Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Spelman College on the occasion of their 125th anniversary. 125 years ago, two Baptist missionaries Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles traveled to Atlanta, Georgia for the purpose of educating African American women and girls. Founded as Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary on April 11, 1881, the first Bible class was held in the basement of the Friendship Baptist Church for 11 brave young women--who only years earlier had been enslaved.

Since that day, Spelman College has maintained a tradition of producing African American women of excellence who have gone on to serve in various capacities throughout the world and has empowered its daughters to make a difference in their communities while shattering stereotypes.

Spelman is an institution within the African American community and remains an intricate part of American history. In 1884, the college was renamed Spelman Seminary, and later Spelman College, in honor of Mrs. Laura Spelman Rockefeller and her parents Harvey Buel and Lucy Henry Spelman, who were longtime activists in the antislavery movement. In 1968, thousands came to mourn the loss of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose body was laid in state on Spelman's Campus in the historic Sisters Chapel. And in 1987, millions of viewers were introduced to Spelman's beautiful campus through the groundbreaking Cosby Show spin- off ``A Different World.''

Today, Spelman continues to be the leading institution for educating African American women and was ranked among the top 75 Best Liberal Arts Colleges according to U.S. News & World Report, 2005 edition.

I am proud to say that I am a friend of Spelman College. Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, the first African American female to serve as president of Spelman is a good friend of mine. Additionally, Nicole Y. Williams, a class of 2000 Spelman graduate and the current president of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College has been a member of my staff for over five years serving as my Communications Director.

Spelman's current President, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum continues to strengthen the Spelman legacy through her Spelman ALIVE strategic plan that includes five goals: Academic excellence, Leadership development, Improving the infrastructure, Visibility of accomplishments of the campus community, and Exemplary customer service, all designed to create a vision for Spelman of `Nothing Less than the Best'.

So today, I join my colleagues in commending Spelman College on reaching this milestone and wish them continued success.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 406, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his leadership on this motion to instruct.

I agree we need to protect the pension benefits of airline pilots, as well as ensure that when an employer converts from a traditional defined benefit plan to a cash balance plan, that their workers receive their full benefits.

We also need to draft rules that protect older workers because they can be vulnerable during such conversions. But we must also address the issue of providing retroactive legal certainty to 1,100 employers whose cash balance and hybrid pension plans are unfairly caught in limbo.

Addressing retroactivity is important to the retirement security of thousands of American workers that gain from these hybrid pensions which are defined benefit plans. It has been for 7 years that employers of sponsored cash balance and other hybrid plans have been caught in a web of legal uncertainty.

Beginning in 1999, the Internal Revenue Service felt it necessary to temporarily stop issuing determination letters for converted hybrid plans, and litigation through our court system has left the legality of all cash balance plans up in the air.

In my congressional district I have four major employers that offer pension benefits to their employees through either a cash balance or other hybrid pension plan. Some of these plans were acquired through merger and acquisition, while some were adopted through conversion.

These employers treated their employees fairly, giving them the choice as to whether or not to convert their plans and ensuring that workers' benefits were not diluted. And these four employers are not alone. There are a lot of good actors out there.

According to a recent AARP-funded study, 23 of the 25 largest cash balance plans, in other words, 92 percent, provided transition protections for their older employees when converting from defined traditional plans to cash balance plans.

Nonetheless, four employers in my district, as well as 1,100 others, are caught in a web of legal uncertainty. And we are in an era where companies are eliminating pension plans, including hybrid plans.

Failing to fix this problem will only perpetuate that trend. A cash balance plan is a defined benefit plan, and it is the future of our defined benefit system.

It is not correct that others have not offered alternatives. I specifically introduced H.R. 4274 to address this specific issue.

I ask all of my colleagues to pay attention to the issue. Cash balance plans are the future plans. They are portable. It is a way a worker can go from one place to another.

We need to protect older workers, and we need to make sure that this motion to instruct is passed.

I thank Mr. Miller for his leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Master Artist Wan Ko Yee, an exceptional artist whose work has been exhibited throughout the world. His work encompasses the genres of painting, calligraphy, literature, and sculpture. Philosophically, his paintings reflect Buddhist themes and the ideas of tolerance and peace between nations. In esthetic terms, his paintings are infused with balance and an appreciation of the natural world.

