Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor excellence personified by a public school in my district--Pierre Laclede Elementary School, in the St. Louis Public Schools District.

In April the school was named one of 15 elementary schools in the State of Missouri to receive the ``Gold Star'' award for academic excellence. I proudly enter their name into the Congressional Record as part of a national celebration of their achievement.

The feat by staff and students at Pierre Laclede Elementary School was one of three schools in my district so honored. Some 35 public schools competed for the awards, for the 2002-2003 academic year.

Chosen by a panel of school administrators and other educators from across the State, all applications were evaluated and winners were selected during the month of April. The 15 schools were formally honored May 7 at a forum in Jefferson City, MO, the State capital.

To be eligible for the award, schools had to meet academic performance criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education for the ``No Child Left Behind--Blue Ribbon Schools'' program.

Established in 1991, the Gold Star Schools program is sponsored by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, with financial support from State Farm Insurance Companies, Inc.

In the program, elementary and secondary schools are recognized in alternating years. Mr. Speaker, I submit to you that success in education can be achieved at all levels, and sometimes where it is least expected.

As we celebrate 15 Gold Star schools in the State of Missouri, with three in my district alone, I also hope and plan for the day that the majority of schools in the State achieve ``Gold Star'' status and we can happily raise the academic bar again, for the next generation of students.

If the students of today are a barometer, then the students of the future will most assuredly defy the odds against them and take their place in the modern world as well-educated leaders and decisionmakers solving future problems.

As leaders in government, it is our responsibility to provide them the tools, the gifted teachers and the inspiration to achieve against great odds for even greater successes.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.

Mr. Speaker, tonight we look back nearly a half century to the 1954 case to Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka and the impact on this Nation.

The Supreme Court took a bold step at that time to right the wrongs and correct years of injustice. The court stepped out of the box to do what was right. Even so, in Missouri the city of St. Louis and county schools continued to defy the high Court as a large segment of children continued to attend segregated schools and receive an inferior education. Regrettably, it took a local court case in the 1970s to desegregate St. Louis city and county public schools.

On a personal note, my family was subjected to the sordid history of segregated schools. My grandmother, Luella Hyatt, was born in suburban Black Jack, Missouri, in the early 1900s and was denied access to schools there. She was forced to move to St. Louis City to attend school with other African Americans.

Segregated schools were tragic and the ramifications of children receiving an inferior education put them at an economic and social disadvantage, from their receiving outdated hand-me-down books from white children, to their lowly social standing overall.

It cannot be said enough that children of color suffer greatly. In that context Brown v. Board of Education was a remedy to right a grievous wrong.

Today as we look back and then turn again towards the future, I am dismayed. I am not dismayed at how Americans have continued to undo past wrongs. Nor am I dismayed at the shoulders on which I stand and what they tried to accomplish. Integration in the context of their times had its merits. What dismays me is that any lessons we can learn from the past appear to be lost on this generation of leaders. And for that I feel we must find a fix.

In retrospect, a lot of things have happened in education since the 1950s. The nobility of true integration was not accomplished and a new form of segregation has taken the place of the old. Yet, while Brown v. Board of Education was certainly about education, it was about much more. It was part of a long chain of events which each successive generation took a turn to right wrong and chip away at racism and segregation. Now it is our turn to try and attain that elusive ideal of one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I am a product of public school. I have always been in support of public education. A public education has served my wife, Ivy, and I, as well as my daughter, Carol, who also attends a public elementary school in the city of St. Louis; and, in fact, her school, Kennard Classical Junior Academy, was one of 15 schools in the State of Missouri recently given the distinction of a gold star status. So not all public education is problematic.

Both St. Louis and Missouri have a lot of relevant educational history. For example, the St. Louis public schools opened the Nation's first kindergarten. And in the 1840s it was illegal for African Americans to read and write. First Baptist Church Pastor John Berry Meachum took matters into his own hands. Mr. Meachum opened the Freedom School on a barge in the Mississippi River which was Federally owned and thus out of the reach of State law. And at the college level, a 1938 Missouri case, Missouri ex rel Gaines v. Canada, found that the University of Missouri by denying a black student administrations to its law school, though it did create a separate black law school in a building housing a movie theater and a hotel, created an unfair privilege for white students that did not extend to similarly qualified African American students.

