Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, as a former Peace Corps Volunteer, I am honored to formally recognize the agency on the 45th Anniversary of its inception and to help kick-off National Peace Corps Week. This week begins a year long celebration of Peace Corps' 45th Anniversary with events taking place across the country and throughout the world.

During National Peace Corps Week, we salute the men and women of this nation who selflessly have served abroad as Peace Corps Volunteers, as well as those current Volunteers who continue to carry out the Peace Corps mission: empowering people in developing countries through their grassroots development efforts.

Seventeen constituents of the 15th Congressional District of California are currently serving in the Peace Corps. These honorable constituents serve in almost every continent. The countries being served include Peru, Armenia, Georgia, Namibia, Benin, Bolivia, Ukraine, Moldova, Mali, Namibia, Ghana, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Thailand, and Guinea.

I am encouraged by the growth in the number of Peace Corps Volunteers and posts over the years. 7,810 Volunteers are currently in 69 posts serving 75 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands. As Chair of the Congressional Ethiopia and Ethiopian American Caucus, I am particularly interested in the efforts of the Peace Corps to re-instate its post in Ethiopia. I am in total support of the expansion of this worthy organization.

I fondly remember my time as a volunteer in El Salvador where I built schools and health clinics. The experience meant much to me personally and professionally, sparking a lifelong desire to serve in the public sector. I returned with a passion for teaching, and quickly put my skills, including fluency in Spanish, to use in Santa Clara County schools. Most importantly, I returned to the United States with a deeper understanding of humanity and a personal commitment to speak on behalf of the marginalized and powerless.

With that said, allow me to call your attention to the President's FY07 request for Peace Corps at $337 million. Though this is a modest increase from the FY 06 enacted level of $318.8 million, it will allow the Peace Corps to expand into two more countries. In addition, it will also optimize the number of Volunteers and staff in existing countries, strengthen and expand recruiting efforts, and maximize safety and security training and compliance efforts. I encourage my colleagues in the Foreign Operations Subcommittee to fulfill the President's request.

This week, I honor the Peace Corps and its brave Volunteers for their service to our nation and to the international community. Volunteers are providing expertise and development assistance to countries around the world, finding common ways to address global challenges, and forming bonds with people throughout the world. They make service a cultural necessity. They set a universal standard for how we are to embrace the realities of an ever-shrinking world.

The Peace Corps mission is more vital than ever, and I hope that each one of you will join me in thanking the Volunteers and the Peace Corps for their hard work in pursuit of an altruistic mission.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 64th anniversary of the Day of Remembrance, a day that commemorates the signing of Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Executive Order 9066 authorized exclusion and internment of all Japanese Americans living on the West Coast during World War II. Rather than focus on the plight of Japanese Americans in this country during World War II, I would like to place the internment experience into a broader historical context.

Our Nation has always battled the dual sentiments of openness and freedom, on the one hand, and fear and apprehension of perceived outsiders on the other.

Giving into fear and apprehension, in 1798 the Alien and Sedition Acts were enacted by the federalist-controlled Congress, allegedly in response to hostile actions of the French Government. In actuality, these laws were designed to destroy Thomas Jefferson's Republican Party, which had openly expressed its sympathies for the French revolutionaries.

Contrary to our notions of freedom, the Alien Act and the Alien Enemies Act gave the President the power to imprison or deport aliens suspected of activities posing a threat to the national government or the national security.

Undermining our belief in openness, the Sedition Act declared that any treasonable activity, including the publication of ``any false, scandalous and malicious writing,'' was a high misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment.

Later, almost predictably, when the economy in this country took a downturn in the 1880s, the Asian community became the target of politicians looking for someone to blame. In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act to keep out all people of Chinese origin.

During World War II, Japanese Americans were the well-known target of the government's submission to fear, apprehension, and greed.

Also, during this time, which is not very well-known, 10,000 Italian Americans were forced to relocate, and 3,278 were incarcerated while nearly 11,000 German Americans were incarcerated.

German and Italian Americans were restricted during World War II by government measures that branded them enemy aliens and required identification cards, travel restrictions, seizure of personal property as well.

In the post-9/11 world, we need to protect our Nation and our civil liberties more than ever.