It is my hope that cultural diplomacy will begin to have enhanced value in coming years as a means of building understanding between nations. Toward this end, it is important to create awareness of the history and culture of Asian communities in this country and throughout the world.

In 2003, Master Artist Wan Ko Yee exhibited selected works at the House of Representatives in an exhibit that was well attended and appreciated. He has been recognized by the Royal Academy of Arts of the United Kingdom, and the Organization of American States. I commend Master Artist Wan Ko Yee on his artistic contributions.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, July 10, 2006, was away from the House on business representing the constituents of the 11th Congressional District. During my absence, the House called rollcall votes Nos. 358, 359 and 360. Had I been present for the rollcall votes, I would have voted: ``nay'' on rollcall vote No. 360; ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 359; ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 358.

Madam Speaker, this week H. Con. Res. 427 passed the House of Representatives by voice vote. This bill would permit the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Department of Veterans Affairs. I would like to lend my voice to this memorable event.

Madam Speaker, in 1930 President Hoover signed Executive Order 5398 which established the Veterans Administration a ultimately led to the formation of the Department of Veteran Affairs. The VA (as it has affectionately become known) has strived to both honor and serve the men and women who protect one of our Nation's most treasured ideals-- liberty. For 75 years, the VA has helped ensure that those who choose to enter the armed services are not forgotten after they honorably serve their country.

For this reason, we should celebrate the concept and accomplishments of the VA. Indeed, the VA is a vital cabinet level department, which oversees an honorable and necessary function of the U.S. Government.

The VA has three branches, which aim to provide a smooth transition for veterans when they return home from active duty. These branches-- the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration--should be roundly applauded for their service to America's former servicemen and servicewomen.

Beginning in 1946, the VA's health unit, now known as the Veterans Health Administration, has sought to provide adequate health care to injured veterans returning from war, starting with World War II. Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, the VHA expanded into a leading health care provider and now has over 150 medical centers across the country. According to the VA, provided care to more than 5.3 million individuals in 2005.

In addition to providing health care services, the VA, through its Veterans Benefits Administration branch, has provided educational services to veterans, beginning with the passage of the GI Bill in 1944. According to the VA, 7.8 million World War II veterans, alone, benefited from educational opportunities that the bill offered. I also applaud the VA for assisting the families of our fallen heroes, the men and women of our armed services who died in combat fighting for liberty. The VA's National Cemetery Administration should be praised for providing memorials to those veterans who died for our liberty.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor for me to have the opportunity to recognize the VA for what is has and will continue to do for our veterans. As a member of the House of Representatives, I always look to support legislation that honors our veterans. On June 27, 2006, the House of Representatives agreed to H.R. 4843, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2006. H.R. 4843 increases compensation rates to veterans with service-oriented disabilities, and the House of Representatives should be proud of this great legislation.

But, Madam Speaker, on July 19, 2006, when we commemorate the VA's 75th Anniversary, let us not forget that much more needs to be done to pay homage to our veterans, particularly those who are coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Madam Speaker, the VA reported in August 2005 that almost 23 percent of homeless men and women are veterans. Madam Speaker this percentage is far too high and far too shameful.

On a bi-partisan basis, Congress must work with the Veterans Affairs to right this seemingly forgotten atrocity. The men and women who honorably serve our great Nation deserve not only to be treated as heroes in war; they deserve to be treated as heroe when they return home.

The men and women of the U.S. armed services make it possible for us to debate. Madam Speaker, let us not debate the honor veterans deserve.

Mr. Speaker, the death of my oldest sister a week ago Sunday took me back to Clanton, Alabama, the roots of my family. Clanton is about 40 miles from Selma, Alabama, and it made me remember all of the things that my family had been through not having the opportunity to vote.

I stand here today saying to you that the Voting Rights Act must be reauthorized. And I will say to those of you who want to use 2000 and 2004 as cites for why we should do reclearance on voting, should not use those years, because we all know what happened in 2000 and 2004.

Mr. Speaker, I bring to the attention of my colleague from Georgia that only recently a Federal court and a State court found that the identification requirements set forth by the State of Georgia are just like having a poll tax, and that we cannot let Georgia out of preclearance.

Vote in support of the Voting Rights Act.