Mr. Speaker, like a strait jacket, segregation debilitated this Nation for generations. But the victory of Brown v. Board of Education was not happenstance. It was the result of a well-thought-out strategy by a progressive people trying to build a progressive Nation. Comprised of a combination of five lawsuits from around the Nation, Brown v. Board was argued using expert witnesses to show the psychological and sociological damage of inferiority done to black children as a result of segregation.

Convinced separate but equal violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the high Court would ban segregation in public schools. As we all know, desegregation was not immediate, easy, nor complete. In a separate decision known as Brown II in 1955, the Court set desegregation guidelines. But without deadlines, only the infamous ``with all deliberate speed'' in the opinion, segregation lingered and segregationist met integration with violence and hatred. With integration, some whites fled to the suburbs creating de facto segregation in urban schools. And as the urban core deteriorated by the outflow of population and businesses, the urban schools have essentially become second class schools, separate and unequal, despite the law.

In closing, I want to thank the leadership in the Congressional Black Caucus for scheduling this time to mark the anniversary of a major milestone. Certainly the shortcomings of the last half century were no fault of Brown v. Board of Education. Certainly it was not the children who dutifully woke up every morning and attended classes in schools provided by governments throughout this Nation. And most certainly it is not the poor and economically impoverished Americans trying to feed those children every day and trusting that one day their lives would be better for them and their children.

The children have not failed. Those in government who build, staff and fund this Nation's schools have collectively failed the children. When government officials spend more to incarcerate than to educate, it sends the wrong message to our youths. When government blames the victims of racism, economic oppression, and cultural bias and punishes them through denial, sanctions and promises left unfilled, then there is no wonder the youth of this Nation have rebelled en masse against education, a law-abiding life-style, and unfulfilled promises. Such reality today is as important as Brown v. Board of Education was to this Nation then.

The abiding purpose of government is to promote stability in our communities and to care for those who cannot care for themselves. The rich will always take care of themselves and many send their children to private schools run by people they have a voice in choosing and in facilities they help build. The common everyday citizen lacks that luxury. With many of our public school systems in disarray, teachers spending more time trying to maintain order and not teach, for millions of American children the future is

not bright. Again, it is not because of Brown v. Board of Education; rather, it is systemic failure of government to care about educating our children.

God forbid that another generation of Americans indigenous to this Nation remain undereducated, underserved and in poverty. That was the real point, the real goal of Brown v. Board of Education. And that age- old dream of future generations of equally educated American children building a Nation capable of overcoming the burden of a segregated divisive America has yet to come true.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would yield, of course, it reminds me of an article I read yesterday about the gentleman my colleague is about to introduce that his staff shared with us about his father, and I do not want to take his thunder, but it talked about how his father was denied a college degree from a divinity college in South Carolina because he could not obtain a high school diploma because the State law in South Carolina in the 1940s was that no African American children could go beyond the seventh grade, and that tells me something about the ramifications which I never lived through full-blown segregation, but it certainly tells me about the ramifications of segregation and about how we are to address righting that wrong. So it brought tears to my eyes.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise as a sponsor of H.R. 1596, a bill to honor the memory of U.S. Postal Service employee Timothy Michael Gaffney, and would like to thank the membership of the entire Missouri delegation for their cosponsorship on this measure.

Mr. Gaffney, while a manager at the Overland Post Office for 2 short years, made a huge impact on the employees there. In the words of one co-worker, Leslie Beck, ``He was a personable manager who managed with a huge heart. He continued to help his employees with their personal problems, such as death of elderly parents. We had an employee pass away with cancer, another employee's wife who passed away with cancer at age 49, and yet another employee's daughter who passed away at age 10 with a brain tumor. This was all in the year 2002. It was a very emotional year for all of us, but he was there as support to all of us.

``Then Tim's passing in December 2002 was devastating to all of us. We are working through our grief by planting a tree, purchasing a nice bench and putting it in a peaceful area at the Post Office, and purchasing a memorial plaque for Tim. We have raised almost $600 from just our employees for these projects. We have not asked for or would take money from anywhere else. This had to be all from just us. We are his `Postal Family'. He was there for us, and we are there for him.''

Madam Speaker, renaming the Overland Post Office in honor of Mr. Gaffney would appear to be a fitting reminder of his role and dedication to the community.

I would be remiss if I did not share the full scope of Mr. Gaffney's life both on the job and in his private life. Born on October 30, 1948, Mr. Gaffney was the son of Joseph and Lorayne Gaffney, both deceased as well. A sister Jill Delonjay, and a brother, Mark Gaffney, both live in the St. Louis area, as does a nephew, Tom Harris, who also works for the U.S. Postal Service. Divorced, Mr. Gaffney had no children.