I am concerned that rather than learn from our past we are progressively weakening our civil liberties for tokens of security as evidenced by the PATRIOT Act, the NSA wiretapping, and our treatment of so-called ``enemy combatants'' in Guantanamo. These are just a few of today's troubling trends.

Mr. Speaker, we live again in a time of fear and apprehension. Our civil liberties have not been as threatened since World War II. As political leaders, it is our duty to uphold constitutional principles.

Let us remember what Benjamin Franklin said during his time of fear and apprehension. He said, Those who would give up a little bit of security, a little bit of liberties for a little bit of security deserve neither.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of Carol Sunako Connelly. Carol was born on August 22, 1936 in Salinas, CA. She graduated from Stanford University School of Nursing in 1959 and worked briefly for the county of Alameda as a public health nurse.

Carol served 33 years in the Franklin McKinley School District in San Jose, CA as ``school nurse extraordinaire'', working at numerous schools in the district, including Fair, Kennedy, Los Arboles and Meadows.

Carol was dedicated to her professions of nursing and teaching. She inspired many lives, both young and old throughout her years of service. Teachers depended on her extensive knowledge to help with everything from human anatomy to head lice.

She led many fascinating and unforgettable lessons in ``grossology'': countless hours cutting up eyeballs with third graders, lungs with fifth graders, and hearts with sixth graders. In addition to these grade level standards, she also conducted numerous dissections and the cooking of squid in the primary grades. There are not many school nurses who have either the time or the passion to work with children in the classrooms.

Carol retired in 2003 at the age of 67. Though very busy in retirement, she continued to volunteer her time to Franklin McKinley School District.

Carol lived in Santa Cruz for the past 15 years and was an active member of TOPS--Take Off Pounds Sensibly, Mah Jongg Players of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Senior Center, and the Pleasure Point Community Church.

Carol died on August 28, 2005. She is survived by her three daughters, Adrienne Keane of Santa Cruz, Heather Haan of San Jose, and Jennifer Haan of Los Angeles, and four grandchildren, Quinn and Malia Keane and Roland and Ava Kemmerer. She is also survived by her sister, Joyce Kawahara, and her brothers, Lloyd and Milton Yoshioka, all from Petaluma. Carol Connelly will be sorely missed. To the thousands of students and teachers who crossed paths with Carol, she will never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise along with Congressman Sam Farr to pay tribute to the Honorable Kathleen Akao, her invaluable contributions to Santa Clara County and her longstanding dedication to upholding the integrity of our justice system.

Kathleen Akao was born in Long Beach on September 28, 1948 to Tokio and Lillian Katayama. She graduated from San Jose State University in 1971 with a Bachelors Degree in English and received her law degree from Santa Clara University in 1981.

In Santa Clara, Kathleen served as President of the Asian Law Students Association and later as Staff Attorney with San Jose's Asian Law Alliance, where she worked with many recent immigrants to the Bay Area. Kathleen was admitted to the California Bar in 1982 and immediately joined the State Bar's Subcommittee on Redress, working to seek recognition and restitution for Americans interned during World War II, an issue of particular resonance to Kathleen, whose mother had been interned during the war. Kathleen's personal experiences and dedication to understanding issues in-depth gave perspective to her work as a community activist, a lawyer and a judge.

Kathleen held a private law practice, and later, served as Deputy Public Defender for Santa Clara County. From 1986-1994, she worked for Santa Cruz County as Assistant County Counsel. In 1991, Kathleen's husband, James Akao, passed away at the young age of 46--a great loss for both Kathleen and their son, Kristoffer.

In 1994, Kathleen Akao became the first Asian American attorney in California to successfully challenge and unseat an incumbent Superior Court judge. Her victory highlighted her commitment to the public justice system and represented a landmark accomplishment in the Asian American community.

However, Kathleen's greatest achievement was the indelible mark she left on the community for her outstanding work with juveniles and families. She took a keen and genuine interest in providing the best options for juveniles and families who found themselves in her courtroom. In 1999, Kathleen established a county Drug Court, which coupled penalties with treatment programs, proving her commitment to the rehabilitation process. She believed in fair decisions for all and devoted her time to Teen Peer Court, a system under which juveniles may have their sanctions decided by their peers.

