Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to Members and to our Nation of an important point in television history that took place on Friday, March 28, 2003. The Haitian Television Network of America went on the air in Miami, Florida. The Haitian Television Network is the first Creole and French language 24-hour-a- day station in the Nation. We were very proud, based on the fact that it is in Miami.

After years of programming on public access stations on cable, the president of the station, Claude Mancuso, has succeeded in his vision of reaching a broader audience. Mr. Mancuso has also worked within the Haitian community in providing Haitian programming. This is very important to our Haitian-Americans, that their Haitian culture, religion and history is daily programmed throughout south Florida and throughout the Nation. News, sports, movies, sitcoms and documentary programs for children are going to be able to help our Nation grow and understand one another. The Haitian-American population is estimated nationally at over 2 million, with over 700,000 Haitian-Americans residing in the State of Florida, with 500,000 in south Florida. I commend the Haitian Television Network for achieving its goal of being able to be a 24-hour station and look forward to many years of programming.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of the Special Order today.

Mr. Speaker, every week the Congressional Black Caucus comes together here for an hour on the floor to not only speak of events that took place in the Congress but also in our Nation. And this week we are coming together as a caucus and to be able to share with Americans and those that came to Washington, DC, on April 1 of this month to march in front of the Supreme Court on the march on Washington.

We rise today to commend the courage of these college students and young adults that participated in the march, held forums and also held workshops on affirmative action and the positive benefits of it.

While the marchers were assembled in front of the Supreme Court, men and women of every color, every nationality stood together in front of the Supreme Court, whether it be in front of the bench as proponents or opponents of affirmative action or behind the bench with the responsibility to uphold the Constitution.

Students came from far and wide, from as far as California, as close as here, right here in Washington, DC, to be able to speak on behalf of those who did not have the opportunity to speak for themselves on that day. 250 colleges, universities, high schools, middle schools, and other community organizations mobilized themselves for this national march on Washington with thousands attending.

Today we commend them, today we commend them for fighting for our children. I commend them personally for standing for my 5-year-old and 8-year-old son and daughter. These students participated for equal justice. They marched for equal opportunities. They stood for equal protections side by side, men and women alike. So they have come without any reservations. Some stayed out overnight in front of the Supreme Court just to hear, just for a moment or two the arguments that were argued on that day.

Some did not get an opportunity to go in. Some traveled all night. Some students missed class and had to go back and make those classes up or exams. Some had to ask their loved ones to take other loved ones to the doctor, to feed their children, to be able to do things that they would ordinarily be doing if they did not have to come to Washington. But that is all part of our democracy that we cherish and that we love.

Tonight you will be hearing from members of the Congressional Black Caucus commending these students and other Americans for participating in this democracy, standing on behalf of equal opportunity, standing on behalf of fair play for all that makes America great.

We want to make sure that organizers and those individuals that came to march here on Washington know that not only are Members of the Congress but members of the military are supporting them 110 percent for standing for what they believe in. And tonight, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize some Members to be able to speak before us and share some comments as we go to not only commend but also talk a little bit about the importance of affirmative action.

Our chairman, the distinguished Member from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize at this points.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to, number one, commend the gentleman from Maryland as not only chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, but being a part of this, how should I say, coalition of not only Members of Congress, not only black Members of Congress or women of Congress, but Members of Congress that commend the organizers for bringing forth a march to be in support of affirmative action. Even though it was being argued in the courts, as we know, and as I mentioned that the retired military generals filed a brief in this case, I am looking forward to talking a little more about this tonight and also about the U.S. corporations as it relates to the diversity of what Dr. King talked about so long ago which has made America what it is.

But I just want to congratulate the gentleman on behalf of myself, this Member from the 17th Congressional District in Florida, with regard to what the Congressional Black Caucus is doing in relation to sticking with this issue in the halls of Congress and also encouraging those to do what they are doing now.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to yield now to a distinguished gentlewoman who is a member of the Committee on Appropriations, the gentlewoman from the 13th Congressional District of Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for assisting in the organizing and assisting young people coming to Washington, and also the pride and energy that I hear in her voice of this generation and generations after this particular generation to be stimulated and motivated to continue to struggle in the fight for equal opportunity. We appreciate the entire State of Michigan, the Motor City for what they did, and the corporations for standing for what is right in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), who has appeared before the Supreme Court as a lawyer many times.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) for her outstanding comments, and I want to thank those institutions of higher learning in the D.C. area that took just such a vital part in playing host to so many of these marchers.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas, Ms. Sheila Jackson-Lee.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), and I want to commend her not only on behalf of Americans but also on behalf of myself and members of the Congressional Black Caucus for the workshop that she had in her district dealing with affirmative action prior to the Supreme Court hearing and commitment of those universities and individuals that she mentioned and those that went yet unmentioned, their contributions. So we thank her.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I can say that this is one of these moments that I am glad that God allowed me to live long enough for this moment to be able to have such a soldier on behalf of fair opportunity, equal treatment for all, someone that had marks on his body on behalf of this country, with many other patriots that are here and that have gone on.