As a youngster, he attended Buder Elementary School and Christian Brothers College High School. It was shortly after high school graduation that he began working part-time at a local Post Office in the St. Louis area. In 1972, Mr. Gaffney received a teaching degree from the University of Missouri at St. Louis. Also, he served proudly and honorably in the Missouri Army National Guard from 1970 to 1976.

He remained active in alumni activities at the Christian Brothers College High School and an avid golfer; he supported the school's charitable golf tournaments, as well as being a great supporter of CBC's football team. Mr. Gaffney showered other organizations with his support, including the Backstoppers and their support for firefighters and police officers. Working with the Combined Federal Campaign in the Postal Service, Mr. Gaffney helped the Overland Station rank number 5 in the St. Louis area for donations to charities. It was very important to him to support charities.

Finally, a big Rams football fan, he was a season ticket holder. I urge Members to support this measure in tribute to a man whose life meant so much to his co-workers and his community.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Betty Jean Kerr, as 2003 marks her 25th year of service as C.E.O. of People's Health Centers (PHC) in St. Louis. Kerr has been passionately devoted to providing quality health care to the medically underserved and uninsured. Strongly believing that everyone deserves quality health care, Kerr has dedicated her tenure with PHC to ensuring that primary care and prevention services are efficiently provided at these community health centers, regardless of a patient's socioeconomic status.

Kerr's extraordinary leadership is exemplified by the strong foundation she has laid and the recognized growth within PHC. PHC was a three-year-old free clinic with only one location when Kerr became CEO. Under her guidance, she has been essentially instrumental in making PHC a sprawling community of apartments for the elderly, housing for persons with disabilities, social security services, primary health care, dental services, a pharmacy, affordable homes, and small businesses.

Kerr has been remarkably persistent in reaching beyond traditional methods of making quality health care services accessible to everyone. In an effort to provide increased access to health in conjunction with health center locations, she has created school-based sites. Her staff is in all St. Louis Public middle schools, three high schools, private schools, and soon to be in the large school districts in North County.

In addition to developing sustained partnerships with patients to manage improving their health, Kerr has maintained and required a high level of expectations for health care practitioners serving minority populations in low-income neighborhoods throughout St. Louis. Setting high standards and goals for PHC, she continues to work with the board on strategic planning decisions that will reduce health disparities within St. Louis.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great privilege that I recognize Betty Jean Kerr today before Congress. This dynamic woman strongly believes that every citizen has the right to a long and healthy life. In addition to her steadfast commitment to guaranteeing accessible primary care and preventative health care services, Kerr has a vision of expanding the number of health care center locations throughout the St. Louis community. It is with great honor that I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Betty Jean Kerr.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me, and commend her for taking this time in a special order on such a timely matter, while our troops are in the deserts of Afghanistan and Iraq fighting for their lives and while this administration is attempting to cut the budget of the VA.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my opposition to cuts in benefits due our Nation's veterans. I urge my Republican colleagues to reconsider the drastic cuts made to the Department of Veterans Affairs. I oppose these cuts, this mistreatment, and believe our Nation's heroes deserve better. I sincerely urge my colleagues and all Americans to consider just what a vote to reduce the budget to our veterans, both on and off the battlefield, really means.

Today, I submit, there is politics and then there is the presumption of politics; there is patriotism, and then there is the presumption of patriotism; there is support for our troops, and there is the presumption of support for our troops, all the contradictions involving the politics of war and peace.

The notion of who is a true patriot and who is not and the welfare of our troops in combat all have been played out recently in this very Chamber. For my part, I have opposed the war, supported our troops in combat, and now stand to support our troops upon their return.

For those who follow my votes, they may be confused. Do not be, because certainly I am not. Recently, on March 20, 2003, I placed into the Congressional Record a statement that noted my long-standing opposition to the war in Iraq. Yet, with the fighting having begun, I offer my support and prayers for the men and women who, out of duty to their Nation, find themselves in harm's way.

On top of this budget, the current administration has also submitted a budget to pay for the war we are currently engaged in. That supplemental budget request is for $75 billion to fight the war in Iraq for 6 months. With the prospect of a long and arduous campaign and occupation of Iraq, the costs will likely soar even higher.

