in deeper trouble than he has ever been before.

How else can we explain that the day before his bosses, Clear Channel, were to face a Congressional committee, they fired him from six markets throughout this country? The FCC has been complaining about his locker humor jokes for years. Some people have suggested that he was not in good taste for years. But now, the big bang to get him off the air. He is left now on Infinity Radio, and he says he will be gone in about another 2 weeks.

Why? Was he okay when he was supporting the administration and in trouble, and how did Clear Channel decide to knock out its number one money maker one day before facing Congress? I wish I was the telephone company and could have heard those phone calls coming in with the political pressure.

My friends, this is a dangerous time. This bill should be defeated, if, for no other reason, than to send a message that there is something larger here at work than simply something you do not like. What I do not like may be something you like and vice versa. The best protection we have is not this bill. Just turn the channel, switch the station.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Woman's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Noris Colon, president and chief executive officer of H.O.G.A.R. (Housing Options & Geriatric Association Resources, Inc.), an organization dedicated to improving the lives of homeless, elderly, mentally ill, physically challenged, and HIV/AIDS- infected individuals in the Bronx.

Noris was born in Salinas, PR, and is very proud of her family and heritage. She comes from a family with a long tradition of public service. In her home town of Salinas, there is a street named after her late father, Juan Manzanet, who was the first chief of the fire department.

Mr. Speaker, in 1996, Noris founded H.O.G.A.R. to fill a gap in the social service delivery system in Bronx County. The organization's mission is not only to raise awareness of the housing and health issues facing burdened groups of society, but also to provide ways of remedying these issues. As a result of her strong leadership, H.O.G.A.R. was selected as the ``Outstanding Agency of the Year'' by the Bronx Psychiatric Center and the State Office of Mental Health.

Noris has an extensive background in social and rehabilitative services and mental health administration. Her experience encompasses personnel management, psychiatric rehabilitation, community relations, and the development of special needs housing programs. She graduated from Nyack College, where she specialized in organizational management.

Mr. Speaker, Noris resume is impressive. She was the first administrator of the Mental Health Program of Hunts Point Multi Service Center. She has also served as director of Community Residences of South Bronx Mental Health Council and has worked at Casa La Esperanza and Harlem Hospital. In addition, Noris has served as chief of staff for City Councilman Federico Perez and was appointed Human Rights Commissioner of New York by Mayor Abraham Beame.

Mr. Speaker, for her immeasurable contributions to those most in need and most overlooked, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring this incredible woman.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Women's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Nellie McKay, an incredible woman who has dedicated most of her life to the service of others.

Nellie was born in 1929 to two hard-working parents, Polly and Alex Brown. She grew up with 10 brothers and sisters and learned the importance of sharing and support at a young age. Nellie has applied these values throughout her life as a community activist. New York was fortunate enough to become home to Nellie in 1950, when she immediately became a volunteer with the Baby Tracks program at the old Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx. She also lent her time and energy to the Prosthesis Clinic at St. Luke's Hospital, easing the spirits of patients there. Nellie was a key player in the immunization program at local public schools, which is a crucial initiative for underresourced schools, especially during that era.

Mr. Speaker, Nellie has always been committed to educating and fostering awareness in those around her. Having earned a Bachelor

of Arts degree from Norwich University, she champions the importance of education. She has facilitated countless workshops on Black History to empower members of the Black community with knowledge of their history and culture as well as to inform members of other ethnic communities. Her main goal was to bring people together through learning.

Many young people and adults throughout the South Bronx consider Nellie a second mother. She has cared for hundreds of children in her home and coordinated numerous events with young people in the community. The fashion shows she organized with Mott Haven HeadStart children created wonderful memories for many. While Nellie may have a special place in her heart for children, she is also very concerned with general community development and giving everyone, children and adults alike, a sense of pride in their neighborhood. She has spearheaded the reparation of abandoned buildings and vacant lots and the repaving of roads and sidewalks. Knowing that she and her neighbors deserved quality public transportation service, she called for and received improvement of the local bus line. Nellie has also helped empower fellow Bronx residents by participating in a number of voter registration drives, encouraging her neighbors to make their voices heard.

Mr. Speaker, at 74 years of age, Nellie continues to work hard and is currently the chairperson of the Housing Committee of Planning Board I, assistant chairperson of the Patterson Volunteer Committee, a lifetime member of the National Council of Negro Women, and a member of the New York NAACP, as well as many other prestigious organizations.

In a day in age when many people do not pay attention to their neighbor, Nellie's selflessness is refreshing. For that reason, I ask that my colleagues join me honoring the contributions of this remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Women's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Paloma Izquirdo-Hernandez, a remarkable woman who has dedicated most of her life to the serving others.