I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), Member from the Fifth District, distinguished member of the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Georgia for his contributions, not only in the past but in the present. We commend you.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. His comments were very appropriate for the moment and the time.

Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to say that not only all of the Members here, but the Members who could not be here that did place information in the Record, it is such an honor to be here, coming from Florida. So many of you were involved in that effort there to save and work towards a better affirmative action in Florida and this country.

Words are inadequate to even describe the kind of work that is going to have to be done for the understanding of this country of how important affirmative action is. I tell every American, if you have a daughter and a mother, and obviously we all do, you are for affirmative action.

I commend those individuals that came before us, and the NAACP and other organizations that organized to get them here. I look forward to working with the gentleman and the members of the Congressional Black Caucus as we continue to work with these young people and younger people that have done so well for us.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to proceed with my Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to honor George ``Godfather'' Thompson, one of the most remarkable men in my life and many of the lives of individuals who have played Rattler football at Florida A&M. Tomorrow night, friends and families and other players at Florida A&M are going to come together to pay tribute to this wonderful man who has done so much on behalf of so many, a man of great humility and compassion. When he speaks of Florida A&M and Rattler football, he gets chill bumps all over his body.

His heart is so big that those who go to Florida A&M with very little money, very little guidance or those that have great guidance, he takes the time to speak with them.

This Nation loves sports and for good reasons, but the right coach and guidance and sports, particularly in team sports, are fun and effective ways to teach young people the great lessons of life, that discipline and hard work are necessary for success but not necessarily guaranteed; that those who are

trying to beat their opponents, they are not necessarily their enemies; that winning with grace and dignity often requires as much character as losing with grace and dignity; and that teams succeed over the long haul when there are people working together, helping each other and supporting each other.

These are the great lessons of George ``Godfather'' Thompson.

I played defensive end for Florida A&M University, and this is where I met Godfather. He gave me a great, great insight on life, even though he was just an equipment manager. He was one of great dignity and pride and told many Rattler football players about the programs and stories. Even though it was not his responsibility to be the counselor, he took that responsibility as being someone to head young men in the right direction, or point young men in the right direction.

For everyone who calls George Thompson ``Godfather,'' and we still do, it is not a godfather that we may see on a movie or what have you, but it is out of respect and love for someone who took the time with everyone and opened his heart to accommodate not only their feelings but to guide them in the right direction.

He came to Florida A&M from Melbourne, Florida in 1951 as a student and pursued his degree and worked on campus as an equipment manager. It changed his life and the lives of thousands of student athletes who passed under his mentorship. He is a walking, talking history book who still inspires the coaches, students and players at Florida A&M. His compliment to the university and the students is unprecedented at Florida A&M, and maybe unprecedented in the entire Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is very important for us to be able to highlight the fact that he served under five coaches there at Florida A&M, and for many of those years great individuals passed through that program. Rattler football is something we take very seriously down in Florida, especially in Tallahassee, Florida where the blood runs orange and green.

I want to thank him for his commitment and his level of responsibility for so many individuals in our lifetime. So many young men have moved on to do great things in this country because of his guidance, and we honor his presence and we thank God that so many of us had the opportunity to have him walk our way. So I not only commend him, Mr. Speaker, but I also want this Congress to be aware that a great American and patriot took time to not only guide individuals like myself and others and that we are forever indebted to his presence and to his feelings and to the work that he put forth over the years doing common things uncommonly well.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I want to be very quick and within a minute I would like to share with the American public something that is very, very important. The information that you are receiving here this evening and the amendment that the Democrats will have tomorrow to not only put teeth but to make sure we have real homeland security is very, very important.