We have 2.3 million disabled veterans who demand our patriotism, just as we demanded theirs in time of war. I echo the appeal of honor and dignity made on March 17, 2003, by some of the veterans groups in response to the GOP budget.

I quote: ``Is there no honor left in the hallowed halls of our government that you choose to dishonor the sacrifices of our Nation's heroes and rob our programs, health care, and disability compensation to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy? You will be reducing benefits and services for disabled vets at a time when thousands of our service members are in harm's way, fighting terrorists around the world, and thousands more of our sons and daughters are preparing for war against Iraq.''

Needless to say, the shooting war started in earnest 2 days later.

I submit to Members, there is politics and then there is the presumption of politics; there is patriotism, and then there is the presumption of patriotism; and there is support for our troops, both on and off the battlefield, and there is the presumption of support for our troops.

In a world where the cost of everything, even our Federal budget, is increasing at breakneck speed, does it make sense to cut benefits to the very people who we promised to take care of if they stood at a post and took care of us in some foreign land, often under an obscure objective that only our highest leaders know about and understand?

In today's world, with the threat of international terrorism in our own backyard, war has come to us all. However, for those men and women who stand up, swear an oath of allegiance to defend our Nation at all costs, and do the bidding of Congress and our President, we are now being asked to turn our backs on them.

How can Congress, in the span of a few days, vote support for the troops fighting in Iraq and then seriously consider revoking by nearly a billion dollars the benefits we promised our warriors past, present, and future for the sacrifices they have sworn and continue to swear to make for the good of our Nation. This is an insult. This is an abomination. We know it. America knows it, and our veterans know it.

It is more patriotic to send our troops into battle with our congressional blessing but upon their return tell them their sacrifices are not deserving of benefits this Nation has traditionally offered those who risk injury, emotional stability and even their lives to keep this Nation secure.

I urge Congress to reject any reduction in benefits to our fighting men and women and support the Democratic alternative. At a time of war and sacrifice by the men and women of our Armed Forces, Congress cannot and must not let these cuts stand. The alternative offered by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt), the ranking member of the House Committee on the Budget, provides for $1.1 billion in additional discretionary spending in FY 2004 and $17 billion more over the course of 10 years to the Veterans department budget.

If we want their full measure on the battle fields, they deserve a full measure of benefits upon their return. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me.

Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of the sad events leading up to this war, I have fought as a U.S. Congressman and with an enduring sense of duty and compassion for all Americans, to oppose a war that I believe is unjust and unnecessary at this time.

Now that the fighting has begun and the brave men and women of our armed forces go forward into harm's way, we must honor their sacrifices and we humbly salute their service.

As Americans we are united in prayers for their safe return. And we hope that a victory will lead us to a different era when violence will be replaced by a new vision of justice, tolerance, security and peace, for all people.

As I support our troops' dedication to service and commitment to getting the job done with as little loss of life as possible, as a Congressman and as an American I remain convinced that diplomacy should always be primary and war secondary.

Sometimes the course of history cannot be changed and nations on a collision course cannot be diverted from each other. This is one of those times. However, this too shall pass.

As we look toward the future, as we pledge to help rebuild a post-war Iraq, I would sincerely urge the Bush Administration to also work to rebuild our relationship with the people and countries that comprise the United Nations.

Already, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan is offering his hand in cooperation. Today, he said, ``Let us not dwell on the divisions of the past. Let us confront the harsh realities of the present, however harsh, and look for ways to forge stronger unity in the future.

Also, he said, ``The peoples of the world . . . have made clear that . . . they want to see power harnessed to legitimacy. They want their leaders to come together, in the United Nations, to resolve the problems shared by all humanity,'' the Secretary-General said.

And I agree.

It is only through mutual respect and cooperation between nations that we can mount a sustained fight to end global acts of terrorism.

And at the same time we must fully address those problems and political ideologies that breed terrorists so this problem will end.

As the last remaining superpower on earth--a giant among nations--I believe we must err on the side of caution rather than risk undo injury to smaller nations that are hapless before the will of a giant, a superpower.

Again, Mr. Speaker . . . now that the fighting has begun and the brave men and women of our armed forces go forward into harm's way, we must honor their sacrifices and we humbly salute their service.

And as Americans we are united in prayers for their safe return.