Mr. Chairman, first of all I want to thank the Chair for yielding me the time and also for his leadership. You have done a wonderful job in conjunction with Mr. Conyers and the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

I stand here, here we are at the last amendment. I come from Ohio. In 2000, 2004, we had dilemmas in our voting. Across the country there have been dilemmas with voting. And this is the first time since I objected to the Ohio vote that we have even talked about voting on the floor of the House of Representatives.

We are overdue. Every Member of Congress owes all of the voters of this Nation the vote in favor of renewing the Voting Rights Act. Your conscience should be bothering you if you are not thinking about the fact that minority voters across this country were denied the right to vote.

I have heard people talk about, well, my grandson did not do it. Your grandson did not do it, but your great grandfather probably did. And you owe and the support of all of those who deserve the right to vote the right to vote. Thank you for the time.

Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would prohibit any funds under this act to be used for the operation of the National Contact Center of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, something that was created and has already failed, and now they want to make it permanent.

As a result of the support that I enjoy from my colleagues, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. Congresswoman Norton was the former member, actually Chair, of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Mr. Chairman, at this time, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).

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

Mr. Chairman, in all due respect, that is not what the IG report, in fact, stated. It stated that the EEOC backlog continued to accelerate with 39,061 unresolved cases in 2006. In fact, they are up from 33,562 in 2005. It only saves the agency six full-time positions. The contractors do not understand their role as an agency. That is the report of the IG.

The importance that I need to bring to your attention, sir, is that a contract center for equal employment opportunity complaints is not like a contact center for your utility bill or your telephone bill or your gas bill. This is about employment discrimination in jobs across this country.

Having worked as a trial lawyer for the EEOC, as a person who worked in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, I know that the contact center is not the place in which you want to resolve your claims. If you had an age discrimination claim, you wouldn't want to do it over the telephone.

So what I am suggesting to you is, the reason I am opposing these contact centers is because it is not giving people the opportunity to do what they really do need to do, which is have the opportunity to talk with a person who is experienced. It is like all the centers now who are using India in order to take calls from people in America, and you have to explain four or five, six times. I don't have anything against Indians. But in order to make my complaint, I want to make sure that I have someone who is experienced and knowledgeable of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the laws and what I need to do.

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

I want you to note, recently the Washington Post published preliminary findings of a study commissioned by the EEOC which highlighted various concerns by job performance commissions, recommended significant changes, significant changes, or that the national call center be eliminated. I agreed with them that the center should be eliminated, that people across America who have claims with regard to employment ought to have the opportunity not to deal with the call center but to deal with an experienced employee who has worked with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and has the background and experience to take those claims.

I want to thank my staffer, Terence Houston, for all the work he did in helping us put this amendment together. I thank you for the opportunity.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, would you yield for just a moment?

The reason I am making the amendment, I brought up the amendment, is the proposal is to make the NCC permanent before the pilot is over with. That is why I am screaming and hollering. If you are saying to me that it is not going to be made permanent by this bill and that we will have an opportunity after the pilot is completed to have a conversation about this and make sure things are taken care of, I am willing to work with you. I would love to be able to wait until the pilot ends before we make an amendment.

I would love to join you in a letter like that.

Let me just say this, if I have the assurance of the chairman, and I have not worked with you before, but I know that you are a man of your word, you are willing to work with me to try to keep it from being permanent until we hear what is happening with the pilot, I will withdraw my amendment.

If you would allow me, I would love to have my colleague, Congresswoman Norton, join me. She was a former commissioner and worked with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment based on the comments of the Chair.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the ranking member, Mr. Rangel, for yielding me this time. And I want to compliment my colleague, Kenny Hulshof, for those impassioned words about his family farms. But the good lawyer that I know Kenny Hulshof is, I know he has come up with some resolve for his family in addressing some of the estate tax issues, short of changing the estate tax, be it who holds the farm, how long they hold it, et cetera et cetera.

But I rise this afternoon in opposition to this legislation. As we have all said earlier, those on this side of the aisle, this is no compromise. It will cost us so much money that many of us can't even count it. And most of the people who benefit from this estate tax have so much money, they far exceed the general everyday person who works hard making $5.25 an hour and can't even think about an estate because, by the time they pay their light bill and their water bill and buy their kids some clothes, pay the gas bill, the estate that they always hoped for could never come into play.