As we look at our ports and the Coast Guard, I think we need to go far beyond great speeches in front of Coast Guard cutters, and talking about how we support our men and women riding in those vessels and fighting in helicopters. I would say that with any major incident in our ports, not only will we experience a large loss of life, but we would also experience quite an interruption in commerce.

It is very, very important that the American people understand that the Coast Guard says they need a billion dollars alone this year to secure our ports. We have individuals working at our ports now that do not have proper credentials as it relates to some of the shipping companies. We know we are very vulnerable in our ports, and I think it is important that we make sure that this administration understands that it is more than just giving speeches, that it is important that we put our money where our mouth is and make sure that we are standing on behalf of homeland security.

This is an everyday issue that Americans care about, and it is an everyday issue that we have to respond to, and I am encouraging this Congress to support our efforts tomorrow to make sure that we have true homeland security.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) and our subcommittee members for sharing their thoughts and ideas that we have as it relates to meaningful homeland security versus just talking about what we need to do.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for his leadership and the members of the Congressional Black Caucus for bringing voice to the real level of patriotism that our country is at at this particular time.

I think it is so very, very important, Mr. Speaker, that we make sure that all Americans understand the level of integrity when we look at our military. When we look at our military, not only the sacrifice they are undertaking right now in the theaters of war in other parts of the world but it is also the sacrifice that their families are paying. Their families are truly paying the ultimate price of giving a loved one the opportunity to serve their country and many of those individuals like two young men from Florida.

I just called home, Mr. Speaker, and spoke to my wife; and she shared with me that just today in the Miami Herald they had a story of a letter of one of our outstanding young patriots who gave his life on behalf of this country willingly. He was happy and thought it was a great opportunity for him, right out of college, to fight on behalf of his country.

I know in this Congress that many of us do not agree with the rules of engagement that we used, especially in Iraq, and we had a resolution here on this very floor and many Members were draped up in the flag, rightfully so, paying praise to all of our troops that are getting sand in their teeth right now. We all understand here in the

Congress that the sacrifice, the sacrifice of family, of friendship, the sacrifice of just being an American, few of us have the opportunity to put our lives on the line on behalf of this country, but we have thousands of Americans that are doing that. Some 43 percent of the individuals that are in the theater right now are what we may call our volunteer army, reservists, individuals that have given up their weekends from their families for years and now they have been called upon.

I think it is important since we have set the stage of saying truly that we are here to pay not only respect to those who are fighting the war now but it is important that this Congress and members of the Congressional Black Caucus feel very strongly about this, that we continue to respect those that put it on the line in the past. We know that we have a number of these individuals that are serving our country right now in a time of war that are going to return back to the United States and they are going to need adequate health care, veterans' benefits. They will be our new veterans. Some of them will be as young as 19 and 20 and 21. Some will be 55 and over 65.

It was very disheartening when the budget, this Federal budget that passed by a very narrow, narrow margin, that we would have a shortfall of some $1.9 billion in the 2003 fiscal year. It is good for us to pay respect and cry and pray on behalf of those that will return and those that will not return. But I think words are inadequate to even describe the kind of, how would I put this, I am trying to be a distinguished gentleman here, but the kind of understatement, for us to undercut our veterans.

Veterans of wars past right now, in my district, the Miami VA hospital, those that have laid it down in different theaters of war, some of them in two different theaters of war, have to wait a year and a half to see an eye doctor. What do you think after this $1.9 billion shortfall that is going to be given to the richest Americans here, how is it going to affect that veteran if we allow this huge tax cut that the President is trying to pass?

I commend the Senate for taking half of the responsibility and saying that in a time of war, just like in the past, we have never given a tax cut. Yes, times are hard, and it is important that we sacrifice.

Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

The Senate did an outstanding job in their light. But I think it is important that we pay very, very close attention to what our priorities are right now. Our priorities right now should be making sure that our men and women return back to the States safely, making sure that the Iraqi people receive the kind of freedom that they yearn, and also making sure that we treat our veterans, even when they return back, back here to the United States, treat them with dignity, the dignity that I know this Congress wants to treat them with. I urge my colleagues here in the Congress, and I am sure the Congressional Black Caucus would like to urge them, let us treat our veterans and let us give the dollars toward the veterans that we should give toward their health care and making sure that they do not have waiting lists as we have right now existing here in the United States.

I came tonight, in closing, to be able to pay respect to those that not only are in the theater of war right now but on behalf of those patriots of the past. I think it is very, very important that we remember, Mr. Speaker, those individuals in such a time as this. On behalf of this Member of Congress from the 17th Congressional District of Florida, I think it is very, very important, all Americans, that we pray for the safe return and we respect and pray for those that have provided us with the very freedom that we enjoy this evening.