Kathleen died on November 27th, 2005--her untimely passing was due to heart failure following a biopsy procedure. She will always be known for her integrity and fairness both in and outside of her courtroom. She was compassionate and generous, and had an uplifting sense of humor. Colleagues said she treated everyone with dignity and respect, approached problems pragmatically, and always sought to improve and expand the ways in which she served the public. Through her innovative and selfless work with her community and her tireless efforts to rule her courtroom fairly, Kathleen shaped and improved the lives of those around her.

Judge Akao is survived by her son, Kristoffer, her father, Tokio Katayama, her three brothers, Danny, Robert, and David, and a legacy of service, integrity and compassion for our community to share and uphold. We will all miss her.

Mr. Speaker, this February we commemorate Black History Month. Since 1976, the month of February has been the designated time for honoring the countless African-American contributions to American history and culture. We should all take this opportunity to learn about and understand the Black experience in this country. It has completely revolutionized our shared concepts of freedom, hope, and justice.

In celebrating the progress our country has made because of these contributions, let us also be honest and frank in determining what remains undone. We must work to ensure that all of America's communities have access to the American dream. We cannot ignore the reality that many Americans, particularly within the African-American community, still face serious obstacles in accessing the opportunities everyone deserves in education, health care, home ownership, and economic development. The devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita only serve to highlight the remaining challenges of seeking equality and equal treatment under the law.

We must commit ourselves to challenging the social, political, and economic status quo so that each of us may realize the dream of equal opportunity envisioned by the late Dr. King, and now the late Coretta Scott King. This year, Black History Month will be dedicated to the memory of Ms. King.

Our Nation mourns the recent loss of Coretta Scott King, a true American icon who championed civil and human rights for all Americans. Widow of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., Ms. King first stepped into the international spotlight as the wife and faithful supporter of the famed minister, ultimately emerging as an influential civil rights advocate in her own right. She was 78 at her passing. I hope you will join me in remembering this great person and the precious values that her life embodied. She was not only a symbol of positive change but also a tireless agent of progress. May her work continue to influence future generations in the ongoing fight for justice in this Nation and throughout the world.

During the month of February, I encourage all Americans to honor African-Americans by attending local Black History Month events, or hosting a roundtable discussion about Black History Month at the local library with African-American activists from your community. The best way to honor the African American experience is to educate oneself and one's community. Use this month to expose yourselves to the ways in which the African American experience has already been made a part of your life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Res. 612. I honor and support our troops and request an open debate on Iraq on the House floor.

Yesterday, millions of Iraqi citizens cast their ballots in national elections to constitute the country's first full-term National Assembly since the U.S. invasion. This achievement should be recognized, and I would enthusiastically support a resolution that simply commends the Iraqi people and U.S. troops for their commitment to the democratic process under extraordinary circumstances.

Unfortunately, the Republican leadership, once again, refuses to suspend politics at the water's edge. House Resolution 612 seeks to make yesterday's elections a vindication of President Bush's misguided Iraq policies and a basis for continued military engagement in a country that overwhelmingly desires the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Accordingly, I rise in opposition to H.R. 612, and I take this opportunity to announce my support for H.J.Res. 73, Congressman John Murtha's plan for the strategic redeployment of U.S. troops.

Those familiar with my record know that I have consistently opposed the President's decision to invade Iraq. The war was always predicated on the false premise that Iraq was in possession of weapons of mass destruction. This Congress was negligent in not demanding more proof of the President and then refusing to hold him accountable for his exaggerated and unfounded claims.

His war strategy was equally flawed. He has failed to provide the resources our men and women in uniform need to be successful, and American lives have been lost as a result. In 2002 and 2003, Army Chief of Staff General Shinseki warned that not enough boots on the ground would lead to a power vacuum that our enemies would exploit. Tragically, his premonitions--ignored by President Bush and his political appointees--have been borne out.

To date, approximately 2,150 brave Americans and an estimated 30,000 Iraqis have been killed in Iraq, and there appears to be no immediate end to the quagmire in Iraq.

As a Member of Congress, I have wrestled with whether this ``war of choice'' has become a ``war of necessity,'' but I am persuaded by developments in Iraq that the presence of U.S. troops is fueling the insurgency, compromising the readiness of our military, undermining respect for the U.S. abroad, and shortchanging domestic priorities, including homeland security.