Paloma, who was raised in the Bronx, New York, attended Boston College as an undergraduate and holds two masters degrees, a MS and a MPH from Teachers College, Columbia University and the School of Public Health, Columbia University, respectively. She is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Urban Health Plan Inc.

Paloma has been steadily associated with Urban Health Plan since 1980 and has risen to the top of the organization by dedicating over 23 years as the organization's Administrator, Executive Director and currently as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Throughout her tenure with Urban Health Plan, Ms. Hernandez has worked, despite monumental challenges, to deliver care in a culturally and linguistically competent manner while increasing the number of services offered to patients that her agency serves. She takes pride in acknowledging that despite the dramatic changes that she has witnessed both in her community and in the health care environment she has had the will to persist to fulfill the mission that was set before her.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that today over 30,000 community residents are provided with top quality health care and in the past

year over 120,000 primary and specialty care visits were rendered at Urban Health Plan. Paloma can also add to her list of achievements the successful relocation of Urban Health Plan's main site, a project she embarked upon over 15 years ago. Through her spearheading efforts, financing was secured through municipal tax free bonds as well as a New York City Council Grant. The new site is a 40,000 square foot state of the art medical facility that will further support Urban Health Plan's ability to continue to provide medical services to its community.

Paloma currently serves on multiple boards and organizations. She is a true example of the consistent and outstanding leadership that exist in our cities' community based organizations. For her service to the people of her community, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Women's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Heidi Hynes, a remarkable woman who has dedicated most of her life to the service of others.

A native of Kansas City, MO, Heidi moved to the Bronx, New York, to attend Fordham University in the fall of 1986. After graduating with a B.A. in philosophy she became an associate of the Friars of the Atonement and subsequently volunteered for a year of service in Jamaica. In Jamaica, Heidi worked at a pre-school, distributed food, tutored, provided assistance at a local clinic and did other activities related to the Friars Parish. Upon the completion of a year of volunteer work with the Friars Parish, Heidi returned to New York and worked as a full time volunteer with the Catholic Worker on the lower East Side. In this role, she lived with former homeless men and women, ran a soup-line, assisted with the distribution of their newspaper and was active in peace and justice campaigns.

In 1995, after marrying Bryan Hynes, a man she met while at the Catholic Worker, Heidi began working as a community organizer for the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition. In that capacity she organized tenants, homeowners, and park groups in the Fordham Bedford community. In the fall of 1997, Heidi began working as the Executive Director of the Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center in the Bronx. Through her work providing and developing youth and family programs she has learned a great deal about the Croton Community, non-profit management and youth development.

Mr. Speaker, such selflessness must not go unnoticed. Since graduating from college, Heidi has dedicated herself to uplifting others. For that reason, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Women's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Iris Fernandez, a phenomenal woman who has devoted her life to enhancing the lives of others.

Iris, a native of Puerto Rico moved to New York at the age of 18. While attending college in New York she began serving her community as a youth advocate by helping children with their schoolwork. Later, as a parent, Iris continued advocating for children's education as a school board member. She chaired the District 7 School Boards Facilities where she brought together the Parks Department, the Department of Education Facilities and CPB No. 1 to build speed bumps around the school where speeding cars were a concern. In addition she orchestrated the building of a fence around P.S. 49 which potentially saved the lives of many children as it once prevented a man with a gun from entering the school premises.

Mr. Speaker, Iris has a long history of service to her community. She is the President and Founder of the Community Enhancement Organization which serves to create new initiatives to help families move from welfare to work and serves to help community residents find decent apartments or become home owners. If that is not enough, she also created the Youth Advisory Council to address the issues that the youth in her organization face on a daily basis. Ms. Fernandez has also demonstrated that she is a capable business woman. In 1989 she became a financial officer for a home care agency named P.R.H.A.S., Inc. During her fourteen years of service she was instrumental in moving their revenue from $7 million to an impressive $14 million. The works of this young woman has not gone unnoticed. In 2002, her community elected her to serve as Assembly Female District Leader for the 84th district.

Mr. Speaker, for her willingness to go beyond the call of duty in service to her community, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring this remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Women's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Martha Watford, an incredible woman who has dedicated most her life to the service of others.

For 38 years, Martha has been an active member of the community. She has served as parent, staff and currently Executive Director of the La Peninsula Community Organization. Serving over one thousand families annually, it is one of the largest community based organizations in the South Bronx. In her position as Executive Director, she has been responsible for expanding what was once a two room operation to what is now a facility with six centers and 33 classrooms. This new facility is due to open in September 2004 and will aptly be named the Martha Watford Center.