Now, you are going to say, Stephanie, why are you comparing working making $5.25 hour to an estate over $5 or $100 million? I am doing it because most of the people in America are making $5.25 an hour at that other level.

We only have a certain amount of money that we operate in the United States of America, and I say it is time for the people at the lower end of the spectrum to have a benefit from the taxing policy of this Nation. I say it is time for the people at the lower end of the spectrum to know that the kids, and the bulk of their kids go to fight in Iraq, have enough armor, et cetera, to be covered; that those families know that their children have the ability to go to college. It is connected because it comes out of the same pot.

I, therefore, invite you, encourage you to vote against H.R. 5638.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to be on the floor with the 30-somethings. I am 30 plus almost 27. I am proud to admit that I am 56, and I think I am doing all right. I am glad to be here with my sons, as I call Kendrick Meek and Tim Ryan, an my colleague on Ways and Means.

The most interesting thing is, if you think about it, remember when the Iraq war began, and there are millions of dollars that they can't account for. They said it was so crazy over there, they couldn't figure out where the money went. And the most recent reports about FEMA, about moneys that should have gone to help Katrina victims, they can't account for.

So I am with my colleague, Mr. Meek, saying Mr. Tanner, great piece of legislation. Keep on pushing it. We are going to help you make sure that the Members of Congress, both Democrat and Republican, say to the people of America, we are going to account for the dollars. The Ways and Means Committee, we raise the means to do things, and here we have people messing with the dollars we have expended. I am pleased, Mr. Tanner, to be here with you tonight.

I am reminded of one of the hearings in the Ways and Means Committee where then-Secretary Snow was before the committee. This was before we actually got into the Iraq war.

I said, Mr. Secretary, you used to run a business. Tell me what trustees or board of directors of any business would say to you that you can have a supplemental outside of the budget that would increase significantly the deficit, and you don't have to include it in the amount of dollars we are expending?

He said to me that the President doesn't want to go to war, so it is not part of the budget.

I said, wait a minute. I know that there are tankers over there, there are men and women over there, there are arms over there, and we are spending dollars to feed and clothe them. That ought to be part of the budget. The American people should know what kind of money we are spending and not have it off side.

That is what this administration has been so good at in all of these supplementals. Many of us vote for the supplementals because we want to support the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, but it is bad budgeting. I know if Secretary Snow ran his business like he ran the government, and he is gone now, but he would be put out of business if he ran a business like this.

It is like a bad credit card bill.

I am laughing, Mr. Tanner. Remember when we had the IRS hearing, and the IRS decided that they were going to go look for waste, fraud and abuse in Earned Income Tax Credit instead of looking for waste, fraud and abuse in the larger corporation and what they were doing with the Tax Code?

I am not against business. Democrats are pro-business. We know that if we have business, people have jobs. But the reality is when you want to look for waste, fraud and abuse, you don't look for somebody that is paying a dollar in taxes. You look for somebody who is paying a whole bunch of dollars or who is getting a whole bunch of dollars from the American public to do a job and they don't do the job.

Perfect example was today when we started talking about the estate tax. And there are different views on the importance of the estate tax. But reducing the estate tax puts in place, how do we pay for what was covered by the estate tax? And how do we pay for it? They don't even account for it. They just reduce it or get rid of the estate tax and say, okay, I am going to leave you to fend for yourself as to how you cover it.

Pay-as-you-go, they fussed at us. Well, if you want to increase college loans, or if you want to increase money for Social Security, or if you want to increase money so that seniors can get a prescription drug benefit, or you want to increase it so seniors can be covered with Medicaid, pay for it. But they don't ever talk about paying for it and a reduction of taxes.

And there are a lot of Democrats who certainly believe that we should not reduce taxes. But regardless of where you are, pay-as-you-go is language that everybody understands. My father used to say, if I have $5 and beef costs $5, I am going to buy me a pound of beef for $5.

A whole lot.