I, therefore, am announcing my support for H.J.Res. 73, introduced by Representative Murtha, calling on President Bush to immediately redeploy U.S. troops and diplomatically pursue security and stability in Iraq. I am convinced that the withdrawal of U.S. troops will undercut the insurgency, which relies on popular opposition to the U.S. presence.

I remind my colleagues that, if experience has taught us anything, it is that democracy cannot be forced upon a nation by gunpoint.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4550, the National Hepatitis B Act. Mr. Dent from Pennsylvania and I have partnered in this bipartisan effort to address the needs of Americans afflicted with chronic Hepatitis B.

Chronic Hepatitis B is a serious public health concern here in the United States and worldwide. The Hepatitis B vaccine is the most effective way to prevent chronic Hepatitis B and its deadly implications of liver cancer and liver failure. Yet, vaccination rates remain low and Hepatitis B is one of the most commonly reported vaccine-preventable diseases in the U.S.

Chronic Hepatitis B is often called a ``silent disease'' because more than two-thirds of those infected with Hepatitis B have no recognized symptoms. Without appropriate screening and management of the disease, one in four Hepatitis B carriers dies from liver cancer or liver disease. Early detection reduces the likelihood that the virus is unknowingly transmitted to others. Unfortunately, many of those who become infected with the disease do not recognize the symptoms until after they have developed significant liver damage or have already passed it on.

Mr. Speaker, as Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, I am especially concerned because Hepatitis B is one of the greatest health disparities affecting the Asian Pacific Islander American community. As many as 1 in 10 Asian Pacific Islander Americans are chronically infected with the Hepatitis B virus.

We all have constituents affected by this disease. More importantly, we have the ability to stop the spread of this disease. Last May, I was pleased by the strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate for the resolutions supporting National Hepatitis B Awareness Week. We also had tremendous bipartisan interest in the Hepatitis B ``Aim for the B'' Congressional Briefing held on July 21, 2005.

We know that there is hope. We have vaccines and treatments available that were not available 25 years ago. With treatment, patients have a better shot at beating this disease and preventing its progression to liver disease. However, there is much work that needs to be done. We need to increase public education about Hepatitis B, help infected patients and their physicians identify and manage this disease, raise awareness of the consequences of untreated chronic Hepatitis B, and help increase the length and quality of life

for those diagnosed with this life-threatening disease. We need to improve state-by-state tracking of trends, incidences and prevalence of chronic Hepatitis B.

I urge all my colleagues to come together to prioritize this public health issue and support H.R. 4550.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this measure.

Border security is a critical component of our nation's security, but we cannot have true border security without addressing comprehensive immigration reform.

As U.S. Homeland Security Department Secretary Chertoff pointed out,

``[t]he problem of immigration is one that's been with this country for 20 years. So we are digging ourselves out of a hole which it took 20 years to dig ourselves into.''

During the past twenty years, Congress has been taking an enforcement only approach which has put us in the ``hole'' that Secretary Chertoff referenced.

If you want to get out of a hole, the first step is to stop digging.

The Border Security bill we have today will only worsen an already broken immigration system and it represents the latest in misguided enforcement only approaches.

In the past few years we have passed the Patriot Act, the Real ID act and now we are further expanding a big brother form of government by taking up this flawed bill.

To fix our immigration system we must uphold American values by reuniting families, providing earned legalization for immigrants who have proven to be law abiding members of society and as the president has said, develop a guest worker program.

Reuniting families is of particular concern for Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. Our family preference immigration system has not been updated in more than a decade, and an increasing number of families face periods of separation of up to twenty years.

Family reunification is impeded by immigration backlogs and by outdated quota systems. The backlog for processing children of permanent residents to come to the U.S. is unconscionable if we are a nation that truly believes in family values.

Earned legalization is important to the many Asian Americans who are here working hard, paying taxes and need a chance to adjust their status.

A fair, efficient and sensible guest worker program is also needed to provide a labor supply for American employers.

Again, the real solution requires a comprehensive approach, not a border enforcement only measure.

H.R. 4437, a bill that deals with enforcement only, ignores the reality of our current immigration challenges and will not be an effective way to address the security of our nation and the well being of our people.