I will tell the chairman, just watching some of the news accounts of many of these destroyers, our destroyers leaving to go to the Persian Gulf, as an individual that knows the sacrifice as it relates to many of my friends who I attended college with that were involved in ROTC, that are officers in our military right now, that have been shipped off, that e-mail me every now and then about their experiences overseas, and they are very proud to be there. I think it is very important that as we start to look at those families, someone is going to have to pick up the kid after school. Someone is going to have to read a story. Someone has to go and minister to a wife or husband that is having not only to take the burden on of the family but to also take the burden on of having their loved one overseas serving our country.

When we look at this, those families really understand that this is not a made-for-TV movie, that this is real, that the possibility exists that they may never see their loved ones again. We all pray for that not to happen. We had a good day yesterday in Iraq with no U.S. casualties.

But my heart goes out also to those other individuals in our world, the Iraqi children, the Iraqi people, that we are trying to provide freedom for. I am glad that this country has gone through great lengths in trying to preserve life. And so I commend those family members, sons and daughters, that are paying a mental and physical, emotional tax because a loved one from their family and not even to mention the single parents, that the aunt or grandmother or grandfather has to take care of the children now.

So tonight it was more than an honor for me to be a member of the Committee on Armed Services to come tonight to pay tribute to those families and to those troops and to those veterans that have provided the kind of freedom that we celebrate here today. I look forward to working with Members of the Congress and also members of the Black Caucus as we continue to be the conscience of the U.S. Congress and hopefully the world in the future as we start dealing with this new level of terrorism that we are having to work and fight against every day.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand here tonight to endorse this resolution, but I must say that this resolution has language like

many pieces of legislation that moves through the body of this Congress. There is language in it that I do not agree with, and I am glad that I am able to state that as an American, but I think it is important that we remember that boys and girls, I mean teenagers, I also mean mothers and fathers, I also mean sons and daughters, are getting sand in their teeth right now defending our country, and I think it is important we send a very strong message to not only their families, but to their loved ones that this Congress stands firmly behind them.

I respect the Members that are going to vote for the resolution. I respect the Members that are not going to vote for this resolution, and I commend their patriotism for standing up for what they believe in, but I think it is imperative that we remember that we must have resolutions that every Member of this Congress can vote for because we are all patriots, and we all believe in the American way, and it is important that American families understand that we are together and united always when it comes down to defending this country.

Mr. Speaker:

It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom

of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of

speech.

It is the soldier, not the organizer, Who has given us

freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, Who Salutes the flag, Who serves beneath

the flag,

And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the

protestor to burn the flag.''

--[Charles M. Province]

I open my remarks with this quote by Charles M. Province by thanking those men and women who continue to serve in the United States military and provide us with the freedoms that we so frequently take for granted. We don't all have to agree about the conditions and terms and politics of war to agree that we have men and women in uniform who are among the finest human beings on this planet. It is fitting that at a time when our thoughts and prayers are most strongly focused on them, that we in the 108th Congress have this opportunity to offer them this small showing of our commitment to them.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, more than 188,000 members of the National Guard and Reserve are currently mobilized for active duty on top of the many hundreds of thousands of career active duty soldiers. These friends, neighbors, and family members are putting their everyday lives on hold in order to protect us and provide us with more than a sense, but a knowledge of security.

Our military personnel and their families make enough sacrifices. They should not have to further sacrifice tax fairness just because they wear a uniform of the armed services. We need to provide incentives for our military personnel to continue their service to our country. Moreover, we need to provide adequate and fair compensation for our military personnel by ensuring that those men and women are treated fairly and equally under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

I think this bill does just that.

This bill:

Exempts payment to beneficiary of soldiers killed in the line of duty;

Extends the income tax deadline for soldiers deployed overseas for potential action;

Makes it easier for transferred soldiers to be exempted from capital gains taxes on the sale of their homes; and,

Would provide guardsmen and reservist an above-the-line deduction for unreimbursed travel expenses incurred by members of the reserve components, while going to and from training.

These are simply issues of fairness. The Floridians and other fine Americans that take the stand to fight for our country deserve every fair consideration under our tax laws. The Tax Code is complicated enough, and our military should not be penalized for making decisions required because their official assignments. By passing this legislation, we are helping the members of our armed forces so that they will no longer be burdened by out-of-date tax regulations that penalize them even as they are serving our country.