It is very important to understand that there are 41 members on the Ways and Means Committee. As a result of that 41, there are 24 Republicans and 17 Democrats. And the Democrats, 17 members, beginning with our ranking member, Charlie Rangel, and going on to Pete Stark and on down the line, are people who can bring leadership and knowledge to a discussion about legislation. But, unfortunately, as the committee is currently constituted, we do not have the opportunity to sit at the table and truly legislate. Even one day the police called on us, trying to pull us out of the Ways and Means library room.

The reality is that we are willing and ready, ready and able, to provide import to the legislation on taxing and raising revenue for the United States of America. But, unfortunately, we do not have the opportunity. Unfortunately, we, as Democrats and Republicans, do not have the opportunity to sit at the table, talk it over, figure it out, and come to the floor with legislation that can make a difference on behalf of all Americans.

If you look back in history, every year we were in, there was legislation that really worked for America. It was legislation that was done on a bipartisan basis. This chairman talks about being a member of the willing, something like the Iraq war, if you weren't a member of the willing and you didn't go to war, you do not get counted in. We are, hopefully, not at war right here in the House of Representatives, although some days I think that we are, that we can have the opportunity to sit at table, legislate, and make a difference on behalf of the people of America. The people of America expect it from us. They do not send us here to argue back and forth with one another about issues. They want us to work it out, and that is why we were elected as representatives.

If the gentleman would yield, you know what is interesting as we debate on the floor, let us talk about, just for a moment, the minimum wage. And there is always the discussion that the people who pay the most tax ought to get the most return on their taxes. And I cry and scream on behalf of the unemployed in my district: Give them a job, and they will gladly pay taxes. Give them a job and a living wage, and they will be glad to pay taxes. They will be able to take care of their families. They will come off of government rolls.

But the reality is most people working at $5.25 an hour cannot be successful. They cannot be part of the American dream because they cannot buy milk, $3 a gallon of gas, and take care of their families. And the reality is that the Democratic Party is the only party talking about raising the minimum wage.

And there has been an argument that we do not want to raise the minimum wage because it impacts business, but there is statistical information very recently that just came from Ohio that says if you raise the minimum wage, businesses are doing better. It is not that if you raise it, they will go into debt. The reality is that if you have got a better worker making a better salary, then you have got a better business. And that is what we need to have happen in Ohio and across this country.

They say that if you look at inflation and apply it to minimum wage, the minimum wage today should be $9.08. And even in our proposals we are only asking for $7.25.

Give people an opportunity to make a living and be proud of themselves making a living wage.

I know that my good friend Kendrick Meek is going to close out on a New Direction for America, but I want to talk again about the minimum wage.

Consider that if the minimum wage had increased with inflation, it would be $9.08. Well, think about it like this. Family health care insurance is up 70 percent. The increase in minimum wage would help 7.5 million. Gas prices have doubled. So if the minimum wage doubled, it would be $10, and we would be able to do it. Record surplus has been turned to record deficits. And then college costs are up. There have been $12 billion in student aid cuts under this administration and Republican Congress.

It is time for Democrats to take control of the House so that we have an opportunity to serve the people and put America in a new direction.

I yield back to our leader.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Larry D. Terry, a leader in the fields of public administration and social research. On Saturday, June 17, 2006, this beloved father, mentor, scholar, educator, and friend passed away. The passing of a loved one is always a great loss to family and friends. When that loss is so sudden, and when that person has touched and affected the lives of so many, it is incumbent upon us to stop and remember such a person with gratitude and respect.

Today I come before you to express condolences to the family and friends of Larry D. Terry, Ph.D., but also to celebrate the life of a youth from Oklahoma, who grew in prominence to become a vital leader in his field and one of the most distinguished graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and the State University of Blacksburg, Virginia.

Larry grew up in a family where religion and spirituality were foundations of family life, and educational achievement was stressed. At Lincoln University of Jefferson, Missouri, he majored in political science and earned his bachelor of arts degree. In 1978, he received his master of science degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, where he majored in community development. In 1989, he earned a Ph.D. in public administration and public affairs at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he specialized in organization theory and behavior.

Dr. Terry had a most distinguished professional career as adjunct professor, assistant professor, associate professor, full professor, assistant dean, university provost and university vice president, however his students will best remember him as a dynamic teacher who cared about their success and demanded excellence. His curriculum vitae tells the story of his professional life and his commitment to his students, his universities and to the local, State and Federal agencies and organizations throughout the country that he served.