The time has come for Congress to make immigration reform a priority.

Congress is long overdue in passing immigration laws that meet the real needs of families and businesses while reflecting America's tradition of embracing the contributions of immigrants.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the conference report on H.R. 3199, the USA PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2005.

Last week, Republican House and Senate negotiators reached an agreement to reauthorize the PATRIOT Act. As part of the deal agreed to by House and Senate Republican conferees, Federal law enforcement authorities will retain the right to: Investigate American citizens without judicial oversight, a power that is invoked more than 30,000 times each year; search individuals' private property without notifying them; access citizens' library records, medical records, school records, and financial records virtually unchecked by the judiciary.

The House-Senate conference committee had an opportunity to revise the PATRIOT Act's expiring provisions to protect the rights and liberties of all Americans more effectively. Regrettably, the opportunity was lost when Democratic conferees were excluded from key negotiations. The resulting conference report falls short of what the American people have every reason to expect Congress to achieve in defending their rights while advancing their security.

The conference report drops key protections in the Senate-passed bill regarding ``national security letters.'' National security letters, NSLs, are, in effect, a form of secret administrative subpoena. They are issued by Federal authorities--most often FBI agents--without any court supervision, and recipients are prohibited from telling anyone that they have been served. The conference report also fails to protect the records of innocent Americans collected by means of these NSLs. Under the conference report, such records may be kept forever in government databases, shared with the intelligence community, and used for data-mining.

There is no more difficult task I have as a legislator than balancing the Nation's security with our civil liberties, but this task is not a zero sum game. By passing a conference report that allows the troubling aspects of the PATRIOT Act to continue, we pursue a false sense of national security at the expense of our civil liberties. I opposed the PATRIOT Act when it first came to us in 2001 and I vote against it today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 487, which supports the goals and ideals of Korean American Day.

I would like to recognize my colleagues Representatives Davis, Rangel, Capuano and Royce for their leadership on this bill.

As Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), I am proud to stand here to honor the accomplishments and contributions of the Korean American community.

On January 13, 1903, the first wave of Korean immigrants arrived in Hawaii. Like all immigrants, they arrived in this country with hope that they would find opportunities and a better life for themselves and their children. After World War II and the Korean War, two separate streams of Korean immigration took place. The first included those searching for political and educational freedom from the war. The larger stream occurred after the 1965 Immigration Act, which abolished the ``national origins'' quota system and allowed for family reunification provisions. After being hardened through years of war in Korea, these immigrants felt determined to build better lives and thrive in the United States.

For Korean immigrants, the American dream of building a better future for their families is alive and well. Korean Americans make this dream a reality through a focus on entrepreneurship. Korean American entrepreneurs have successfully developed businesses in all parts of our cities and suburbs.

The path to the American dream has not been easy for Korean Americans. The community has faced language and cultural barriers, discrimination and racism. Despite these obstacles, the Korean American community--like so many other immigrants who arrive in this country-- are helping to make and keep America strong.

The Korean American community has made lasting contributions to our society through a variety of professions including business, education, and the military. They have made significant contributions in medicine and the sciences such as the South Korean researcher Hwang Woo-Suk, a national hero in Korea for back-to-back world firsts in embryonic stem cell (ESC) research. Additionally, the Korean American community provides a bridge for the U.S. in building a stronger relationship with Korea. As a nation, we are benefiting from the knowledge and talent from their contributions.

Today, there are over 2 million Korean Americans living in the United States and Korean immigration remains an important part of our nation's history. The contributions through their culture, talents and knowledge continue to add to the diversity of this great nation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 218, a resolution recognizing the centennial of sustained immigration from the Philippines to the United States and acknowledging the contributions of our Filipino-American community to our country over the last century.

Filipinos, as part of the Spanish galleons, first reached America as early as 1587, landing in Morro Bay, California. In 1763, the first permanent Filipino settlement was established in Southern Louisiana near Barataria Bay.

A mass emigration of Filipinos to the United States began in 1906. Some Filipinos known as pensionados or government scholars came for the purpose of furthering their education and training in the United States, but most were poor Filipinos who came to work for Hawaii sugarcane and pineapple plantations, California and Washington asparagus farms, Washington lumber and Alaska salmon canneries.