Finally, I'd like to congratulate leadership for bringing this good bill to the floor clean so that we can focus on an issue on which Republicans and Democrats all agree--equity and fairness for members of the uniformed services.

Everyday, both in peacetime and in wartime, the brave men and women of our military work to preserve our freedoms. With this small token, I hope we can preserve some of theirs. I urge the support of this good bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on the 5th Annual National Lobby Day for The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, to join my colleagues in speaking out against domestic violence, a brutal crime committed against millions of women. Domestic violence is the single largest cause of injury to women between the ages of fifteen and forty-four, more than muggings, car accidents and rapes combined.

Mr. Speaker, women are losing their right to safety in their homes and in their communities. Women account for an alarming 85 percent of the victims of domestic violence. Each year between two to four million women are battered, and a substantial number of these battered women will die of their injuries.

Devastatingly, because one in three women are likely to be abused by a partner or someone she knows, only half of all female victims report their injuries to the proper authorities. Women remain in grave fear of their lives and do not leave their violent relationships.

Domestic violence is increasing at a disturbing rate. In my home state of Florida,

which has an increasingly expanding immigrant population, battered women claim that they are in fear of reporting their violent relationships until their immigration concerns are addressed.

These women, Mr. Speaker, are fed misinformation about United States laws and are faced with the threats of deportation by their abusers. Many of these women are overly dependent on their abusers because they face racial and language barriers. Others face cultural barriers and being a victim of domestic violence is considered taboo.

Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in encouraging and supporting all victims of domestic abuse to seek help and to report all violent and criminal acts without being ashamed to do so. We must help prevent women from being ashamed and embarrassed and encourage them to report the abuse from these monsters.

Further, I strongly encourage Congress and the Administration to support and pass legislation pertaining to health care and law enforcement in order to combat violence against women. The abuse of women is an all too common occurrence and the fight to prevent this crime must strengthen.

Mr. Speaker, I want to share that today is the third anniversary of the march on Tallahassee in Tallahassee, Florida. It took place in 2000, to stand not only for justice by affirmative action in this State, but ultimately this country.

The adoption of affirmative action programs in the '60s reflected our Nation's aspirations to overcome long-entrenched injustices and become a society of equal opportunity, or at least to make sure that everyone has the opportunity in higher education that would like to have it.

Now, not only the President but the Governor of the State of Florida, Jeb Bush, has put forth a brief to the Supreme Court fighting against equal opportunity for all. I think it is important that we as Americans come together at a time such as this and commend those that have come forward.

One of the things that the State of Florida talked about as it relates to moving away from affirmative action was moving away from equal opportunity, not only for race or gender, but also moving away from what we believe makes us Americans.

I think it is important for us to note that some of these programs are more harmful than helpful. In Florida, they have the Talented 20 program. If this was to become the law of the land and philosophy of the land, if the Supreme Court does not uphold the Michigan decision, it is important, it is important that we make sure that we have as many inclusionary opportunities as possible, especially for those that are attending school for the first time.

In Florida, under the Talented 20 program, if you have school A, and school A is a school where the GPA of top 20 percent stops at a 3.5, and school B, where the top 20 shuts off at 3.3; say you have 2 students, they play soccer together, two girls, and you have one student in school A that will have a 3.4 GPA, and the one in school B has a 3.4 GPA, this school A student does not go to school and this one does, based on the capability of other students in their school.

The top 20 cuts off at different locations, different areas in every school; so a child should not be penalized on the fact that they go to a school that has more magnet programs or Rhodes scholars, future Rhodes scholars, whatever the case may be. They should not be penalized. When we move away from the practice of affirmative action, using race among many factors, we get into a very gray area that is going to end up hurting more Americans than helping them.

As we start looking at the fact that, I must say, my President and yours was able to get into school under a legacy, I think it is important that we remember that everyone did not have the opportunity to have a parent or someone that was able to get a dormitory named after them to be able to get into school. That means every American.

I share with people constantly that it is very, very important that we remember that education is the number one key to help individuals provide for their families. I tell individuals when I go to speak at Rotary Clubs or at the Kiwanis Club, if they have a wife or daughter, which qualifies every man in this country, then they should be for affirmative action.