God bless all the people of this earth and may the peacemakers who emerge from this conflict carry the future, for the good of all humankind.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dorothy Swearengen Strong, a dynamic woman who had committed 45 years to advocating for the educational and developmental needs of African American children, especially in relation to mathematics. Making it a priority to equip at-risk youth with essential mathematics skills, she has worked tirelessly to ensure that all children are prepared to master standards-based mathematics and traditional basic skills simultaneously.

She began teaching in 1958 and has remained true to her philosophy that all children can and must complete Algebra by the end of eighth grade, in addition to attaining four years of college preparatory math by the end of high school. Strong has diligently worked from her vision of high expectations, full access, quality instruction and high achievement for all students. Always innovatively finding new ways to educate. Strong is currently directing and piloting the BiMathematics Project. This program will connect multiple definitions of curriculum faced by school districts, high stakes assessment and key mathematics principles to restructure and consolidate the mathematics curriculum for grades K-12. The project includes extended professional development, parental and community involvement components.

Impressively, Strong had developed and implemented several initiatives aimed at making math both exciting and educational for students. She has coordinated three major Mathematics and Science Motivational Projects with NASA that highlighted the achievements of African American astronauts. In an effort to increase academic achievement for inner-city students, she pioneered the MathCounts Competition, which celebrates their participation in statewide mathematics competitions.

She strives to empower students to always be prepared, be active participants in today's society and become lifelong learners. Leading by example, Strong has devoted many hours as founder and past president to the Benjamin Banneker Association. This Association provides a forum for mathematics educators and mathematicians to discuss learning and teaching math with respect to African American children. She has also developed a series of Bible Mathematics books and a Mathematics Tutor Training Manual to help Black South African students prepare for their University Examination.

Mr. Speaker. It is with great honor that I recognize Dr. Dorothy Swearengen Strong today before Congress. She has been referred to as the Mother of Modern Day Mathematics. Her outstanding leadership and commitment to efficiently educating students makes her more than worthy of receiving our recognition today. I urge that my colleagues join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 5. The bill does a disservice to the medical liability insurance problem. It fails to provide the necessary solutions which are needed to have a win/win situation for all concerned parties.

Proposed legislative relief in the form of damage caps such as H.R. 5 may be construed as only a small portion of the remedy. Caps alone will not result in an immediate decrease in premiums. Malpractice suits take 3 to 8 years to come to trial. Current pending or filed suits will not be resolved for years. New caps on damages may not retroactively cover current suits. Therefore, premiums will not go down.

This bill is silent on the issue of the insurance industry and the failed investments policies of that industry's

past. The choice is simple: enact H.R. 5 and have a system that has a tremendous overhead and continues to cause a disservice, or have a true reform plan that gives an immediate reduction in cost.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Doris Dunlap Darden, an educator who has devoted 50 years of service to the St. Louis Public School District. She has dedicated her life to enabling children to attain quality education and providing opportunities that help students realize their abilities and achieve their highest goals.

She began her commendable teaching career in 1953 and has worked diligently to level the educational playing field for at-risk youth in low-income neighborhoods throughout the city of St. Louis. Darden has encouraged hundreds of children by setting high expectations and implementing programs for students to gain leadership and communications skills necessary to succeed in life. She has been committed to reaching both the students and their parents with her educational outreach. Darden impressively took the initiative to create ``Home, School and Community,'' a program which introduced students to local and national newsmakers and celebrities. This innovative program allows famous guest speakers to encourage students to achieve academic excellence, while their parents attended informative workshops and seminars.

Darden solidly believes that all children deserve a high quality education regardless of their socioeconomic status. As a tutor, early in her career, she took note of the way wealthy parents trained their children and introduced those same learning techniques to inner city students. Darden found that her efforts helped raise both the productivity level and esteem of children who would otherwise might have been cast off by society.

In addition to her unwavering commitment to teaching, Darden has selflessly allotted time for community service. She had dedicated numerous hours to working with the Colored Women's Association, National Association of University Women, Tot's N' Teens, various city- wide committees and Leadership for Teachers.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great privilege that I recognize Doris Dunlap Darden to today before Congress. This extraordinary women strongly believes that every child has the capacity to learn and deserves a chance to express that capacity through life goals. In 50 years, Darden has influentially touched the lives of thousands of young people in classrooms and throughout the St. Louis community. She has a stellar record of demonstrating compassion in the classroom. I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring a treasured member of the St. Louis community, Doris Dunlap Darden.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to St. Louis Children's Hospital. I am extremely honored to commend them for their dedication and commitment to the well-being of precious children in need of medical attention. They were recently ranked 6th in the nation among the top 10 Best Children's Hospitals in America by Child Magazine. The hospital's devotion to ensuring that children are receiving high quality and appropriate medical, nursing and mental health care, earned them the privilege of a five-star customer service award for patient satisfaction. They placed fourth for their excellent neonatology/neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