Mr. Speaker, Martha is always eager to incorporate new initiatives into the program in order ensure that the families and children that her organization serves are given every opportunity to achieve all that they possibly can. As a result of her unyielding commitment to her community, Martha was the recipient of the Robin Hood Foundation Heroes Award in 1996. She leads her staff by demonstrating unfailing strength and passion in serving the families of our community.

For her commitment to the families of our community, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring this remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 287, a resolution to honor the life and achievements of the late great actor, Raul Julia.

Julia was born in San Juan Puerto Rico on March 9, 1944. A precocious child, Julia discovered his talent for acting at the young age of 5. From then on he knew his destiny was the theatre. Upon graduation from the University of Puerto Rico, Julia was faced with a difficult choice between his parents' wishes and his own. They wanted him to continue to law school. He wanted to pursue an acting career. Finally, like so many Puerto Ricans, and so many aspiring actors, he left for New York.

In New York, it was Joseph Papp, founder of the New York Shakespeare Festival, who

gave Julia his first break after casting him as a lead in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus. With the support of Papp and following in the paths blazed by native Puerto Ricans Jose Ferre and Rita Moreno, who had won acclaim for their stage and on screen performances, Julia became a Broadway star. He was nominated for four Tony awards and more importantly demonstrated that Puerto Ricans could play more diverse roles than the stereotypical roles they were usually given.

While the theatre was Julia's passion, it was film that made him immensely popular. On screen Julia once again proved that he was a diverse actor, starring in comedies, dramas and action films. Perhaps, most of us know him best from his role as Gomez Addams in the hugely successful Addams Family movies.

Julia passed away on October 24, 1994, at the age of 54. He left behind his wife of 28 years, two sons, and a multitude of shocked fans. He is sorely missed, not only for his great acting but for being such a great human being. He never succumbed to pressures to abandon his Latino-Puerto Rican heritage in order to succeed and as a result he opened doors for nontraditional parts for Hispanic Actors. What was more impressive about Julia was his dedication to the uplifting of others. He was a passionate supporter of The Hunger Project, a foundation devoted to the elimination of world hunger. For 17 years, he served as the Project's spokesperson. He also was a dedicated leader in the fight against the rising rates of teen violence and encouraged teenagers to express their emotions through art rather than violence.

Since his death, there have been many awards and honors created in his name. They include a scholarship at Julliard, the Raul Julia award given annually by the National Endowment for the Hispanic Arts in Washington, DC, and the Raul Julia Global Citizen Award. I am also proud to say that in June 1996, a new elementary school in my district in the Bronx, New York was dedicated as the Raul Julia Micro Society Dual Language School.

Mr. Speaker, for his accomplishments on stage and on screen and his unyielding desire to help those less fortunate than he, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the life of Mr. Raul Julia.

Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise today to pay tribute to Major General Amato Matty Semenza, a dedicated and determined community leader who passed away suddenly on Sunday, February 1, 2004 at his home. Friends, family and community members will gather on Friday, February 13 at 11 a.m. at St. Edward's the Confessor Church in Clifton Park to honor his memory.

General Semenza was appointed commanding general of the New York State Guard by Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller on July 20, 1973, after serving as deputy commanding general. He served as commander until 1987. The General served the United States with distinction during his military career.

The numerous decorations, citations and commendations bestowed upon him, speak volume about the character of General Semenza. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Unit Citation, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign, the World War II Victory and Occupation Medals, the New York State Conspicuous Medal, the NYG Commendation Medal, the NYS Long and Faithful Service Decoration for 25 years of military service and the New York Guard Medal. General Semenza also served as the president of the State Defense Force Association of the United States.

General Semenza earned his Bachelor of Science degree and master's degree in education from Fordham University. He began his teaching career in 1946 and 2 years later joined the faculty of Fordham College, where he met his wife, Renata Gouthier.

In 1955, General Semenza began his work with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. He served as diocesan superintendent of schools, director of the Diocesan Development and Stewardship Office and executive director of the National Catholic Stewardship Council Inc. He was appointed to the New York State Council of Catholic School Superintendents, chief administrator of the National Catholic Education Association and the American Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Beyond General Semenza's ceaseless civic work, he managed to be a loving and involved husband, father, and grandfather. To be well-known as not only a giving and determined individual, but also as a devoted family man, is a remarkable honor. I am sure that his family is very proud of the wonderful life he led. General Semenza was a wonderful individual who showed us the beauty and power of dedication, leadership, and wisdom. He was truly an inspiration to all who knew him.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commemorating the life of Major General Amato Matty Semenza.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Private First Class Luis Moreno, a Dominican American who gave his life while serving our country in Iraq.