I met Dr. Larry Terry during his 12-year tenure at the Maxine G. Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University. He was not only on staff at the university--he was my constituent both where he lived and worked. He was also a visionary. Dr. Terry understood his role in preparing students to be ethical, responsible administrators. He understood the relationship between quality service delivery, an informed and active citizenry, and a strong democratic government. While working with public and private partners, he sought methods of best practices and leadership to insure the success of those partnerships.

Dr. Terry was a distinguished scholar with wide-ranging interests, evidenced by publications encompassing academic articles, books, and book reviews. He was the youngest and the first African American editor for the Public Administration Review, a leading journal. In 1999, he was the youngest person to be inducted into the National Academy of Public Administration. Dr. Terry was also a special friend and mentor for African American students, particularly males, who saw in Dr. Terry the possibilities for themselves.

For all of the students who had the good fortune to know him, Dr. Larry Terry was an advisor, mentor, and friend. As assistant dean for graduate programs, at Levin College, he was responsible for the college's Ph.D. program. During his tenure, more Ph.D. students enrolled and graduated than at any other time in the history of the program.

In 2001 Dr. Terry left Cleveland State University for the position of associate provost at the University of Texas at Dallas. There he faced new challenges, new opportunities and new successes. At the time of his death he was vice president for business affairs at the university.

Although we are saddened by the loss of someone we loved and respected, especially one so young and full of potential, today I join Larry's children: Larry II, Felice, Jacob, and Gavin; his family and friends in celebrating the life of a hero. I celebrate the life of a vital Black man who seized the opportunity to expand his knowledge, broaden his horizons through service, and leave a lasting legacy through written words and lessons shared with students.

The torch has now been passed to his students, to make our world a better place. And to Dr. Larry D. Terry's colleagues, I urge you to celebrate his life by expanding on his many good works. His legacy will continue.

May God bless Dr. Larry D. Terry.

Mr. Speaker, House Democrats want to give minimum-wage workers their first pay raise in 9 years. Can you imagine working 9 years and never have a pay raise? Gas went up, milk went up, housing went up, electricity went up, and the House Republicans are doing everything they can to avoid the issue.

Last week, seven Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee voted with Democrats to increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 as part of the Labor-HHS appropriations bill, but now the leaders of the Republican Party refuse to bring this bill to the floor, hoping they can skirt the issue until after election.

Can you imagine if you had to wait till after an election to get some more money to buy that gas that is $3 a gallon?

The Republican leaders must have done a lot of arm twisting over the weekend because when Democrats called for an increase in the minimum wage on another appropriations bill yesterday, not one of those seven who were with us last week, who had the guts to be with us last week, were with us yesterday.

I just cannot understand why the House Republicans refuse to allow a floor vote on minimum wage. They will not do it because they know the American people will not vote for them if they do not increase the rate.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to follow Mr. Hinchey in the Record because my remarks are about Floyd Patterson as well.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues for allowing me to proceed at this time.

I rise today as well in honor of one of the greatest boxers of all times. Unfortunately, at the time of his death, we were engaged in so many different activities that we were unable to obtain a Special Order or hour Special Order to celebrate Floyd Patterson's life.

Those that know me know that I am one of the greatest boxing fans. It is always a great opportunity for me to have a chance to turn on a boxing match any chance I have the opportunity.

Most recently, in fact week before last, one of the young boxers said that he wanted to be able to do what Floyd Patterson had not been able to do, and he came into the ring and was able to win that boxing match. I think he did it in celebration of the great life of Floyd Patterson.

Floyd Patterson once said, ``They said I was the fighter who got knocked down the most, but I also got up the most.'' I am pleased to stand here on the floor today to celebrate his life.

As you have already heard, he was born in Waco, North Carolina; raised in Brooklyn, New York; and rose from humble beginnings to become the first two-time heavyweight champion of the world.

You know that he is 1 of 11 children. I will not repeat that.

He represented the United States in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, bringing home the gold in the middleweight division.

He turned pro in 1952 under the management of Cus D'Amato, and all of us know what a famous trainer Cus D'Amato was at the legendary Gramercy Gym. D'Amato in the 1980s would develop another heavyweight champion by the name of Mike Tyson.