Today there are over 2,300,000 Filipino Americans living in the United States. They and their forebears have made countless economic, cultural, social and other notable contributions to our nation.

They, for example, played pivotal roles as labor leaders organizing unions and strategic strikes to improve working and living conditions in the 1920's. Filipinos have influenced the corporate landscape as CEOs and computer software engineers. Filipinos have won Olympic gold medals as members of U.S. Olympic teams and served as Miss America. Furthermore, Filipinos have made strides politically, helping to increase the diversity of America's leadership. Benjamin J. Cayetano, in 1994, became the first Filipino American and only the second Asian Pacific Islander American elected Governor of a state of the Union.

In addition to these contributions, we should also recognize Filipinos who answered President Franklin D. Roosevelt's call to arms in World War II. At the war's outbreak, Filipino Americans were barred from joining the armed forces. But in 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a military order calling all organized military forces of the government of the Philippines into the service of the armed forces of the United States. Filipinos responded, serving under direction of the United States' Military and fighting side by side with the Americans in Europe and Asia. Other Filipinos contributed as civilians involved in the mobilization efforts during the war. At the end of the war, Filipinos had earned the acceptance and admiration of the American public.

The Filipino veterans fought with gallantry under the most difficult conditions during the war and played a heroic role in defending freedom under the American Flag. However, the Recession Act of 1946 diverted Filipino soldiers of the veteran status and, consequently, the veterans' benefits. The Immigration Act of 1990 gave 150,000 Filipino veterans of World War II the opportunity to migrate to the United States and a chance to fulfill an American Dream as promised by President Roosevelt. Although this is a step in the right direction, granting equitable benefits for Filipinos that fought with America in World War II would be an excellent way to recognize contributions Filipino-Americans have made to our country, since we all benefit from the freedom won in that war.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise with my colleague, Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California, to honor the life of Dr. TJ Owens of Gilroy, California who recently passed away. I rise to honor a life dedicated to family and the community. His hard work and compassion for those often overlooked helped to illuminate a path of social awareness and service for others to follow. TJ was the person who made a difference in countless lives, giving them hope and showing them that they could achieve their dreams.

The second of nine children, TJ Owens was born on February 4, 1937, in Shreveport, Louisiana to General and Maxine Owens. When TJ was seven, his father moved the family to

Barstow, California. Although his parents did not finish high school, they instilled in TJ the importance of hard work, perseverance and education. Growing up, TJ excelled in academics, student government, marching band and five varsity sports. He received a football scholarship to the University of Idaho but transferred to Fresno State after spending two cold years in Idaho. While at Fresno State, TJ was an outstanding football player, an undefeated boxer, and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. TJ received his bachelor's degree in 1960, making him the first African-American from Barstow to graduate from college. He subsequently earned a Masters degree in Counseling from Santa Clara University and a Doctorate in College Administration from the University of San Francisco.

In 1960, TJ married his college sweetheart, Carol Curtis. The couple had three beloved daughters, Annette, Alisa, and Audrey. They settled in Barstow, where TJ began teaching and coaching at his former high school.

He also launched his social and community activism as President of the Barstow NAACP.

The family moved to San Jose in 1968, where TJ worked as a Counselor at San Jose City College. He was a mentor and friend to his colleagues and students, creating a lasting legacy for the student body. TJ served as an advisor to the Black Student Union at San Jose City College, and organized the Black Studies Program. He was one of the founding members of EOPS (Extended Opportunity Programs and Services), a program that provides college support services for low-income and educationally disadvantaged students. In 1969, TJ also co-founded the San Jose Chapter of the NAACP and served as president of the organization.

TJ married Brenda Jordan in 1984 and became a father to her two children, Milah and Navarro. As a loving parent, TJ instilled his children with the same dedicated work ethic and perseverance that brought him success: All five of his children earned college degrees. He loved his children very much and was so very proud of them, treasuring his time with them.

In 1991, TJ became Vice President of Student Services at Gavilan College. He was elected President of the Gilroy School Board in 2000 and served on the Santa Clara County Grand Jury. He was involved in more than ten organizations, serving as a leader and community role model in all. I first met TJ when I served as a Member of the Board of Trustees of the San Jose/Evergreen Community College District. I know first hand about his leadership and his passion for those in need. Countless young people achieved educational success because of his efforts. TJ was an active member of 100 Black Men of Silicon Valley where he received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001.