Pfc. Moreno, who was only 19 years old, was born in the Dominican Republic but immigrated to this country with his family in 1991 in search of a better life. Hoping one day to serve as a police officer, Pfc. Moreno made the courageous decision to dedicate his life to protecting the lives of others.

Pfc. Moreno enlisted in the Army shortly after graduating from Taft High School in the Bronx. He had been deployed in Baghdad for only three months with the Army's 1st Armored Division before his untimely death.

Mr. Speaker, I was inspired by this young man's courage and conviction and sadly reminded of the high cost of war. Pfc. Moreno, like so many other young soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. As we mourn the life of this brave soldier, let us remember the sacrifices of all our service members and work to ensure that their heroic deeds are never forgotten.

For his heroism and service to his country, I ask my colleagues to join me in mourning the loss of Pfc. Luis Moreno.

Mr. Speaker it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to Ms. Mary Davis, a resident of the Bronx, New York who will turn 108 this month. Ms. Davis is a living testimony to the indomitable spirit of our great nation.

Born December 12, 1895 in Florida, Ms. Davis was the granddaughter of slaves, whom she still has very clear memories of. This incredible woman witnessed an America that almost none of us can say we truly knew; an America that wrestled to establish the ideals of democracy and freedom while continuing to oppress and terrorize those of African descent. However, like many African Americans of her time, Ms. Davis transcended that oppression and in doing so helped bring a nation closer to its great potential.

The proud mother of five daughters, grandmother of 10 grandchildren and great grandmother of 30 great grandchildren, Ms. Davis spent most of her life working as a nanny and housekeeper to support her family. Today, she lives alone in the Bronx and is described by those close to her as being a lovable, God fearing woman who still attends her church, the Great Methodist Baptist Church of Manhattan, regularly.

Mr. Speaker, Ms. Davis lived through two World Wars, the Cold War, Vietnam, and two wars in Iraq. She has seen 20 Presidents enter the White House and witnessed America's role in the world evolve from a non-influential nation to the most powerful nation the world has ever known. She was here before Henry Ford introduced the Model T, and even before the Wright Brothers took their famous flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. There are only a few people on earth who can say that they have witnessed all of these events first hand and Ms. Davis should certainly be proud to be one of them.

For her many contributions to her community and to this nation, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ms. Mary Davis on her 108th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, we are nearing the finish of this session of the 108th Congress, and I am sure most Members will be heartily glad to see it end.

Today, we are considering an Omnibus bill making appropriations for departments and agencies that ought to be funded in seven separate appropriations bills, which have been held up by various obstacles, including insufficient allocations and controversial riders--or riders to stop controversial administration policies.

On the matter that should be in a separate bill for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Federal Judiciary, and several important related agencies, we began with a bad budget allocation that has gotten worse and will be further reduced by across-the-board cuts, both within our division of the Omnibus and across the government.

I must say that our chairman, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) is not to blame for the deficiencies in our portion of this bill. Throughout the process, he has been very fair and has sought to produce the best possible bill, given the limited resources his leadership gave him to work with. For that, I thank him very much.

I also cannot thank the staff enough for all their hard work, long hours, and time away from their families. Mike Ringler, Leslie Albright, Christine Ryan Kojac, and John Martens for the majority, as well as Anne Marie Goldsmith and Alan Lang, this year's detailees, have worked closely with Rob Nabors and David Pomerantz of the Democratic staff and Lucy Hand, Nadine Berg, and Diaraf Thiouf of my staff and my Presidential Management Interns Pete Balfe and Erin McKevitt.

However, the allocation is still too small, and I am seriously concerned about its impact on very important government functions in law enforcement, the judiciary, foreign affairs, and other areas. I am alarmed that the amounts we have worked out in conference with the Senate will be reduced by across-the-board cuts. We fought hard for adequate funding, for example, for the FBI and other law enforcement, but even those amounts face devastating cuts.

Among the most worrisome deficiencies are the State and local law enforcement programs. Most of them are at barely acceptable levels, before the across-the-board cuts, but the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant, funded at nearly $400 million last year, falls to $225 million this year, before the across-the-board cuts. Even relatively small programs had to be cut, such as the Police Integrity grants, which falls from nearly $17 million in fiscal year 2003 to $10 million. We are asking State and local governments to do more to protect our people, as the resources available to support this work decline.