St. Louis Children's Hospital is highly devoted to improving the health of children and providing the highest quality care. This hospital has the country's largest full-service pediatric cerebral palsy program and the world's largest pediatric lung transplant program in the world. The doctors at St. Louis Children's Hospital performed 70 pediatric transplants in 2001, more than any other hospital surveyed.

St. Louis Children's Hospital diligently researches to generate scientific information that provides insight to the cause, treatment and prevention of childhood disease. In addition, such studies provide essential knowledge for improving the general health of all children. The hospital has conducted more than 500 peer-reviewed clinical trials, including the largest and longest childhood asthma study.

Mr. Speaker, St. Louis Children's Hospital has provided specialized care for children for over 120 years. Their health care professionals are both skilled and compassionate with all patients and their families. They are well-deserved of our honor and I urge my colleagues to join me in commending them for the commitment and remarkable care they provide to the children of the greater St. Louis region.

I rise today to pay tribute to a very brave and valiant pioneer, Astronaut Michael P. Anderson, one of seven courageous crew members who perished when the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated on February 1, 2003. Air Force Colonel Anderson was a Payload Commander aboard space shuttle Columbia which had just completed a 16 day scientific journey through space. Tragically, it broke apart just after re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere and only 15 minutes before its scheduled landing at [Kennedy] Space Center.

The entire world was shocked to learn of this tragedy and the citizens of the St. Louis area were just as numbed to learn that Colonel Anderson was the nephew of one of its favorite sons. The reality of this devastation truly hit home and was even more heart wrenching when the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Dr. James DeClue, a friend, constituent and highly respected ophthalmologist, was among the many close relatives to suffer this tragic loss.

Born on Christmas Day, 43-year-old Colonel Anderson considered Spokane, Washington his hometown. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics/astronomy from the University of Washington in 1981. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force and spent four years flying for the strategic Air Command. He later earned a Master of Science degree in physics from Creighton University in 1990 and was selected by NASA as an astronaut in 1994. As Payload Commander aboard Columbia, Colonel Anderson was responsible for the shuttle science mission.

As the first African-American to visit a space station during a trip to the Russian Mir outpost, Colonel Anderson will serve as inspiration to minority youth everywhere. He bravely ignored the dangers associated with space travel and risked his life because he believed that what he was doing would have great consequences and benefit all mankind for generations to come. By all accounts he was a man of faith who believed that life was a gift and a blessing. Colonel Anderson fulfilled his life's mission on Earth as a scientist and explorer. He had logged more than 211 hours in space and will always be remember for his faith in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my condolences to Colonel Anderson's family and let them know how very proud the St. Louis community is of his remarkable accomplishments. Colonel Anderson set lofty goals for himself and accomplished them. He will live forever in our memories. I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Colonel Michael P. Anderson.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to ask for further congressional scrutinizing of recommended changes to the Federal Home Loan Bank system.

The Federal Home Loan Bank system has enjoyed continued success as a regionally based cooperative that provides critical liquidity to its constituent member institutions.

The currently proposed changes involve three major issues that include the assumption of new powers, the dismantling of the regional character of the System, both of which bring into issue concerns about corporate transparency, and whether the FHLBank's disclosure practices are adequate.

It is thought by many in Congress and in the industry that efforts by some members of the FHLBank system to create a new market for securitization of mortgages would expand its mission in an era of economic uncertainty. Congress should have an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of any proposed reforms before the system is allowed to abrogate its traditional mission.

Moreover, the adoption of a multi-district charter would undermine the strength of the system which lies in its regional structure that allows each bank to have independence and flexibility in addressing its varying needs. As a result, further consolidation could threaten competition and lead to a limitation of access to credit for home ownership.

Finally, any expansion of FHLBank powers and activities should be accompanied by more stringent disclosure requirements; additional

statutory standards such as affordable housing goals; and appropriate capital requirements.

In order to safeguard the continued viability of the Federal Home Loan Bank system, any changes to its fundamental mission should receive adequate congressional scrutiny.