TJ died on October 17, 2005, surrounded by his family and friends. He is survived by his wife, Brenda Jordan-Owens, his children, Annette, Alisa, Audrey, Navarro, and Milah, and his two grandchildren, Samuel and Tyler.

TJ's death leaves a huge hole in our community. As a pioneer of civil rights, social awareness and community activism, TJ was a friend, mentor and local hero. We are grateful for all that he gave to help so many in our community, inspiring us all with his dedication and showing us how one person can truly make a difference.

Mr. Speaker, rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4241, legislation that will require approximately $57 billion in federal spending reductions. Deceptively titled the Deficit Reduction Act, the bill resorts to trickery--a sleight of hand in which fiscal responsibility is promised, but never delivered. H.R. 4241 could actually increase the budget deficit by $35 billion, while instituting draconian cuts to essential federal programs, such as Medicaid and student loan.

Proponents of the bill suggest that such cuts are necessary to offset the recovery and reconstruction costs of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This assertion is curious at best. Since 2003, Congress has approved three colossal supplemental spending bills for the war and reconstruction effort in Iraq without providing any offsets as proposed by Democrats. Why are Republicans suddenly so interested in offsetting the reconstruction of Biloxi, but not the reconstruction of Baghdad?

The American people should not be misled. These long-planned spending cuts have little to do with Biloxi or Baghdad. They, instead, are a necessary prelude to another Republican effort to shepherd through Congress tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans. In fact, the so-called Deficit Reduction Act is a part of a much broader budget resolution that calls for a total of $106 billion in additional tax cuts.

With tax cuts for the rich in the offing, Republicans propose to restore fiscal restraint by imposing cuts to federal programs that benefit the most vulnerable Americans. The bill, for example, cuts Medicaid spending by $11.4 billion. Medicaid currently provides critical health care to 50 million low-income children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities. Cutting the program will force thousands into the ranks of the uninsured.

The bill would allow states to increase cost-sharing and impose new premiums on many categories of Medicaid beneficiaries. Research shows that when cost-sharing is increased significantly for low-income people, their use of health care services declines and their health status worsens. To make matters worse, H.R. 4241 allows states, for the first time, to let health care providers refuse care if a beneficiary cannot afford the co-payment. In doing so, a state can bypass an entitlement in current law that provides children with coverage of medical care and health services. This change could negatively affect more than 1/5 of children covered by Medicaid--more than 5 million children overall.

This Republican budget reconciliation bill also calls for $14.3 billion in cuts to student loan programs. The State of California has the highest number of student borrowers at 496,822. Tuition at public universities has skyrocketed by 57 percent over the last five years, and yet the GOP proposes the largest cut in the history of student aid--resulting in the typical student borrower having to pay as much as $5,800 more for his or her college

loans. Ultimately, cutting the student loan program compromises America's global competitiveness and the economic vitality of Silicon Valley.

H.R. 4241 also requires $4.9 billion in cuts to child support enforcement, dramatically impairing states' ability to enforce child support orders. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the bill will lead to $24.1 billion in reduced child support collections over the next ten years, including a $4.9 billion loss to California's single parents that rely on child support to survive.

The Republican leadership's reprehensible cuts sadly extend to other equally important federal priorities, including $577 million in cuts to foster care programs, $796 million to food stamps, and $732 million from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Millions of Americans rely on these critical federal programs as a safety net and a platform for upward mobility.

As an advocate for fiscal responsibility, I cannot support a proposal that will worsen the federal budget's bottom line, while giving short shrift to the needs of working Americans. I am proud to belong to the party of fiscal responsibility. In the 1990s, President Clinton and Congressional Democrats erased record deficits and ushered in an era of record surpluses. Our Nation now needs to return to the very practices that offered prosperity in the 1990s, which is what my Democratic colleagues and I sought to do earlier this year during debate on the FY2006 Budget Resolution. The Democratic plan would have instituted pay-as-you-go rules and balanced the budget by 2012.

The federal budget should embody our nation's values, not undermine them as this budget amendment does. President Bush and his allies in Congress have been poor stewards of our national finances by placing special interests above the people's interests, and now they expect working Americans to shoulder the costs of their reckless policies.