Another alarming problem is the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which this year falls from over $106 million to just under $40 million, before the across-the-board cuts. This is a severe blow to a very important program, at a time when manufacturers need help. I can only hope that in fiscal year 2005 we can get back to a more appropriate level.

One last agency I would like to mention is the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) We had tried to stabilize LSC's funding this year, but across-the-board cuts will undercut that goal. Beyond that, there is growing concern that limits on the uses of private money donated to independent LSC grantees are hurting America's low-income families and imposing unwarranted government restrictions on the private sector. The administration does not tolerate such interference with the privately funded religious activities of its faith-based grantees. It--and we-- would not tolerate such interference with privately funded secular activities also dedicated to helping families in need. I am hopeful that next year we can address these restrictions on privately donated funds. At this point, Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to submit for the Record letters I have received on this issue.

I am also alarmed by the process that got us to this point. The Republican leadership has imposed policies that are not supported by the majority of the American people, the Congress, or the conferees--in our subcommittee's division, the dead-of-night ``compromise'' on media ownership. The gun provisions are also different from what was agreed to by the conferees.

Mr. Speaker, if we can find $87 billion for a war we didn't have to fight, we ought to be able to find the resources to support our domestic law enforcement agencies with the personnel and resources they need; the commercial, statistical, and environmental activities of our Commerce Department; our foreign policy establishment; and such crucial agencies as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Mr. Speaker, in the end, however most Members vote on the Omnibus Appropriations bill--and I recognize that many crucial programs would suffer under a long-term continuing resolution--I must emphasize that the resource allocation that has yielded Division B of the Omnibus, which funds the agencies in the jurisdiction of the Commerce, Justice, State, Judiciary, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, is grossly inadequate and may prove damaging to the national interest.

November 20, 2003.

Hon. Frank R. Wolf,

Chairman, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and

Judiciary, Committee on Appropriations, Washington, DC.

Hon. Jose E. Serrano,

Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, and

Judiciary, Committee on Appropriations, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Wolf and Congressman Serrano: We write to

thank for your tremendous leadership on behalf of America's

families by supporting increased funding for the Legal

Services Corporation in the Fiscal Year 2004 Commerce,

Justice, State, the Judiciary and Related Agencies

Appropriations Bill introduced in your Subcommittee.

However, we also write to express our regret that for the

past several years this bill has included a restriction that

severely limits the manner in which independent civil legal

aid programs funded by LSC can spend their own private, state

and local funds.

This ``private money'' restriction annually encumbers more

than $300 million in non-federal money, and harms communities

in two distinct ways. First, the restriction imposes costly

government obstacles to private philanthropy. Second, the

restriction closes the doors of justice to many low-income

individuals and families unable to afford necessary legal

representation in civil matters.

The undersigned groups write to express our support for

amending the LSC appropriation in order to end this

governmental interference with non-federal funding for legal

aid nonprofits. We urge you to continue your tremendous

leadership on behalf of America's families by guiding efforts

to end this unfairness.

In particular, we hope you will support removal of the

private money restriction because the restriction improperly

interferes with the right of private philanthropies and other

non-federal donors--including state and local governments--to

determine the purposes for which their charitable donations

will be used. In addition, the restriction interferes with

the right of non-federal donors to select those local

institutions best equipped to carry out the purposes of their

charitable donations.

By removing the private money restriction, but keeping

intact restrictions that control activities financed with

federal LSC funds, Congress would properly place independent

LSC recipients in the same position as nonprofit grantees of

other federal entities which are permitted to use their non-

federal funds free of unwarranted restrictions. This would

bolster the mission of LSC as a model public-private

partnership dedicated to supporting independent and

accountable local programs that set their own priorities

based on community need.

Furthermore, Congress's removal of the LSC private money

restriction may well encourage increased charitable donations

to the more than 150 independent LSC recipients that serve

the working poor, veterans, the elderly, victims of domestic

violence, family farmers and people with disabilities in

every county and Congressional District in the Nation.

Thank you very much for your support and continued

leadership on behalf of America's families.

Sincerely,

Brennen Center for Justice at NYU School of Law;

International Union, UAW; National Legal Aid and

Defender Association; Center for Law and Social Policy;

National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW

Local 2320; National Immigration Law Center; Open

Society Policy Center; Association of the Bar of the

City of New York; Community Service Society of New

York;

National Council of La Raza; Council on Foundations

Independent Sector; National Council of Nonprofit

Associations; National Committee for Responsive

Philanthropy; OMB Watch; Charity Lobbying in the Public

Interest; Alliance for Justice; Nonprofit Coordinating

Committee of New York.