At just 21, Patterson became the youngest man to ever win the heavyweight championship with a fifth-round knockout of Archie Moore in 1956. In 1959, Patterson would suffer an embarrassing loss to Ingemar Johansson at Yankee Stadium that cost him the heavyweight title. However, Patterson would make a triumphant comeback and beat Johansson and become the first man to regain the heavyweight title.

Though he was known as a shy and quiet man, he had what critics call a ``big man's punch,'' and in one match he knocked down his opponent 11 times. He had a unique style of holding his gloves high in front of his face and leaping in with hooks.

Floyd Patterson, as a boxer, was considered a small heavyweight; however, he competed against some of the giants of the boxing word. He went up against some of the best in boxing world, including Sonny Liston and Muhammad Ali.

He would lose his title to Sonny Liston in a first-round knockout. Following his loss to Liston, Patterson fought for 10 years, getting three more shots at the title, but never regaining it.

He fought Muhammad Ali in 1965. Despite taking a devastating beating from Ali, he lasted until the 12th round. Ali, who was angry because Patterson called him by his given name Cassius Clay, taunted and toyed with Patterson during the fight, peppering him with jabs and right hands while asking him, what is my name, what is my name?

Patterson and Ali would later reconcile when Patterson approached Ali in a restaurant and said, hello, Muhammad Ali. They would remain friends, and ironically, Patterson's last fight would be against Muhammad Ali in 1972.

Overall, Patterson finished with a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 knockouts. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.

Following his retirement, he remained close to the sport, serving twice as chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, and he resigned from this post in 1998.

Patterson passed away on May 11 in his home in New Paltz, New York, at the age of 71, and as my other colleagues say, we join today in celebrating the great life of Floyd Patterson. A lot of us choose different roads to stardom and opportunity, but think of this, a man who was 1 of 11 children, who went from a man no one knew to a man who everyone in the world knew.

So I thank you for joining me today in celebrating the life of Floyd Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I would like to thank all the members of the Out of Iraq Caucus who have spoken so eloquently this afternoon.

I rise in opposition to H. Res. 861 and in support of Representative Murtha's proposal to redeploy our troops.

Since this war began, we have seen nearly 2,500 casualties. This number does not include the nearly 20,000 who have been wounded. I would like to take a moment to talk about the significance of those casualties and wounded because I often feel that we gloss over those numbers and forget that each one is or was an actual person. They were somebody's son or daughter, somebody's mother or father, somebody's brother or sister.

They are real people, as real as 19-year-old Private Brandon Sloan and First Sergeant Robert Dowdy, who were the first soldiers from my congressional district to become casualties in the 507th Maintenance Group incident. They are as real as the 325th Marine Regiment of Brookpark, Ohio, who suffered multiple casualties. I attended those funerals and those memorials.

They are as real as Sergeant Shurvon Phillip, an East Cleveland resident and Shaw High School graduate, who recently returned to Cleveland after suffering serious injuries in Iraq and enduring weeks of recovery. Shurvon is now paralyzed, and because of a brain injury, he cannot talk. We welcomed him home last Saturday at the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center.

Shurvon's mother, Gail, had this to say: ``That Jack Murtha, he came to see my son three times and each time he treated Shurvon as his own son.'' Shurvon's mother, Gail Ulerie, had this to say about President Bush when he came to see him to give the Purple Heart to her son while he has at Bethesda Naval Hospital: ``I am glad for

my son to receive a Purple Heart, but he was in no condition to appreciate it. He was in bad shape. I also said some things to President Bush that he, President Bush, did not like. I basically told him he should end this war and bring our troops, like my son, back home. He did not answer, just walked away.''

I say we should not walk away from the young men and women who are left over in Iraq and Afghanistan. We should remember what Shurvon's mother said. Bring our troops home. Bring our troops home. Bring our troops home. She said she did not want to see any more young men or women laying back like this, and if you saw Shurvon you would know what I meant. He is in a chair, where he is sat up like this. His lips are swollen, sticking out. He can hardly say a word. We are saying to him, you know, Shurvon, we are sorry you are a casualty; you stood up for your family; you stood up for the United States of America. But he cannot stand up for himself.

Let us stand up for the young men and women of America. Bring our troops home, redeploy them, and let us think of America first.