The Michigan case is supported by General Schwarzkopf and many others that are noted throughout the military, because diversity makes our country great and strong. I think it is important that Members, not only of this Congress but definitely of the Supreme Court and just everyday Americans, need to understand that if we have to get a football or a basketball, or we have to take our kids to an arts program where they can learn how to sing or what have you, dance well, to get into our institutions of higher education, I think that is the wrong thing.

Universities and institutions of higher learning would like to be able to have the opportunity to say that this child, based on the fact that they have great ability, will be a great asset, not only to our university but also to our society. I think it is important. I think it should not be just based on sports, and it should not be based on the fact that someone can sing or run. I think it is important that we remember that children and young people that want to move on into higher education should be able to do so based on their academic ability, and not on the academic ability of others.

So I think we really need to really look close to these fast, quick programs, affirmative action, things that are untested, unproven, and look at what the University of Michigan has put forth.

I commend the brief that has been put forth by Members of Congress supporting affirmative action, of supporting the Michigan case in the Supreme Court. I think we, as Americans, it brings us together. It does not divide us. When we start looking at voices and hearing voices that are willing to use race and use divisive kinds of languages like preference, things of that nature, divides us as Americans. I think it is important we redefine preference.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members of the House to really look close as we look at this national debate over inclusion, this national debate of education on behalf of fair play, making sure that every young person in our country has an opportunity to quality education and the best universities that we have that serve us. We do not want to go back to the day like my mother, who served in this House, in this Congress, who had to go to the University of Michigan not by choice but just on the fact that she could not get into an institution in Florida to be able to receive a master's degree. I do not think that we will get to that point because I know that Americans will stand up, and I am glad. And I commend the University of Michigan and the corporations and our men and women that are sponsoring them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay honor to a fallen soldier in our country. I rise to pay tribute to one of Florida's unsung heroes, the late Dr. William B. Perry, Jr. who was truly one of the most outstanding civil rights leaders of our time. His passing on Wednesday, February 12, 2003, in Miami-Dade County leaves a deep void in our community as it relates to being an outstanding protector of justice and protecting civil rights in our community for disenfranchised African Americans and people of color.

He was a grassroots person. He was beyond what you may call an elected official or someone that felt that they should do a good thing every once in a while. He was an individual that had many individuals come who celebrated his life on February 17, and it so happens to be Black History Month, of his contributions not only in south Florida but also in other parts of our Nation.

He was noted for being an educator, an educator of young and old, someone that continued to fight a good fight, day in and day out, on behalf of those that were disenfranchised. I think it is important that we remember his work as untraditional and uncommon, doing uncommon things uncommonly well in a way that everyday people could be able to grab on and hold on to his dream. He stood up in a time in the 1980s when there was a gentleman by the name of Arthur McDuffie that was killed by police officers in Miami-Dade County that then sparked off several days of rioting, and he was a part of bringing calmness to that situation and moving forth to help move Miami forward and what we have to do as it relates to fair play for all.

I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, for us to note that he attended college at Coppin State College and Loyola College for his undergraduate studies, and then went on to earn his doctorate degree in education from the University of Massachusetts. He served as an ordinary classroom teacher with the Baltimore City Public Schools. After that, he then went on and was awarded a national fellowship in the school superintendency by the Rockefeller Foundation in 1996, one of the Nation's most prestigious academic honors given to postdoctoral scholars.

I think it is also important for us to be able to note his contributions within the NAACP. He served as one of the Presidents of the Greater Miami-Dade NAACP where he was at the forefront and was ready to be able to move forth on behalf of those individuals that needed a voice in the community and in our Nation. Dr. Perry went on to educate many other leaders that are in our community today. He was a man who believed in family. He believed in commitment. He believed in the American way and making sure that everyone, and I do mean everyone, had an opportunity of the American dream. He left behind a family of great love and appreciation not only for public service but for education, making sure that they were the beacon for other families to follow. He left several grandchildren and children behind to carry on his legacy, and even those that are not in his bloodline, Mr. Speaker, that can continue his way of thinking, his uncanting will to represent those that needed the representation.

Words are truly inadequate, Mr. Speaker, to try to describe all the contributions that Dr. Perry gave to our country and also to Miami-Dade County in Florida. But we must say that we only have a Dr. William Perry to come our way every once in a while. I must say that we need to continue to carry on, and America should move along in standing for those that need individuals to stand for them, and also make sure that we keep Dr. King's dream alive and Dr. Perry's dream alive in equality for everyone, Dr. Perry also was a drum major, to make sure to tell young and old never to give up on what they believe in and what they think is right.