I oppose the appalling cuts required by H.R. 4241, and I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote against this harmful measure.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Dr. Philip Kesten, a professor from Santa Clara University, who was selected as the 2005 California Professor of the Year this week.

The United States Professors of the Year awards, sponsored by the Council for Advancement of Teaching and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, are the only national awards that recognize college and university professors for excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring. Dr. Kesten was one of 42 state winners to receive this honor.

After receiving his Bachelors degree in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Kesten went on to earn both his Masters and Doctorate in Physics at the University of Michigan. It was here that Dr. Kesten began his career as one of the nation's top educators. As a teaching assistant and head varsity crew coach, Dr. Kesten discovered not only his passion for teaching and mentoring students, but his ability to do it well--he won a teaching award from the Department of Physics.

Dr. Kesten has since gone on to an outstanding career in academia. In addition to his teaching experiences at Michigan and MIT, Dr. Kesten has taught at Brandeis University and is currently an Associate Professor of Physics at Santa Clara University. He is also the current Chairman of the Physics Department and Director of the Ricard Memorial Observatory.

This is not the first time Dr. Kesten has been recognized for his teaching excellence. In 2000, he was awarded the David E. Logathetti Teaching Award from the Santa Clara University College of Arts and Sciences. Seven years prior, the same College of Arts and Sciences recognized Kesten with the Certificate for Exceptional Teaching, Advising, and Curriculum Development.

While his formal education and accolades noticeably highlight his remarkable career, his most honorable work is found in his dedication to the comprehensive development of the student. As the Director of the Residential Learning Communities Program and the Faculty Director of the da Vinci Residential Learning Community, Dr. Kesten has succeeded in integrating the social, residential, and academic facets of a college student's experience.

I deeply appreciate all that Dr. Philip Kesten has done to improve the lives of this nation's students and extend my congratulations to him as the 2005 California Professor of the Year.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) for yielding me this time and also special thanks to Chairman Thomas for his impassioned advocacy of this bill. We owe him a lot.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1492, a measure to provide for the preservation of the historic confinement sites where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II. I thank Chairman Thomas for his steadfast leadership in introducing and working so effectively in moving this bill forward. I am also pleased to be on this measure as an original cosponsor with the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui).

This bill creates a grant program to provide funding for local communities to implement plans to repair, restore, and preserve historic confinement sites so that current and future generations can learn the lessons of the internment period.

The bill uses the phrase ``confinement sites'' so that funds may be used not only for the 10 internment camps

but for associated sites as well. As stated in the bill, by preserving these sites, we will be showing to all Americans and to the world that we are a Nation that can deal honestly with past wrongs and further show that we can learn from our own mistakes. Ultimately, through this preservation program, we will demonstrate the Nation's commitment to equal justice under the law.

When I was a member of the California State Assembly, I had the privilege of passing legislation to create the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program. The measure created an education program to provide competitive grants for educational activities and the development of educational materials to ensure that the events surrounding the exclusion, forced removal, and incarceration of civilians and permanent resident aliens of Japanese ancestry would be remembered.

The Public Education Program has also shed light on how Executive Order 9066, the order paving the way for the internment, impacted others such as the Italian and German Americans as well as people of Japanese ancestry living in Latin America. I know that H.R. 1492 in a similar fashion will add to the depth of knowledge we have regarding the internment period. Only by understanding the causes leading to the internment can we as a Nation put ourselves in a better position to avoid making similar mistakes.

While my State bill in California helped to preserve the stories of the internment period, the legislation that Mr. Thomas has authored will help to preserve the physical, tangible reminders of this period and will have a deep impact on our ability to make the stories real for future generations.

The internment sites, Manzanar, Topaz, Minidoka, Heart Mountain, Tule Lake, Gila River, Poston, Amache, Rohwer, Jerome, and related confinement sites stand as an important and powerful lesson for this Nation.

I commend the groups making up the Japanese American National Heritage Coalition and the work of Gerald Yamada and Floyd Mori in bringing this issue to Congress. And, again, I truly want to thank Chairman Thomas for his efforts in making this bill a reality today and thank all of my colleagues who have joined as cosponsors of this measure.