Mr. Speaker, I would close by saying that it is important that we have fallen heroes, be it elected or selected or, we may say in the Christian community, anointed to lead, that we remember their contributions so that others can follow their track.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay homage to Doris Heyman, one of my district's most involved civic activists who sadly lost her courageous battle against cancer this month.

Doris was committed to creating a bright future for everyone she came into contact with. A dedicated educator, she was a preschool teacher for over 20 years who was determined to provide children with a solid foundation for school and life success. She was a leader who advanced children's issues through Voices for Children, a leadership organization promoting healthy lives for children and their families.

Doris was a compassionate volunteer for numerous causes and charities for nearly half a century. She actively participated in the American Cancer Society, the Humane Society, the Leukemia Society, and the Florida Breast Cancer Coalition. She was also very active at Safe Space/Domestic Violence Centers and at the Temple Beth Torah and Temple Beth El. This dynamo of a public servant gave hope and courage to many.

A political activist, Doris lived her life with incredible passion for several causes. She fought for beach renourishment, women's reproductive rights and the everglades restoration. Her fight for these causes remains within her legacy. Inspired by her mother's tenacious approach to politics, her youngest daughter, Sally, served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives and today is a Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioner.

Doris was a devoted wife and mother. She was a kindhearted and take- charge woman who fought tirelessly for causes that she believed in until she saw results. She was a very active person who loved the outdoors. Completely unselfish in all her endeavors, she was generous to those in need and will be missed by all that knew her.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Members of the Congressional Black Caucus and all the black members of Congress that have served this Nation. As America observes African American History Month, I would be remiss not to remember the giants of this institution who made it possible for me to stand before you today. In the 212 years of Congressional History, there has been only 108 black Members of Congress: 104 elected to the House and 4 to the Senate.

In the great State of Florida there have been five black Members of Congress and I have the distinctive honor to serve as one of them.

I want to commend your attention to the first black Member of Congress elected from the State of Florida, Josiah Thomas Walls.

Congressman Josiah Thomas Walls was the only black representative from the State of Florida before reconstruction. He was born, probably to slavery, in or near Winchester, Virginia, on December 30, 1842. As a child, Josiah Walls moved to Darksville in what is now West Virginia. Josiah Walls briefly attended the county normal school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and may have received additional education. As a Congressman, Josiah Walls described his impressments into the Confederate army and his capture by Northern forces at the siege of Yorktown, Virginia, in May 1862. By July 1863 he had entered the Third Infantry Regiment, United States Colored Troops at Philadelphia, becoming a corporal in October. Josiah Walls moved with his regiment to Florida in February 1864. After his discharge in October 1865 he worked at a sawmill on the Suwannee River and later taught at Archer in Alachua County.

In 1867, Josiah Walls was elected to represent Alachua County at the 1868 Florida Constitutional Convention. The county convention of March 1868 also nominated Josiah Walls for the state assembly. He was elected, taking his seat in June. Later that same year he was elected to the state senate from the Thirteenth District and took his seat the following January. Josiah Walls participated in several national conventions held to discuss problems facing blacks. At the Southern States Convention of Colored Men in 1871 he proposed an amendment to a resolution of support for President Ulysses S. Grant, which called on the Republicans to nominate John Mercer Langston for Vice President in 1872.

In August 1870, Florida Republicans nominated Walls for the state's lone seat in the House of Representatives. Walls appeared to win a narrow election victory and presented his credentials to the Congress on March 4, 1871. He accepted assignments to the Committee on Militia, the Committee on Mileage, and the Committee on Expenditures in the Navy Department.

Congressman Walls put forth several proposals and spoke on a variety of subjects. Since he feared public education would receive little attention if it were administered by southern states, he supported a measure to establish a national educational fund financed with money from public land sales. He introduced bills for the relief of private pensioners and Seminole War veterans. He strongly favored expenditures for internal improvements in Florida and supported efforts to grant belligerent status to rebels fighting in Cuba for independence from Spain, which still permitted slavery to exist on the island.

After a disputed election and defeat for renomination to the House, Josiah Walls took an indefinite leave of absence from public service.

Upon his return to Alachua County, Josiah Walls owned and operated a successful tomato and lettuce farm, sawmill and orange groves. He also remained interested in political developments. He slipped into ill health and lost his fortune when a February 1895 freeze ruined his crops. Shortly thereafter he was placed in charge of the farm at Florida Normal College (now Florida A&M University). He died in Tallahassee on May 15, 1905.

As a great writer once penned, ``God will not let us fall . . . For our work is good, We hope to plant a nation, Where none before hath stood.'' Congressman Josiah Walls planted a nation for other African Americans to follow.

Today, I honor him and ask all my colleagues to join me in remembering this politician and great leader from the great State of Florida.

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks.

I rise today in opposition to H.R. 4 and in support of the Cardin- Kind-Woolsey substitute amendment.

In its current state, this bill will not only put great strains on the families and individuals we set out to protect in every other aspect of life, but adds unbearable strains on States that already suffer from shortfalls and unfunded mandates. These new requirements could cost states up to $11 billion over the next 5 years. in addition to the $50 to $70 billion in shortfalls estimated by the National Conference of State Legislators.

It is important that we write and support laws that have positive effects on our nation's families. Now, while Florida's efforts at welfare reform are by no means perfect, it has at least recognized that a well-trained adult is a self-sufficient adult. Instead of focusing on keeping participants busy for precisely 40 hours per week while they are on welfare, Florida and other States have recently placed a greater emphasis on structuring programs that provide the types of activities needed to move participants into paid employment and off of welfare, like training programs and educational incentives. Also, Florida determined that providing

supports to low-income families, such as child care and transportation assistance, before they resort to welfare, is an essential part of work-based welfare reform. By increasing work program costs for families on welfare, a 40-hour requirement would limit the resources states have to help other low-income working families stay off of welfare.

The bill would reduce the flexibility states now have to tailor work activities to the individual needs of parents and families. In particular, States would have less ability to place recipients in vocational education programs because such activities generally would not count toward the first 24 hours of participation required of parents. The bill also would limit significantly States' ability to engage recipients in activities designed to address various barriers to employment--such as physical, mental, and learning disabilities, domestic violence, and substance abuse--because these activities would not count for the bulk of the mandated hours of participation.

I wonder how many children will continue to be alone or with inadequate care while parents are forced to increase their hours of work. In the State of Florida and throughout this country, we have issues in our child protective services, because many poor or near poor parents are working and children are left to fend for themselves. While this bill fosters and promotes marriages by giving States grants for research, technical assistance and promotional activities, it diverts $200 million from current bonus to States. All while hurting the single parent trying to make a living and care for their family without any additional programs.

We should have looked at this reform from the point of view of both the family and States in implementing change. We cannot use the carrot and the stick approach and not allow the States the flexibility to administer this Federal program.

States will be required to have 70 percent of their welfare caseload working within the next 5 years, up from the current work participation rate of 50 percent while keeping TANF block grants at $16.5 billion annually for the next 5 years.

Section 8 housing vouchers for low-income families will be replaced with a block grant program. These vouchers were targeted to welfare recipients for whom housing assistance is critical to obtaining or retaining employment. HUD provided 50,000 vouchers at a cost of $283 million. The program allowed families to rent apartments near available jobs, transportation or childcare. The vouchers were targeted to families who are currently receiving, are eligible for, or have left the welfare roll within the last 2 years.

But, instead, this bill fails at every turn:

Instead of increasing access to education and training, this bill requires that such activities would count for up to 24 months against a State's participation requirement.

Instead of increasing mandatory funding for child care by $11 billion over the next 5 years, and restoring the Social Services Block Grant funding to $2.8 billion per, this bill will cost states $11 billion over the next 5 years, and still sacrifice support services that would allow parents to maintain working hours.

Instead of removing barriers to serving legal immigrants, including the current ban on States providing Federally funded TANF benefits to immigrant families, the bar on serving pregnant women and children under Medicare, and the bar on disabled children under SSI, this bill retains the discriminatory restrictions despite bipartisan support for removing them.

Instead of providing States with the flexibility to tailor programs to their clients, while maintaining some minimum level of support, this bill takes away the ability to help people how they need to be helped, all the while saying that Federal agencies can choose not to help them at all by implementing a superwaiver overriding most Federal laws related to low-income programs.

We had an opportunity today to help the hardest to help find a way to self-sufficiency. Instead, we have forced States to go deeper into fiscal crisis or cut programs that could actually aid reform. Webster's defines reform as improvement by alteration, correction of errors, or removal of defects. I don't think there will be a picture of this legislation by definition.